Electronics History — Transistor Invention In which decade was the solid-state transistor first invented and demonstrated at Bell Labs, marking the start of modern electronics?

Introduction / Context:
The invention of the transistor transformed electronics by replacing bulky, power-hungry vacuum tubes with compact, reliable semiconductor devices. Knowing its historical decade helps anchor the timeline of computers, radios, and integrated circuits.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks for the decade, not the exact year.
• The event refers to the first working point-contact transistor demonstration at Bell Labs.
• We assume standard history of technology references.

Concept / Approach:

The earliest successful transistor was demonstrated in the late 1940s. This milestone precedes the integrated circuit era (late 1950s) and predates widespread semiconductor commercialization in the 1950s–1960s. Placing it correctly in the 1940s aligns subsequent developments such as transistor radios and early computers using transistors.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Identify the core event: first working transistor.Recall historical timing: Bell Labs, late 1940s.Map to the requested unit (decade): 1940s.Select the correct option reflecting that decade.

Verification / Alternative check:

Standard engineering histories place the point-contact transistor’s debut in 1947, within the 1940s decade, followed by the junction transistor in 1948–49.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

1950s/1960s/1980s: Represent later periods of commercialization, microelectronics growth, and VLSI, not the initial invention.

Common Pitfalls:

Confusing invention with mass production; the first demonstrations often precede widespread adoption by several years.

Final Answer:

1940s