Dear Colleagues,

the ALICE1 pixel readout wafers and the dummy wafers for bump-bonding
trials have been delivered to CERN in these last few days.

This marks the successful completion of a very challenging phase of the
project: the design of a highly complex mixed-signal chip, using special
layout techniques for radiation hardening, and its fabrication in a
commercial 0.25um process.

It also marks the start of an equally challenging phase of chip testing
and bump-bonding trials. These activities will keep many of us busy
during the next months.

It certainly is a very exciting moment for all of us and particularly
for the designers, who will soon find out the result of their efforts.

A discussion of the results of the first tests will take place at the
next SPD general meeting.

       Best Regards,

    Federico and Giorgio