RESUMO
The semiconductor industry continues to produce ever smaller devices that are ever more complex in shape and contain ever more types of materials. The ultimate sizes and functionality of these new devices will be affected by fundamental and engineering limits such as heat dissipation, carrier mobility and fault tolerance thresholds. At present, it is unclear which are the best measurement methods needed to evaluate the nanometre-scale features of such devices and how the fundamental limits will affect the required metrology. Here, we review state-of-the-art dimensional metrology methods for integrated circuits, considering the advantages, limitations and potential improvements of the various approaches. We describe how integrated circuit device design and industry requirements will affect lithography options and consequently metrology requirements. We also discuss potentially powerful emerging technologies and highlight measurement problems that at present have no obvious solution.
RESUMO
The proportional hazards model is used to study the effect of various concomitant variables on the time to valve failure, mortality, or other complications, for patients who have had artificial heart valves inserted. The data are from a database, which is still being assembled as more information is acquired, at Killingbeck Hospital. A suite of computer programs, not specifically developed with this application in mind, has been used to carry out the exploratory data analysis, the estimation of parameters and the validation of the model. These three elements of the analysis are all illustrated. The present report is seen as a preliminary study to assess the usefulness of the proportional hazards model in this area. Follow-up work as more data are accumulated is intended.