75th Anniversary of the Transistor
The year 1905 is well known as the “Miracle Year” because Albert Einstein published four papers that changed the laws of physics and were significant contributions to the foundation of modern physics. Similarly, November 1947 – January 1948 were the three magical months that paved the way for modern-day electronics. This was done by three brilliant scientists who were members of the Mervin Kelly’s Solid State Physics Group and Semiconductor Sub-Group at Bell Labs, which were given the challenging task of creating a solid-state semiconductor switch that could replace the vacuum tube. The famous physicists - Walter Brattain and John Bardeen managed to make the first working transistor, now known as the point-contact transistor. The invention was made on December 16, 1947. A week after that, the device was officially demonstrated to Bell Labs executives as a “magnificent Christmas present." In January 1948, William Shockley demonstrated the junction transistor. All three received The Nobel Prize in Physics (1956) and as per Nobel Prize Committee - "In 1947 John Bardeen and Walter Brattain produced a semiconductor amplifier, which was further developed by William Shockley. The component was named a "transistor."
The Electron Devices Society has decided to celebrate the year 2022-2023 as the 75th Anniversary of the Transistor. As the history of this invention and of its consequences is much more involved and interesting, it is imperative that the leading EDS Luminaries share the scientific & technological developments which took place in the last 75 years, with the current generation of researchers. Popularizing talks at Conferences and Mini-Colloquia, Technical Articles in the EDS Newsletter, Webinar Series shall be a part of the various activities undertaken by “75th Anniversary of the Transistor Adhoc Committee” with an aim to provide technical information and education to enlighten EDS members. This shall be a mark of tribute to the men and women who have contributed to the Transistor Story – Discovery, Development, and Applications which has had a lasting impact on people's lives and has benefited mankind where it serves good in social relations, caring for the Earth, science, technology, engineering, and economy.
Manoj Saxena
75th Anniversary of the Transistor Adhoc Committee Chair
Watch the IEEE EDS 75th Anniversary of the Transistor Video!
Download the 75th Anniversary Logo *higher resolution logos available upon request
"You Say You Want a Revolution: The Lasting Impact of Bardeen and Holonyak"
The bipolar junction transistor and light emitting diode are two innovations that have made a profound impact on the world. Professors John Bardeen and Nick Holonyak Jr., the respective inventors of these technologies, have also made a lasting impact on ECE ILLINOIS, where they spent the majority of their careers. This talk by Prof. Dallesasse reviews the men and their impact - both local and global - and also looks at some of the current work that ties their contributions together.
75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRANSISTOR UPCOMING EVENTS/ACTIVITIES
- Virtual Mini Colloquia (MQ) on "75th Anniversary of Transistor Invention"
- 75th Anniversary of the Transistor Mini-Colloquium “Can sub-6nm node meet 6G?”
- EDS/SSCS Chapter Level activities for 2022 & 2023
- Webinar series (covering societal impact) and Educational Activities with SSCS
- Scheduled EDS Distinguished Lectures entitled "75 Years of Transistor and Its Impact on Humanity"
- Hands-on “Re-Creation" of the transistor effect demonstration
- Special Technical Session in line with the theme of "75 years of Transistor Invention" in EDS Conference/Symposium
- 2nd University at Buffalo (UB)-IEEE Nano-Symposium - September 21-23, 2022
- EDS MQ - Virtual Mode on "Emerging Device Architectures for Tunnel FET
- 2022 IEDM - 75 years of transistor technology – (no) time for retirement? - Panel Discussion
EDS 75 Years of the Transistor - Commemorative Lectures
EDS Newsletter Special Articles
- April 2022 Issue
- July 2022 Issue
- October 2022 Issue
- January 2023 Issue
- From invention of the transistor to VLSI and ubiquitous computing, Author: Yuan Taur
- Coming of age with the transistor, Author: Sandip Tiwari
Media Coverage
- Asia Times "Celebrating 75 years of the transistor, which changed the world"
- Tech Forum "IEDM to celebrate 75 years of the transistor"
- John Bardeen’s Terrific Transistorized Music Box (30 Nov 2022) https://spectrum.ieee.org/
transistor-music-box - THE TRANSISTOR AT 75 - The past, present, and future of the modern world’s most important invention (29 Nov 2022) https://spectrum.ieee.org/
invention-of-the-transistor - HOW THE FIRST TRANSISTOR WORKED - Even its inventors didn’t fully understand the point-contact transistor (20 Nov 2022) https://spectrum.ieee.org/
transistor-history - THE ULTIMATE TRANSISTOR TIMELINE - The transistor’s amazing evolution from point contacts to quantum tunnels (27Nov 2022) https://spectrum.ieee.org/
transistor-timeline - THE STATE OF THE TRANSISTOR IN 3 CHARTS - In 75 years, it’s become tiny, mighty, ubiquitous, and just plain weird (26 Nov 2022) https://spectrum.ieee.org/
transistor-density - The Future of the Transistor Is Our Future (29 Nov 2022) https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-
future-of-transistors - The Device That Changed Everything (01 Dec 2022) https://spectrum.ieee.org/
