Semiconductor Glossary - N
Nitrogen
Not Available
National Ambient Air Quality Standard
A configuration that maps friendly names to IP addresses.
Inverted AND gate
Not-AND gate
An AND gate followed by an inverter. The output of the AND gate is inverted to the opposite value.
A prefix meaning one-billionth. Symbol is n.
A billionth of a second; a common unit of measure of computer operating speed.
National Aeronautics and Space Agency
1) Not Connected
2) Normally Closed
A gaseous form of fossil fuels, mainly composed of methane. Use of natural gas has been growing worldwide because it is considered a cleaner fuel than most other fossil fuels: it contains very low levels of suphur so its combustion forms very little sulphur dioxide, its combustion does not lead to the emissions of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) or volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and there are no ash residues to dispose of after its combustion. Nevertheless, its combustion (as is the case for any carbon-based fuel) does lead to the formation of NOx and to the emission of CO2.
Non Disclosure Agreement
Normalize, Do, Check, Act (like PDCA)
Non Dispersive InfraRed analysis
Non-Destructive ReadOut
Net equity
National Electrical Code
National Electronics Distributors Association
A photoresist that remains in areas that are exposed by light shined through the clear regions of a mask. A negative image of the mask remains following the development procedure.
National Electrical Manufacturers Association
National Environment Policy Act
National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
Computer program used to access information through the World Wide Web.
NanoFarad (measure of capacitance)
National Fire Protection Association
Network File Server
Natural Gas
Next-Generation Digital Loop Carrier
Optical to Electrical adapter (Telecom applications)
Non-Government organization
Nickel
One of a group of metallic elements which are classed as heavy metals. Under certain conditions, nickel is toxic to human beings and it is considered toxic to aquatic species.
1) Network Information Center
2) Network Interface Card
Nickel Cadmium (rechargable battery)
Near Instantaneous Compounded Audio Multiplex
Technique used for coding stereo TV sound in Europe.
Not Invented Here
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
National Information Infrastructure
Not-In-My-BackYard syndrome
An expression used to denote situations where local communities refuse to host waste landfills and waste treatment plants or wastewater treatment plants. The reasons underlying the formation of such a situation in a local community is complex, going from fears about what the location of the plant will do to real-estate prices to a refusal of accepting an externality and arguing instead that whoever produced the waste or the wastewater should suffer the consequences of its treatment and disposal - the "polluter pays principle".
Nickel Metal Hydride
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
An ion. Nitrate salts are used as fertilizers to supply a nitrogen source for plant growth. However, addition of nitrate to surface waters can lead to excessive growth of aquatic plants and eventually eutrophication. High nitrate levels in drinking water can also cause blood diseases in infants.
A strong acid used in semiconductor processing. Nitric acid is a colorless or yellowish liquid, miscible with water and used for chemical synthesis, explosives, manufacture of fertilizers and metallurgical etching and engraving operations. This acid is one of the constituents of acid rain.
Dielectric used in the integrated circuit manufacturing process to insulate the different elements or passivate the circuits.
The oxidation of ammonium (NH4+) to nitrate (NO3-) by bacteria in soil or water. In soil, the process is important because it leads to the formation of an important plant nutrient. In water, although the process removes a substance that is toxic to aquatic species it leads to the creation of a plant nutrient which in turn can encourage eutrophication. Therefore, where wastewater plants include a nitrification step this generally needs to be coupled with a denitrification step.
An ion. Nitrite can be formed from nitrate (NO3-) by microbial action in soil, water, or the human digestive tract. Excessive nitrate levels in rural well water, caused by fertilizer application, has led to cases of blood diseases linked to the body forming nitrites. Sodium nitrite preservative added to bacon, lunch meats, hot dogs, ham, and other foods can react with dietary amines (compounds found in cereals, fish, cheese, beer, and others) to form carcinogenic nitrosamines. However, relative to nitrites formed by normal body metabolism and from dietary intake of natural nitrates (in many vegetables), the health risk of nitrite preservatives is small.
An inert gas used as a carrier or purge gas in semiconductor processing. This chemical element is most often found as a gas formed of molecules made up of two atoms of nitrogen (N2). Nitrogen gas constitutes 78% of the atmosphere. In the combined form nitrogen is a constituent of all proteins. Nitrogen is continuously being converted from one form to another. This conversion is illustrated by the so called "nitrogen cycle". Nitrogen is widely used in industry as an inert gas used to blanket liquids, solids or any surfaces where the absence of oxygen is required. Nitrogen gas has no effects except when breathed pure, in which case it is an asphyxiant (simply because no oxygen is present).
A model illustrating the conversion of nitrogen in nature from one form to another through a combination of biological, geological, and chemical processes. The process is continuous, with N2 in the atmosphere being converted to forms usable by animals and plants and then ultimately returning to the atmosphere as N2.
A brownish colored gas that is a major ingredient in photochemical smog. It is readily produced in the atmosphere from nitric oxide by the addition of an oxygen atom (NO+O=NO2). Nitrogen dioxide can be converted by atmospheric reactions to peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) or to nitric acid, an ingredient in acid deposition.
