The history of semiconductors is not merely a history of technology — it is the story of humanity’s pursuit of “information and control.”

Over more than 70 years, semiconductors have evolved from vacuum tubes to transistors, to ICs, to LSIs, and now to AI chips, fundamentally transforming society, the economy, and culture along the way.

・1930s: The selenium rectifier, a semiconductor rectifying device, was put into practical use in Germany.

・1947: The world’s first transistor was invented at Bell Labs in the United States by Shockley, Bardeen, and Brattain — marking the dawn of the semiconductor era.

・1950s: Compact, low-power transistors rapidly replaced vacuum tubes.

This invention earned its creators the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1956. From this point on, semiconductors became the engine driving the electronic society.

・1958: Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments invented the world’s first integrated circuit.

・That same year, Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor established planar technology, making it possible to integrate transistors, resistors, and wiring onto a single chip.

The defining keywords of this era were “miniaturization,” “reliability,” and “mass production.” ICs were used in NASA’s Apollo program and in military communications, growing into a strategically vital national industry.

・1971: Intel released the world’s first microprocessor, the 4004, integrating computing functions onto a single chip.

・1970s–80s: Japanese companies — including NEC, Toshiba, Hitachi, and Fujitsu — came to dominate the global market, ushering in the age of DRAM, microcontrollers, home appliances, and the Walkman.

It was during this era that “Moore’s Law” emerged: the observation that semiconductor integration density doubles roughly every 18 to 24 months. This rule of thumb became a guiding principle for the industry and fueled intense global technological competition.

・1990s: PCs became widespread, ushering in the Windows era.

・CPU performance advanced dramatically (Pentium, Athlon, and others).

・Memory and storage capacity increased sharply.

・Semiconductors were incorporated into mobile phones, digital cameras, and countless other devices.

Semiconductors became a tool for extending human intellectual activity.

・2007: The iPhone was introduced, and the System-on-Chip (SoC) became the mainstream design approach.

・CPUs, GPUs, memory, and communication modules were integrated onto a single chip.

・The rise of AI and deep learning caused demand for GPUs and NPUs to explode.

・The foundry (contract manufacturing) model became firmly established, with TSMC and Samsung rising to prominence.

The division of labor between chip design and manufacturing deepened, giving rise to competition based on both design capability and manufacturing capability.

・Miniaturization has entered the 2nm generation.

・New technologies such as 3D stacking, chiplet architectures, and GAAFET have emerged.

・Materials have diversified beyond silicon to include SiC, GaN, and Ga₂O₃.

・New frontiers such as AI chips, quantum semiconductors, and photonic semiconductors are rapidly expanding.

Amid geopolitical risks — including U.S.–China tensions and concerns over Taiwan — countries around the world are strengthening domestic production capacity, with large-scale subsidies being introduced in the United States, Japan, and the EU.

Semiconductors have effectively become a core pillar of national security.

・1980s: Japan held over 50% of the global market share, at the height of the DRAM era.

・Late 1990s: Competitiveness declined as South Korean and Taiwanese manufacturers rose to prominence.

・2000s: Japan maintained global market share in equipment and materials.

・2020s: A period of resurgence, marked by developments such as TSMC’s Kumamoto plant and the founding of Rapidus.

Japan has come to dominate the world not so much through “making” chips, but through “supporting” the industry — with strengths in areas such as photoresists, etching gases, and precision manufacturing equipment.

・Devices based on entirely new principles that go beyond physical limits — including quantum devices, spintronics, and neuromorphic computing.

・Automated design optimization driven by AI (the evolution of EDA tools).

・Low-energy devices designed to support carbon neutrality.

・Convergence with other fields, such as semiconductors combined with biotechnology or optical communications.

Going forward, semiconductor development will be judged not only by performance, but by a sense of purpose — one centered on the wellbeing of the planet and humanity.

・The history of semiconductors has been a continuous challenge to become smaller, faster, smarter, and more connected.

・While Moore’s Law is drawing to a close, the broader “law of evolution” continues.

・Japan maintains a top-tier global presence in materials, equipment, and processes.

・Going forward, the key will be the intersection of technology, ethics, and sustainability.

1.When and where was the transistor invented?

2.What did the invention of the integrated circuit (IC) make possible?

3.What is the most important trend in today’s semiconductor industry?

 

Column Supervisor: Koji Kakumoto (Otis Group Co., Ltd.)

After studying abroad and working in planning and development at a trading company, he joined Otis Group Co., Ltd. in 2011. While primarily working in the Corporate Planning Department, he has also served concurrently in manufacturing and technical divisions, and since 2018 has served as Representative Director, working to drive business growth and strengthen the organization.

 

This article is a general technical explanation intended for educational purposes and does not refer to any specific company, product, or technology.