Guide to the Jean Hoerni papers M2847

Department of Special Collections and University Archives

October 2022

Green Library

557 Escondido Mall

Stanford 94305-6064

specialcollections@stanford.edu

URL: http://library.stanford.edu/spc

Language of Material: English

Contributing Institution: Department of Special Collections and University Archives

Title: Jean Hoerni papers

Creator: Hoerni, Jean A., 1924-1997

source: Jay T. Last Revocable Trust

Identifier/Call Number: M2847

Physical Description: 2 Linear Feet (3 manuscript boxes, 1 small flat-box)

Date (inclusive): 1950-2000

Abstract: Correspondence, writings, and assorted materials of Swiss-American engineer Jean A. Hoerni, one of the founders of Fairchild Semiconductor.

Language of Material: English; French; German

Physical Location: Special Collections and University Archives materials are stored offsite and must be paged 36 hours in advance.

Conditions Governing Access

Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was given by the Jay T. Last Revocable Trust to Stanford University, Special Collections in May 2022.

Biographical / Historical

Jean A. Hoerni (1924-1997) was a Swiss-American engineer active in the early days of Silicon Valley. He completed a BS in mathematics from the University of Geneva before completing two physics PhDs. at Geneva and Cambridge. He moved to the United States in 1952 as a postdoctoral fellow in chemistry at California Institute of Technology with Linus Pauling. In 1956, Hoerni joined Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory. One year later, he left to establish the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation as part of the "traitorous eight" along with Julius Blank, Victor Grinich, Eugene Kleiner, Jay Last, Gordon Moore, Robert Noyce, and C. Sheldon Roberts. While at Fairchild, Hoerni developed the planar process of building transistors, which later became a critical part of the invention of the Silicon integrated circuit. Hoerni left Fairchild in 1961 to found Amelco, and later established Union Carbide Electronics and Intersil. Throughout his life, Hoerni was an avid mountain climber, both abroad and in California's High Sierras.

Custodial History

The papers were assembled after Hoerni's death by his former colleague, Jay Last, and his widow, Jennifer Wilson. The collection was donated along with the papers of Jay Last (M2846).

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Jean Hoerni papers (M2847). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Related Materials

Additional collections relating to the "traitorous eight" include:

Robert Noyce papers (M1490) at Stanford University
Gordon Moore papers (M1965) at Stanford University
Jay Last papers (M2846) at Stanford University
Fairchild Semiconductor Employee papers at the Computer History Museum: https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt696nf06d/

Scope and Contents

The collection contains materials from Jean A. Hoerni, one of the "traitorous eight" that quit Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory in 1957 to establish Fairchild Semiconductor. The collection includes correspondence between Hoerni and various semiconductor laboratories, including Shockley, as he searched for a position during the mid-1950s; handwritten notes from his time at Shockley and Fairchild; and copies of Hoerni's publications throughout his education and career. Also included are guides about mountain climbing; photographs; and newspaper clippings. Some items of interest have been highlighted throughout the finding aid.

Conditions Governing Use

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Planar transistors

Mountaineering

Semiconductor industry -- History -- California

Jay T. Last Revocable Trust

Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory

Fairchild (Firm)

Box 1, folder 1

Université de Genève thesis 1950

Material Specific Details: Application de la diffraction électronique à l'étude de la structure du graphite

Box 1, folder 2

University of Cambridge dissertation 1952

Material Specific Details: Photographic Study of Diffuse X-Ray Reflexions

Box 1, folder 3

"A Preliminary Study of Cravasse Formation: Greenland, 1955" report by J. Hoerni et al 1955

Box 1, folder 4

Arctic Task Force notebook 1955

Box 1, folder 5

Job Search Correspondence - Bell Telephone Laboratories 1955-1956

Box 1, folder 6

Job Search Correspondence - Batelle Memorial Institute 1954-1956

Box 1, folder 7

Job Search Correspondence - Motorola, Inc. 1956

Box 1, folder 8

Job Search Correspondence - Shell Development Company 1955-1956

Box 1, folder 9

Job Search Correspondence - National Academy of Sciences 1956

Box 1, folder 10

Job Search Correspondence - Avec Manufacturing Corporation 1956

Box 1, folder 11

Job Search Correspondence - CalTech / Linus Pauling 1955-1956

Box 1, folder 12

Job Search Correspondence - Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory 1955-1957

Recruitment letter from William Shockley 29 November 1955

Job offer letter from William Shockley 31 May 1956

Jean Hoerni acceptance letter to Shockley 14 June 1956

Jean Hoerni resignation letter 18 September 1957

Box 1, folder 13

Job Search Correspondence - Academic positions 1953-1956

Box 1, folder 14

Job Search Correspondence - Misc. 1950s

Box 1, folder 15

Fairchild Semiconductor / Legacy of Fairchild

Box 1, folder 16

Notes on physical phenomena in transistors 1959

Box 1, folder 17

Notes on semiconductors, chemistry, etc. late 1950s

Box 2, folder 1

Published Papers - With J. Weigle at Université de Genève

"Diffraction des électrons par le Graphite" in Helvetica Physica Acta v.11 1948

"Structure du graphite" in Archives des Sciences v.2, fasc. 2 1949

"Diffraction of Electrons in Graphite" in Nature v.164 1949

"Structure of Graphite" in Nature v.164 1949

Jean Hoerni thesis 1950

Jean Weigle obituary 1969

Box 2, folder 2

Published Papers - Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge

"The Diffuse X-Ray Reflections from Diamond" with W.A. Wooster in Separatum Experientia v.8/8 1952

