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Brian David James | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 3, 1929 Singapore |
| Died | January 21, 2006 (aged 76) San Jose, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Manchester University Bristol University |
| Occupations | Physicist, technology executive, actor |
| Known for | Co-founder and inaugural President of Signetics |
| Spouse | Kimberlee Dinning (m. 1984) |
Brian David James (May 3, 1929 – January 21, 2006), often cited as B. David James, was a British-born American physicist, semiconductor industry pioneer, and technology executive. He was a co-founder and the inaugural president of Signetics, the first corporation established exclusively to design, manufacture, and sell integrated circuits (ICs). [1]
Early life and education
[edit]James was born in Singapore on May 3, 1929, where his father was employed as an engineer for Cables and Wireless.[2][3] He relocated to England as a child and attended a Montessori boarding school.[3] Following the outbreak of World War II, he was evacuated from London and lived with relatives in Leek, Staffordshire, attending the local high school.[3]
James attended Manchester University, earning a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Physics in 1950.[4] He then pursued graduate studies at Bristol University, earning a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Physics in 1954. His doctoral thesis was titled On aspects of the design and construction of fast meniscus Schmidt cameras.[5] To satisfy his British national service requirement, James spent one year as a research scientist at Her Majesty's Underwater Detection Establishment (HMUDE), where he worked on sonar tracking systems for submarines.[3]
Career
[edit]Academic fellowship and immigration
[edit]In 1955, James immigrated to the United States aboard the Queen Mary after obtaining a research position.[3] From 1955 to 1959, he served as a Senior Research Fellow at the New York State University College of Ceramics in Alfred, New York, where he assisted in establishing the institution's postgraduate doctoral program.[4] During this period, he also authored a technical textbook on high-temperature ceramics for Kaiser Ceramics in Milpitas, California.[3]
Semiconductor industry
[edit]In 1959, James joined the Fairchild Semiconductor Division in Mountain View, California, as Head of Physics Research.[1] At Fairchild, his research focused on silicon epitaxial films, diffusion, masking techniques, and thin-film memory.[4] Working with physicist Jean Hoerni, James identified the manufacturing cause of low electrical breakdown and yield loss (referred to as "pipes") in planar transistors, attributing the defect to microscopic dust contamination melting during the furnace processes. His findings prompted Fairchild to implement clean hoods and stricter handling protocols.[6]
In September 1961, James and Fairchild colleagues David F. Allison, Lionel E. Kattner, and Mark Weissenstern resigned to establish a company focused entirely on integrated circuits.[7] [1]They incorporated Signetics in Sunnyvale, California, utilizing a $1 million capital investment from Lehman Brothers.[3] James served as the company's inaugural President from 1961 to 1964, overseeing the introduction of the industry's first commercial digital integrated circuit families.[8][9] Beyond his executive duties, James was actively engaged in the technical development of new integrated circuit processes, including pioneering work in radiation-resistant semiconductor devices.[10] In 1964, James stepped down from the presidency to serve as Vice President of Research to focus on technical semiconductor development.[4] He left the company in 1965 after Corning Glass Works acquired a controlling interest in Signetics.[3]
Vacuum engineering and finance
[edit]In 1965, James joined Ultek Corporation (later acquired by PerkinElmer) as Vice President of Research and Engineering.[4] While at Ultek, he directed research and engineering efforts for vacuum manufacturing equipment used in the semiconductor industry.[4] From 1970 to 1972, he served as Technical Director of Industrial Modular Systems Corporation (later G.C.A. Corp.), developing automated processing equipment for silicon wafers.[4] In 1972, James transitioned into venture finance and real estate consulting, co-founding Waggott Merrill Associates and serving as President of Financial Management Resources in Palo Alto, California, until 1974.[2][4]
Acting career and later life
[edit]In 1973, James met Kimberlee Dinning; the couple married in 1984.[2] Following his retirement from the technology and financial sectors, James trained as a professional actor. The couple relocated to San Francisco, where James performed for two decades in regional theater, musical theater, and classical Shakespearean productions.[2]
In 1995, James and his wife returned to the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, California, where he made occasional local theatrical appearances.[2]
Death and legacy
[edit]James died of sudden cardiac arrest in San Jose, California, on January 21, 2006, at the age of 76.[2] Signetics, the company he co-founded, operated as a major Silicon Valley semiconductor manufacturer until its acquisition by Philips Electronics in 1975, at which point it employed approximately 6,700 people globally.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Lécuyer, Christophe (2006). Making Silicon Valley: Innovation and the Growth of High Tech, 1930-1970. The MIT Press. pp. 212, 217–220, 229, 232–237, 242, 251. ISBN 978-0262122818.
- ^ a b c d e f "Brian David James Obituary," San Jose Mercury News, February 2, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f g h James, B. David. Interview transcript for Making Silicon Valley: Innovation and the Growth of High Tech, 1930-1970.
- ^ a b c d e f g h James, B. David. Professional Curriculum Vitae / Resume.
- ^ University of Bristol Library Archives, OCLC 1439708357, https://worldcat.org
- ^ "The Fairchild Semiconductor Collection of Notebooks and Technical Papers". Computer History Museum. Computer History Museum. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
David James (Notebook 135) – Physicist. James describes building the equipment and growing Fairchild's first epitaxial silicon films. This yielded a significant improvement in the IC manufacturing process. He went on to become founding president of Signetics Corporation, one of the first independent producers of ICs.
- ^ [[1](https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/102708137/) "Don Liddie papers on Signetics"]. Computer History Museum. Computer History Museum. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
Signetics... was founded in 1961 in Mountain View, California by former Fairchild employees David Allison, David James, Lionel Kartner and Mark Weissenstern. It was the first company in the world established expressly to make and sell integrated circuits (IC).
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ "Signetics History" (PDF). Computer History Museum. Computer History Museum. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
Warren Hellman, Lehman Bros. Theodore Petterson, former Pres. Of Standard Oil of California. David James, President. Lionel Kattner, Vice President.
- ^ "Silicon Valley: Fairchild's Offspring". Business Week. August 25, 1997.
1961 Signetics (now Philips Semiconductor): David Allison, David James, Lionel Kattner, Mark Weissenstern, two others
- ^ "The Chip Collection - US Patent 3,518,494 - Smithsonian Institution". Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
United States Patent 3,518,494: Radiation Resistant Semiconductor Device And Method. Inventor: Brian David James.
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