Jean Hoerni

Jean Hoerni

Jean Hoerni did many great things, but the most important invention he did was make it so chips could hold more information and become smaller. He started off by receiving his B.S. degree in Mathematics in 1947 and his Ph.D. in Physics in 1950 from the University of Geneva, Switzerland.  He received a second PhD. in Physics from Cambridge University. Then he went to the U.S to work at the institute of technology in California.  He then joined the Shockley Semiconductor Corporation in 1956 and in 1957 he joined the Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation. That’s when he developed the theory of how to make computer chips smaller and hold more information.

This has changed the world so much, because when computers were first used, only the major business’s could afford them, but not only with money, but with space. When computers were first invented they were very big! But now with the invention of the planar process we can have smaller computers and now they are more affordable and a lot smaller then before. It is even normal for houses to have a couple computers in one house! It has impacted my life by giving me the option to getting a computer and by being able to have a computer that is smaller and can hold more information.