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Biography
AbstractImportant DatesOccupationPlacesSubjectsRelationships
PeopleInstitutionsResources
Archival as AuthorArchival as SubjectPublished as SubjectWalter H. Brattain
Dates
February 10, 1902 – October 13, 1987
Authorized Form of Name
Brattain, Walter H. (Walter Houser), 1902-1987
Additional Forms of Names
Brattain, Walter H., 1902-1987
Brattain, Walter Houser, 1902-1987
Biography
Abstract
Walter Brattain was a winner of the 1956 Nobel Prize in physics along with John Bardeen and William Shockley. While working with John Bardeen, Walter Brattain co-invented the point-contact transistor. His research interests also included the surface properties of semiconductors and the thermionic emission of tungsten.
Important Dates
February 10, 1902Birth, Xiamen (Xiamen Shi, China).
1924Obtained BS, Whitman College, Walla Walla (Wash.).
1926Obtained MA, University of Oregon, Eugene (Or.).
1928 – 1929Assistant Physicist, Radio Division, National Bureau of Standards.
1929Obtained PhD in Physics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (Minn.).
1929 – 1967Research Physicist, Bell Telephone Laboratories, Murray Hill (N.J.).
1941 – 1943Physicist, Division of War Research, Columbia University.
1952Visiting Lecturer, Harvard University.
1952Awarded Stuart Ballantine Medal, Franklin Institute.
1956Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics with John Bardeen and William Shockley "for their researches on semiconductors and their discovery of the transistor effect".
1957 – 1969Chair, Commission on Semiconductors, International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.
1959Member, National Academy of Sciences.
1960 – 1966Member, Naval Research Advisory Committee, United States Navy.
1962 – 1965Member, Defense Science Board, United States Department of Defense.
1966 – 1968Member, Advisory Board, Naval Ordnance Test Station, United States Navy.
1967 – 1972Visiting Professor of Physics, Whitman College, Walla Walla (Wash.).
1968 – 1974Consultant, Pacific Northwest Laboratories, Battelle Memorial Institute.
October 13, 1987Death, Seattle (Wash.).
Occupation
Solid state physicist.
Places
Birth
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
Employment
Death
Subjects
Relationships
People
Family
Brattain, Keren Gilmore
Wife.
Brattain, R. Robert
Brother.
Brattain, William Gilmore
Son.
Advisors & Collaborators
Shared the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics along with William Shockley for their research on semiconductors and their discovery of the transistor effect and both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Shared the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics along with John Bardeen for their research on semiconductors and their discovery of the transistor effect and both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Tate, John T. (John Torrence), 1889-1950
Advised by Tate at the University of Minnesota.
Colleagues
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Anderson, P. W. (Philip W.), 1923-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Bode, Hendrik W. (Hendrik Wade), 1905-1982
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Briggs, Lyman J. (Lyman James), 1874-1963
Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.
Brinkman, William F. (William Frank), 1938-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Buckley, Oliver Ellsworth, 1887-1959
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Coblentz, William W. (William Weber), 1873-1962
Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Conwell, Esther M. (Esther Marley), 1922-2014
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Davisson, Clinton Joseph, 1881-1958
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Dryden, Hugh L. (Hugh Latimer), 1898-1965
Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Fisk, James B. (James Brown), 1910-1981
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Herring, William Conyers, 1914-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Ives, Herbert Eugene, 1882-1953
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Jewett, Frank B. (Frank Baldwin), 1879-1949
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Kraichnan, Robert H., 1928-2008
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Pearson, Gerald L. (Gerald Leondus)
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Richards, Paul L. (Paul Linford)
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Schawlow, Arthur L., 1921-1999
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Thomas, D. G. (David Gilbert), 1928-
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Both employed at Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Additional
Bray, Ralph, 1921-
Clarke, Edward N.
Gibney, Robert Bernard, 1911-
Hoddeson, Lillian
Holden, Alan
Holonyak, Nick, 1928-
Kelly, Katherine Milsted
Millman, S. (Sidney), 1904-2006
Morgan, Stanley Owen, 1900-
Murphy, Edward Joseph, 1898-
Nix, Foster Cary, 1905-
Ohl, Russell S.
Riordan, Michael, 1946-
Sears, Raymond W.
Van Vleck, J. H. (John Hasbrouck), 1899-1980
White, Addison Hughson, 1909-
Wooldridge, Dean E.
Institutions
Major Positions
Research Physicist.
Columbia University. Department of Physics
Physicist, Division of War Research.
