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80 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2018 First Article Inspection First article inspection is one of the cru- cial steps before mass production. The prod- uct available for first article inspection and approval can be totally regarded as a dress rehearsal before its formal performance on market stage. To make the best of the functionality of first article inspection, you must ensure that your CM or assembler is able to provide first article inspection service and contains dedi- cated inspection lists to conform to. Then you should establish your own inspection lists and requirements to compensate for your specific demands, such as harsh environments or envi- ronmental-friendly concerns. Speed and Response PCB fabrication and assembly are not so easy as building LEGOs. Deadlines and deliv- ery dates must be confirmed between manu- facturers and their customers. Furthermore, efficiency is vital for a new product entry into market. Smooth communication is the basis of long-term cooperation. As far as that is con- cerned, language does matter, which is espe- cially true for offshore manufacturing. Never- theless, the language barrier is being broken by the wide acceptance of English by electron- ics manufacturers around the globe. All EMS provider swear that their focus is on customers. So, unless you have a lie detector handy, just submit your requirements and wait for their reply. Never take short cuts when qual - ifying a new manufacturing partner. DESIGN007 Dora Yang is a technical engineer with PCBCart, a China-based full turnkey PCB assembly services provider. If you have questions related to PCB design, manufacturing or assembly, reach her on Twitter @dorayang0227 or directly at www.pcbcart.com. Think of one half of any famous duo, and the other half likely comes to mind. The same is true in oxide electron- ics materials. Yet until now, a critical aspect has been missing—one that complements the function of electrons in oxide electronics. And a team led by University of Wis- consin–Madison materials scientist Chang-Beom Eom has directly observed that missing second half of the duo necessary to move oxide electronics materials forward. While other researchers have made the material in a bi-layer structure, Eom designed a triple layer. He alter- nated layers of strontium oxide and titanium dioxide on the bottom, then layers of lanthanum oxide and alu- minum oxide, then added additional layers of strontium oxide and titanium dioxide on the top. As a result, the hole gas forms at the interface of the layers on the top, while the electron gas forms at the interface of the layers on the bottom — the first demonstration of a very powerful com- plementary pair. Beyond Silicon: Researchers Solve a Materials Mystery Key to Next-Generation Electronic Devices