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A Brief History of the Crystal Diode

  1. HomeKnowledge BaseA Brief History of the Crystal Diode

A Brief History of the Crystal Diode

cats_whisker
The cat’s whisker

Crystal diode technology began its development in the early 1900s, where wireless receivers utilised a thin wire that made mechanical contact against the face a crystal. The wire had to be manually adjusted to find the ‘hot-spot’ on the crystal for best radio wave detection. This device allowed current to pass in one direction only, and so rectified the received carrier signal to provide a D.C. voltage that could drive headphones.

Within a few years germanium/galena ‘cat-whiskers’ were being used by amateur radio enthusiasts and in early commercial radios. The development of radar systems during WWII then led to a demand for a more reliable high frequency, low-noise detector/mixer – the diode.

germanium_diode
A cut-away view of a Hughes Germanium Glass Diode (1954)

Millions of silicon crystal diodes, such as the 1N21, were manufactured in the 1940s for military radar use. Sylvania pioneered the use of germanium for diodes, with the introduction in 1946 of the 1N34 – the first commercial germanium crystal diode.

In This Section

  • “Sylvania” During 50 Years 1901-1951
  • A Brief History of the Crystal Diode
  • A Kind of Loving – film scenes from inside the Mullard Blackburn Factory
  • A Little Vibe History
  • Anatomy of a Musical: An Analysis of the Structure of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
  • British Rock Guitar Veteran – Robin Trower
  • Custom Work
  • Delia Derbyshire: Recording the Future
  • Delia’s Tatty Green Lampshade
  • History of Delay
  • History of the Binson Amplifier HiFi Company
  • Louis Barron: Pioneer of Tube Audio Effects
  • Making of the Doctor Who Theme Music
  • Microphonics
  • Mullard Fleetwood: Landmark Building Earmarked For Flats
  • Mullard’s Empire of Rust…
  • Music Gear Source Interview
  • Radiophonic Ladies interview
  • Speed, Efficiency & Perfection – Aims That Have Built a Mammoth Factory in 16 Years
  • Thanksgiving Is Sylvania’s Lucky Date
  • The 12AX7 Tube – The Cornerstone Of Guitar Tone
  • The First Electronic Filmscore-Forbidden Planet: A Conversation with Bebe Barron
  • The Self-Destructing Modules Behind Revolutionary 1956 Soundtrack of Forbidden Planet
  • VIEWPOINT WITH MULLARD
  • Who is Phil Taylor?
  • Who’s on First Bass? Making of the The Doctor Who Bass line
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