5 - Major developments in technology - Timeline of microelectronics

Question 1

What was developed in the early 19th century?

Answer 1

Electrical batteries and circuits

• Basic lighting, motors, switches etc.

Question 2

What was developed in the early 20th century?

Answer 2

Vacuum tube (thermionic valve)

• Early amplifiers, radios, TVs, computers

Question 3

What was developed in the 1940s?

Answer 3

Transistor (semi-conductors)

• Portable radios, reduction in the size of other electronic products

Question 4

What was developed in the 1960s?

Answer 4

‘Microelectronic’ ICs (500 transistors)

• More powerful computers, highly portable devices like music players

Question 5

What was developed in the 1980s?

Answer 5

Ultra large-scale ICs (ULSIs) (1,000,000+) transistors

• Laptops, mobile phones

Question 6

What was developed in 2017?

Answer 6

10,000,000,000+ transistor ICs

• Supercomputers and the prospect of even more powerful mobile devices

Question 7

What is Microelectronics?

Answer 7

Advances in the manufacturing technology for electronic components such as integrated circuits (ICs) have led to an INCREASINGLY POWERFUL AND MINIATURISED RANGE OF ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS