Al Tasch was born in Taft, Texas, on May 12, 1941, and died
in Austin, Texas, on November 30, 2004. His father was a well-respected
doctor. Al F. Tasch received his B.S. degree in physics in 1963
from The University of Texas at Austin and his M.S. and Ph.D.
degrees in physics in 1965 and 1969, respectively, from the University
of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. His thesis research in impurities
in silicon was the pioneering work that led to the very widely
known deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) approach for characterizing
impurities in semiconductors.
Professor Tasch was a recognized leader in the technologically
important field of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits,
and his consistently strong and broad record over more than thirty
years was a standard of excellence in the U.S. semiconductor
community. In 1969, he joined Texas Instruments, where his research
helped lay the foundation for infrared detector development in
the 1970s and 1980s. His work had a dramatic impact on metal
oxide semiconductor (MOS) dynamic random access memories. He
and his colleagues invented the self-aligned silicided MOS structure,
which has become the standard transistor building block for submicron
integrated circuit (IC) technology worldwide. These contributions
and many others resulted in the awarding of over fifty patents
worldwide. He joined Motorola in 1982 to start up a new MOS integrated
circuit manufacturing facility. In 1984, he was promoted to director
of the MOS technology development laboratory, and he was appointed
vice president of the technical staff in 1985.
After many years of distinguished research and technical leadership
in industry, Al joined The University of Texas in 1986 as the
Cockrell Family Regents Chair in Engineering. He served as professor
of electrical and computer engineering and as a research leader
in the Microelectronics Research Center, where he continued his
outstanding contributions to semiconductor materials and devices.
Dr. Tasch's teaching and research interests were concentrated
on silicon devices, materials, and fabrication for future generation
integrated circuits. His work on computer modeling of microelectronic
devices and research on low-temperature processing of semiconductors
were invaluable to the field and helped to establish UT as a
premier center for microelectronics. His simulation codes on
ion implantation modeling are recognized worldwide and are used
by over 1,000 individuals in industry and academia. He also gave
generously of his time to University and community affairs, for
example by playing a key role in bringing SEMATECH to Austin.
His distinction in his field was recognized by numerous honors,
including election to the National Academy of Engineering in
1989, Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,
Inc. (IEEE), Texas Instruments Fellow, the J.J. Ebers Award from
IEEE, the University Leadership Award from the Semiconductor
Industry Association, and the Electronics Division Award from
the Electrochemical Society. In 2000, he was awarded the prestigious
Grove Award by IEEE for seminal contributions to semiconductor
devices. He was elected as one of the Founding Members of the
Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, and Science in 2003.
He published over 350 articles with his students, and he helped
them find productive careers in the semiconductor industry. Al
was for many years one of the most prolific researchers and influential
teachers in the nation. In his honor, the Semiconductor Research
Corporation and The University of Texas established fellowships
in his name.
Al married Judie Tasch, and they had two sons, Edward and David.
In retirement, Dr. Tasch was as active as ever. He consulted
for various companies who actively sought out his expertise.
He was a member of the Stonewall Chamber of Commerce. He and
Judie loved to spend time at their farm in Stonewall, where they
hosted numerous picnics over the years for University of Texas
faculty, students, and friends. Those of us who knew him best
would agree: he had a brilliant mind, and beneath a sometimes
tough demeanor, he was a very warm and lovable human being.
<signed>
Larry R. Faulkner, President
The University of Texas at Austin
<signed>
Sue Alexander Greninger, Secretary
The General Faculty
