Crystal Fire: The Invention of the Transistor and the Birth of the Information Age (Sloan Technology Series)

In the '50s I tried to understand transistor theory but just couldn't get it. This book helped me to see the simple fact that text and teachers of the era didn't get it either. Finally, in the '60s at Fairchild R&D I did indeed get it, and a whole lot more. Not all that long before I joined Fairchild, the company had started shipping the world's first commercially available integrated circuits. From those days on up until reading this book there were still a lot of questions gnawing at me, detailed questions not only on the origin of the transistor and learnings associated with it but on how Shockley's name somehow miraculously started appearing with those of Brattain and Bardeen on its invention.This book, Crystal Fire, answered my questions and a lot of other questions that I should have been asking. But if you read this book, be sure to fill in some of the gaps by searching out on the web a follow-up paper also written by this book's author, Michael Riorden, "The Silicon Dioxide Solution". In this paper the role of Jean Hoerni of the traitorous eight is finally made clear. His name doesn't often come up prominently in discussion of integrated circuit history, but without his invention of the planar process while at Fairchild, Fairchild would more than likely not even be mentioned today in IC history discussion.So .. Crystal Fire.. Who'd have thought the authors of a book this interesting from a, "people who were involved" perspective, could also explain, so clearly in near layman's terms, solid state physics principles and knowledge progression from the early years on up through invention of the transistor - and beyond. It takes a good degree of topic knowledge to bring the complex to a level that is understandable to those who are not involved in the complex, while at the same time writing a truly good read.

Provides too many unnecessary details in an attempt to make it sound like a novel- if you want to keep your reader’s attention, get to the point!Reading this as a required supplement to my PHYS 1010 class.

I didn’t know that things we take for granted today actually had such a messy start. I enjoyed the detailed account on how Bardeen and Brattain literally stumbled upon the discovery of the contact point device. And it was the first time that I learned even the great Bardeen didn’t anticipate the weird transistor effect resulting from minority carriers, although the significance of the discovery was never lost to the two inventors. Unlike other great discoveries with physics, the transistor was never a result of seemingly beautiful theory or clear-cut mathematical deduction. This was the real practical world when science meets technology and the book really shows the pragmatism demonstrated by the principle inventors and the wonderful ear they created. Also informative to me is the background account around the time of invention.

The authors described the complex interplay of personalities involved in the process of creating the transistor. The inventors (William Shockley, John Bardeen, and Walter Brattain) worked together the following ways:1. Bardeen was a deep thinker, and seldom spoke. Whenever he did say something, EVERYONE LISTENED.2. Brattain was a very "hands on" person and he was resourceful about creating experiments that would further develop Bardeen's concepts.3. Shockley was the visionary, who understood the vast commercial potential for the transistor.I enjoyed visualizing the juxtaposition of these personalities with those from another book: "The Man Behind the Microchip", by Leslie Berlin. In this case the major personalities were: Robert Noyce, Gordon Moore, and Andy Grove. Like Shockley, Noyce was a visionary, but they had polar opposite personalities. Shockley took credit for every one else's work whereas Noyce always gave others the full recognition they deserved. Everyone hated Shockley and everyone loved Noyce.Other books that tell similar stories, for different time frames are:1. "The Invention That Changed the World", by Robert Buderi2. "The Idea Factory", by Jon Gertner

I can't believe I missed this book.Now over 20 years old it is _the_ best account about the invention of the transistor and the three main individuals responsible for it - Bardeen, Brattain and Shockley. But it also covers all the other players involved in turning a lab curiosity into a commercially viable product. Invaluable book for anyone interested in the origin of the semiconductor industry.Read it alongside the other three books that are trilogy of the early semiconductor business: Broken Genius: The Rise and Fall of William Shockley, Creator of the Electronic Age (Macmillan Science) Makers of the Microchip: A Documentary History of Fairchild Semiconductor (MIT Press) The Man Behind the Microchip: Robert Noyce and the Invention of Silicon Valley by Leslie Berlin (2005-06-10)

The legend of Silicon Valley has long lived in the lore of techies everywhere. However, we are into the 4th generation since William Shockley setup camp in Palo Alto--so there are many who may not have heard the tale.If you can answer the following:1. Why did William Shockley (late of Bell Labs in New Jersey) choose Palo Alto as the site of his semiconductor venture?2. What were the names of the traitorous eight?3. What is the genealogy of spin-off's from Shockley Semiconductor?4. Why did Bell Labs attorneys insist on omitting Shockley as a co-inventor on the original transistor patents?Then you probably don't need to read this book. Otherwise, you might find it interesting.

A must read to know all about transistors and P-N junction

I originally read Dark Sun as part of personal interest/stufy, and always wondered what other Sloan Technology Series books would be like - probably boring and stuffy. I finally succumbed and WOW! This book is identical - you know the end but it's so engaging, so insightful and beautifully written.I am now on a quest to read oll of the books in the series to broaden my education and enjoy the brilliance of the writing.

This work offers an insight on the process of creating the device that perhaps shaped the technology of the second half of the XX century. Not only gives the description of the working principles, describing semiconductor physics in laymen terms, but also a view on the personal conflicts arisen from this technological race. I would recommend this book to anyone with interest in history of science, but in particular to electronic engineers or ham radio operators.

Language somewhat difficult for non-native speakers. Table of contents could contain much more details. Beyond from that a very interesting reading.

Love reading this book the beginning of digital revolution.