Intel 3101, Image/Intel Corporation
As part of Intel’s 50th anniversary, Intel has published a series of articles celebrating this occasion. One article describes Intel’s first product, the Intel 3101 Static Random-Access Memory introduced in April 1969. In 1968, Intel’s focus soon turned to developing new technologies instead of revamping old ones. Out of three chosen research and development technologies, Intel turned to one, bipolar memory.
The 64-bit SRAM chip was faster and more powerful than any before- twice the speed of current SRAMs. Even Honeywell Inc. was a potential customer of the 3103 at one time.
In the same year, Intel developed the 1101 SRAM, first commercial chip manufactured with the metal-oxide semiconductor process. Instead of metal, the process used silicon gates. Besides revolutionizing the chip making process, Intel gained significant revenue in its first year of business.
