Integrated circuits: putting connected electronic components on one chip

What changed

Kilby demonstrated circuit elements formed in semiconductor material; Noyce developed a planar interconnection concept drawing on Hoerni’s process. These complementary advances opened a route to integrated electronic circuits.

Scientific scope

The solid-circuit demonstration and planar monolithic integration development described by the historical sources.

Evidence

Original sources and institutional historical accounts support the stated contribution. The reading boundary is recorded at each source; this assessment is not an independent scientific verification.

Contributors

• Jack Kilby · SCIENCE: Named source contributor to this scoped work; individual labor shares are not measured.
• Robert Noyce · SCIENCE: Named source contributor to this scoped work; individual labor shares are not measured.
• Jean Hoerni · SCIENCE: Named source contributor to this scoped work; individual labor shares are not measured.

• Computer History Museum: 1958 solid circuit
• Computer History Museum: 1959 monolithic circuit concept

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

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