Texas Instruments SN 502 flip flop data sheet
The SN502 flip flop was the first commercial “Solid Circuit” introduced by TI at the IRE Show in New York in March 1960. Using an etched mesa structure the individual circuit components were hand connected with “flying wires.” According to Frank Emery who worked as a graduate student for Jack Kilby, the company shipped “about 10” units through August of that year. This photograph of a data sheet that accompanied each shipment was supplied by D. C. McKenzie with the following note: “This is a picture of the first datasheet used at TI for IC's ('Solid Circuits' as we called them). This is the datasheet for the SN502. We called it 'TIFF' for 'Texas Instruments Flip Flop'. Each unit was hand tested and the results were hand written in on the datasheet. The datasheet was 3.75" wide and 6" long. It was folded over and on one side was the schematic of the F/F and the other side was the 'data' from the device signed by the operator (technician) who took the data. The original circuits sold for $450.00, not a bad 'asp', but we still lost money with every one we shipped! This was in late 1960 - early 1961.” Donated by D.C. McKenzie.
Item Details
- Date
- ca. 1960 (Made)
- Type
- Still Image
- Catalogue number
- 102762884
- Other identifying number
- doc-495ea40ca30d6 (OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER)
- Organization
- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (Publisher)
- Category
- Digital Image
- Credit line
- Gift of Computer History Museum
- Extent
- 1 digital image
- Language
- English
- Acquisition number
- X7847.2017
- Archive collection
- Information Technology Corporate Histories Collection
- Archive hierarchy
- Information Technology Corporate Histories Collection