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UFO UpDates Mailing List

From: "WHITE" <mjawhite@digitaldune.net> [John White]
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 1997 07:07:17 -0700
Fwd Date: Sat, 13 Sep 1997 10:33:01 -0400
Subject: Re: American Computer Company continued

> Date: Thu, 11 Sep 1997 00:32:24 +0200 (MET DST)
> To: UFO UpDates - Toronto <updates@globalserve.net>
> From: Henny van der Pluijm <hvdp@worldonline.nl>
> Subject: Re: American Computer Company continued

  Henny wrote:

> [ silicon is one of the materials of which transistors can be
> made. It is now used for most computer chips.
> I don't know the function of boron in creating transistors ]

Hello folks:

(x-ref to Corso's transistor allegations.)

Boron's function in creating transistors is that it can be used
as a "doping" agent for silicon, i.e., to create conductive
impurities.  Quote:  "Certain types of impurities and imperfections
drastically affect the electrical properties of a semiconductor.  The
addition of boron to silicon in the proportion of 1 boron atom to
10 [to the 5th] silicon atoms increases the conductivity of pure
silicon by a factor of 10 [to the 3rd] at room temperature.  In a
compound semiconductor a stoichiometric deficiency of one
constitutient will act as an impurity; such semiconductors are
known as "deficit semiconductors" (see problem 6).  The deliberate
addition of impurities to a semiconductor is called "doping."
Charles Kittel's textbook "Introduction to Solid State Physics,"
Fourth Edition, (1971), Chapter 11, "Semiconductor Crystals,"
page 372.

As luck?? would have it, there is no "problem 6" in the textbook; they
stop after problem 5.  However, the bibliography for the chapter sets forth

"For an excellent selective bibliography see P. Handler,
"Resource letter, Scr-1 on semiconductors," Am.J.Phys. 32, 329
(1964).  I don't know if its available, (the Am.J.Phys. site which lists
resource letters doesn't make it clear that it is available)
but I am tracking it down and will post it (or where it can be obtained)
as soon as I've located it.

P.S.  To the list:

The accuracy of Corso's allegations re: transistor
technology derived from a crashed UFO is not at
stake here.  Boron impurities in pure silicon crystals
for purposes of enhancing electrical conductivity is,
no doubt, the same across the universe.
There is nothing at all inconsistent in understanding
physical theory and finding that someone else has
used it for the same purpose.  The issue, in my mind,
is to develop enough background material to determine
whether the invention of the transistor was more akin to
an "Aha, so that's how this stuff works," (Corso's allegation
coupled with the then existing knowledge) than an
"Aha, I knew I could do it,"  (Shockley's team at
Bell Labs.)  The physics of semiconductor crystals and
the nature of adding impurities was not a particularly new
idea to anyone in those years, but the execution of a concept
is another matter altogether;  there is nothing
inconsistent between Corso's allegations and the fact that
the theory may have been well-understood.  Indeed, my interest
is heightened because Corso's allegations do present an
opportunity to actually test  his statements.  Clear historical,
experimental, one-off, precursor designs, etc., i.e.,
propositional evidence, will either emerge to disprove
his statements, or it won't.  And if it doesn't emerge, then Corso's
statements cannot be said to be disproved by objective,
reliable, fact. Although this certainly would not translate
into a complete affirmation of his allegations, it would lead us
to posit that his statements are increased in their reliability
and not decreased.

Thanks to all of you, and particularly those tracking this thread.

John White