John H. Hall (inventor)

John Haslett Hall (11 July 1932 – 31 October 2014) was a pioneer in the development of low power CMOS integrated circuits. Hall was a pioneering semiconductor process and device design expert. He founded or co-founded multiple innovative Silicon Valley companies, including Intersil, MicroPower Systems, Linear Integrated Systems, Inc., and Integrated Wave Technologies, Inc.[1]

Over the course of his career, Hall received at least 21 patents covering advanced semiconductor processes and designs. Hall was a protégé of Dr. Jean Hoerni, one of the “Traitorous Eight” who left Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory and co-founded rival Fairchild Semiconductor. In turn, many of Hall's former employees such as David Fullagar went on to become major Silicon Valley contributors.[2]

The San Francisco Chronicle in 1992 referred to Hall as “one of Silicon Valley’s unsung innovators.”[3]

  1. ^ "John Hall Obituary - San Jose, CA - San Jose Mercury News". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Voices: Dave Fullagar, analog-IC designer and entrepreneur". 20 November 2007.
  3. ^ Clark, Don. "Silicon Valley's Design Maverick." The San Francisco Chronicle, August 24, 1992, B-1, B-5