The First Integrated Circuit Chip: Celebrating The 50th Anniversary
The Computer History Museum is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the integrated circuit, pictured above, with a multimedia exhibit called “The Silicon Engine” to explain why many claim the IC as one of mankind’s greatest and most important inventions ever.
Using oral histories from those who experienced the creation and development of the integrated circuit, the Computer History Museum compiled a documentary on this invention that irrefutably changed the world. The year-long exhibit will feature examples of early transistors, the vacuum tubes they replaced, and early integrated circuits, as well as explaining who was behind the inventions, especially the so-called “Traitorous Eight” engineers that largely developed the IC back in 1959.
After departing from the Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory, engineer Jean Hoerni and the rest of the “Traitorous Eight” moved to Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957. There, Hoerni developed the planar process which would become the foundation for the integrated circuit. The planar process involves using an oxide layer to protect the joining of the p-n semiconductors on a silicon chip, named because of the flat surface in which it results. The planar process is more electrically efficient than the then-common method of stripping the oxide layer for fear of contamination, but more importantly, the design allowed for a complete circuit to be built on a silicon chip.
Later in 1959, fellow “Traitorous Eight” member Robert Noyce demonstrated that the combination of the oxide coating and the flat surface allowed for a complete integrated electrical circuit, with diodes, transistors, resistors and capacitors, to be built within a planar chip. Simultaneously, Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments independently developed a similar idea based on the planar process, though his was based on a germanium chip, rather than Noyce’s silicon. This new integrated circuit, called the “monolithic integratic chip,” is the basis for pretty much everything we love today, including computers, radio, television, audio equipment, cars and anything else that uses a microchip.
It’s no exaggeration to call the IC an invention that profoundly changed the world. Microchip technology has exploded since its invention 50 years ago, and few (if any) other inventions have become so essential worldwide in such a short amount of time. The technology is kind of tough to wrap your mind around, but the Computer History Museum’s exhibit sounds like an illuminating look at how Silicon Valley and our favourite hobby began. [Computer History Museum]
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
It's like Mark Rothko decided to paint circles. I want a print.
Who Shot Who in the What Now?
striking resemblance
[www.lucaderosso.com]
rhade
@redkamel: No, the article isn't about a museum display. It is about what the museum display is about: the 50th anniversary of the technology that allowed entire circuits to be built in a single piece.
Building entire circuits in a single piece is what allows us to have inexpensive gadgets with 1 billion transistors (electronically controlled switches) etc and all the wires that connect them, for a reasonable price. No one would ever be able to build and connect together a circuit that complicated, in a reasonable amount of time and space and for a reasonable price.
Without, there would not have been a computer revolution.
AreWeThereYeti
Want!!!
j05hu4
@judacris: exactly!!!
@alexryia: At the risk of being pedantic, we're not using vacuum tubes today because Shockley, Bardeen and Brattain invented a replacement for the vacuum tube, i.e. the transistor.
Kilby and Noyce just figured out how to integrate a bunch of transistors and other circuit components (wires, resistors, capacitors, and diodes) onto a single monolithic circuit, rather than manufacturing each component individually and soldering them to a circuit board.
In any case, they're all friggin' geniuses and some of the most significant benefactors in history.
Reminds me of the HAlf Life 2 Logo.
Christ, imagine the size of the desktop/laptop; if we still had tubes to deal with.. They must be made Gods.. We shall from now on call them The 8 Imortals!!!
Uncletwitch
@PN - Dances with Wolves: What about fanbois of Vacuum tubes? I'm sure they are writhing in agony ;P
the_sidewinder
It looked just like the carbon nanotubes, quantum computers, & DNA computers of today.
heroineworshipper
This is something every fanboy can be happy over.
PN - Artest->Ariza
Thanks to them, we're not playing around with vacumm tubes bo more!
alexryia
@elitesoulman: NO sir. That is a 80's rap group name.
Juicemaster Drink and The Traitorous Eight.
What blows my mind is how different it is from the vacuum tube. Maybe I wouldn't really see it as all that different if I understood it better, but to my simple mind it seems like it would have required a complete rethinking of the process.
its about a mu@chekt: The article is about a museum display that explains the origin of the integrated a chip, and includes a brief history of the integrated chip.
redkamel
This is so my next tattoo!
I don't get what this article is about.
The Traitorous Eight sounds like either a kung-fu brotherhood or a club started by some 8-year-olds.
Anyway, thanks guys.