Invention of the Point Contact Transistor, 1954

Expanding the Scope

In light of this insight, the committee members worked to modify the award citation accompanying the Ballantine Medal, emphasizing the value of the Point Contact Transistor in the overall advancement of electromagnetic communication. Committee member Albert F. Murray recommended expanding the scope of the Ballantine Medal in a letter to Dr. Wright, pointing out that the Ballantine Medal "is the only S. and A. award connected with the field of radio, radar, television and the like, therefore its scope might be enlarged to cover inventions...in this dynamic domain."

You can read the Case File documents recording the debate over awarding the Ballantine Medal to Bardeen and Brattian by clicking on the thumbnails at right.

<< Bending the Rules | Case File Contents >>

Letter to Wright from C. B. Bazzoni, Sun Oil Company / (815 k);
Suggests a revision of the citation; 2/20/1952

Memo to the Ballantine committee from Wright (typed copy) / (838 k);
Speculates on citation and Ballantine investigations, page 2 / (763 k), page 3 / (400 k); 3/3/1952

Letter to Wright from Murray / (836 k);
States opinions on the citation and the Ballantine Medal; 3/4/1952

Letter to Frazer from Brattain / (799 k);
Refers to a telephone conversation in which the citation was discussed; 6/26/1952