In which decade was the first solid state integrated circuit (IC), combining multiple electronic components on a single chip, successfully demonstrated?

Introduction / Context:

Integrated circuits are at the heart of all modern electronic devices, from computers and smartphones to household appliances. The first solid state integrated circuit combined several components onto a single chip, representing a major leap beyond individual transistors. This question tests whether you know in which decade this crucial technological milestone was first demonstrated.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The invention is the solid state integrated circuit (IC).
• The question asks for the decade, not the exact year or the inventor s name.
• The options cover multiple decades from the 1940s to the 1980s.
• You are expected to place the emergence of integrated circuits within the broader timeline of transistor and computer development.

Concept / Approach:

The first successful demonstrations of solid state integrated circuits occurred in the late 1950s. Jack Kilby at Texas Instruments and Robert Noyce at Fairchild Semiconductor independently developed early ICs around 1958 and 1959. These devices integrated several circuit elements onto a single piece of semiconductor material, paving the way for microchips and modern electronics. The transistor itself had been invented earlier, in the late 1940s, and wide commercial use of integrated circuits spread through the 1960s and later.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Electronics histories show that Kilby presented his IC in 1958 and Noyce followed with his own version shortly afterwards. Integrated circuits then rapidly evolved during the 1960s. These dates clearly place the first successful IC within the 1950s, not the later decades. This alignment between multiple independent sources confirms that the 1950s is the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

The 1940s saw the invention of the transistor and wartime electronics, which preceded integrated circuits.

The 1960s were important for expanding IC production and for building early integrated computer systems, but the very first demonstration had already occurred in the previous decade.

The 1970s saw microprocessors and very large scale integration, which again builds on earlier IC inventions.

The 1980s involved further miniaturisation and personal computers, long after integrated circuits had become standard technology.

Common Pitfalls:

Many candidates mistakenly associate the invention of integrated circuits with the rise of microprocessors in the 1970s or with widespread commercial use in the 1960s. To avoid this, separate the first demonstration from later mass adoption. Remember: transistor late 1940s, first IC late 1950s, heavy usage and microprocessors in the 1960s and 1970s.

Final Answer:

The first solid state integrated circuit was successfully demonstrated in the 1950s.