History of the Transistor
The history of the transistor is a fascinating saga spanning decades of scientific effort and technological advances. It all began in 1926 when Julius Edgar Lilienfeld, an Austro-Hungarian-American physicist, patented a device that would lay the foundation for what would later be known as the transistor. Lilienfeld envisioned a field effect device with a metal electrode separated from a semiconductor by a thin oxide layer.
However, despite his pioneering vision, the technological limitations of the time prevented the practical realization of his invention. The idea was forgotten for decades.
It was not until the 1940s that advances in the understanding of semiconductors and the growing need for switching and amplification devices in electronics led to renewed interest in solid-state device research.
In 1947, at Bell Laboratories, located in the United States, the breakthrough occurred. John Bardeen, Walter Brattain and William Shockley, working as a team, developed the first functional bipolar transistor. This device consisted of a germanium semiconductor with electrodes connected to each end. Using base currents, they managed to control the flow of current between the emitter and the collector, which allowed electrical signals to be amplified. This milestone marked the beginning of the transistor era.
The invention of the bipolar transistor also called BJT "Bipolar Junction Transistor" revolutionized the electronics industry, providing a more efficient and compact replacement for the vacuum tubes used until then. From portable radios to computers, transistors became the fundamental building blocks of modern electronics.
However, the search for more efficient and versatile devices continued. In the 1950s, Mohamed Atalla and Dawon Kahng, working at Bell Labs, developed the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET transistor), which was based on Lilienfeld's initial concept. This device featured a simpler structure and offered better switching characteristics and energy efficiency.
The MOSFET, patented in 1959, became the cornerstone of the semiconductor industry, driving advances in consumer electronics, telecommunications and computing. Its refined design and ability to integrate into integrated circuits made it the centerpiece of the digital revolution.
From its modest beginnings in the 1920s to its evolution into the MOSFET transistor, the history of the transistor is a testament to the power of scientific research and technological innovation to transform the world and not stop. In the 1980s the IGBT transistor was invented. This transistor is considered a hybrid between the bipolar transistor and the MOSFET. In this case we have preferred to place the IGBT transistors outside of this section and they have their own section.
Types of transistors according to the technology used
The main differences between the four types of transistors are:
- Control type:
- Bipolar: The collector current is controlled by the base current.
- FET: The drain current is controlled by the gate voltage.
- MOSFET: The drain current is controlled by the gate voltage.
- IGBT: The collector current is controlled by the gate voltage.
- Isolating material:
- Bipolar: It does not have an insulator between the base and the emitter.
- FET: Uses a glass or ceramic insulator between the gate and the channel.
- MOSFET: Uses a silicon oxide layer between the gate and the channel.
- IGBT: Uses a silicon oxide layer between the gate and the channel.
- Applications:
- Bipolar: Used in power amplifiers, switching circuits and some digital circuits.
- FET: Used in low noise amplifiers, switching circuits and some digital circuits.
- MOSFET: Used in microprocessors, flash memories, high frequency circuits and many other electronic devices.
- IGBT: Used in variable frequency drives, switching power supplies and other power control circuits.
- Importance of bipolar transistor, FET, MOSFET and IGBT
Bipolar transistors, FETs, MOSFETs and IGBTs have been fundamental to the development of modern electronics. They are used in a wide range of devices, from radios to mobile phones.
- Evolution of the bipolar transistor, FET, MOSFET and IGBT
All four types of transistors have undergone significant evolution since their invention. The main improvements have focused on:
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- Size reduction: Transistors are becoming smaller, which allows the integration density in circuits to increase.
- Speed: Transistors are becoming faster, allowing information to be processed at higher speeds.
- Reduced power consumption: Transistors are becoming more efficient, allowing electronic devices to run longer on a single charge