Transistor Museum Oral History Ralph Greenburg "The Early Years" Page 2

EARLY TRANSISTOR HISTORY AT MOTOROLA

“FLUB-A-DUB” by Ralph Greenburg

The mass application that awakened the world to the wonders of semiconductors was soon to follow. Texas Instruments and Regency (a small U.S. radio company) developed a small-transistorized portable radio, smaller than the tube versions. Rather quickly the Japanese led by Sony came out with even smaller versions, THE POCKET RADIO. These products were an instant hit, something new to play with and all because of something called a transistor. The public even named the pocket radio THE TRANSISTOR.

From then on until the mid sixties vacuum tube sales plummeted as transistor sales soared. The role of the Application Engineer was a missionary one to help convert the circuit designer from the heathen world of vacuum tube products to the true world of semiconductors.

During this time solid state products were also allowing new applications where Vacuum tubes never were used. One example was the low cost power rectifier that allowed Chrysler and other car manufactures to switch from the d.c generator to the alternator charging system. Motorola Semiconductors was the first supplier of these auto rectifiers and the Automotive division of Motorola went in the Business of making alternators. Power transistors began to show up in Automotive Ignition applications. And a unique device, the Zener diode, also proved useful as a voltage regulator.

Another example is the Thyristor, a four-layer device conceived by engineers at General Electric. It was so named because it emulated the characteristics of the Thyratron vacuum tube. The Thyristor is an ideal product to allow a.c. voltage control and suddenly practical lamp dimmers were showing up in every ones home. This device also allowed speed controls in small appliances such as saber saws and drill motors.

So by 1965 much of the world of Consumer electronics used solid-state devices. The one big hold out was the Color TV set. Again Motorola took a leadership role with the Quasar program. This was a two-year development effort with the semiconductor division and the consumer product division working closely together. When the Quasar set went into production all other Color TV manufactures soon followed and R.I.P. Mr. Vacuum Tube.

Go To Greenburg “Flub-a-Dub”, Page 3

A Transistor Museum™ History of Transistors Publication

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