The other transistor: Early history of the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor

Engineering Science and Education Journal

Volumn 7, Issue 5, 1998, Pages 233-240

  Arns, Robert G ^a  

^a 109 Votey Building ^*  (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

SEMICONDUCTING SILICON; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE STRUCTURES; TRIODES;

SEMICONDUCTOR TRIODE STRUCTURES;

MOSFET DEVICES;

EID: 0032179459     PISSN: 09637346     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1049/esej:19980509     Document Type: Review

References (54)

1. 'News of radio' column, The New York Times, 1st July 1948, p.46
2. The early history of these devices is described by BRAUN, Ernest and MACDONALD, Stuart in 'Revolution in miniature' (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York, 2nd edn. 1982)
3. The patents often associated with this recognition are: US Patent 2,524,035, 'Three-electrode circuit element utilizing semiconductive materials', the point-contact transistor patent issued to Bardeen and Brattain on 3rd October 1950; and US Patent 2,569,347, 'Circuit element using semiconductive material', the BJT patent issued to William Shockley on 25th September 1951. Shockley's notebook shows the date for the genesis of the idea as 23rd January 1948
4. GARNER, L. E., Jr.: 'Transistors and their applications in television-radio electronics' (Coyne Electrical School, Chicago, 1953), p.36
5. WEINER, C.: 'How the transistor emerged', IEEE Spectrum, 1973, 10, pp.24-33
6. SHOCKLEY, W: 'Creative-failure methodology', Electronics and Power, 22, February 1973, p.59
7. BARDEEN, J.: 'Surface states and rectification at a metal semiconductor contact', Phys. Rev., 15th May 1947, 71, pp.717-727; the paper was submitted in March 1946
8. HODDESON, L.: 'The discovery of the point-contact transistor', Historical Studies in the Physical Sciences, 1981, 12, pp.41-73
9. US Patent 2,524,033, issued to John Bardeen on 3rd October 1950, is a sourceless MOSFET; US Patent 2,524,034, issued to Brattain and Gibney on 3rd October 1950, is a field-effect device incorporating a drop of electrolyte. Figure 1 of Shockley's US Patent 2,569,347 is a gated p-n junction, i.e. an inversion-channel insulated-gate FET.
10. References to the JFET, which is not described in this article, include SHOCKLEY, W: 'A unipolar "field-effect" transistor', Proc. IRE, 1952, 40, pp.1365-1376; DACEY, G. C., and ROSS, I. M.: 'Unipolar "field-effect" transistor', Proc. IRE, 1953, 41, pp.970-979, 'The field-effect transistor', Bell Syst. Tech. J., 1955, 34, pp.1149-1189, and 'Semiconductor signal translating devices', US Patent No. 2,778,956, granted on 22nd January 1957 (application date 31st October 1952). Stanislas Teszner used a germaniumalloy construction in a 1957 version of the JFET, see TESZNER, S.: 'Le Tecnetron, nouveau dispositif semiconducteur', in DÉSIRANT, M., and MICHIELS, J. L. (Eds.): 'Solid state physics in electronics and telecommunications'. Proc. Int. Conf., Brussels, 2nd-7th June 1958, 2, Pt. 2, pp.1086-1099 (Adademic Press, London and New York, 1960); German Patent No. 1,013,796, issued 14th August 1957. MORRIS, P. R., describes later JFET developments at Crystalonics and Texas Instruments in 'A history of the world semiconductor industry' (Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, 1990), pp.43-44
