Kurt Lehovec

Kurt Lehovec (12 June 1918 – 17 February 2012) was a Czech-American physicist. He one of the pioneers of the <a href="/facts/Integrated_circuit/fjn6vg7C">integrated circuit</a>. While also pioneering the <a href="/facts/Solar_cell/3L814UCC">photo-voltaic effect</a>, <a href="/facts/Light-emitting_diode/gE8x4MDb">light-emitting diodes</a> and <a href="/facts/History_of_the_battery/BXKHXpcI">lithium batteries</a>, he innovated the concept of <a href="/facts/P-n_junction_isolation/6VcmMwQa">p-n junction isolation</a> used in every circuit element with a guard ring: a reverse-biased p-n junction surrounding the planar periphery of that element. This patent was assigned to <a href="/facts/Robert_C._Sprague_(inventor)/RE5kEoUP">Sprague Electric</a>.
Because Lehovec was under salary with Sprague, he was paid only one dollar for this invention.
Lehovec is also credited with discovering fast ion conductivity, and the <a href="https://www.airedalesprings.co.uk/blog/the-evolution-of-the-led-lamp/">invention</a> of colored LEDs.

Kurt Lehovec open-in-new

Kurt Lehovec