Celebrating 65 th Anniversary of the Transistor

Abstract—The paper is dedicated to the 65 anniversary of the invention of the revolutionary electronic component that actually changed our way of life—the transistor. It recounts the key historical moments leading up to the invention of the first semiconductor active component in 1947. The meaning of the blend “transistor” is explained using the memorandum issued by Bell Telephone Laboratories. Certain problems appeared in the engineering phase of the transistor development and the new components obtained as a result of this research are reviewed. The impact of this invention on the development of power electronics is being emphasized. Finally, the possibility that the most important invention of the 20 century has been conceived not once but twice is discussed.