PA-7150
| Industry | Computer hardware, Microprocessors |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 1, 1939 |
| Headquarters | Palo Alto , United States |
| Products | PA-7100 microprocessor, PA-RISC processors |
The PA-7100 microprocessor, created by Hewlett-Packard (HP), implements the PA-RISC 1.1 instruction set architecture (ISA). Also referred to as the PCX-T and internally known as Thunderbird, it was introduced in early 1992 as the first PA-RISC processor to feature an integrated floating-point unit (FPU) on the same chip. Running at , it was positioned primarily against the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) Alpha 21064 within the workstation and server sectors. Notable adopters included HP for its HP 9000 workstation line and Stratus Computer for their Continuum fault-tolerant servers. Additionally, Samsung obtained a license to utilize PA-7100 technology in manufacturing HP-UX workstations.
Derived from the PA-7000 (PCX-S) chipset, the PA-7100 incorporates on a die (), produced using HP’s CMOS26B CMOS fabrication technology. The processor is packaged in a 504-pin ceramic pin grid array, featuring a copper-tungsten heat spreader for thermal management.
A refined model, the PA-7150, was released in 1994, achieving clock speeds of through enhancements in circuit design while maintaining the CMOS26B process node. Both versions were fabricated at HP’s semiconductor facilities located in Corvallis, Oregon and Fort Collins, Colorado.
The architectural design of the PA-7100 served as the foundation for later processors such as the PA-7100LC and PA-7200, thereby extending its influence across multiple product generations.