History of Computers - Patent of Semi-Conductors

Intro

By patenting the semiconductor, inventors were able to make technological advances, such as the chip.

Overview

The patent for the semicondutor transistor was established in 1926. A patent, which is a set of exclusive rights given to the inventor for a period of time for a public disclosure of the invention, was put on the semi-conductor, which is the intermediate between an insulator and a conductor which has electrical conductivity because of the flow of electrons. By patenting the semiconductor, inventors were able to make technological advances, such as the chip. The semiconductor became a vital piece of equipment because the vacuum tubes which were used before the semiconductor were too big and took too much energy to run. In order to control electrons in solid materials, scientists thought about using metals and semiconductors. Because the transistors were so small they were used for the advancement of technology by improving electronics. The invention of integrated circuits came later when Kilby realized that the entire circuit could be built out of a single crystal. At the same time Robert Noyce created an idea of combining all the parts through "unitary circuits." Noyce was the first to establish a patent for the integrated circuit but both are recognized for coming up with the idea today. Read more about semi-conductors at Solid State Drive.

Significance

The patent on the semiconductor is important because it led to the transistor, then the low cost of manufacturing integrated circuits, which are in the surface of thin substrate of semiconductor materal found in computers as well as other electornic devices, and then the chip.