Morgan Sparks

Morgan Sparks (July 6, 1916 – May 3, 2008) was an American scientist and engineer who helped develop the microwatt bipolar junction transistor in 1951, which was a critical step in making transistors usable for every-day electronics.^[1][2] Sparks directed Sandia National Laboratories.^[1]

Early life and education

Sparks was born in Pagosa Springs, Colorado and became an undergraduate at Rice University and then did his PhD work in physical chemistry at the University of Illinois, Urbana.^[1][2]

Career

Sparks went on to work at Bell Labs where John Bardeen, Walter Brattain and William Shockley were developing the first transistor.^[1] Sparks stayed at Bell Labs and worked there to develop the microwatt bipolar junction transistor which helped make transistors practical enough for common use. Later, Sparks left Bell Labs to become the director of Sandia National Laboratories.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Melanie Dabovich (Associated Press) (2008-05-06). "Former Sandia labs director dies". New Mexico: Las Cruces Sun-News. Archived from the original on 2008-05-10. http://web.archive.org/web/20080510080412/http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_9170909. Retrieved 2008-05-07. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Morgan Sparks". PBS. http://www.pbs.org/transistor/album1/sparks/index.html. Retrieved 2008-05-06. 

External links

• Obituary: NY Times
• Obituary: Times

See also

• History of the transistor.

Persondata
Name	Sparks, Morgan
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1916-07-06
Place of birth
Date of death	2008-05-03
Place of death