11. References to the JFET, which is not described in this article, include SHOCKLEY, W: 'A unipolar "field-effect" transistor', Proc. IRE, 1952, 40, pp.1365-1376; DACEY, G. C., and ROSS, I. M.: 'Unipolar "field-effect" transistor', Proc. IRE, 1953, 41, pp.970-979, 'The field-effect transistor', Bell Syst. Tech. J., 1955, 34, pp.1149-1189, and 'Semiconductor signal translating devices', US Patent No. 2,778,956, granted on 22nd January 1957 (application date 31st October 1952). Stanislas Teszner used a germaniumalloy construction in a 1957 version of the JFET, see TESZNER, S.: 'Le Tecnetron, nouveau dispositif semiconducteur', in DÉSIRANT, M., and MICHIELS, J. L. (Eds.): 'Solid state physics in electronics and telecommunications'. Proc. Int. Conf., Brussels, 2nd-7th June 1958, 2, Pt. 2, pp.1086-1099 (Adademic Press, London and New York, 1960); German Patent No. 1,013,796, issued 14th August 1957. MORRIS, P. R., describes later JFET developments at Crystalonics and Texas Instruments in 'A history of the world semiconductor industry' (Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, 1990), pp.43-44
12. References to the JFET, which is not described in this article, include SHOCKLEY, W: 'A unipolar "field-effect" transistor', Proc. IRE, 1952, 40, pp.1365-1376; DACEY, G. C., and ROSS, I. M.: 'Unipolar "field-effect" transistor', Proc. IRE, 1953, 41, pp.970-979, 'The field-effect transistor', Bell Syst. Tech. J., 1955, 34, pp.1149-1189, and 'Semiconductor signal translating devices', US Patent No. 2,778,956, granted on 22nd January 1957 (application date 31st October 1952). Stanislas Teszner used a germaniumalloy construction in a 1957 version of the JFET, see TESZNER, S.: 'Le Tecnetron, nouveau dispositif semiconducteur', in DÉSIRANT, M., and MICHIELS, J. L. (Eds.): 'Solid state physics in electronics and telecommunications'. Proc. Int. Conf., Brussels, 2nd-7th June 1958, 2, Pt. 2, pp.1086-1099 (Adademic Press, London and New York, 1960); German Patent No. 1,013,796, issued 14th August 1957. MORRIS, P. R., describes later JFET developments at Crystalonics and Texas Instruments in 'A history of the world semiconductor industry' (Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, 1990), pp.43-44
13. References to the JFET, which is not described in this article, include SHOCKLEY, W: 'A unipolar "field-effect" transistor', Proc. IRE, 1952, 40, pp.1365-1376; DACEY, G. C., and ROSS, I. M.: 'Unipolar "field-effect" transistor', Proc. IRE, 1953, 41, pp.970-979, 'The field-effect transistor', Bell Syst. Tech. J., 1955, 34, pp.1149-1189, and 'Semiconductor signal translating devices', US Patent No. 2,778,956, granted on 22nd January 1957 (application date 31st October 1952). Stanislas Teszner used a germaniumalloy construction in a 1957 version of the JFET, see TESZNER, S.: 'Le Tecnetron, nouveau dispositif semiconducteur', in DÉSIRANT, M., and MICHIELS, J. L. (Eds.): 'Solid state physics in electronics and telecommunications'. Proc. Int. Conf., Brussels, 2nd-7th June 1958, 2, Pt. 2, pp.1086-1099 (Adademic Press, London and New York, 1960); German Patent No. 1,013,796, issued 14th August 1957. MORRIS, P. R., describes later JFET developments at Crystalonics and Texas Instruments in 'A history of the world semiconductor industry' (Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, 1990), pp.43-44
14. References to the JFET, which is not described in this article, include SHOCKLEY, W: 'A unipolar "field-effect" transistor', Proc. IRE, 1952, 40, pp.1365-1376; DACEY, G. C., and ROSS, I. M.: 'Unipolar "field-effect" transistor', Proc. IRE, 1953, 41, pp.970-979, 'The field-effect transistor', Bell Syst. Tech. J., 1955, 34, pp.1149-1189, and 'Semiconductor signal translating devices', US Patent No. 2,778,956, granted on 22nd January 1957 (application date 31st October 1952). Stanislas Teszner used a germaniumalloy construction in a 1957 version of the JFET, see TESZNER, S.: 'Le Tecnetron, nouveau dispositif semiconducteur', in DÉSIRANT, M., and MICHIELS, J. L. (Eds.): 'Solid state physics in electronics and telecommunications'. Proc. Int. Conf., Brussels, 2nd-7th June 1958, 2, Pt. 2, pp.1086-1099 (Adademic Press, London and New York, 1960); German Patent No. 1,013,796, issued 14th August 1957. MORRIS, P. R., describes later JFET developments at Crystalonics and Texas Instruments in 'A history of the world semiconductor industry' (Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, 1990), pp.43-44
