History of Semiconductor Engineering

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1. tdullienFeb 2022
   "The history of semiconductor engineering" was a great read.
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2. kensJan 2020
   I'm not sure how much explanation you want. The short answer is that TTL (transistor-transistor logic) is an older logic family, while CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) is what's used nowadays, such as in microprocessors.

   In more detail, first there were bipolar transistors (NPN and PNP) and later MOS transistor (NMOS and PMOS). Bipolar transistors are your basic semiconductor transistors with three layers of semiconductor. MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) transistors have an insulating oxide layer between the silicon and the metal (or polysilicon) on top. MOS transistors were developed later than bipolar, and started to become popular in the 1970s.

   One type of logic that you can make from bipolar transistors is TTL (transistor-transistor logic). TTL is better than earlier logic families such as resistor-transistor logic (RTL) or diode-transistor logic (DTL). TTL was cheap, reliable, fast, easy to use, and popular with minicomputer manufacturers. TTL has two main problems, though. It uses a fair bit of power, and you can't make it very dense. I.e. you can't put a lot on a chip.

   MOS, on the other hand, has the advantage that you can make very dense circuits from it. (I.e. Moore's law applies.) NMOS was used for early microprocessors such as the Z-80 and 6502. The problem with NMOS is that it uses resistors (sort of) in the logic gates, and these waste power.

   The solution was CMOS, complementary MOS. You use both NMOS and PMOS transistors (the complementary part), and you can get rid of the resistors, and your chip uses very low power. The problem with CMOS is it's more complicated because you need two types of transistors, and twice as many (sort of). However, the need for low power won out in the mid-1980s and microprocessors such as the 80386 started using CMOS. Use of CMOS has continued to the present.

   I'm oversimplifying the history somewhat. The books "To the digital age" and "History of semiconductor engineering" go into much more detail.

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3. kensMar 2019
   The book "History of Semiconductor Engineering" has about 8 pages on Amelco if you want more information. The summary is "Although many do not remember Amelco's accomplishments today, their achievements are definitely a significant part of the semiconductor saga."
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4. grkvltJul 2015
   "History of Semiconductor Engineering" by Dr. Bo Lojek. Great book on the underlying hardware.

   - http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-540-34258-8

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5. peter_d_shermanSep 2026
   >"Widlar invented the basic building blocks of linear ICs including the Widlar current source, the Widlar bandgap voltage reference[9] and the Widlar output stage.[10] From 1964 to 1970, Widlar, together with David Talbert, created the first mass-produced operational amplifier ICs (μA702, μA709), some of the earliest integrated voltage regulator ICs (LM100 and LM105), the first operational amplifiers employing single capacitor frequency compensation (LM101), an improved LM101 with FET internal current control (LM101A), and super-beta transistors (LM108).[11] Each of Widlar's circuits had "at least one feature which was far ahead of the crowd"[5] and became a "product champion" in its class.[12] They made his employers, Fairchild Semiconductor and National Semiconductor, the leaders in linear integrated circuits.[13][14]

   He was a "legendary chip designer"[15] at the age of 33. Widlar voluntarily retired into a hideout in Mexico and became "the Valley's most celebrated dropout."[15] Four years later he returned to National Semiconductor as a contractor,[16] and produced a series of advanced linear ICs, including the first ultra-low-voltage operational amplifier with precision 200mV voltage reference (LM10).[17][18]

   Widlar's eccentric, and outspoken personality, as well as his bohemian lifestyle, made him the enfant terrible of Silicon Valley. He is remembered in legends, myths, and anecdotes that are largely true.[12][19] According to Bo Lojek, author of History of Semiconductor Engineering, he was "more artist than an engineer ... in the environment where Human Relations Departments define what engineers can and cannot comment about, it is very unlikely that we will see his kind again."[5]"

   Widlar was an absolutely brilliant Engineer in Silicon Valley's history.

   For that reason, his life, in the context of the historical place and time that he lived (along with the technological constraints of that time period -- there were many!), may be worth studying to any student of history, or any student of Integrated Circuit Electrical Engineering...

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