Artifact Details

Title

RCA 1800 microprocessor family, panel

Catalog Number

102740217

Type

Document

Description

Beginning in 1971, RCA—through a number of interesting, extenuating circumstances—developed the first CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) microprocessor family, the 1800 Microprocessor Series. The 1800 Series enabled a number of “firsts,” most notably very low power consumption and operation down to DC. It was viewed as the most robust, highest performance per joule of energy microprocessor of the 1970/1980 era. These characteristics propelled the first commercial usage in space and under-the-hood in automobiles. In 2017, CMOS technology remains the fundamental semiconductor technology used for microprocessors. This oral history describes the birth, design, and commercialization of the 1800 Microprocessor Series and why it continues to perform in space applications, 24 years after it was launched.

Date

2017-10-05

Contributor

Ahrons, Richard, Interviewee
Diamond, Stephen, Moderator
Kucharewski, Nick, Interviewee
Russo, Paul, Interviewee
Sanquini, Richard, Moderator

Publisher

Computer History Museum

Place of Publication

Mountain View, CA

Format

PDF

Category

Transcription

Subject

RCA; Space mission; Microprocessor

Credit

Computer History Museum

Lot Number

X8354.2018

Related Records

102740218 RCA 1800 microprocessor family, panel