Semiconductor

In 1824, the Swedish chemist and physician Jöns Jakob Berzelius was able to define silicon in its elementary form and gave the semimetal its name.

Michael Faraday discovers that electrical conduction increases with temperature in silver sulfide crystals, which is opposite to that observed in copper and other metals.

The birth history of semiconductors can be traced back to the invention of the rectifier (AC-DC converter) in 1874.

Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the telephone, a revolutionary communication device that transformed the way people interact over long distances.

Thomas Alva Edison invented the first commercially practical incandescent light bulb, which laid the foundation for modern lighting systems.

Guglielmo Marconi's invention of wireless telegraphy enabled long-range communication without the need for physical connections, paving the way for modern wireless technology.

Karl Ferdinand Braun's development of the cathode ray tube laid the groundwork for television and computer monitor displays, contributing to the advancement of visual technology.

In 1901, Jagadis Chandra Bose patented the use of a semiconductor crystal rectifier for detecting radio waves, known as "Cat's Whisker" detectors.

The invention of the two-electrode vacuum tube marked a significant milestone in the evolution of electronic devices, setting the stage for the development of semiconductor technology.

Julius Lilienfeld filed a patent in 1926 describing a three-electrode amplifying device based on the semiconducting properties of copper sulfide. The attempts to build such a device continued through the 1930s.

In 1931, "The Theory Of Electronic Semi-Conductors" was published, contributing to the understanding of electronic semi-conductors.

Russell Ohl discovers the p-n junction and photovoltaic effects in silicon, leading to the development of junction transistors and solar cells.

Techniques for producing high purity germanium and silicon crystals are developed for wartime radar microwave detectors.

On December 23, 1947, the invention of the transistor was announced by William Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter Brattain at Bell Laboratories.

William Shockley and his team announced the invention of the mechanically solid junction-type transistor in June 1948.

Highly developed power semiconductors, particularly in MOSFET and IGBT technology, have significantly advanced due to progressive innovations in microelectronics.

The process of zone refining was developed in 1951.

Bell Labs technology symposia and licensing of transistor patents encourages semiconductor development.

In 1953, a prototype of a transistorized computer showcased the compact size and low-power benefits of semiconductors over vacuum tubes.

Morris Tanenbaum created the first silicon transistor at Bell Labs, while Texas Instruments' engineers were the first to manufacture and market commercial devices.

In 1955, Jules Andrus and Walter Bond utilized photoengraving techniques to enable precise etching of diffusion 'windows' in silicon wafers, marking a significant advancement in silicon device manufacturing.

The Nobel Prize in Physics was jointly awarded to Shockley, Bardeen and Brattain for their pioneering contribution to semiconductor research and the development of the transistor.

Leo Esaki invented the Esaki diode in 1957 while pursuing a research project for creating faster transistors. This diode applied the electron tunneling effect, becoming a major springboard for subsequent development of LSIs.

The invention of the integrated circuit (IC) in 1958 was a significant milestone in semiconductor history, leading to the development of modern microelectronics.

Kilby of Texas Instruments and Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor in the US invented the bipolar integrated circuit (ICs) in 1959, marking the dawn of the IC era and having a major impact on the history of semiconductors.

Robert Noyce builds on Jean Hoerni's planar process to patent a monolithic integrated circuit structure that can be manufactured in high volume.

Computer architect Seymour Cray funds the development of the first silicon device to meet the performance demands of the world's fastest machine, marking a significant milestone in semiconductor technology.

In 1962, integrated circuits were first used in aerospace systems, offering advantages in size, weight, and power consumption compared to discrete transistor designs, justifying their higher cost in military and aerospace applications.

In 1963, the introduction of Diode Transistor Logic (DTL) families created a high-volume market for digital ICs, while Transistor Transistor Logic (TTL) emerged as the most popular standard logic configuration due to its speed, cost, and density advantages by the late 1960s.

David Talbert and Robert Widlar at Fairchild pioneer commercially successful ICs for analog applications, catalyzing a major industry sector.

The Kilby patent refers to the patent on the basic concept of the integrated circuit developed by Jack St. Kilby at Texas Instruments. It yielded huge royalties to TI and had a significant impact on the semiconductor industry.

In 1966, IBM engineers pioneer computer-aided electronic design automation tools, aiming to reduce errors and accelerate the design process for integrated circuits.

In 1967, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) start employing computer-aided design tools, marking a significant advancement in the design process for specialized integrated circuits.

Federico Faggin and Tom Klein improve the reliability, packing density, and speed of MOS ICs with a silicon-gate structure. Faggin designs the first commercial silicon-gate IC – the Fairchild 3708.

In 1969, the Schottky-Barrier Diode was developed, which doubled the speed of TTL memory and logic. This design innovation led to enhanced speed and reduced power consumption of the industry standard 64-bit TTL RAM architecture, and was quickly applied to new bipolar logic and memory designs.

Microcontrollers found applications in various embedded systems, including temperature and level controllers, motor controls, alarm systems, timers, and washing machines, due to their integrated design and diverse functionality.

On November 15, 1971, the first microprocessor, the Intel 4004, was introduced, revolutionizing the development of microcontrollers and becoming the basic building blocks of modern technology.

In 1972, Signetics released the NE555 timer, revolutionizing analog design and changing the way engineers approached timing, with CMOS versions still in use today.

In 1974, the quantification of scaling IC process design rules marked a significant advancement in semiconductor technology.

John Birkner and H. T. Chua of Monolithic Memories develop easy-to-use programmable array logic (PAL) devices and tools for fast prototyping custom logic functions.

Bell Labs' single-chip DSP-1 Digital Signal Processor device architecture is optimized for electronic switching systems.

Flash memory, a rewritable semiconductor memory device that is non-volatile, was invented by Fujio Masuoka in 1980. It was designed to erase the entire block of data at once, reducing the cost per bit by 75% or more.

In 1983, Nintendo released the Family Computer (Famicom), a video game console equipped with an 8-bit CPU. It gained immense popularity with the launch of Super Mario Bros., a game developed specifically for this platform.

In 1990, Nintendo introduced the Super Famicom, a 16-bit game console, following the success of the Family Computer. This further contributed to the revolution in family entertainment.

In 1993, Nichia Corporation and Shuji Nakamura successfully developed the blue LED technology, enabling the creation of full color LED displays and advanced applications like blue laser technology for DVD recorders.

The PIC16F886-I/SP microcontroller, manufactured by Microchip, was introduced in 1997. It is an 8-bit microcontroller with a clock speed of 20 MHz and comes in a DIP-28 package. It is widely used in various electronic applications.

Hitachi High-Tech Corporation was established in 2001.

In 2004, Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov successfully isolated graphene by applying clear adhesive tape to a block of graphite, cleaving a thin layer of graphene.

Intelligent MOSFETs known as SMARTFETs have been developed, featuring robust circuit breakers, low on-resistance, and integrated analog circuits for diagnostic, protection, and control functions.

The semiconductor industry conference was held in 2022, bringing together experts to discuss the latest trends and innovations in the sector.