The growth of the silicon device and integrated circuit industry has been closely coupled with the development of materials characterization technology. The author traces this development from the beginning, when the industry was young and each manufacturer had to grow its own materials, develop its processes, assemble its measurement systems from component instruments, and fabricate its processing equipment, to the present, when a complex infrastructure supports the industry. He also describes examples of both successful and unsuccessful developments in connection with other electronic materials. The critical factors in the widespread standardization and application of silicon characterization technology are: shared results and common coals among industry, government and universities; an efficient mechanism for development of consensus standards with adequate expertise; standardization of parameters needed for the orderly flow of materials in manufacturing together with standardized terminology, test methods and formats to support detailed purchase specifications; and refinement of the measurement technology as the industry develops and becomes more sophisticated. Finally, a good methodology for process diagnosis and control is an essential feature for applying test procedures to the manufacturing environment. The successes and failures which occurred during the course of developing metrology tools for silicon can provide some insights into similar developments for the special needs of other electronic materials. In addition, many of the test procedures and standards developed for silicon materials and supporting technologies can be applied directly.