Trouble in Your Tank: Understanding Interconnect Defects, Part 1
It’s Only Common Sense: Marketing Isn’t Fluff, It’s Ammunition
Driving Innovation: Mechanical and Optical Processes During Rigid-flex Production
Program Seeks Ability to Assemble Atom-sized Pieces Into Practical Products
December 30, 2015 | DARPAEstimated reading time: 1 minute
DARPA recently launched its Atoms to Product (A2P) program, with the goal of developing technologies and processes to assemble nanometer-scale pieces—whose dimensions are near the size of atoms—into systems, components, or materials that are at least millimeter-scale in size. At the heart of that goal was a frustrating reality: Many common materials, when fabricated at nanometer-scale, exhibit unique and attractive “atomic-scale” behaviors including quantized current-voltage behavior, dramatically lower melting points and significantly higher specific heats—but they tend to lose these potentially beneficial traits when they are manufactured at larger “product-scale” dimensions, typically on the order of a few centimeters, for integration into devices and systems.
DARPA recently selected 10 performers to tackle this challenge: Zyvex Labs, Richardson, Texas; SRI, Menlo Park, California; Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts; University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana; HRL Laboratories, Malibu, California; PARC, Palo Alto, California; Embody, Norfolk, Virginia; Voxtel, Beaverton, Oregon; Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“The ability to assemble atomic-scale pieces into practical components and products is the key to unlocking the full potential of micromachines,” said John Main, DARPA program manager. “The DARPA Atoms to Product Program aims to bring the benefits of microelectronic-style miniaturization to systems and products that combine mechanical, electrical, and chemical processes.”
The program calls for closing the assembly gap in two steps: From atoms to microns and from microns to millimeters. Performers are tasked with addressing one or both of these steps and have been assigned to one of three working groups, each with a distinct focus area.
To view summary descriptions of each performer's planned work within the three working groups click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"In a year when every marketing dollar mattered, I chose to keep I-Connect007 in our 2025 plan. Their commitment to high-quality, insightful content aligns with Koh Young’s values and helps readers navigate a changing industry. "
Brent Fischthal - Koh YoungSuggested Items
Real Time with... SMTAI 2025: Navigating Manufacturing Challenges with Akrometrix
11/03/2025 | Real Time with...SMTAIMarcy LaRont and Paul Handler of Aktrometrix share insights from the SMTAI show in Chicago. They address manufacturing challenges, particularly warpage issues, and discuss Akrometrix's solutions. Paul details three optical technologies for measuring warpage and thermal expansion, emphasizing the need for reliability and defect detection in production. The conversation also touches on new industry standards for board warpage, influenced by OEMs.
Hofstetter PCB Group Purchases Mass-PCB Vacuum-Filling & Planarising System from Adeon Technologies for New Via Filing Subcontract Services
10/30/2025 | ADEON TechnologiesDuring the Productronica Exhibition in Munich from November 18 through to 21, Adeon is announcing the sale of the newest 2025 model Via Filling equipment with Large Container System and the Planarising system from Mass-PCB to SMF-Hofstetter from Herrenberg, Germany.
Highlights at productronica 2025
10/29/2025 | productronicaJust a few more weeks to go before the anniversary edition of productronica. The world’s leading trade fair for the development and production of electronics celebrates its 50th anniversary this fall. From November 18 to 21, Munich will once again be the meeting place for the international electronics industry.
Unlocking the Promise of AI in Electronics Manufacturing
10/29/2025 | Shobhit Agrawal, Keysight TechnologiesThe electronics manufacturing industry is rapidly evolving as more complicated products are introduced in the production lines, which require technological advancements even in the production processes. The requirements for production that is efficient, product quality that is greater, and product life cycles that are shorter are more crucial than ever before. In the electronic device life cycle, from design to maintenance, test phases have a significant impact on the economy of the company. Test processes are closely linked to the production volume and impacted by the complexity of the product. For businesses to maintain their competitive edge, they need to adopt innovative solutions and redefine processes.
Driving Innovation: Mechanical and Optical Processes During Rigid-flex Production
10/28/2025 | Kurt Palmer -- Column: Driving InnovationRigid-flex printed circuit boards are a highly effective solution for placing complex circuitry in tight, three-dimensional spaces. They are now indispensable across a range of industries, from medical devices and aerospace to advanced consumer electronics, helping designers make the most efficient use of available space. However, their unique construction—combining rigid and flexible materials—presents a fundamental challenge for PCB manufacturers.