Essential Guide to Semiconductors, The

Current Problems and Future Trends

Imagine you're a little kid again, playing with Tinkertoys (or Lego bricks, Lincoln Logs, or Meccano pieces; pick your favorite). You have an eccentric uncle who believes your birthday comes once every 18 months. On each birthday, he gives you a gift of another complete set equal to what you already have. Your store of building blocks therefore doubles every 18 months. This is great fun; you can build bigger, better, and taller things all the time. Before long, you're making toy skyscrapers, and then entire cities.

Surprisingly soon, you run out ideas for things to build. Or, if you're very creative, you run out of time to build them before the next installment of parts is dumped in your lap. You simply can't ...