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1947
Bell Labs invents transistor on December
23. Its first commercial use is in products for the hearing impaired. |
1948
Bell Labs grows single germanium crystal,
offering more uniform electrical conduction and fewer defects.
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1949
International Rectifier ships first commercial
semiconductor devices. First chess-playing machine built by Claude
Shannon. |
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1950
The grown junction transistor becomes the
first devise with enough predictability and dependability to use
in a range of consumer goods. |
1951
Univac delivers a computer to the census
bureau. |
1952
Texas Instruments (TI) enters the semiconductor
business.
Motorola establishes a solid state electronics R&D lab in Phoenix
to capitalize on the recent inventions of the transistor.
IBM unveils the 701, the first computer to store electronic programs. |
1953
Motorola applies for its first semiconductor
related patent to develop low cost transistors for audio power stages
of radio communication receivers and auto radios. |
1954
Transistor radio, developed by Texas Instruments
and sold by the IDEA Co. of Ohio, hits the market.
TI develops the silicon junction transistor. Its higher melting
point makes it ideal for space and military use.
Bell Labs introduces an all-transistor computer.
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1955
Bells Labs introduces photoresist, a technique
still used today to mass produce batches of identical circuits.
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1956
General Electric introduces first solid-state
silicon switches. |
1957
"Explorer," the first U.S. orbiting satellite,
uses transistor technology.
Fairchild Semiconductor becomes the first company to work exclusively
with silicon.
The semiconductor industry surpasses $100 million in sales for the
first time. |
1958
Cray introduces all-transistor supercomputer.
Texas Instruments’ Jack Kilby demonstrates first integrated
circuit (IC).
U.S. Air Force incorporates semiconductors in Minutemen Missile
design. The Pentagon and NASA quickly become two of the industry’s
major customers. |
1959
National Semiconductor opens in Danbury,
Connecticut.
Fairchild Semiconductor’s Robert Noyce commercializes process
for making ICs. |
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1960
Digital Equipment Corp. produces the first
mini-computer, known as the PDP-1.
AT&T invents the first modem. |
1961
TI builds the first integrated circuit
computer.
Motorola is the first to use the epitaxial method, developed by
Bell Labs, to mass produce semiconductors. This low-cost technique
made the auto alternator a reasonably priced and more durable replacement
for the auto generator. |
1962
Motorola Corp. introduces the first transistorized
walkie-talkie known as the Handi-Talkie HT-200. |
1963
Companies begin shipping integrated circuits. |
1964
Texas Instruments provides the first ICs
used in a consumer product, a hearing aid.
IBM unveils the System/360, the first family of computers.
The semiconductor industry surpasses $1 billion in sales for the
first time. |
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1965
Gordon Moore predicts exponential growth
(biannual doubling) in chip power. It becomes known as "Moore’s
Law." |
1966
Hewlett-Packard introduces the first solid-state
oscilloscope. Silicon technology makes the key electronics test
instrument lighter and smaller.
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1967
Texas Instruments invents handheld calculator.
Motorola introduces the Quasar line of all-transistor color TVs. |
1968
Andy Grove, Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore
create Intel Corp. That same year Intel introduces the first 1k
RAM. |
1969
Apollo mission lands first men on the moon
aided by a variety of semiconductors.
Advanced Micro Devices incorporates with $100,000. |
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1970
Intel introduces DRAM. This chip becomes
the memory component of computers and other electronics, and a source
of trade strife when the U.S. later accuses the Japanese of "dumping,"
a term for selling products below market price. |
1971
Intel invents SRAM and EPROM and introduces
microprocessors, which enable the "brains" of a computer to be on
one chip for the first time.
Shortly after Intel introduces the 4004, TI introduces a single-chip
microprocessor.
Alan Shugart of IBM invents the floppy disk. |
1972
Hewlett-Packard introduces the first scientific
pocket calculator. It sent slide rule manufacturers out of business. |
1973
Price scanner introduced. The UPC symbol
becomes ubiquitous.
Motorola introduces the portable cellular radio-telephone, the precursor
to the modem cell phone. |
1974
Bell Labs invents and IBM uses electron
beams in chip production.