15. BOTTOM, V. E.: 'Invention of the solid-state amplifier', Physics Today, February 1964, pp.24-26; Lilienfelds U.S Patents Nos. 1,745,175 (applied 8th October 1926, and granted 28th January 1930), 1,877,140 (applied 8th December 1928, and granted 13th September 1932), and 1,900,018 (applied 28th March 1928, and granted 7th March 1933)
16. JOHNSON, J. B.: 'More on the solid-state amplifier and Dr. Lilienfeld', Physics Today, May 1964, pp.60-62; the quote is from p.61. The language used by Johnson suggests that he is describing an attempt to verify Lilienfeld's US Patent No. 1,745,175. References to the JFET work of Shockley and of Dacey and Ross are given in Reference 10 above
17. CRAWFORD, B. E.: The invention of the transistor'. MS Thesis, The University of Vermont, October 1991
18. ROSS, J. P.: 'Reconstruction of a Lilienfeld transistor', paper presented to the Spring 1995 Meeting of the New England Section of the American Physical Society, 8th April 1995; also reported in 'J. E. Lilienfeld and the discovery of the transistor effect', Old Timer's Bulletin, February 1998,39, pp.44-47 and May 1998, 39, pp.50-52
19. ROSS, J. P.: 'Reconstruction of a Lilienfeld transistor', paper presented to the Spring 1995 Meeting of the New England Section of the American Physical Society, 8th April 1995; also reported in 'J. E. Lilienfeld and the discovery of the transistor effect', Old Timer's Bulletin, February 1998,39, pp.44-47 and May 1998, 39, pp.50-52
20. ROSS, J. P.: 'Reconstruction of a Lilienfeld transistor', paper presented to the Spring 1995 Meeting of the New England Section of the American Physical Society, 8th April 1995; also reported in 'J. E. Lilienfeld and the discovery of the transistor effect', Old Timer's Bulletin, February 1998,39, pp.44-47 and May 1998, 39, pp.50-52
21. SHOCKLEY, W., and PEARSON, G. L.: 'Modulation of the conductance of thin films of semi-conductors by surface charges', Phys. Rev., 15th July 1948, 74, pp.232-233; BARDEEN, J., and BRATTAIN, W. H.: 'The transistor, a semi-conductor triode', Phys. Rev., 15th July 1948, 74, pp.230-232
22. SHOCKLEY, W., and PEARSON, G. L.: 'Modulation of the conductance of thin films of semi-conductors by surface charges', Phys. Rev., 15th July 1948, 74, pp.232-233; BARDEEN, J., and BRATTAIN, W. H.: 'The transistor, a semi-conductor triode', Phys. Rev., 15th July 1948, 74, pp.230-232
23. THOMSON, J. J.: 'Conduction of electricity through metals', Philos. Mag., Series 6, 1915, 30, pp.192-202
24. WILSON, A. H.: The theory of electronic semiconductors, I, Proc. R. Soc., 1931, A133, pp.458-468; and '..., II', Proc. R. Soc., 1931, A134, pp.277-287
25. WILSON, A. H.: The theory of electronic semiconductors, I, Proc. R. Soc., 1931, A133, pp.458-468; and '..., II', Proc. R. Soc., 1931, A134, pp.277-287
26. HEIL. O.: 'Improvements in or relating to electrical amplifiers and other control arrangements and devices', British Patent No. 439,457, granted 6th December 1935; British application dated 4th March 1935, based on German application dated 2nd March 1934. Other early field-effect devices which formed part of the patent record are noted by GOSLING, W., TOWNSEND, W. G., and WATSON, J.: 'Field-effect electronics' (Wiley Interscience, New York and Toronto, 1971), pp.6-9
27. HEIL. O.: 'Improvements in or relating to electrical amplifiers and other control arrangements and devices', British Patent No. 439,457, granted 6th December 1935; British application dated 4th March 1935, based on German application dated 2nd March 1934. Other early field-effect devices which formed part of the patent record are noted by GOSLING, W., TOWNSEND, W. G., and WATSON, J.: 'Field-effect electronics' (Wiley Interscience, New York and Toronto, 1971), pp.6-9
