| Robert H. Dennard | |
| Birth Date: | 5 September 1932 |
| Birth Place: | Terrell, Texas, U.S. |
| Thesis Title: | Behavior of the ferroresonant series circuit containing a square-loop reactor |
| Thesis Url: | https://cmu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CMU_INST/7fj865/alma991011155159704436 |
| Thesis Year: | 1958 |
| Doctoral Advisor: | Leo A. Finzi |
| Known For: | Inventing DRAM, Dennard scaling |
| Awards: | Harvey Prize (1990) IEEE Edison Medal (2001) IEEE Medal of Honor (2009) Kyoto Prize (2013) Robert N. Noyce Award (2019) |
Robert Heath Dennard (September 5, 1932 – April 23, 2024) was an American electrical engineer and inventor.[1]
Dennard was born in Terrell, Texas. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, in 1954 and 1956, respectively. He earned a Ph.D. from Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1958. His professional career was spent as a researcher for International Business Machines.
Single Transistor DRAM
At the time of the invention, Dennard and his colleagues were fixated on a bulky, costly memory system that used a series of six transistors to store just 1 bit of data.[2]
In 1966 he invented the one transistor memory cell consisting of a transistor and a capacitor for which a patent was issued in 1968.[3] It became the basis for today's dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and almost all other memory types such as SRAM and FLASH memory. DRAM was instrumental in changing the world of computing once and for all through faster and higher capacity memory access. Today, DRAM is used pervasively across many devices from servers to personal computers to mobile devices.
Dennard Scaling
Dennard was also among the first to recognize the tremendous potential of downsizing MOSFETs. The scaling theory he and his colleagues formulated in 1974 postulated that MOSFETs continue to function as voltage-controlled switches while all key figures of merit such as layout density, operating speed, and energy efficiency improve – provided geometric dimensions, voltages, and doping concentrations are consistently scaled to maintain the same electric field. This property underlies the achievement of Moore's Law and the evolution of microelectronics over the last few decades.As of 2024, the DRAM market is estimated to be over $100 Billion.[4]
Awards and Recognition
In 1984, Dennard was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for pioneering work in FET technology, including invention of the one transistor dynamic RAM and contributions to scaling theory.
Besides his technical accomplishments, Dennard, he was involved in other creative fields. Throughout his retirement, Dennard continued to fuel his creativity through choral singing and Scottish dancing.[5]
Dennard died on April 23, 2024, at the age of 91.[6]