The electronic term is derived from the Greek word electron, which means amber. Electronics is a portmanteau word that has been assembled from the words electron (the elementary) and technology. The electronics were, the electron technology.
1873 Willoughby Smith discovered that selenium is able to direct light (photoelectric effect). In this way knowledge discovered Karl Ferdinand Braun in 1874 rectifier effect. Stoney and Helmholtz coined the term of the electron as a carrier of electric current. 1883 Thomas Edison received a patent on a DC voltage regulator, which was based on the thermionic emission (Richardson, the Edison effect), a prerequisite for all vacuum tubes. 1897 began the development of the Braun tube by Karl Ferdinand Braun. In 1899, then began the development of point-contact diode. 1904 John Ambrose Fleming obtained a patent for a vacuum diode.
At the beginning of the 20th Century was the development of electron tubes progressed. The first electron tubes have been developed and already used in electrical circuits. The triode was the first time a useful device for setting up amps available. This inventions such as radio, television and radar have been possible.
In 1948 the first transistor was introduced. Transistors, such as tube amplifiers as controllable switches or as an oscillator can be used. However, transistors can be compared to vacuum tubes, which need a lot of space and electrical power to produce very small because they are based on semiconductor technology, which are much higher current densities.
In the 1960s managed the production of complete, multiple transistors and other components from existing circuits on a single silicon crystal. The thus introduced technology of integrated circuits (IC short of English. Integrated circuit) has been managed since then to a continuous miniaturization. Today, the semiconductor industry the most important branch of electronics. As a key technology for the future is sometimes seen Polytronics. It marks the reunion plastic-based system functions for the vision of "smart plastic".