The consumer doesn't see the phrase more but if I recall it was splashed all over the place just when transistors devices were coming on the market, solid state receiver, solid state television, solid state radio etc.
Solid state compared to what? Liquid state? Gas state? Even the vacuum tube did not use gas. Electrons moved through a vacuum not gas.
So where did the phrase "solid state" come from when it refers to semiconductor devices? The only thing I can think of is the the semiconductor device is a seemingly solid piece of material when compared to a vacuum tube but that is about it.
Solid state compared to what? Liquid state? Gas state? Even the vacuum tube did not use gas. Electrons moved through a vacuum not gas.
So where did the phrase "solid state" come from when it refers to semiconductor devices? The only thing I can think of is the the semiconductor device is a seemingly solid piece of material when compared to a vacuum tube but that is about it.