Comments on: 1 part in 10,000,000,000 (Oct, 1954)

By: Arglebarglefarglegleep

Arglebarglefarglegleep — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:38:30 +0000

Now they’re doping two forms of carbon, diamond and graphine to make experimental electronics. It’ll be interesting to see which form of carbon wins out as the next step in semiconductors.

By: Kosher Ham

Kosher Ham — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 18:23:09 +0000

Ditto with silicon or similar materials such as gallium or perhaps selenium. Depending what you dope it with determines whether it is P or N material. Arsenic is often used, which can lead to a wonderful acronym for a Gallium Arsenide Field Effect Transistor or GaAsFET.

By: GaryM

GaryM — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 19:33:14 +0000

It’s interesting that they have to start with really pure germanium, to which they then have to add controlled impurities to get the appropriate semiconductor performance.

By: Kosher Ham

Kosher Ham — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:16:24 +0000

Yep.

Transvestite, Transsexual, and transparent. It was part of those geeky chemistry jokes we had in college.

By: Firebrand38

Firebrand38 — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:37:36 +0000

Kosher Ham: As in the Ru Paul Isomer?

By: Kosher Ham

Kosher Ham — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:07:34 +0000

Next thing we will be getting into will be organic chemistry where we will be comparing Cis and Trans Isomers. The only decent Cis isomer I know of is the Cisco Kid. There are many “trans” things out there.

By: r peltier

r peltier — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:53:35 +0000

Thanks Toronto, transmission trans-Siberian and others have taken on a whole new meaning for me.

By: Toronto

Toronto — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:43:03 +0000

I was thinking it was a sequel to “Falcon Crest” or something. “Gallium Valley – where their conduct was always semi…”

“You mean the novice nun who’s hiding in our pool house, Sister Michelle, isn’t really a woman?” “That’s right, his name is Michael. He’s a Trans-Sister!”

By: Jari

Jari — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 00:04:40 +0000

And before Germanium Valley there were Selenium Valley. Hmm… sounds like a scene from Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Barsoom books….

By: Firebrand38

Firebrand38 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:46:17 +0000

Kosher Ham: I dunno, Gallium Valley rolls off the tongue when you say it out loud.

By: Kosher Ham

Kosher Ham — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:49:38 +0000

I wonder when they first started experimenting with silicon. I can’t imagine the Santa Clara Valley known as Germanium Valley or for that matter Gallium which is used in low noise transistors and LED’s.