R&D in Analog Circuits: Possibilities and Needed Support

It is argued that the importance of analog and mixed-analog-digital integrated circuits has increased in terms of volume and in terms of the number of applications, as analog circuits accompany the computer wherever the latter must interface with the real world. A number of important applications are identified, and several examples of open R&D topics are given. The context and nature of analog circuit R&D are discussed, and several factors that hinder such R&D are examined. These include some factors which are non-technical in nature but are of no lesser importance than the technical ones.