Fujitsu honored with IEEE Milestone for high-electron-mobility transistor

The high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT), developed by Fujitsu Laboratories, has been certified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers as an IEEE Milestone. The firm was awarded the IEEE Milestone plaque at a ceremony in Tokyo, Japan.

The IEEE Milestone has recognized historic achievements in fields such as electricity, electronics, information and telecommunications that have contributed to the development of local communities and industries over the past 25 years.

The technology was developed by Fujitsu in 1979 and was recognized for its innovative achievements in improving the performance of radio telescopes and satellite broadcasting receivers.

The HEMT operates at high speed by creating a two-layer structure that spatially separates the source and travel regions of electrons within the transistor. This enables the transistor to receive weak, high-frequency signals with high sensitivity. In 1985, Fujitsu commercialized the HEMT as a microwave device with the world’s lowest noise level and it was adopted for the radio telescope at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory (NRO) in Nagano, Japan. A year later, in 1986, the telescope discovered an unknown interstellar molecule.

Also, after being installed in satellite broadcasting receivers around the world, the transistors have become an essential part of various microwave and millimeter-wave devices, such as mobile devices, base stations, GPS receivers and millimeter-wave radar that prevents collisions between automobiles.

Tags: Fujitsu

Visit: www.fujitsu.com/jp/group/labs/en