National Semiconductor F8718 VHSIC / Engineering Sample Chip

[2ndce]

Hello experts.... I would like to know a little more information about this chip. I have not seen anything like it offered for sale before and the only info that I found online was from Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHSIC

I am thinking that there would be very, very few of these ever released, and considering the history of the VHSIC program, I am thinking might have some unique history. Do any of ya'll know what this might be, and if it's as rare/unique as I think it might be?

Thanks!

[CPUShack]

The VHSIC program didn't just make one type of chips, it was a huge program to increase the performance of everything, including the design process.

Being serial numbered (like wafer 20, chip 2) makes it pretty cool though

In this case its a 64k SRAM chip

[CPUShack]

mentioned here: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a237681.pdf

[CPUShack]

8718 by the way is the date code, Early 1987

[2ndce]

CPUShack - You are a knowledge monster! Thank you for the immediate response and awesome info. It looks like these were ICs that were used to study the effects of EMPs/X-rays, based on what I was reading?

That makes this a 64k Static Ram chip, used specifically in this study?

From the text:
"To date, research conducted at LLNL has been directed towards basic development, design, and evaluation of test samples mating custom-made and commercially-available IC's with SiPCB's, including modules utilizing 10 static ram memory chips (64K National Semiconductor NVC 63Q64) (Figure 2.4), temperature sensors (Figure 2.5), strain gauges, and various small scale integrated
devices."

[CPUShack]

In this case its a commercial chip (still a sample though)

That study was mating commercial chips (like the 63Q64) with a custom SiPCB to see if they could reduce the effects of EMPs.