DocumentCode
1167904
Title
The (pre-) history of the integrated circuit: a random walk
Author
Lee, Thomas H.
Author_Institution
Center for Integrated Systs., Stanford Univ., CA, USA
Volume
12
Issue
2
fYear
2007
Firstpage
16
Lastpage
22
Abstract
Return to the world of coherers, crystals, catwhiskers, point contacts, and Chilean copper rectifiers. Follow the random path of semiconductor advances made without fundamental understanding. Grow in the confidence that all the good stuff has NOT already been invented. The microprocessor consumes 100 watts, switching at pico-seconds while your brain consumes just 20 to 25 watts, and operates at microcroseconds. Nature shows us there´s plenty of advances left.
Keywords
Crystals; Detectors; Electron tubes; History; Patents; Transistors;
fLanguage
English
Journal_Title
Solid-State Circuits Society Newsletter, IEEE
Publisher
ieee
ISSN
1098-4232
Type
jour
DOI
10.1109/N-SSC.2007.4785573
Filename
4785573
Link To Document