There is a great deal of interest in extending nondestructive technologies beyond the location and identification of cracks and voids. Specifically there is growing interest in the application of nondestructive evaluation (NOEl to the measurement of physical and mechanical properties of materials. The measurement of materials properties is often referred to as materials characterization; thus nondestructive techniques applied to characterization become nondestructive characterization (NDCl. There are a number of meetings, proceedings and journals focused upon nondestructive technologies and the detection and identification of cracks and voids. However, the series of symposia, of which these proceedings represent the fourth, are the only meetings uniquely focused upon nondestructive characterization. Moreover, these symposia are especially concerned with stimulating communication between the materials, mechanical and manufacturing engineer and the NDE technology oriented engineer and scientist. These symposia recognize that it is the welding of these areas of expertise that is necessary for practical development and application of NDC technology to measurements of components for in service life time and sensor technology for intelligent processing of materials. These proceedings are from the fourth international symposia and are edited by c.o. Ruud, J. F. Bussiere and R.E. Green, Jr. . The dates, places, etc of the symposia held to date area as follows: Symposia on Nondestructive Methods for TITLE: Material Property Determination DATES: April 6-8, 1983 PLACE: Hershey, PA, USA CHAIRPERSONS: C.O. Ruud and R.E. Green, Jr.

The papers published in these proceedings represent the latest developments in the nondestructive characterization of materials and were presented at the Eleventh International Symposium on Nondestructive Characterization of Materials held in June 2002, in Berlin, Germany.

This book covers novel research results for process and techniques of materials characterization for a wide range of materials. The authors provide a comprehensive overview of the aspects of structural and chemical characterization of these materials. The articles contained in this book covers state of the art and experimental techniques commonly used in modern materials characterization. The book includes theoretical models and numerous illustrations of structural and chemical characterization properties.

Manufacturing, reduced to its simplest form, involves the sequencing of product forms through a number of different processes. Each individual step, known as an unit manufacturing process, can be viewed as the fundamental building block of a nation's manufacturing capability. A committee of the National Research Council has prepared a report to help define national priorities for research in unit processes. It contains an organizing framework for unit process families, criteria for determining the criticality of a process or manufacturing technology, examples of research opportunities, and a prioritized list of enabling technologies that can lead to the manufacture of products of superior quality at competitive costs. The study was performed under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation and the Defense Department's Manufacturing Technology Program.

Nondestructive testing (NDT) is used to examine the ability of materials and components to withstand loads. Two features of NDT are defect inspection and materials characterization. Because of the increasing ability to manufacture materials and products "defect free" there is less need for defect-oriented NDT but an increasing need for materials characterization. This book is the first comprehensive work on materials characterization, presenting the state of the art and practical applications. Materials characterization is used during production, operations, service intervals, or after repairs. Materials are used to withstand mechanical, thermal, chemical, and irradiation loads-or a combination thereof. The ability to withstand these loads is essentially a function of parameters like chemical composition, microstructure, macrostructure, residual stresses, and materials properties. The physical background of NDT is presented along with its different methods. Ultrasonics, electromagnetics, and X-rays are treated with appropriate detail, while other methods such as acoustic emission, vibration analysis, optical, and thermal methods are also covered. The different methods of materials characterization are discussed following the goal parameters, from atomic to macroscopic dimensions. One of the practical features of the book is the presentation of real world applications. On-line process control and condition monitoring are discussed, as well as off-line applications for materials characterization after production and after operation.

VLSI Electronics: Microstructure Science, Volume 6: Materials and Process Characterization addresses the problem of how to apply a broad range of sophisticated materials characterization tools to materials and processes used for development and production of very large scale integration (VLSI) electronics. This book discusses the various characterization techniques, such as Auger spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, X-ray topography, transmission electron microscopy, and spreading resistance. The systematic approach to the technologies of VLSI electronic materials and device manufacture are also considered. This volume is beneficial to materials scientists, chemists, and engineers who are commissioned with the responsibility of developing and implementing the production of materials and devices to support the VLSI era.