Robert H. Dennard
Robert H. Dennard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | September 5, 1932 Terrell, Texas,U.S. |
| Died | April 23, 2024(aged 91) |
| Known for | InventingDRAM,Dennard scaling |
| Awards | Harvey Prize(1990) IEEE Edison Medal(2001) IEEE Medal of Honor(2009) Kyoto Prize(2013) Robert N. Noyce Award (2019) |
| Scientific career | |
| Thesis | Behavior of the ferroresonant series circuit containing a square-loop reactor(1958) |
| Doctoral advisor | Leo A. Finzi |
Robert Heath Dennard(September 5, 1932 – April 23, 2024) was an Americanelectrical engineerand inventor.[1]
Biography[edit]
Dennard was born in Terrell, Texas. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering fromSouthern Methodist University,Dallas,in 1954 and 1956, respectively. He earned a Ph.D. fromCarnegie Institute of TechnologyinPittsburgh, Pennsylvania,in 1958. His professional career was spent as a researcher forInternational Business Machines.[1]
In 1966 he invented the one transistor memory cell consisting of a transistor and a capacitor for which a patent[2]was issued in 1968. It became the basis for today'sdynamic random-access memory(DRAM) and almost all other memory types such as SRAM and FLASH memory. Dennard was also among the first to recognize the tremendous potential of downsizingMOSFETs.Thescaling theoryhe and his colleagues formulated in 1974 postulated that MOSFETs continue to function as voltage-controlled switches while all key figures of merit such as layout density, operating speed, and energy efficiency improve – provided geometric dimensions, voltages, and doping concentrations are consistently scaled to maintain the same electric field. This property underlies the achievement ofMoore's Lawand the evolution of microelectronics over the last few decades.[1]
In 1984, Dennard was elected a member of theNational Academy of Engineeringfor pioneering work in FET technology, including invention of the one transistor dynamic RAM and contributions to scaling theory.
Dennard died on April 23, 2024, at the age of 91.[3][1]
Awards and honors[edit]
- Robert N. Noyce Award (2019)[4]
- Kyoto Prize(2013)[5]
- Carnegie Mellon UniversityHonorary Doctor of Science and Technology (2010)
- IEEE Medal of Honor(2009)
- IEEE Edison Medal(2001)[6]
- Benjamin Franklin Medal in Electrical Engineering from TheFranklin Institute(2007)[7]
- U.S.National Academy of Engineering(NAE)Charles Stark Draper Prize(2009)
- elected member of theAmerican Philosophical Society(1997)[8]
- Southern Methodist University Honorary Doctor of Science (1997)
- Harvey Prizefrom Technion Institute in Haifa / Israel (1990)
- Industrial Research Institute(IRI)Achievement Award(1989)[9]
- U.S.National Medal of Technology(1988)[10]
- National Academy of EngineeringMember (1984)
- IEEE Cledo Brunetti Award(1982)
- appointedIBM Fellow(1979)
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abcdLohr, Steve (May 16, 2024)."Robert Dennard, IBM Inventor Whose Chip Changed Computing, Dies at 91".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedMay 17,2024.
- ^"Field-effect transistor memory".
- ^"Robert Dennard Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information".Legacy.com.May 2, 2024.
- ^ Russell, John (November 12, 2019)."SIA Recognizes Robert Dennard with 2019 Noyce Award".HPC Wire.RetrievedJuly 14,2020.
- ^Taft, Darryl K. (June 24, 2013)."IBM Researcher Wins Kyoto Prize for DRAM Invention".eWeek.Archived fromthe originalon October 26, 2013.RetrievedJune 24,2013.
- ^"Edison Medal",Awards,IEEE, 2001.
- ^Benjamin Franklin Medal in Electrical Engineering,Franklin Institute, 2007, archived fromthe originalon October 12, 2007.
- ^"APS Member History".search.amphilsoc.org.RetrievedDecember 10,2021.
- ^"Dennard, Robert H",People,Computer History Museum,retrievedFebruary 9,2012.
- ^National Medal of Technology recipients,1988, archived fromthe originalon August 12, 2006.
External links[edit]
- "Robert Dennard",Inventor of the Week(Archive), MIT, archived fromthe originalon April 15, 2003.
- "Robert H Dennard",Legacies(Bio), IEEE, August 10, 2017, archived fromthe originalon November 21, 2014,retrievedJuly 25,2011.
| Authority control databases:Academics |
|---|
- 1932 births
- 2024 deaths
- 20th-century American inventors
- American electrical engineers
- Carnegie Mellon University College of Engineering alumni
- People from Terrell, Texas
- National Medal of Technology recipients
- IEEE Edison Medal recipients
- Draper Prize winners
- IBM employees
- IBM Fellows
- Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering
- IEEE Medal of Honor recipients
- Members of the American Philosophical Society
- Kyoto laureates in Advanced Technology
- Benjamin Franklin Medal (Franklin Institute) laureates