The early history of IBM's SiGe mixed signal technology

The history of Silicon Germanium (SiGe) at IBM is a story of persistence. The program began with an idea to replace a conventional implantation step, used in every silicon semiconductor bipolar process, by growing an in-situ doped alloy (SiGe). Many people thought the idea was of value only for a few exotic niche "research" applications. This is a story about how a small group of people persuaded a large digital computer manufacturer to invest in a new unproven technology for telecommunication applications in a field which the company knew little about. It is a success story, as SiGe technology has now become the only BiCMOS technology in development in IBM and is in the roadmaps of every major telecommunication company.