Transistor History
Transistor History
I have been interested in collecting artefacts of early technology for many years and post the 50th anniversary of the invention of the transistor and the explosion of published material celebrating the early years of the transistor have become interested in collecting early transistor memorabilia. Unlike other early technologies I have collected I am part of the transistor generation having been born the year the point contact transistor was announced by Bell Laboratories and having purchased as a teenager some real examples of early transistor technology and used them to build radios and other electronics.
Professionally I am interested in the commercialisation of research and the story of the development of semiconductor technology is a remarkable example of this.
Main Links in this Site
Faraday to Shockley: Semiconductors from 1833 to 1951
Early Transistor Technologies: Developments in the 1950s
Early History of General Electric in the 1950s
Early History of RCA in the 1950s
Early history of Philips in the 1950s
History of Raytheon's semiconductor business
History of Transistors in France
History of AWV's semiconductor business
Early Semiconductor History of Texas Instruments
History of Bell and Western Electric Diffused Transistors
Three early and collectable point contact transistors:
US Semiconductor Manufacturers
European Semiconductor Manufacturers
Australian Semiconductor Manufacturers
Additional resources associated with the above articles are posted here.
Western Electric A1698
STC 3X101N
Mullard OC51