The History of the Transistor

The History of the Transistor The transistor is an influential little invention that changed the course of history in a big way for computers and all electronics. History of Computers You can look at the computer as being made of many different inventions or components. We can name four key inventions that made a huge impact on computers. An impact large enough that they can be referred to as a generation of change. The first generation of computers depended upon the invention of vacuum tubes; for the second generation it was transistors; for the third, it was the integrated circuit; and the fourth generation of computers came about after the invention of the microprocessor. The Impact of Transistors Transistors transformed the world of electronics and had a huge impact on computer design. Transistors made of semiconductors replaced tubes in the construction of computers. By replacing bulky and unreliable vacuum tubes with transistors, computers could now perform the same functions, using less power and space. Before transistors, digital circuits were composed of vacuum tubes. The story of ENIAC computer speaks volumes about the disadvantages of vacuum tubes in computers. A transistor is a device composed of semiconductor materials (germanium and silicon) that can both conduct and insulate Transistors switch and modulate electronic current. The transistor was the first device designed to act as both a transmitter, converting sound waves into electronic waves, and resistor, controlling electronic current. The name transistor comes from the trans of transmitter and sistor of resistor. The Transistor Inventors John Bardeen, William Shockley, and Walter Brattain were all scientists at the Bell Telephone Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey. They were researching the behavior of germanium crystals as semiconductors in an attempt to replace vacuum tubes as mechanical relays in telecommunications. The vacuum tube, used to amplify music and voice, made long-distance calling practical, but the tubes consumed power, created heat and burned out rapidly, requiring high maintenance. The teams research was about to come to a fruitless end when the last attempt to try a purer substance as a contact point lead to the invention of the first point-contact transistor amplifier. Walter Brattain and John Bardeen were the ones who built the point-contact transistor, made of two gold foil contacts sitting on a germanium crystal. When electric current is applied to one contact, the germanium boosts the strength of the current flowing through the other contact. William Shockley improved upon their work creating a junction transistor with sandwiches of N- and P-type germanium. In 1956, the team received the Nobel Prize in Physics for the invention of the transistor. In 1952, the junction transistor was first used in a commercial product, a Sonotone hearing aid. In 1954, the first transistor radio, the Regency TR1 was manufactured. John Bardeen and Walter Brattain took out a patent for their transistor. William Shockley applied for a patent for the transistor effect and a transistor amplifier.

Get Organized for Graduate School

Get Organized for Graduate School Graduate students- and faculty- often find themselves overwhelmed with tasks. Good time management skills are essential, but succeeding in graduate school requires the ability to organize more than your time. Being unorganized- not knowing where your stuff is- is a time waster. The unorganized student spends precious time searching for papers, files, notes, wondering which pile to check first. She forgets and misses meetings or arrives late, repeatedly. He finds it hard to focus on the task at hand because his mind is swimming what the details of what must be done next or what should have been done yesterday. An unorganized office or home is a sign of a cluttered mind. Cluttered minds are inefficient for scholarly productivity. So how do you get organized? 1.  Set up a Filing System Go digital when you can, but dont forget to organize your paper files, too. Dont skimp on file folders or youll find yourself doubling up on files and lose track of your most important papers. Whenever possible, go digital (with a good backup system!). Maintain files for: Research/thesis ideas.Thesis references (probably divided up into additional files for each topic).Exam materials. As you prepare for comps, will have copies of old exams, study materialsProfessional credentials - vita,   sample cover letter,   research statement etc.Reprints and professional articles, organized by topic.Life (bills,   taxes, etc.).Teaching materials (organized by topic). 3.   Acquire and Use Office Supplies Though supplies can be expensive, its easier to get organized when youve got the right tools. Purchase a quality stapler, paper clips, binder clips, stick on notes in several sizes, sticky flags for marking important pages in texts, etc. Go to a supply store and purchase office supplies in bulk to maximize savings and to be sure that you dont unexpectedly run out of supplies. 4.   Organize Class Materials Some students use binders to organize class notes, with dividers to separate your notes from assigned readings, handouts, and other materials. Other students keep all of their class materials on their laptop and use software such as OneNote or Evernote to save and index their notes. 5.   Remove Clutter at Home and Organize Your Study Space Sure youre desk and study area should be neat. Its also helpful to keep track of the rest of your home too. Why? School is overwhelming enough without worrying about whether you have clean clothes, differentiating between the cat and dust bunnies, or losing unpaid bills. Set up a command center near the entrance to your home. Have a bowl or spot for you to put your keys and empty your pockets of important materials. Have another spot for your bills. Each day as you open your mail sort it into stuff to throw out and bills and other materials that require action. Additionally, make sure you have a dedicated space to work in your home. It should be free of distractions, well lit, and have all supplies and files nearby. Even if your living space is small or shared, be sure to designate a portion to your graduate studies. 6.   Create a Schedule for Household Tasks Set up a schedule for accomplishing household tasks like laundry and cleaning. Break cleaning up into smaller tasks, by room. So you might clean the bathroom on Tuesday and Saturday, clean the bedroom on Wednesday and Sunday, and the living room on Thursday and Monday. Clean the kitchen weekly then spend a few minutes each day on it. Use the timer trick to keep on task while youre cleaning and show you how much you can do in just a little time. For example, Im amazed that I can clear out the dishwasher and wipe down the countertops in 4 minutes! 7.   Dont Forget the To-Do List Your  to-do list is your friend. These simple tips can make a difference in your life. From my own experience as an academic, I can attest that these simple habits, though challenging to set, make it much easier to make it through the semester and maintain efficiency and productivity.