transistor
Three-terminal semiconductor
A transistor is a small semiconductor device that controls the flow of electrical current, serving as either a switch or an amplifier in electronic circuits.
Invented in the late 1940s, transistors replaced bulky vacuum tubes and made possible the miniaturization of electronics—from radios to computers.
The term sometimes appears attributively to evoke mid-century technology: transistor radio.
Modern microprocessors contain billions of transistors on a single chip.
Hinged barrier in fence
cutoff · saturation · threshold · digital · flip-flop · inverter · NAND · microprocessor
Metalloid in electronics
- germaniumAtomic number thirty-two
- dopingProhibited athletic drug use
- p-typeHole-majority charge carrier semiconductor
- n-typeSemiconductor with electron majority
junction · electron · hole · carrier · valence · conduction · substrate · wafer
Charge-storing circuit element
- diodeOne-way semiconductor
- inductorCoil storing magnetic energy
- integrated circuitMiniaturized semiconductor electronics package
- PCBElectronic component substrate
breadboard · schematic · soldering · multimeter · voltage · current · ohm · impedance
New device or method
- Bell LabsStoried telecommunications research institution
- ShockleyTransistor co-inventor
- 1947Year after WWII ended
- Nobel PrizeHighest academic honor
vacuum tube · miniaturization · Moore's Law · Silicon Valley · microelectronics · integrated circuit · revolution · semiconductor industry
gate
Hinged barrier in fence
logic · cutoff · saturation · threshold · digital · flip-flop · inverter · NAND · microprocessor · TTL
silicon
Metalloid in electronics
- germaniumAtomic number thirty-two
- dopingProhibited athletic drug use
- p-typeHole-majority charge carrier semiconductor
n-type · junction · electron · hole · carrier · valence · conduction · substrate · wafer · crystal
capacitor
Charge-storing circuit element
- diodeOne-way semiconductor
- inductorCoil storing magnetic energy
- integrated circuitMiniaturized semiconductor electronics package
PCB · breadboard · schematic · soldering · multimeter · voltage · current · ohm · impedance · relay
invention
New device or method
- Bell LabsStoried telecommunications research institution
- ShockleyTransistor co-inventor
- 1947Year after WWII ended
Nobel Prize · vacuum tube · miniaturization · Moore's Law · Silicon Valley · microelectronics · integrated circuit · revolution · semiconductor industry · Fairchild
gain
Positive return received
power · bass · treble · distortion · fidelity · feedback · impedance · saturation · bias · emitter
portable
Able to be carried
receiver · antenna · tuner · broadcast · shortwave · crystal radio · earpiece · Sony · battery-powered · handheld
- processorsCPU, processor, Intel Core, microprocessor, Pentium
- semiconductorssilicon, semiconductor, semiconductors, silicon wafers, doping
- Transistorsbipolar, CMOS, collector, gate, unipolar
- analog circuitsamplifier, capacitor, inductor, diode, oscillator
- elettronicacomputer, smartphone, tablet, laptop, stereo
- Innovationselectricity, steam engine, printing press, telephone, telegraph
transistorvacuum tube
Evacuated electronic amplifier
triode · electron tube · pentode · valve · tetrode
- transistor radioCompact semiconductor-based broadcast receiver
- shrinking transistors