BALL Makes Spherical IC &n
Staff -- Semiconductor International, 6/1/1999
BALL
Semiconductor (Allen, Texas) has created what it calls the world's first spherical
integrated circuit. The company fabricated 5 mm NMOS inverter circuits on a
1 mm diameter silicon sphere. Though an NMOS circuit is relatively simple, the
company states that it required all the fundamental technologies needed to build
most types of spherical semiconductors.
The company is now developing a pilot line for production of spherical semiconductors
and sensors. Plans are also in place to produce CMOS, radio frequency and MEMS
devices. The company claims that spherical semiconductor devices have significant
potential in the health care and automotive industries. 
