On Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:17:37 -0800, Winston
wrote:

DoN. Nichols wrote:
On 2010-01-10, Spehro Pefhany wrote:

[ ... ]

I miss LASCRs (light activated SCRs), SBS (Silicon bilateral
switches), tunnel diodes, germanium transistors, clean air, tuna,
Taiwan.

How many here have ever heard of a "binistor"? A 4-pin bistable
device which apparently never took off in the market. It was a
four-layer device (like a SCR -- except that it had another pin to allow
turning it off.

IIRC, Transitron gave it the designation 3N21. I could look it
up in the old Transitron data book -- but I don't know where that is at
the moment. :-)

Enjoy,
DoN.


Sounds like a GTO:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_turn-off_thyristor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_FSicQWimU

--Winston

Made by Pontiac?