Reference 1987.0487.228 Texas Instruments Collection Reference Material
Silicon grown Junction Transistor 1954
- page 2 (copy) of Engineering Log of TI's Mort Jones --
as transcribed... :
"A furnace used for making silicon diodes (notebook of E. Jackson) was modified slightly by removing the quarts crucible and heating coil and substituting a horizontal ribbon, .002" thick and 1/4" wide, of tungston. A thin wafer of graphite was placed on top of this ribbon and used as a boat for holding the base.

Silicon grown Junction Transistor 1954 -- page 2 (copy) of Engineering Log of TI's Mort Jones
The base lead was put on each bar individually as follows:
  • a bar was placed on the graphite
  • a current of helium run through the furnace
  • an 0.005" diameter aluminium [sic] wire lowered to contact the surface of the silicon block at the base region (as observed through a microscope)
  • an electric current passed through the tungston ribbon heating element until the end of the aluminium wire had started to alloy into the ribbon
  • the current stopped
  • the block allowed to cool
  • removed from the furnace and the aluminium wire trimmed off leaving about 1/4" attached to the block
The bar at this point is shown in sketch 2 on the following page (p.48). The ends of the bar were then lowered into a solution containing nickelous ammonium sulfate, boric acid, ..."
Morton E. Jones May 6, 1954


National Museum of American History

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