Zilog introduces the Z-80 microprocessor.
Motorola introduces the 6800 microprocessor.
Xerox invents the built-in mouse. |
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1975
Altair, the first personal computer, goes
on market.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen launch Microsoft. |
1976
Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs found Apple
Computer.
The first word-processing program, Electric Pencil, is unveiled. |
1977
U.S. semiconductor
company pioneers form Semiconductor Industry Association.
Monolithic Memories Inc. invents field programmable logic, the first
logic devise that can be programmed by users.
SIA takes over administration of the Semiconductor
Trade Statistics Program (STSP); now known as the World Semiconductor
Trade Statistics (WSTS). |
1978
SIA forms 6 major
committees on: trade policy, education, worker safety, trade statistics,
investment and capital formation, and a technical advisory committee.
Micron opens in Boise, Idaho as a semiconductor design consulting
firm.
TI introduces the first single-chip speech synthesizer. Its first
use: The Speak & Spell Toy. |
1979
Motorola introduces the 16-bit microprocessor.
Its two-million-calculations-per-second capability is adopted by
Apple Computer for its Macintosh PCs.
Bell Labs introduces a single-chip digital signal processor that
performs speech compression, filtering, error corrections and other
functions much faster and better than multiple chips.
The semiconductor industry surpasses $10 billion in sales. |
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1980
SIA commissions a
major research study by Chase Financial Policy on the cost of capital
in the semiconductor industry; which finds U.S. firms facing significant
disadvantages compared to their international competitors.
IBM enters the PC business with a line of desktop PCs, later to
become the single largest use for microprocessors.
Motorola introduces first pager to incorporate a microprocessor,
allowing longer battery life and the ability to have more pagers
on a network. |
1981
In response to SIA
advocacy efforts, the U.S. and Japan lower semiconductor tariffs
to 4.2 percent.
Hewlett-Packard introduces the first scientific pocket calculator.
It sent slide rule manufacturers out of business.
LSI Logic introduces gate array, the first semi-custom chip.
SIA helps gain approval of the federal R&D
tax credit.
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1982
SIA forms Semiconductor
Research Corp. (SRC) to plan, direct and fund pre-competitive silicon
research programs at major universities.
VLSI introduces standard cells, predefined circuit elements for
custom chips. |
1983
Motorola’s first cellular phone comes
to market.
AMD introduces INT. STD. 1000.
Altera invents the first reprogrammable device (PLD).
SIA efforts lead to creation of U.S. Japan
Working Group on High Tech to resolve trade issues.
The SIA Japan Chapter, made up of senior level executives from SIA
member companies doing business in Japan, is created to provide
and industry-to-industry dialogue between Japanese and American
companies. |
1984
Chip Protection Act becomes law, creating
the first new form of intellectual property protection in the United
States since the 19th century.
The SIA-supported Trade and Tariff Act of 1984 becomes law, authorizing
negotiation of high tech trade issues and tariff elimination.
Congress revises antitrust laws to allow joint R&D consortia.
IBM develops a one-million bit RAM.
Xilinx invents field programmable gate arrays, chips that can be
customized by the user.
Anti-lock brakes begin using microcontrollers.
Apple introduces the Macintosh computer. |
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1985
U.S. and Japanese
governments agree to eliminate tariffs on semiconductors. SIA files
petition with U.S. government, citing unfair Japanese market barriers.
Intel drops out of DRAM business. |
1986
At
the urging of SIA, U.S. and Japan sign agreement to end dumping
practices and open Japan’s market; yet nine of eleven U.S.
DRAM manufacturers leave market, and Japan overtakes U.S. as the
world’s leading semiconductor producer.
Japanese firms lose $4 billion in quest for semiconductor dominance.
Compaq unveils 386-based PCs.
Bell Labs introduces neural network chips that mimic the way some
brain cells retrieve stored information and solve problems. |
1987
SIA forms SEMATECH,
a consortium of chip manufacturers dedicated to improving manufacturing
technology.
At the urging of SIA, U.S. imposes $300 million
in trade sanctions against Japan for failing to comply with antidumping
agreement.
