INTRODUCTION TO
TRANSISTORS


What is a Transistor?

A Transistor is an electronic device
composed of layers of a semiconductor
material which regulates current or
voltage flow and acts as a switch or gate
for electronic circuit.


History of the Transistor

P-N Junction
Russell Ohl 1939

First Transistor
Bell Labs 1947

Shockley, Brattain,
and Bardeen

First Solid State
Transistor – 1951





Processor development followed Moore’s Law

1965 30 Transistors

1971 15,000

2000 42 million

2x growth every 2 years

Applications

• Switching

• Amplification

• Oscillating Circuits

• Sensors