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Russell Ohl (1898-1987), an American solid-state physicist who discovered the P-N barrier in silicon in 1940 while working at Bell Labs. The P-N junction played a crucial role in the ultimate development of transistor and solar cell technology. While experimenting with crystal growth, he noticed that the amount of current changed when the crystal was held under an incandescent lamp on the desk in the room; Ohl realized that it was in fact the light shining on the crystal that caused the small current to flow. This breakthrough led to the invention of the first transistor.
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Cutler Cleveland (Lead Author);Peter Saundry (Topic Editor) "Ohl, Russell". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth August 18, 2006; Last revised Date August 18, 2006; Retrieved May 24, 2012 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Ohl,_Russell>
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The Encyclopedia of Earth Cutler J. Cleveland is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Earth. Dr. Cleveland is currently a Professor in the Department of Geography and Environment at Boston University, with joint appointments in the Center for Energy and Environmental Studies and the Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer Range Future. He also is a Senior Fellow at the National Council for Science and the Environment in Washington D.C. Dr. Cleveland is als ... (Full Bio)
Russell Ohl (1898-1987), an American solid-state physicist who discovered the P-N barrier in silicon in 1940 while working at Bell Labs. The P-N junction played a crucial role in the ultimate development of transistor and solar cell technology. While experimenting with crystal growth, he noticed that the amount of current changed when the crystal was held under an incandescent lamp on the desk in the room; Ohl realized that it was in fact the light shining on the crystal that caused the small current to flow. This breakthrough led to the invention of the first transistor.
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