Semiconductor History

  In 1965 the joint venture between Hughes Aircraft and EMI in the UK was named EMIHUS. They manufactured a wide range of electronic components in Glenrothes, Fife including semiconductors, passives and connectors. They also performed subcontract manufacturing, including for calculators. In 1975 the name was changed to Hughes Microelectronics. Shown above is an analog ASIC designed in the UK for the company Pye TMC. Telephone Manufacturing Company (TMC) was acquired by Pye Ltd in the 1960s and produced various equipment for the GPO, including telephones. The ASIC function is likely to be a DTMF dialler chip, designed in the 1980s, but still in production in 1990. Hughes in the UK manufactured diodes and transistors starting in 1960. They transitioned to MOS in 1967, and to CMOS sometime later. Amongst its many achievements was the production of the first non volatile memories, invented in Hughes Newport Beach by Eli Harari.

Germanium Alloy Junction Transistor Card From the Early 60s The 2N404 became the workhorse switching transistor of the computer industry, produced by a number of companies including RCA, GE, TI and Raytheon. Despite advances in silicon, mesa and planar structures, demand for germanium alloy junction transistors continued throughout the 1960s. This card also has eight Hughes Aircraft HG1012 germanium point contact diodes. HG signified Hughes Glenrothes, so these were UK manufactured. Interestingly the site that manufactured these diodes in the 1960s is now a working Raytheon facility.