Ruzyllo On Transistor (R)evolution and its Multidisciplinary Nature

In any technical domain, there are certain developments that cut across years and technological generations and, to a significant degree, shape the entire field. One particular development, from which aspiring electrical engineers can learn, is the story that follows the evolution of the transistor from the early integrated circuits (ICs) years and continuing on into the future. It is a fine example of what happens "when engineering ingenuity and market forces work hand in hand toward accomplishing a specific goal, "which in this case is the continued, undisrupted delivery of better performing and cheaper electronics. A transistor is a semiconductor device designed to amplify and/or switch an electrical signal and is very much a cornerstone of semiconductor engineering. The metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) is of particular interest in this regard, as for over 30 years, the performance of logic integrated circuits continues to be defined by the modifications of this particular transistor structure.