Robert J. Widlar – The Genius, The Legend, The Bohemian

Today I would like to introduce you to someone whose last name you might have heard once or twice if you are into electronics, but you have no idea who he was... It's Bob Widlar, creator of the Widlar Current Source (Current Mirror) and many other invaluable circuits used everyday. A Widlar current source is a modification of the basic two-transistor current mirror that incorporates an emitter degeneration resistor for only the output transistor, enabling the current source to generate low currents using only moderate resistor values.The Widlar circuit may be used with bipolar transistors, MOS transistors, and even vacuum tubes. An example application is the 741 operational amplifier, and Widlar used the circuit as a part in many designs.

Robert Widlar is considered the creator of the IC operational amplifier, which made millions for National. This photo was taken around 1977, judging by the LM10 circuit design at which he's looking.

“A Fairchild researcher trained a frog to jump at the

sound of a bell. The researcher measured the distance the

frog would jump, then removed the frog’s legs and rang

the bell again. The frog did not move, thus proving the

Fairchild R&D group hypothesis that removing a frog’s

legs deafens the animal.”

Robert J. Widlar,

describing Fairchild’s R&D group in 1967

Robert Widlar was one of the original analog circuit pioneers. Not only was he a brilliant engineer, he was also a wild partier. His antics, along with his designs, and recounted in undergraduate analog IC courses to this day.

Widlar began his career at Fairchild semiconductor, where he designed a couple of pioneering op amps. By 1966, the commercial success of his designs became apparent, and Widlar asked for a raise. He was turned down, and jumped ship to the fledgling National Semiconductor. At National he continued to turn out amazing designs, and was able to retire just before his 30th birthday in 1970.

After he retired, Widlar continued to produce designs for National. In 1980, he worked for Linear Technology for a few months.

When Widlar left Fairchild for National in 1966, he wrote on his exit questionnaire "I WANT TO GET RICH," and signed it "X." When frustrated, Widlar would take the axe he kept in his office and attack a convenient linoleum floor or tree.

In 1969, when tough times caused National to cut back on landscaping to save money, Widlar drove out to a farm, bought a sheep and brought it back to the National campus in the back of his Mercedes convertible. He tethered to the bumper of his car and let it munch on the grass for the day. That evening, he took it to a bar with him and tied it to a barstool. Depending on who you believe, he either auctioned it off to the highest bidder or gave it to the bartender.

He was once found wandering drunk down 5th Avenue in New York in the middle of a snow storm. He was trying to find a way to get to New Jersey for a sales call.

Widlar died on February 27th, 1991, at the age of 53. He had drunk himself into an early grave.

The achievements of Bob Widlar demonstrated that an engineer could have a major impact on the business of a large company. Bob Widlar created new products, new applications, and a new market – linear integrated circuits.

Robert John Widlar is a typical example of how a company benefited from somebody who consistently remained an inventive genius over an entire career if they let him be himself.

At the same time the personality of Bob Widlar is a clear manifestation of unhealthy changes which occurs in our society. In the current semiconductor business environment, with Human Resources Departments defining what engineers can and cannot comment about, it is very unlikely that we will see his kind again. Bob was a fiercely independent individual, very happy to be by himself, and he did not care a lick about how others saw him. He did almost everything in a stunning way, which was absolutely natural to him, but completely weird to so-called “normal people.”

Bob Widlar never talked about his early years, or anything personal. He was very charming but always a bit mysterious. He seemed to be more artist than engineer; he cherished creativity more than the concept of general intelligence.

There is no easy way (and maybe not a good one either) to describe this man, but I'd rather admire and remember him for his huge aportation to the electronic circuit design, given that most, just not to say, all circuits today (be them basic or fancy) include at least one of his inventions in it, so I bow down to this man and his amazing creations.