Harvard University. Department of Physics
Visiting Lecturer.
United States. National Bureau of Standards
Assistant Physicist, Radio Division.
Whitman College
Obtained BS in Physics in 1924 and Visiting Professor of Physics.
Professional Activities & Affiliations
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Franklin Institute (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Received 1952 Stuart Ballantine Medal.
International Union of Pure and Applied Physics
Chair, Commission on Semiconductors.
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
Naval Ordnance Test Station (Inyokern, Calif.)
Member, Advisory Board.
Pacific Northwest Laboratory
Consultant, Battelle Memorial Institute.
United States. Defense Science Board
Member.
United States. Naval Research Advisory Committee
Member.
University of Minnesota. Department of Physics and Astronomy
Obtained PhD in Physics in 1929.
University of Oregon. Department of Physics
Obtained MA in 1926.
Resources
Archival Resources
Author
Bell Telephone Laboratories the physics of transistors and semiconductors, 1953.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Circular letters with Walker Bleakney, Vladimir Rojansky, and Everly J. Workman; letter from J. B. Fisk concerning news of fission reaching U. S.; letters regarding the 1924 Harvard Engineering School Prize examination; and selected papers, 1924-1974.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
How the transistor was named [sound recording]
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Interview with the transistor's inventors [motion picture] / produced by Bell Telephone Laboratories.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Nobel laureates on scientific research project : oral history, 1964.
Oral History Research Office
Columbia University
Box 20, Room 801 Butler Library, New York, NY 10027, USA
Oral history interview with Walter H. Brattain, 1964 January and 28 May 1974.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Reminiscences of Professor Benjamin Harrison Brown, plus impromptu speeches given shortly after the announcement of the Nobel Prize to Walter Brattain and others [sound recording], 1965 and 1956.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Reminiscences of Walter Houser Brattain : oral history, 1964.
Oral History Research Office
Columbia University
Box 20, Room 801 Butler Library, New York, NY 10027, USA
The invention of the transistor [sound recording] edited by Richard A. Rikoski.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
The saga of an expedition to Stockholm, Sweden, December 1956, 1956.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Walker Bleakney Retirement Symposium [sound recording], 1969 May 2.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Walter Brattain autobiography, 1959.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Walter Brattain papers.
Penrose Memorial Library
Whitman College
345 Boyer Street. Walla Walla, WA, USA
Walter H. Brattain thesis, 1926.
Library
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403, USA
Subject
A review of scientific career, 1967.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
AT&T Archives and History Center records, 1869- present.
AT&T Archives and History Center
AT&T
4949 Von Scheele, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA
Edward J. Murphy recollections and anecdotes, 1983.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
History of physics audio-visual collection, circa 1918-1996, 1960-1988 (bulk)
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
John Bardeen papers, 1910-1991.
University Archives
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Lillian Hoddeson addition to papers, 1913-2006.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Lillian Hoddeson papers, 1904-2001.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview Addison Hughson White, 1976 September 30.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Alan Holden, 1974 July 30 and 1976 June 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Dean E. Wooldridge, 1976 August 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Edward N. Clarke, 2010 September 27.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Foster Cary Nix, 1975 June 27.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Frederick Seitz, 1981 January 26, 27, March 24 and 1982 March 16.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Gerald Leondus Pearson, 1976 August 23 and 8 April 1980.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with John Bardeen, 1980 February 13.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Katharine Milsted Kelly, 1976 July 2
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Nick Holonyak Jr., 1993 June 22.
IEEE History Center
Rutgers University
39 Union Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
Oral history interview with Ralph Bray, 1982 May 14.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Raymond W. Sears, 1975 July 14.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Robert Gibney 11 January 1978.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Russell S. Ohl, 1976 August 19 and 20.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Sidney Millman, 1974 August 2, September 13 and 1975 August 21.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with Stanley Owen Morgan, 1975 July 3.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Oral history interview with William Shockley, 1974 September 10.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Transistorized! [videorecording] / co-production of ScienCentral and Twin Cities Public Television; producer, Gino Del Guercio; executive producer and narrator, Ira Flatow, 1998.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Transistorized! voice clips [sound recording], 1964-1977.
Niels Bohr Library & Archives
American Institute of Physics
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA
Published Resources
Subject
Crystal Fire: The Invention of the Transistor and the Birth of the Information Age
Walter H. Brattain Physics Today obituary.
Walter H. Brattain, Nobel Prize Biography.
Walter Houser Brattain: 1902-1987, Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences