4 ms·
> Although both patents were granted, no records exist to prove that Heil or Lilienfeld actually constructed functioning devices. <https://www.computerhistory.o
by cxr 5y ago
> Although both patents were granted, no records exist to prove that Heil or Lilienfeld actually constructed functioning devices. <https://www.computerhistory.org/siliconengine/field-effect-semiconductor-device-concepts-patented/ https://www.computerhistory.org/siliconengine/field-effect-s...>
- Rochus 5y agoIt's still an invention by definition (patent law). Thanks for the article; notably the article makes no doubt that the invention by Lilienfeld would have worked; apparently he just didn't build it himself.
- xyzzy21 5y agoBut it means nothing. People patented perpetual motion machines throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. So does that make the patent meaningful? NO!
- Rochus 5y agoApparently this is an emotional topic; personally I have no stakes in it (besides that I'm a trained electrical engineer and had lectures in patent law), I'm just curious; Colby sent me this link which describes an experiment where they built Lilienfelds device in the nineties: http://public.gettysburg.edu/~bcrawfor/BECrawford-MS-UVM.pdf http://public.gettysburg.edu/~bcrawfor/BECrawford-MS-UVM.pdf