U.S. EPROM manufacturers regain worldwide lead; next to DRAM, EPROMs
are most critical commodity product. |
1988
With the SIA's encouragement,
the U.S. Congress approves the formation of the National Advisory
Committee on Semiconductors (NACS).
Reduced Instruction Set Chip (RISC) technology becomes available
commercially, allowing faster, less memory-intensive programming
options.
After meeting with the SIA, the Electronic
Industries Association of Japan (EIAJ) forms the Users Committee
of Foreign Semiconductors (UCOM) in an effort to provide greater
access for foreign suppliers in the Japan market.
The U.S. semiconductor industry reinforces its commitment to the
Japan market by opening an SIA office in Tokyo, Japan. |
1989
The SIA and EIAJ
establish a consumer task force to discuss methods to increase foreign
chip sales to Japanese consumer equipment makers.
SIA commissions a three-year $3.5 million reproductive health study
to determine if some chemicals used in chip plants cause health
problems.
Members of the SIA's Health and Safety Committee and EIAJ initiate
annual meetings to discuss semiconductor safety and environmental
issues. These meetings are the precursor to the international ESH
conferences, beginning in 1984. |
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1990
SIA's Technology Strategy Committee is
created to track industry technology requirements and make recommendations
to the industry.
Panasonic Palmcorder is introduced using LSI Logic chips. LSI was
the first U.S. company to design a chip specifically for a Japanese
company’s consumer product.
Internet use tops 100,000. |
1991
Japan & U.S. announce
new trade agreement committing Japan to open its market to foreign
semiconductors and providing a strong deterrent to dumping.
SIA is presented the prestigious "E Award"
by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Robert Mosbacher for the association's
outstanding efforts to increase American exports. |
1992
SIA's reproductive
health study recommends phasing out some chemicals used in manufacturing
chips.
Technology experts gather to design a 15-year
roadmap for national semiconductor research needs; known as the
National Technology Roadmap.
Microsoft introduces Windows 3.1. |
1993
Through the efforts
led by the SIA, U.S. overtakes Japan in worldwide chip sales.
IBM and Motorola introduce RISC chip for PCs.
Harris Corp. introduces Monster Power ICs (MCT). They help motorized
products from refrigerators to jet fighters operate more efficiently. |
1994
The SIA succeeds in achieving Congressional
approval of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations
that establishes the World Trade Organization (WTO), lowers semiconductor
tariffs, strengthens intellectual property protection, and maintains
effective antidumping provisions.
U.S. Labor Department ranks the semiconductor industry as America’s
second safest, reflecting a dramatic reduction in work-related injury
and illness rates among domestic semiconductor workers.
The semiconductor industry surpasses $100 billion sales. |
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1995
Foreign share of Japanese market exceeds
20 percent for the first time.
SIA explores the rapidly growing Chinese market
in its document, "Semiconductors in China: Defining American
Interest."
The SIA and EIAJ jointly announce the Emerging
Applications Cooperative Project and other efforts to stimulate
major design-ins and other business opportunities in Japan for foreign
semiconductor manufacturers.
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1996
U.S. fabrication facility growth explodes
as chips become increasingly prevalent in new consumer products.
High-end chips make computer networking, telephone communications
and internet connections faster and smarter.
U.S. and Japan approve new trade agreement on semiconductors as
foreign share in Japan approaches 30 percent. Agreement calls for
the establishment of the World Semiconductor Council (WSC).
SIA members and U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency sign memorandum on global warming gases. Companies agree
to continue reducing their usage of ozone-depleting chemicals. |
1997
SIA unveils the Focus
Center Program. The new consortium is designed to tackle technology
roadblocks by focusing on long-term research (eight years and beyond).
A new edition of the National Technology Roadmap is released worldwide.
The SIA, working with the U.S. government and 38 other countries,
accounting for more than 92 percent of the global trade and information
technology products, creates the Information Technology Agreement
(ITA). The ITA eliminates duties on chips, computers and telecommunications
equipment. |
1998
SIA creates a Workforce
Strategy Committee to address the critical need of an increased
and educated workforce.
The SIA and its coalition partners successfully lobbies to secure
passage of the "American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement
Act of 1998," which nearly doubles the number of foreign engineers
and scientists that are eligible to work in the U.S.
