The first transistor was demonstrated on Dec. 23, 1947, at Bell Labs by William Shockley. This new invention consisting of P type and N type semiconductive materials (in this case germanium) has completely revolutionized electronics. Transistors quickly replaced vacuum tubes in almost all applications (most notably those in discrete logic). Today when we think of transistors the first thing that comes to mind is computers. Advances in transistor technology and manufacturing processes as well as new materials being used for the semiconductor matrix and wiring have led to smaller, faster, cheaper, lower power transistors. Some of the basic principles behind semiconductor behavior and the restrictions currently faced by modern transistors will be discussed in the following pages.
Transistors are composed of a P type (positively doped) and N type (negatively doped) semiconductor material. These P-N junctions are the heart of both BJTs (Bipolar Junction Transistors) and FETs (Field Effect Transistors). BJTs have a physical connection between they current controlling input (base) and the input and output (collector and emitter). This results in a trickle current into the base. FETs have a physical separation between the control (gate) and the input and output (drain and source).
BJT and FET transistors are used in virtually every electronic device requiring current regulation or amplification. They make it very easy to precisely control power to a device reliably and with much greater efficiency than other methods. Another common use of transistors is their role in discrete logic. First used in DTL (Diode Transistor Logic) transistors compact nature and high switching speeds lend themselves well to use in logic ICs. In ...
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...er clock speed operation than the G4 processor and will include all the latest fabrication developments when released. Processor core voltage for this chip will be as low as 1.2v allowing a higher transistor count with very low power dissipation. Pentium 4 core voltage is in the range of 1.55v.
Smaller, faster, cheaper...transistors aren't quite as boring as you thought huh?
Bibliography
1. IBM Copper Technoglogy http://www.chips.ibm.com/
2. AMD http://www.amd.com/
3. Intel Semiconductor Technology http://www.intel.com/
4. Motorola PowerPC Division http://www.motorola.com/
5. Transistor History 101 http://users.arczip.com/rmcgarra1/xstrhist.html
6. Britney's Guide to Semiconductor Physics http://britneyspears.ac/lasers.htm
7. The Mac Address http://www.themacaddress.com/
8. Electromigration http://www.ifw-dresden.de/ifs/31/gfa/em_e.htm
Contents Page Section 3 ……………… …………………… Introduction 3 ……………… …………………… The Pioneers of the Electronic Age 4 ……………… …………………… The Theory of the Synthesiser 5 ……………… …………………… Other Changes Due to Electronic Technology 6 ………………
Pros: Low-price, high performance. PC Magazine tests show systems based on the 450-MHz K6-III are nearly as fast as those based on the 500-MHz Pentium III (though shop wisely, as components can play a big role in K6-III system performance).
Basic Mathematics for Electronics seventh edition: Nelson M. Cooke, Herbert F.R Adams, Peter B. Dell, T. Adair Moore; Copyright 1960
Its Fourth-generation quad-core Intel Core i7 processor is remarkable for good performance and visuals. It enables the user to feel and see in high definition and 3D; and gives room for multitasking and media. The thrilling speeds are modeled for smooth and seamless games, photos and movies. The chip has a transistor count of 1.4 billion and a die size that is 177 square millimeters. Additionally, it has an incorporated processor graphics, and a dual-channel DDR3 support of up to 1600MHz (Williams & Sawyer, 2010).
Moor’s Law: The number of transistors incorporated in a chip will approximately double every 24 months. (Moore, 1965)
Grundmann, Marius. Physics of Semiconductors: An Introduction Including Devices and Nanophysics. New York: Springer, 2006. Print.
The transistor was invented in 1947 but did not see widespread use in computers until the late 1950s. The transistor was far superior to the vacuum tube, allowing computers to become smaller, faster, cheaper, more energy-efficient and more reliable than their first-generation predecessors. Though the transistor still generated a great deal of heat that subjected the computer to damage, it was a vast improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied on punched cards for input and printouts for output. Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language to symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify instructions in words. High-level programming languages were also being developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory, which moved from a magnetic drum to magnetic core technology. The first computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy
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A computer is a device which is used for several applications; business, gaming, or school. It’s important for people to know how computers work because in this day and age, operating a computer is an everyday task. This complex electrical device utilizes several parts inside of it to keep itself cool, conduct the proper tasks, and maintain stability. These devices can be found several places whether it be on the job, in one’s room, or on a school campus. Computers are essential for everyday use in order to complete what is required. What each component is and its function will be described.
...switching devices for the electric power industry, electric vehicles, etc.; and control electronics for the nuclear power industry.(NMAB)
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