EEC-9521645 Mahajan CAMPmode (Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Packaging of Microwave, Optical and Digital Electronics), is establishing an NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) to conduct interdisciplinary research in computer-aided designs, packaging and manufacturing technologies needed for high quality, low cost production of microwave/millimeter-wave, optical and digital electronic systems. The MIMICAD Center was established in 1988 at the University of Colorado as an NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research (I/UCRC) to provide a knowledge base for microwave/millimeter-wave integrated system design methodologies and CAD tools. Working cooperatively with a number of defense oriented companies and government organizations, the Center has been successful in fulfilling its stated purpose. Over the last few years, however, the Center has been undergoing a change, just as its sponsoring companies have been. There is a perceptible shift in the defense industry from military to commercial applications. As a result, a predominantly defense oriented R&D base in microwave electronics must evolve into one with more balance between commercial and defense applications. A significant growth is expected in the commercial applications which would require a synergistic interaction of microwave/millimeter-wave technologies with high speed digital and optical electronics. However, effectiveness in gaining a market share in these markets depends on the ability to produce not only cost effective designs but very importantly high quality, low cost packaging and manufacture of these electronic systems. To meet these evolving needs, MIMICAD members have merged with another industry consortium to form a new Center, CAMPmode. This will facilitate closer cooperation between design, packaging and manufacturing research. This will broaden the expertise base and provide enhanced value to customers in digital electronics, optics and RF communica tion markets. The Center will provide enhancements in curriculum through development of cross-disciplinary courses, and provide students valuable research training in this important technical area. As part of the NSF-I/UCRC proposal, the Center requests support from NSF towards a female undergraduate student in Electrical and Computer Engineering. The student will conduct research in the computational electromagnetics research group.
