The Transistor at 75: The Past, Present, and Future of Transistor Technology - IEEE Spectrum

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The Transistor at 75

The past, present, and future of the modern world’s most important invention
A photo of a birthday cake with 75 written on it.
SemiconductorsDecember 2022MagazineThe Transistor at 75FeatureSpecial Reports

The Transistor at 75

The past, present, and future of the modern world’s most important invention

2 min read
A phot of an outstretched hand with several transistors in the palm of it.
SemiconductorsDecember 2022MagazineThe Transistor at 75FeatureSpecial Reports

How the First Transistor Worked

Even its inventors didn’t fully understand the point-contact transistor

12 min read
A chart showing the timeline of when a transistor was invented and when it was commercialized.
SemiconductorsDecember 2022MagazineThe Transistor at 75FeatureHistory of TechnologySpecial Reports

The Ultimate Transistor Timeline

The transistor’s amazing evolution from point contacts to quantum tunnels

2 min read
A photo of 3 different transistors.
SemiconductorsDecember 2022MagazineThe Transistor at 75FeatureSpecial Reports

The State of the Transistor in 3 Charts

In 75 years, it’s become tiny, mighty, ubiquitous, and just plain weird

4 min read
An image of stacked squares with yellow flat bars through them.
SemiconductorsDecember 2022MagazineThe Transistor at 75FeatureSpecial Reports

3D-Stacked CMOS Takes Moore’s Law to New Heights

When transistors can’t get any smaller, the only direction is up

9 min read
Six men and a woman smiling.
SemiconductorsDecember 2022MagazineThe Transistor at 75FeatureSpecial Reports

The Transistor of 2047: Expert Predictions

What will the device be like on its 100th anniversary?

5 min read
Close-up of a colorful semiconductor wafer held the white gloved hands of a clean room technician.
History of TechnologyThe Transistor at 75Guest ArticleSemiconductorsSpecial Reports

The Future of the Transistor Is Our Future

Nothing but better devices can tackle humanity’s growing challenges

7 min read
A small electronic gadget encased in clear plastic has a speaker and some buttons.
History of TechnologyDecember 2022MagazineThe Transistor at 75ArticlePast ForwardSemiconductorsSpecial Reports

John Bardeen’s Terrific Transistorized Music Box

This simple gadget showed off the magic of the first transistor

5 min read