What are the different solid state devices?

[pairofstrings]

I know that the first solid solid state device is: A semiconductor diode what about transistors? Is it not a solid state device? Explain me the difference between solid state device and semiconductor device.

 

[berkeman]

I know that the first solid solid state device is: A semiconductor diode what about transistors? Is it not a solid state device? Explain me the difference between solid state device and semiconductor device.

You contrast solid state devices versus vacuum tube devices. Vacuum tube diodes and amplifiers came first, so when silicon diodes and transistors were invented, they were referred to as "solid state" since they did not use electrons moving in a vacuum to work.

 

[pairofstrings]

I read in wikipedia that in general there are three solid state devices : transistors, microprocessor chips and DRAM. My question is why diode is not considered as solid state device and also i want to know why microprocessor chip is categorized as separate solid state device when infact, they are made of transistors. The same is done with Drams. Your views?

 

[berkeman]

Don't know about the wikipedia article. Sounds like it needs editing.

Solid state generally refers to semiconductor devices.