point-contact-transistor - Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the transistor with IEEE Spectrum Link
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EDS Board of Governors Dinner, June 2022
 Fernando Guarin & Mario Aleman at the INAOE, Mexico |
Latin American Electron Device Conference LAEDC in Puebla, Mexico Mentoring session organized by EDS Young Professionals and Women in Engineering |
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Nanomaterials lab in the electrical and electronics department in Universidad de los Andes, Colombia (leftAlba Avila, associate professor at Uniandes, in the middle Jaime Pérez assistant professor at UNAL -La paz and on the right Carlos Pérez PhD student at Uniandes) |
Rochester Institute of Technology - Undergraduate Research Symposium July 28, 2022 |
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Uniandes and UNAL La Paz in Colombia for the 75th Transistor Celebration Youtube: https://youtu.be/su1lw2vPQ2E |
The EDS Uniandes chapter (SBC12991J - Universidad de los Andes,ED15) and the department of electrical and electronic engineering celebrated the 75th anniversary of the transistor |
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IEEE MP Section EDS Chapter, Indian Institute of Technology Indore |
Indigenous students from Luminarias Community Center in Guatemala enjoyed their day watching a pre-recorded video of the 75th anniversary of the transistor and doing projects with snap circuit kits. |
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2022 ESSDERC/ESSCIRC |
IEEE Electron Devices Society Coimbatore chapter along with Karunya institute of technology and sciences students in Premier Vidyaa Vikas Matriculation Higher Secondary School Coimbatore organized a hands-on training on “Electronics in everyday life” |
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IEEE EDS student chapter, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttrakhand, India |
The STEM4FUN program was conducted by the IEEE Electron Devices Society Malaysia Chapter in collaboration with College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), the National STEM Center and the Selangor Education Department. The program was supported by the 2022 EDS Humanitarian Project Grant |
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During October 17-18, 2022, IEEE EDS Delhi Chapter (New Delhi India) organized an in-person Training Program on New Measurement Technologies & Simulation Techniques in Electronics with the help of equipments/softwares as well as experts from M/s Keysight and M/s Agmatel. This training program was part of the Hybrid Mini Colloquia (MQ) on “History, Prospect and Future of Graphene based Devices and Systems" scheduled during October11-19,2022 |
The department of electronic and communication engineering, ISBAT University, Kampala, Uganda, celebrated the 75th anniversary of the transistor during Orientation for Fresher’s (Fall-2022)
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A workshop to celebrate the "75th anniversary of Transistors" organized by IEEE EDS IIT Kanpur Chapter |
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Interim Chair -EDS Nigerian Chapter and a cross section of students from the Rivers State University, during the IEEE Nigeria Section Q4 Technical and Administrative Meeting (TAM) held on the 5th of November 2022 at the University’s Amphi-theatre in Port Harcourt, celebrating the 75th anniversary of the transistor. |
Rochester Academy of Science session celebrated 75 years of BJT by showing attendees how Apollo 11 guidance chip was designed and made using BJTs |
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On December 6th, the IEEE Foothill Section Chapter of the Electron Devices Society sponsored an event with the IEEE Student Branch at the California State Polytechnic University to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Transistor. |
The IEEE Avanzados-Mexico City Centro Investigacion Chapter celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Transistor |
  ED/SSC Serbia & Montenegro Chapter, Student Branch Chapter Nis and ED/SSC University of Nis Student Branch Chapter have organized the workshop with high school students dedicated to 75th Anniversary of the Transistor. It took place on the Faculty of Electronic Engineering, University of Nis |
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Attendees of the anniversary event in Tokyo Japan on Dec. 16, 2022 |
ED Student Branch Chapter IIITDM Kancheepuram Celebration of the 75th anniversary of the transistor during the inaugural ceremony of our EDS-sponsored summer school on "Emerging Devices and Circuits to Mimic Biologically Plausible Neuronal Functionalities for Neuromorphic Computing" |
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IEEE EDS Presidents celebrate the 75th anniversary of the transistor at the December 2022 EDS events held in conjunction with the 2022 IEDM |
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Tribhuvan University, Thamel, Kathmandu, NEPAL |
IEEE EDS Chapter Student branch Sri Sairam Engineering College, Chennai, India. Region 10, Madras Section |
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ED Shanghai Chapter |
STEM events at TEC Costa Rica |
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IEEE AP/ED Bombay Chapter event on December 19, 2022 |
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2023 EDTM |
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