The technology trends of Microelectronics and Microsystems are mainly characterized by miniaturization down to the nano-scale, increasing levels of system and function integration, and the introduction of new materials, while the business trends are mainly characterized by cost reduction, shorter-time-to market and outsourcing. Combination of these trends leads to increasing design complexity, dramatically decreasing design margins and process windows, reducing product development and qualification times, increasing risks of failures, and increasing difficulties to meet quality, robustness...