"Determination of Elastic Constants of Lithium Fluoride from Photographs of Diffuse Reflexions of X-Rays" with W.A. Wooster in Acta Crystallographica v.5/3 1952

"The Interpretation of Diffuse X-Ray Reflexions from Single Crystals" with W.A. Wooster in Acta Crystallographica v.5/5 1952

"The Interpretation of Diffuse X-Ray Reflexions from Single Crystals II" with W.A. Wooster in Acta Crystallographica v.5/6 1953

"The X-ray Anomalous Reflexions from Diamond" with W.A. Wooster in Acta Crystallographica v.8/4 1955

Box 2, folder 3

Published Papers - Gates & Crellin Laboratories of Chemistry, CalTech

"Atomic Scattering Amplitudes for Electron Diffraction" with James A. Ibers in Acta Crystallographica v.7/5 1954

"Some Calculations of Atomic Form Factors" with Hames A. Ibers in Acta Crystallographica v.7/11 1954

"Multiple Elastic Scattering in Electron Diffraction by Molecules" in The Physical Review v.102/6 1956

"Multiple Elastic Scattering in Electron Diffraction by Crystals" in The Physical Review v.102/6 1956

"Application of the Free-Electron Theory to Three-Dimensional Networks" in Journal of Chemical Physics v.34/2 1961

Box 2, folder 4

Published Papers - Fairchild Semiconductor

"Carrier Mobilities at Low Injection Levels" in Proceedings of the IRE v.46/2 1958

"PNIIN Switches" paper presented at IRE-Wescon with R.N. Noyce 1958

"Planar Silicon Transistors and Diodes" paper presented at Electron Devices Meeting 1960

Box 2, folder 5

Published Papers - Post-Fairchild

"Conditions for a Temperature Compensated Silicon Field Effect Transistor" with B. Weir in the Proceedings of the IEEE v.51/7 1963

"Integrated Differential Amplifiers using Bipolar or Field Effect Transistors as Input Stages" abstract 1965

Semiconductors in Precision Electronic Timepieces" abstract with David Bingham

Box 2, folder 6

Patents

Semiconductor Device 1959

Transistor Manufacturing Process 1959

Box 2, folder 7

Post-Fairchild career: Union Carbide; Sun Systems; Amelco, Telmos, Inc. 1960s-1990s

Box 2, folder 8

Eurosil & Intersil 1960s-1970s

Box 2, folder 9

ELECTRONIC NEWS articles 1970-1973

Box 2, folder 10

"An American View of the Swiss Semiconductor Industry" 1984

Box 2, folder 11

Consulting work in Singapore with Chartered Semiconductor 1989-1991

Box 2, folder 12

Notebook / business journal for Telmos, Inc. 1978-1989

Box 2, folder 13

Notes on diffusion, etc. circa 1990

Box 2, folder 14

Interview with Jean Hoerni transcript 1996

Box 3, folder 1

Awards & Honors - John Scott Award 1966

Box 3, folder 2

Awards & Honors - Franklin Institute 1969

Box 3, folder 3

Awards & Honors - SEMMY Award 1985

Box 3, folder 4

Awards & Honors - IEEE Fellow 1969-1991

"A Century of Honors: The First One-Hundred Years of Award Winners, Honorary Members, Past Presidents, and Fellows of the Institute"

Box 3, folder 5

Awards & Honors - Misc.

Gordon Institute invitation and pamphlet 1986

Box 3, folder 6

Assorted Correspondence 1960s-1990s

Correspondence between Robert Hoerni and William R. Hewlett 1962

Box 3, folder 7

Photographs

Box 3, folder 8

Mountain Climbing - International

Box 3, folder 9

Mountain Climbing - High Sierras, California

"A Climber's Guide to the High Sierra" published by the Sierra Club 1956

"Guide to the John Muir Trail and the High Sierra Region" by Walter A. Starr, Jr. 1956

General

Also includes notes from Jean Hoerni

Box 3, folder 10

Memorial Service for Jean Hoerni recording 1997-02-13

Box 3, folder 11

Miscellaneous

Cutout comic strips and cartoons with Jean Hoerni's annotations

Box 3, folder 12

Correspondence between Jay Last and Jennifer Wilson (JH's widow) re: Hoerni's papers 2000s

Notebooks and Realia

Box 4, Item 1

Address book undated

Box 4, Item 2

Pocket notebook c. 1963

Box 4, Item 3

Pocket notebook 1976

Box 4, Item 4

Address / pocket notebook undated

Box 4, Item 5

Jean Hoerni's slide rule