Varian Associates

Varian Associates
FoundedApril 20, 1948 (1948-04-20)
Fate
HeadquartersStanford Industrial Park, Palo Alto, California, United States
Key people
Russell and Sigurd Varian
Number of employees
7,000 (1998)
SubsidiariesVarian Data Machines (1967–1977)

Varian Associates was one of the first high-tech companies in Silicon Valley. It was founded in 1948 by Russell H. and Sigurd F. Varian, William Webster Hansen, and Edward Ginzton to sell the klystron, the first vacuum tube which could amplify electromagnetic waves at microwave frequencies, and other electromagnetic equipment. Varian Associates split into three companies in 1999: Varian Medical Systems, Varian, Inc. and Varian Semiconductor.