The Intel 1101,
static RAM , became the first mass metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) and the first chip to use silicon gate. Chip was the result of hard work with a non-guaranteed advance result. As for the conceptual foundations of the MOS, they were laid even before the founding of Intel, but so far no one even came close to creating the technological process of their commercial production - this was a big risk.
Tom Rowe, the first Intel technology engineer, recalled that the most difficult was to ensure a good and stable “harvest” of crystals from a single silicon wafer plate. Intel's goal was to achieve a result of 20 wafer crystals. At first it seemed impracticable. “If we solved one problem, the next one immediately got up after it ... The technological process of manufacturing silicon gates was not given to us in any way. We constantly made changes to it, but, despite our efforts, the yield of crystals did not exceed two from the plate. From a commercial point of view, it was a disaster. ”
However, the entire development team continued to pursue a single goal. “Joel Karp and I’ve almost finished product redesign when people first landed on the moon,” says technologist Les Vadasz, “We listened on the radio about“ one small step for a man ”, trying remake chip. "
Crystal Photo Intel 1101Meanwhile, Gordon Moore and Tim Rowe started with chemical additives for silicon, trying to improve the formation of chemical bonds.
The company's dedication brought its fruits: one fine day, a chemical experiment unexpectedly produced a “wafer” with 25 crystals instead of the usual two. Everyone was amazed; when Vadash found out what had happened, he started jumping around the lab, screaming with joy.
Crystal Photo Intel 1101“We have proven that the MOS with the silicon gate has the right to life,” said Row.
The success of the MOS proved the correctness of the unusual strategy of Intel at that time. As we have already told, the company initially conducted research in three areas at once. The bipolar memory in the form of an Intel 3101 chip turned out immediately and made a profit, but the technology was widely known, and there were too many competitors in the market. Multichip memory after the experiments were considered unpromising. Finally, the third direction was the MOP, created not without difficulty, but having an excellent combination of novelty and demand. Moore would later call Intel’s path in its early years a "balanced technology strategy."
The technological process developed for the 1101 has become the industry standard, and the Intel 1011 chip itself is the main source of revenue for Intel.
Specifications| Volume | 256 bit |
| Access time | 850 ns |
| Energy costs | 2.5 mW / bit |
| Total power consumption | 1 W |
| Form factor | 16 pin |
| Maximum current | 500 nA |