IEEE History Center: Willis Adcock Abstract

Abstract of Interview of Willis Adcock (27 July 2000)

Adcock was born in Canada but moved to the US for high school. He graduated from Hobart College in 1943 and Brown University in 1948, with a stint in the US Army in between. He received his Brown degree in physical chemistry. After five years working for Stanolind Oil and Gas in Tulsa, OK, he was recruited by Gordon Teal (another Brown alum) to Texas Instruments. He began work on semiconductors—then more of a physical chemistry problem than an engineering problem. He then began to work on silicon transistors for TI. He was involved with TI’s development of the portable, transistor radio for Regency Radio, their supply of transistors to IBM, and their supply of transistors to the military as compact electronics for their Atlas and Minuteman missiles. A particular stroke of luck for Adcock was hiring Jack Kilby, whose work on capacitors for hearing aids had given him miniaturization experience. Kilby came up with the innovation of integrated circuits. Later, Adcock hire Jay Lathrop, who developed photolithography techniques. With Kilby, Adcock did process development work—growing silicon, growing wagers, figuring out how to oxidize them uniformly (a prerequisite for integrated circuits). Adcock then was involved with photoelectronics, helping invent the chard-couples device (CCD). He retired from TI at 65, around 1986, and then served as professor of engineering at the University of Texas till 1993. In the early 1960s, Adcock was Chairman of the IEEE Professional Group on Electron Devices/Electron Devices Society.

Interview of Willis Adcock (27 July 2000)

1	Chairman of the Professional Group on Electron Devices/Electron Devices Society (EDS) in the early sixties. Active in electronics, the liaison between Texas Instruments (TI) and Bell Laboratories. Assisted Pat Haggerty, driving force at TI, and behind IRE merger into IEEE.
2	Exciting developments in early sixties: rise of silicon transistors, integrated circuits. Revolutionized defense—especially radio, Minuteman missiles.
3	IRE had annual meetings on transistors. William Shockley active in getting meetings started. EDS had special issues of their publication; e.g., July 1976 with historical notes on tubes and devices. December 1964 issue on integrated electronics. But doesn’t really remember EDS, not a big part of his career.
4	Principal Investigator in charge of integrated electronics and integrated circuits at TI.
5	Born in Canada near US border in 1922. Grade school in Clarenceville, Canadian border town. No high school, so in 1936 to Champlain, NY, across border, to live with uncle and go to high school. Hobart College in Geneva, NY. Graduated in 1943.
6	In US Army—assigned to Oak Ridge, though not American. Became a US Citizen in the Army. To Brown University. 1948 degree in physical chemistry. Working for Stanolind Gas in Tulsa, OK.
7	Gordon Teal, a Brown alum, recruits Adcock for TI. Had gotten interested in electronics at Oak Ridge. Started working for them in 1953. First working on transistors—semiconductors a chemistry problem, though vacuum tubes mechanical. Working on silicon transistors—developed one for TI, with much help from others.
8	In charge of transistors under Teal. TI soon making transistors for IBM. Making Regency radios with transistors, partly to prove what transistors could do. And transistors now make portable radios possible. Haggerty insisted that they be small enough to fit in people’s pockets.
9	Regency was a division of Industrial Development and Engineer Associates (IDEA), incorporated in Indianapolis.
10	Then working on silicon transistors, capable of working at high temperatures, unlike germanium. Developing transistors for the military. Military needed small, compact electronics for missiles, Atlas and Minuteman. Army going with RCA micromodules, Navy wanting thin film circuits.
11	Stroke of luck, what established Adcock, was hiring Jack Kilby. Probably met him at an EDS meeting. Kilby deaf, miniaturization experience working on hearing aids, with small capacitors. Hired him even though Kilby didn’t have PhD. Kilby came up with integrated circuits.
12	TI mainly working for IBM. Then hired Jay Lathrop, who developed photolithography techniques. Did process development work for Jack Kilby, growing silicon, wafers, figuring out how to oxidize them uniformly. Integrated circuits needed to be uniform.
13	Mid/late sixties: got Dick Alberts out in Dayton, Air Force, Westinghouse sponsored TI to develop “molecular electronics”—which turned out to mean integrated circuits for Minuteman missiles.
14	Military cared more about reliability than price, but price of integrated circuits went down drastically, $100 to $2, partly because TI was competing with Fairchild, partly from technological advances.
15	Adcock’s career: photoelectronics, helping invent the charge-couples device (CCD) for electronic cameras. TI didn’t get into camera business, but got patents. CCD work involved Adcock, Walt Matsen, somebody else. Heading up a laboratory, eventually with title like vice president or assistant vice president. Still promoting, hiring, etc. Retired at 65, according to TI rule, ca. 1986/1987.
16	First wife died of an aneurysm in 1970. Remarried, Sara Whiddon, a widow. They got a Masters in Liberal Arts together, she to qualify as a teacher, he to keep her company.
17	Professor of engineering at University of Texas after retirement. Retired again in 1993.