Intel D8080

[alexino2]

Hello everyone,

The question of the D8080 being a misprint D8080A or not will finaly be answered. Because i'm crazy, i just opened it :




I've been pretty lucky not braking it ! I even manage to take a picture of the copyright with the microscope, and here the result :



It looks similar to this one here :
https://en.wikichip.org/w/images/3/32/8080_die_shot.png

The question now is from which cpu was taken that last die ? Does anyone has a D8080A die to compare ?

[CPUShack]

I am not sure Intel changed the die markings on the 8080A till 1979

1976 would be a 8080A

Here is a late model 8080A die
https://vintageteardown.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Intel8080A_10x-1.jpg
which is what your package should have had in it

My D8080 is the exact same lot as yours, and I've had it for 15 years lol. Intel (or somebody else) seems to have been using upo some old dies

[alexino2]

I just opened my D8080A pre-FPO from 1978




I confirm, the D8080 is just a D8080A from 1976-79.

I'm so disapointed, thought could be a real 8080 or even a C8080A die from 1974 :'(

[CPUShack]

haha would be cool to see a 8080 non A die

The documentation from 1975ish still referred to the 8080A as the 8080, they weren't super concerned about making a distinction, guess the die markings were the same lack of concern

[rjluna2]

I think it has to do with the change of the NMOS process between 1974 and 1977 to HMOS process. I'm trying to figure this out. I'll post the next issue of Intel Preview that discuss about their semiconductor process and we can discuss this from there.

Here is later information that I have gleaned at the second picture in this forum: http://www.cpu-world.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=214612#214612

[Guest]

Good job. Now we know.

[Yann]

Yann.

[xsecret]

I think the UCA should be able to distinguish a NMOS-based 8080 from a HMOS-based 8080, no matter the packaging. The later should consume more power. Will try.

[alexino2]

[rjluna2]

Looks more likely a minor mask changes not enough to update the mask information

That would line up with the revision on NMOS process in stages

We need to dig up different version of 8080 datasheet to differentiate one to another.

[rjluna2]

I just posted the information on their fabrication process on their memory products at http://www.cpu-world.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=279187#279187