8) The Japanese Pioneers who had Foreseen Semiconductor’s Future
The Thesis by Shuji Yagi published on "The Journal of the Electrical
Communication Engineers of Japan" (Enlargeable)
Soon after the Second World War, the serious research activities
on semiconductors in Japan started, following the accomplishment of transistor
invention by Bell Telephone Laboratories. But it was already during Taisho
period (1912-1926) when a technical term "semiconductor" first appeared
in Japanese academic journals. Kinjiro Okabe, who was well known as an inventor
of Multi-Split-Anode Magnetron, used the word of semiconductor explicitly
in the title of his thesis, "Influence of Metal Plate in Electric Conductivity
Measurement of Semiconductor" on The Journal of Electrical Communication
Engineers of Japan published in June 1925.
The thesis by Hidetsugu Yagi as shown in the photo accurately foresaw a promising
future of semiconductor at the time when nobody could even imagine the realization
of transistors. Even though the title of the thesis was "The Future of
Electron Tubes," which was published on Electric Communication Academic
Magazine in May 1938,) he stated in the content with his clear foresight about
post-tube age, "Studies by the new theory and methodology of physics
indicate that the materials (like semiconductor) will make great progress
with accelerated speed. This will happen in the near future. I believe that
electron tubes will be obliged to go through some revolutionary changes."
Yagi is very famous as the inventor of Yagi Antenna, and is really a great
benefactor who laid the foundation of "light electrical engineering"
- electronics in today’s term in Japan. He was surely a pioneer who had foreseen
the future.