Intel 40004

The 4004, the world's first microprocessor, is signed with the initials F.F., for Federico Faggin, its designer. Signing the chip was a spontaneous gesture of proud authorship. It was also an original idea, imitated after him by others. Faggin initially etched the F.F. inside the design. Later he moved them to its border, like the autograph on a work of art. The signature is a particularly poignant testimony because, at the time of its birth, the first microprocessor, far from being considered a milestone by Intel's management, represented a diversion from the mainline business of the company which was memory chips.

The birth of the 4004 was an intense moment witnessed by Faggin alone, working into the night in the deserted Intel labs. He had received the 4004 wafers from the manufacturing line at around 6 PM, in January 1971, as people were leaving for the day. With hands trembling and heart pounding he loaded the wafers in the wafer prober and connected it to the tester. A sigh of relief raised from his chest, above the humming of the instruments, as he observed electrical activity in the device. As the testing progressed, the tension was gradually transforming into elation as all the critical functions showed to be operating properly. At around 3 AM, exhausted and ecstatic, Faggin left the lab. At home his wife, Elvia, was waiting for the news. "It works"! he announced, and they shared the happiness in this moment of triumph.