In the first three and a half years of its existence, Fairchild                  Semiconductor developed, produced, and marketed the device that would become the                  fundamental building block of the digital world: the microchip. Founded in 1957 by                  eight former employees of the Schockley Semiconductor Laboratory, Fairchild created                  the model for a successful Silicon Valley start-up: intense activity with a common                  goal, close collaboration, and a quick path to the market (Fairchild's first device                  hit the market just ten months after the company's founding). Fairchild                  Semiconductor was one of the first companies financed by venture capital, and its                  success inspired the establishment of venture capital firms in the San Francisco Bay                  area. These firms would finance the explosive growth of Silicon Valley over the next                  several decades. This history of the early years of Fairchild Semiconductor examines                  the technological, business, and social dynamics behind its innovative products. The                  centerpiece of the book is a collection of documents, reproduced in facsimile,                  including the company's first prospectus; ideas, sketches, and plans for the                  company's products; and a notebook kept by cofounder Jay Last that records problems,                  schedules, and tasks discussed at weekly meetings. A historical overview,                  interpretive essays, and an introduction to semiconductor technology in the period                  accompany these primary documents.

Makers of the Microchip: A Documentary History of Fairchild Semiconductor PDF

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