The first Weblog, or Blog, for engineers confronting testing issues in the semiconductor industry informs of the latest technical and business developments and their impact on testing.

Keithley Instruments, a leader in solutions for emerging measurement needs, announces the first Weblog, or Blog, designed exclusively for engineers confronting testing issues in the semiconductor industry. The Semiconductor Test Blog informs visitors of the latest technical and business developments in the semiconductor industry and their impact on testing. The Blog is coordinated by 'Solid State Technology' magazine and can be accessed directly at http://sst.pennet.com.

The Blog contains links to a library of white papers and Webcasts, as well as announcements of upcoming conferences and events of interest to the semiconductor test and measurement community.

Visitors can also post responses to particular items or post questions to other Blog visitors.

David M Barach, publisher of 'Solid State Technology', believed the Blog will play an important role in the semiconductor industry.

'Engineers responsible for testing in the fast-paced semiconductor industry need to be aware of the latest developments in the field,' said Barach.

'The new Semiconductor Test Blog is the hub for those seeking the most up to date information on the latest test techniques in developing next-generation semiconductor devices,' said Barach.

Mark Hoersten, Keithley's vice president of Business Management, stressed the importance of testing in new device research and development.

'The ability to perform accurate and repeatable measurements at ever-shrinking device levels is critical to engineers developing next-generation semiconductor materials,' said Hoersten.

'The Semiconductor Test Blog will help scientists and engineers stay ahead of the development curve.' * About Keithley - with 60 years of measurement expertise, Keithley Instruments has become a world leader in advanced electrical test instruments and systems from DC to RF (radio frequency).

Its products solve emerging measurement needs in production testing, process monitoring, product development, and research.

The company's customers are scientists and engineers in the worldwide electronics industry involved with advanced materials research, semiconductor device and wafer characterization and functional test, and the production of end products such as electronic assemblies or portable wireless devices.

The value Keithley provides its customers is a combination of precision measurement technology and a rich understanding of their applications to improve the quality, throughput, and yield of their products.