28. ATALLA, M. M., TANNENBAUM, E., and SCHEIBNER, E. J.: 'Stabilization of silicon surfaces by thermally grown oxides', Bell Syst. Tech. J., 1959, 38, p.749-783
29. KAHNG, D., and ATALLA, M. M.: 'Silicon-silicon dioxide field induced surface devices', IRE-AIEE Solid-State Device Res. Conf., Carnegie Inst. of Technology, Pittsburgh, PA, 27th-29th October 1960; KAHNG, D.: 'Silicon-silicon dioxide surface device - Case 38589-35', Technical Memorandum to file 61-2821-1 (16th January 1961), Bell Laboratories Archives
30. KAHNG, D., and ATALLA, M. M.: 'Silicon-silicon dioxide field induced surface devices', IRE-AIEE Solid-State Device Res. Conf., Carnegie Inst. of Technology, Pittsburgh, PA, 27th-29th October 1960; KAHNG, D.: 'Silicon-silicon dioxide surface device - Case 38589-35', Technical Memorandum to file 61-2821-1 (16th January 1961), Bell Laboratories Archives
31. HOERNI, J. A.: 'Planar silicon transistors and diodes', IRE-AIEE Solid-State Device Res. Conf., 27th-29th October 1960, the same conference at which Atalla and Kahng described their silicon MOSFET
32. WEIMER, P. K.: 'An evaporated thin-film triode', presented at the IRE-AIEE Solid-State Device Res. Conf., Stanford University, June 1961; The TFT - A new thin-film transistor', Proc. IRE, 1962,50, pp.1462-1469, and 'An analysis of the characteristics of insulated-gate thin-film transistors', RCA Rev., June 1963, pp.153-165
33. WEIMER, P. K.: 'An evaporated thin-film triode', presented at the IRE-AIEE Solid-State Device Res. Conf., Stanford University, June 1961; The TFT - A new thin-film transistor', Proc. IRE, 1962,50, pp.1462-1469, and 'An analysis of the characteristics of insulated-gate thin-film transistors', RCA Rev., June 1963, pp.153-165
34. WEIMER, P. K.: 'An evaporated thin-film triode', presented at the IRE-AIEE Solid-State Device Res. Conf., Stanford University, June 1961; The TFT - A new thin-film transistor', Proc. IRE, 1962,50, pp.1462-1469, and 'An analysis of the characteristics of insulated-gate thin-film transistors', RCA Rev., June 1963, pp.153-165
35. HOFSTEIN, R., and HEIMAN, F. P.: The silicon insulated-gate field-effect transistor', Electron Devices Conf., Washington, DC, 25th-27th October 1962 and Proc. IEEE, 1963, 51, pp.1190-1202
36. HOFSTEIN, R., and HEIMAN, F. P.: The silicon insulated-gate field-effect transistor', Electron Devices Conf., Washington, DC, 25th-27th October 1962 and Proc. IEEE, 1963, 51, pp.1190-1202
37. WANLASS, F. M., and SAH, C. T.: 'Nanowatt logic using field-effect metal-oxide semiconductor triodes', Digest of IEEE 1963 Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., 20th February 1963, pp.32-33; and WANLASS, F. M.: 'Low stand-by power complementary field effect circuitry', US Patent No. 3,355,858 (applied 18th June 1963, and granted 5th December 1967)
38. WANLASS, F. M., and SAH, C. T.: 'Nanowatt logic using field-effect metal-oxide semiconductor triodes', Digest of IEEE 1963 Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., 20th February 1963, pp.32-33; and WANLASS, F. M.: 'Low stand-by power complementary field effect circuitry', US Patent No. 3,355,858 (applied 18th June 1963, and granted 5th December 1967)
39. SAH, Chih-Tang: 'Evolution of the MOS transistor - from conception to VLSI', Proc. IEEE, 1988, 76, pp.1280-1326, describes a few of the hundreds of steps in the evolution of MOSFET, including, pp.1296-1297, the introduction of these MOS transistors in 1964
40. DUMMER, G. W. A.: 'Electronic components in Great Britain', in 'Progress in quality electronic components', Proc. Symp. of the IRE-AIEE-RTMA, Washington, DC, 5th-7th May 1952, p.19
