[sdiy] Tube on a Chip from early 80s

[eric barbour]

> I remember reading in the early 80s an artical in IEEE Spectrum about a
> company developing, if I remember correctly, plastic incased miniature
> vacuum tubes.

Such devices are being developed for flat displays, they use
cold field-emitter cathodes. They are still not used as amplifiers.

In case you didn't know: the nuvistor is nowhere NEAR the smallest
tube ever made. Go look at the GE type 7077 planar triode--literally
the size of an aspirin tablet. And still being manufactured too.
Or look at the DM160/6977 glass tuning-indicator tube--about the size
of a matchstick.

> Wouldnt a complete/complex modular that was all tube be kinda cool? :-)

Sure, and we're working on actually making and selling one....