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EngineeringComputer EngineeringElectrical EngineeringComputer ArchitectureMicroelectronicsVlsi DesignElectronics TechnologyIntegrated Circuit DesignIntegrated Circuit FabricationPhysical DesignVery-large-scale Integration LayoutFilm DepositionSemiconductor TechnologySilicon Wafer ProcessingVery-large-scale IntegrationVery-large-scale Integration (Vlsi) DesignVlsi Implementation
The industry's technological ability to construct complex circuit functions is in danger of far outstripping its ability to conceive and design products that can utilize the complexity. The few exceptions are mostly memories. The efforts attempting to utilize broadly the technology require qualitatively different commitments than has been the case historically in the semiconductor industry. Systems architecture, software and the need for customer support systems vie with lithography, film deposition and diffusion for resources. There are enough different forces coming to bear to indicate that it is not clear that industry will continue to be driven by the processing technology. This address will attempt to describe principal changes taking place that could affect the structure of the solid-state electronic industries.