41. NOYCE, R. N.: 'Semiconductor device and lead struc-ture', US Patent 2,981,877, filed 30th July 1959, granted 25th April 1961; see also KILCY, J. S.: 'Invention of the integrated circuit', IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 1976, ED-23, pp.648-654
42. NOYCE, R. N.: 'Semiconductor device and lead struc-ture', US Patent 2,981,877, filed 30th July 1959, granted 25th April 1961; see also KILCY, J. S.: 'Invention of the integrated circuit', IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 1976, ED-23, pp.648-654
43. PUGH, E. W., CRITCHLOW, D. L., HENLE, R. A., and RUSSELL, L. A.: 'Solid state memory development in IBM', IBM J. Res. Dev., September 1981, 25, pp.585-602
44. REGITZ, W. M., and KARP, J. A.: 'Three-transistor-cell 1024-bit 500-ns MOSRAM', Digest Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., February 1970, pp.42-43, and IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, October 1970, SC-5, pp.181-186
45. REGITZ, W. M., and KARP, J. A.: 'Three-transistor-cell 1024-bit 500-ns MOSRAM', Digest Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., February 1970, pp.42-43, and IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, October 1970, SC-5, pp.181-186
46. DENNARD, R. H.: 'Field-effect transistor memory', US Patent 3,387,286, granted 4th June 1968, application dated 14th July 1967; see also DENNARD, R. H.: 'Evolution of the MOSFET dynamic RAM - a personal view', IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 1984, ED-31, pp.1549-1555
47. DENNARD, R. H.: 'Field-effect transistor memory', US Patent 3,387,286, granted 4th June 1968, application dated 14th July 1967; see also DENNARD, R. H.: 'Evolution of the MOSFET dynamic RAM - a personal view', IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 1984, ED-31, pp.1549-1555
48. These included Intel, Mostek, General Instrument, and Philips; see, for example, PROEBSTING, R., and GREEN, R.: 'A TTL compatible 4096-bit n-channel RAM', Digest IEEE Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., 14th February 1973, pp.28-29; LAMBRECHTSE, C. W., SALTERS, R. H. W., and BOONSTRA, L.: 'C 4096-bit one-transistor-perbit RAM with internal timing and low dissipation', Digest IEEE Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., 14th February 1973, pp.26-27, 194
49. These included Intel, Mostek, General Instrument, and Philips; see, for example, PROEBSTING, R., and GREEN, R.: 'A TTL compatible 4096-bit n-channel RAM', Digest IEEE Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., 14th February 1973, pp.28-29; LAMBRECHTSE, C. W., SALTERS, R. H. W., and BOONSTRA, L.: 'C 4096-bit one-transistor-perbit RAM with internal timing and low dissipation', Digest IEEE Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., 14th February 1973, pp.26-27, 194
50. On 6th April 1949, Lilienfeld finally sold his transistor patents to Power Condenser and Electronics Corporation 'for S5000 and other consideration'. The three patents had 5 months, 11 months, and 13 months of protection remaining
51. HORNBECK, A.: 'The transistor', Chap, 1 in SMITS, F. M. (Ed.): 'A history of engineering and science in the Bell System: electronics technology (1926-1975)' (AT&T Bell Laboratories, 1985), pp.1-100; footnote is on p.3. Endnotes 4 and 5 (p.94) give names, numbers and dates of the patents of Heil and Lilienfeld
52. Letter to William Sweet, Associate Editor of Physics Today, dated 9th March 1988
53. This analysis of the reasons for Bell's failure to pursue the MOSFET is due to BASSETT, R. K.: 'New technology, new people, new organizations: the rise of the MOS transistor, 1945-1975', PhD Dissertation, Princeton University, January 1998
54. HODDESON, L.: 'The discovery of the point-contact transistor', loc cit.; quote is from note 100