Fairchild Semiconductor

Founded in 1957 and headquartered in San Jose, California, Fairchild Semiconductor was the world’s first semiconductor company to mass-produce silicon transistors, and has had a profound impact on the development of computing, consumer electronics, and industrial automation. it was purchased by ON Semiconductor (now onsemi) in 2016 for $2.4 billion.

1. Founding background: from Shockley Laboratories to Fairchild

In 1956, William Shockley, one of the inventors of the transistor, founded Shockley Semiconductor, but due to management problems, eight core engineers (the “traitorous eight”) left to form Fairchild Semiconductor under the auspices of Fairchild Camera Fairchild Semiconductor was founded under the auspices of Fairchild Camera and Instrument.
A core member of the “traitorous eight”:
– Robert Noyce – co-founder of Intel
– Gordon Moore – Co-founder of Intel and author of Moore’s Law.
– Eugene Kleiner – Co-founder of KPCB Venture Partners
– Jean Hoerni – Inventor of the planar process
– Jay Last, Victor Grinich, Sheldon Roberts, Julius Blank – Advancing IC Technology

2. Key technological breakthroughs

2.1 Planar Process
In 1959, Jean Hearne invented the Planar Process, which uses silicon oxide to protect transistors and enable mass production of ICs.
2.2 Silicon-based Integrated Circuits (ICs)
In the same year, Robert Noyce developed silicon-based ICs based on the planar process, which were more suitable for industrial production than the germanium-based ICs of Texas Instruments, laying the foundation of modern semiconductors.
2.3 MOSFETs and CMOS
Fairchild pioneered the development of MOSFETs, which drove the development of CMOS and laid the foundation for microprocessors, memory and mobile devices.

3. Impact and contributions

3.1 Silicon Valley Founders
Fairchild fostered Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial culture, with departing engineers founding semiconductor giants such as Intel, AMD, National Semiconductor, Linear Technology, Maxim, Micron, and others.
3.2 Military and Aerospace
Fairchild products were used in NASA’s Apollo program to provide highly reliable electronics.
3.3 Computer and Consumer Electronics
IC technology promotes the development of computers, TVs, stereos, microwave ovens and other consumer electronics, laying the foundation of modern technology.

4. Decline and acquisitions: from glory to the end of the line

4.1 Operational difficulties and brain drain
Despite its technological leadership, Fairchild gradually declined due to management problems, intensified market competition, and massive brain drain.
4.2 Acquisitions
1979 – Acquired by Xerox, but failed to integrate successfully.
1987 – Acquired by National Semiconductor.
1997 – Separated from National Semiconductor and operated independently to focus on power semiconductors
2016 – Acquired by onsemi (formerly ON Semiconductor) for $2.4 billion

5. Fairchild Semiconductor Products and Their Applications:

Although the Fairchild brand has disappeared, its technology is still widely used in power management, industrial control, and automotive electronics.
5.1 Power Semiconductors (Power Semiconductors)
MOSFET: used in power management, motor drive, switching power supply
IGBT: used in inverter, electric vehicle drive system
Rectifiers & Diodes: optimize power management, improve energy efficiency
5.2 Analog & Mixed-Signal ICs
Audio processing, power management, signal conversion, widely used in smart phones, TVs, stereos and other devices.
5.3 Logic & Interface ICs
TTL and CMOS logic ICs, used in computers, automotive electronics, communications equipment
5.4 Optoelectronic components (Optoelectronics & Sensors)
Optocouplers (electrical isolation for industrial control)
Infrared Emitters & Receivers (automation control)
Ambient light sensors (smart devices)