184 Semiconductor Transistor
benches they tried to force electric current into the germanium through liquid metals and
then through soldered wire contact points. Most of November and much of December 1947
were consumed with these tests.
They found that the contact points worked—sort of. A strong current could be forced
through the germanium to a metal base on the other side. But rather than amplifying a signal
(making it stronger), it actually consumed energy (made it weaker).
Then Bardeen noticed something odd and unexpected. He accidentally misconnected
his electrical leads, sending a micro-current to the germanium contact point. When a very
weak current was trickled through from wire solder point to base, it created a “hole” in the
germanium’s resistance to current flow. A weak current converted the semiconductor into a
superconductor.
Bardeen had to repeatedly demonstrate the phenomenon to convince both himself and
his teammates that his amazing results weren’t fluke occurrences. Time after time the results were the same with any semiconductor material they tried: high current, high resistance; low current, virtually no resistance.
Bardeen named the phenomenon “transfer resistors,” or transistors. It provided engineers with a way to both rectify a weak signal and boost it to many times its original
strength. Transistors required only 1/50 the space of a vacu V?GV&R?B???F?P??vW"?B6?V?B?WGW&f?&?f7WV?GV&W2?f?"F??2F?66?fW'??F?RF?&VR?V?6?&VBF?P??Sb??&V?&??Rf?"??6?72??gV?f7G3?F?Rf?'7BG&?6?7F?"&F???F?R&VvV?7?E"????BF?R?&?W@????7F?&W"???SB??B6?7BCC???R?F?RWV?f?V?B?bC3c??#RF???'2???Bv6?( ?BV?F??F?R?FR?c2F?BG&?6?7F?"&F??2&V6?R6?V ?V??Vv?f?"WfW'???RF?ff?&B??R???&RF?W???&P?6V?r??F????W&?6?&?f??W3?GvV?F?WF??6V?GW'???fV?F?'2??Wr??&??f7G0???f??R?????( N( N( B?F?R??fV?F?'3???&V?&??W2??6?V?7G'?????V??2?????W&?W"??????FFW6????????G'VRvV??W3?F?R?fR?B66?V?6R?b????&&FVV??v6???wF????D3??F????6FV?&W72?#R?????W??&?72?????rG&?6?7F?#??W?F?F?R6??WFW"vR??Wr??&??6????`?66?W7FW"6???G&V?( ?2???????V???v?V??f??v??r7W'&V?G3?F?RVW7BF?'V??BF???G&?6?7F?'2?v6???wF????D3??F????vV?w&??26?6?WG??#b??&??&F???6?V??7'?7F?f?&S?F?R&?'F??bF?R??f?&?F???vR??Wr??&??r?r????'F?????r?