A high performance silicon transistor for the entertainment industry

A new family of silicon transistors has been introduced by General Electric specifically for the entertainment industry. Designated the 2N2711–16 and the 2N2921–26, they are NPN planar passivated transistors housed in an epoxy package and intended for applications from audio frequencies to over 30 Mc. The outstanding feature of this family is the entirely new concept of manufacture used in their construction which allows prices competitive to or below germanium alloy prices, both domestic and foreign. To achieve low cost, automation has been applied to an extent previously unknown in the semiconductor industry. In addition, a low cost epoxy housing has been substituted for the conventional metal package. High quality and reliability are ensured by using planar techniques and materials originally developed for military transistors. These transistors have been in volume production for over a year and are backed by extensive life test and customer field experience. All types are immediately available in production quantities.