Definition
Mohamed Mohamed Atalla (1924–2009) was an Egyptian‑American electrical engineer, physicist, and entrepreneur noted for his pioneering contributions to semiconductor technology, particularly the development of the metal‑oxide‑semiconductor (MOS) field‑effect transistor, and for founding Atalla Corporation, a company that pioneered secure hardware and smart card technologies.
Overview
Born in Port Said, Egypt, Atalla earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from the American University in Cairo before moving to the United States, where he obtained a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana‑Champaign. In the 1950s, while working at Bell Telephone Laboratories, Atalla, together with Dawon Kahng, fabricated the first practical MOSFET, a device that became the foundation of modern integrated circuits and digital electronics.
In 1967, Atalla founded the Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (SMC) to commercialize MOS technology, and later, in 1972, he established Atalla Corporation, which focused on secure hardware solutions. The company introduced the first commercially successful hardware security module (HSM) and the concept of the bank card with embedded cryptographic functions, influencing the development of modern payment cards and smart cards. Atalla sold his firm to Tandem Computers in 1987; the Atalla brand continued under various ownerships, contributing to the evolution of payment security standards.
Atalla held numerous patents (over 80) related to semiconductor devices, memory, and security technologies. He received several honors, including election to the National Academy of Engineering (1979) and the IEEE Medal of Honor (1990) for his work on MOS technology.
Etymology/Origin
The name “Mohamed” is a common Arabic given name derived from the prophet Muhammad. “M.” stands for his middle name, also “Mohamed,” following the Arabic naming convention where the father's name is often repeated. “Atalla” (or “Al‑Atalla”) is an Arabic surname meaning “the fence” or “the enclosure,” historically associated with families from the Nile Delta region of Egypt.
Characteristics
- Technical Contributions: Development of the MOSFET, pioneering work in surface passivation of silicon, invention of the floating‑gate MOS memory cell, and introduction of secure cryptographic hardware.
- Entrepreneurial Activity: Founder of several technology companies, most notably Atalla Corporation, which produced hardware security modules and early smart‑card technologies.
- Patents and Publications: Authored dozens of patents and technical papers on semiconductor processes, device physics, and security architectures.
- Recognition: Member of the National Academy of Engineering, IEEE Medal of Honor recipient, and recipient of the Semiconductor Industry Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award (1996).
Related Topics
- Metal‑Oxide‑Semiconductor Field‑Effect Transistor (MOSFET)
- Semiconductor manufacturing
- Hardware Security Module (HSM)
- Smart card technology
- Bell Labs
- IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)
- National Academy of Engineering
All information presented is based on established historical records and recognized sources.