New SIA study shows that the semiconductor
industry is the No. 1 driver of
growth for the U.S. economy, providing jobs for 260,000 people and
creating an additional 1.4 millions jobs for people who provide
goods and services for the industry.
U.S. chip companies command more than 50 percent of the global market.
Congress passes the Securities Litigation
Uniform Standard Act of 1998, which makes federal court the sole
venue for hearing class action suits on securities fraud allegations
against companies with rapid fluctuations in stock prices and eliminates
frivolous lawsuits in state courts.
The WSC receives the 1998 Climate Protection Award from
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. |
1999
1999 became known as the "year of
recovery" for the semiconductor industry. Sales shift the demand
from PCs to communications products.
The SIA and member companies lobby extensively to achieve the top
1999 legislative priority with the passage of the Y2K bill to limit
frivolous lawsuits against American businesses and industries.
The 1st two Focus Centers become fully operational at UC Berkeley
and
Georgia Tech.
The U.S. and China agreed to the terms of China's accession to the
WTO.
SIA establishes a presence in China by joining other electronic
associations in the U.S. Information Technology Office in Beijing
(USITO).
SIA successfully lobbies for an R&D tax credit extension for
an additional five years. |
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2000
SIA allows international
input into the technology roadmap process, and the first International
Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) is released.
Worldwide
semiconductor sales exceed $200 billion for the first time in
semiconductor history.
Permanent Trade Relations legislation with
China, leading to elimination of Chinese tariffs on semiconductors,
increased intellectual property protection, direct sales to China
without using middlemen, and elimination of investment barriers,
among other measures.
SIA Board funds a major initiative to increase the number of undergraduate
engineers interested in semiconductor careers.
SIA establishes a Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), an independent
panel commissioned to review existing industry data to address allegations
of cancer risks among semiconductor employees. |
2001
China formally joined
the WTO on terms advocated by the SIA.
Two additional Focus Centers were created:
"Materials, Structures and Devices" and Circuits, Systems
and Software."
The National Science Foundation sees a 8 percent increase in funding.
As a result of SIA's efforts, China begins to provide intellectual
property protection for registered IC designs and eliminate its
tariffs on semiconductors. |
2002
SIA
scores a major victory in streamlining U.S. export controls when
the President eliminates MTOPS controls on commercial export of
microprocessors.
SIA
embarks on Worker Health Project to determine and further minimize
any potential risks to our employees.
SIA successfully advocated Congressional approval
of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).
SIA releases the 2002 International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
(ITRS)
SIA publishes a commemorative book, Beyond Imagination, chronicling
the semiconductor industry since its inception and honors Dr. Gordon
Moore with its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award.
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2003
SIA
and its partners in the High Tech Broadband Coalition win a major
victory when the Federal Communications Committee decided to deregulate
investment in last mile broadband facilities.
SIA successfully lobbies for Congressional approval of an 11.4 percent
increase in the research budget for the National Science Foundation.
SIA and its coalition partners successfully lobby for legislation
designating more than $2 billion over three years for nanotechnology
research and development programs with passage in the House and
approval by the Senate Commerce Committee. |
2004
March
reaches $213B, highest in history, finally surpassing $205B achieved
in 2000.
Successful resolution of the WTO case on China's VAT.
China's decision to indefinitely delay the
WAPI standard for wireless communication, pending approval from
international standards body.
SIA launches Nanoelectronics Research Initiative (NRI) to accelerate
and augment research for the successor to the current mainstream
semiconductor technology, CMOS, which is expected to hit physical,
technological and economic limits by 2020.
SIA board votes to proceed with broad-based epidemiological study
to assess cancer risk. |
2005
40th anniversary of Moore’s Law.
Record sales of $227 billion.
Co-inventor of IC Jack Kilby dies.
SIA-NSF join forces to support nanotechnology research.
SIA selects Vanderbilt University for industry health study.
SIA launches competitiveness campaign.
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2006
President Bush endorses comprehensive program for technology leadership.
CSIA applies for membership in World Semiconductor Council.
SIA holds first-ever board meeting in Beijing. |
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