The role of metallurgy in the technology of electronic materials
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t e m , n a m e l y copper oxide v a r i s t o r s . T h e s e were used a s m o d u l a t o r s in c a r r i e r f r e q u e n c y e q u i p m e n t and in m a n y o t h e r a p p l i c a t i o n s . Even though v a c u u m tubes were c o n s t a n t l y i m p r o v e d in r e l i a b i l i t y and o p e r a t i n g c o s t s , it is difficult to conceive of the b r o a d and ext e n s i v e a p p l i c a t i o n s of e l e c t r o n i c s in c o m m u n i c a t i o n s and in i n d u s t r y g e n e r a l l y in the a b s e n c e of solid state devices. The role of m e t a l l u r g y in these d e v e l o p m e n t s , the s u b j e c t of this talk, is r e a l l y s e l f - e v i d e n t . C l e a r l y s e m i c o n d u c t o r m a t e r i a l s of c o n t r o l l e d p r o p e r t i e s a r e b a s i c to the p r e p a r a t i o n of s e m i c o n d u c t o r devices. In pointing up the role m e t a l l u r g y has played in these d e v e l o p m e n t s , I would p r e f e r in the time allotted to cite i l l u s t r a t i v e e x a m p l e s of s i g n i f i c a n t m i l e s t o n e s with which I am p e r s o n a l l y f a m i l i a r , r a t h e r than to a t t e m p t a c o m p r e h e n s i v e review. I ' m not qualified to do the l a t t e r and c e r t a i n l y it c o u l d n ' t be done in the t i m e allotted for this talk. A c c o r d i n g l y , my plan is the following: First, to r e count some e a r l y h i s t o r y of s e m i c o n d u c t o r r e s e a r c h f r o m a p e r s o n a l point of view. Second, to point out m e t a l l u r g i c a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s in s i g n i f i c a n t a r e a s of the e m e r g i n g s e m i c o n d u c t o r technology. This e a r l y state of the a r t will s t a n d in c o n t r a s t to c u r r e n t technology and thus highlight the p r o g r e s s made. Those f a m i l i a r with the m o d e r n technology will be a s h o r r i f i e d at the crude state of the a r t in the b e g i n n i n g as I am i m p r e s s e d with the elegance and p r e c i s i o n of c u r r e n t a c t i v i t i e s . Third, to cite c e r t a i n c u r r e n t work in the field of e l e c t r o n i c m a t e r i a l s to i l l u s t r a t e how the p r o g r a m s on s e m i c o n d u c t o r m e t a l l u r g y extended into this b r o a d e r field. Fourth, and f i n a l l y , v e r y b r i e f l y to exa m i n e the i n v e r s e r e l a t i o n , n a m e l y the b r o a d i m p a c t on m e t a l l u r g y and m e t a l l u r g i c a l thinking of developm e n t s which i n i t i a t e d in s t u d i e s of s e m i c o n d u c t o r s and electronic materials. EARLY HISTORY Around 1937 we were engaged in the study of the role of i m p u r i t i e s in l i m i t i n g the q u a l i t y of soft m a g n e t i c alloys. We had at the time f a c i l i t i e s for p r e p a r ing m e t a l s and a l l o y s in a state of m o d e s t purity. At the same t i m e , people at our H o l m d e l radio l a b o r a t o r y , u n d e r the l e a d e r s h i p of H. T. F r i i
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