Gases containing nitrogen and oxygen that include NO, NO2, NO3, N2O, N2O3, N2O4, and N2O5. The first two, nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are the primary NOx pollutants. Often cited as "NOX". Nitrogen oxides affect the respiratory apparatus. High concentrations of nitrogen oxides can be detected by the typical red-brownish color of the atmosphere of the cities with heavy traffic. The nitrogen oxides are highly reactive in the atmosphere and so are a major source of photochemical smog. Together with sulphur dioxide they are also a major cause of acid rain and acid deposition. Finally, they play a role in the complex chemistry which destroys the ozone layer. In the presence of CFC'and other chlorinated compounds they can actually reduce the attack on the ozone layer, while in the absence of these compounds they will destroy the ozone layer. The major sources of NOx are combustion processes (boilers, cars, etc.). About 60 percent of NO and NO2 emissions are from stationary sources (smokestacks) and most of the remaining 40 percent is from transportation exhaust, mainly automobiles.
Network Interface Unit
No Later Than
Nonmethane hydrocarbons
No Masquable Interrupt
NonMethane Organic Compounds
N-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor
A type of MOSFET using electrons to conduct current in the semiconductor channel. The channel has a predominantly negative charge during conduction. The source and drain are N-type.
N-methyl pyrrolidone
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Nordic Mobile Telephone
Analog cellular network standard .
Network Ns Transfer Protocol
1) Normally Open (switch/relay)
2) Nitric oxide
Nitrogen dioxide
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Next Operation As Customer
No Observed Adverse Effect Level
Near Obstacle Detection
No Ordinary Flash
A measure of the insensitivity of a logic circuit to triggering by or reaction to spurious or undesirable electrical signals or noise, largely determined by the signal swing of the logic.
Electromagnetic radiation that is not sufficiently energetic to produce charged ions when it strikes an object. Examples are ultraviolet light, visible light, and radio waves.
If the power is turned off, data is retained.
A term used to describe memories that retain their data if the power supply is turned off. EPROM, EEPROM and flash memories are all non-volatile.
NORth American Defense
Not-OR gate
An OR gate followed by an inverter. The output of the OR gate is inverted to the opposite value.
A curve that follows the mathematical definition of a Gaussian frequency distribution. The normal distribution is the basis of many statistical concepts used through out statistical process control and many statistical tests, procedures, techniques, etc.
Small laptop computer.
The output is just the opposite from the single input.
Nitrogen oxides
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
National Primary Drinking Water-Standard
National Priorities List
Non-Product Order
1)A request for a service, treated as an order for tracking.
2)Order code used for invoicing anything which is not a semiconductor part, such as a contribution to development costs.
1) N Product Request
In the ST product maturity procedure this is the document that must be approved before design work can begin for a n product. It presents information that allows management to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of the proposed product.
2) National Public Radio
National Quality Assurance Authority
The military service government agency or organization with a NATO member country identified to other NATO nations as the authority for NATO Quality Assurance matters.
Non Recurring Engineering
Non-Repudiation of Origin
Non-Repudiation of Receipt
Non-Return to Zero
Non-Return to Zero Inverted
nanosecond
One billionth of a second.
National Science Board
National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations
National Science Foundation
Non-Solder Mask Defined
Ball pads on BGA that are smaller than its solder mask opening. Arguably, this type of pad allows for better attach of solder balls.
National Society of Professional Engineers
N Source Performance Standards
Network Termination
Network Basic Subscriber card
Negative Temperature Coefficient
National Technical Information Service
Network Time Protocol
A semiconductor crystal containing a small amount of "dopant" atoms that have one more valence electron that the other atoms in the crystal. These extra negative electrons can find no unoccupied bonds to bind them, so they are free to wander and constitute electric current. Common N-type dopants for silicon are phosphorus and arsenic.
National Television Systems Committee
US committee that defined the existing 525 line 60Hz color TV system today used in the USA and Japan. European equivalents are PAL and SECAM.
A device to promote and control nuclear fission for producing heat and then steam to generate electricity or for producing certain radioisotopes. All reactors have a core containing nuclear fuel, which serves as the energy source, and control rods, which regulate the rate of fission. The fuel is usually a mixture of uranium-238 (about 97%) and uranium-235 and/or plutonium-239 (about 3%). The fuel is formed into pellets and packed into metal tubes called fuel rods. The core is immersed in coolant (commonly water). The system is energized by removal of the control rods. Heat generated by fission is used to make steam, which is used to turn generators that produce electricity. Other than the risks associated with their unsafe operation, one of the primary environmental concerns related to nuclear reactors is the accumulation of waste material that are very radioactive and remain dangerous for hundreds of years. These radioactive wastes accumulate in the fuel rods as the reactor operates and within the reactor structure itself. Consequently, used fuel rods and reactors that are decommissioned are sources of large amounts of dangerous radioactive wastes.
N Ventures Group
ST organization that manages n businesses.
Non Volatile Memory
Term used to describe memories that retain their data if the power supply is turned off.
Near Video On Demand
Non-Volatile Random Access Memory
Natural Work Team
A team of people performing similar or related work, usually in the same department, or in 2 or 3 departments that work closely together on sequential steps of a common process. While QIT's and PST's are temporary, NWT's are permanent. In doing their work they are intended to constantly practice the PDCA and SDCA cycles for continuous improvement.
Half a byte or four bits.
New York Stock Exchange
US stock market where ST shares are traded using identifier STM. Located in Wall Street, New York.
