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History of Computer Memory Timeline

(1940s–Present)

The history of computer memory traces the development of technologies used to store data and instructions, from early electronic and magnetic systems to today's fast, compact, and persistent semiconductor memory. Less

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Early electronic memory

Williams tube originates

1946

The Williams tube originated in 1946 as an alternative to delay-line memory. It used an electron beam in a glass tube to store information.

Image source: Williams tube

Williams tube originates

Selectron tube originates

1946

The Selectron tube originated in 1946 as an alternative to delay-line memory. Like the Williams tube, it used electron beams in glass tubes for storage.

Image source: Selectron tube

Selectron tube originates

Magnetic-core memory developed

1948 - 1950

Frederick W. Viehe and An Wang developed magnetic-core memory in the late 1940s, establishing a practical form of electronic storage based on magnetized cores.

Image source: Magnetic-core memory

Magnetic-core memory developed

Jay Forrester improves core memory

1950 - 1952

Jay Forrester improved magnetic-core memory in the early 1950s, helping make the technology more useful for high-speed computer storage.

Jan A. Rajchman improves core memory

1950 - 1952

Jan A. Rajchman contributed improvements to magnetic-core memory in the early 1950s before its commercialization.

Core memory commercialized with Whirlwind I

1953

Magnetic-core memory was commercialized with the Whirlwind I computer in 1953, marking an important transition from experimental storage to computer deployment.

Image source: Whirlwind I

Core memory commercialized with Whirlwind I

Nonvolatile memory

PROM invented

1956

Wen Tsing Chow invented programmable read-only memory in 1956 while working for the Arma Division of the American Bosch Arma Corporation.

Image source: Read-only memory

PROM invented

Floating-gate ROM proposed

1967

Dawon Kahng and Simon Sze of Bell Labs proposed in 1967 that the floating gate of a MOS semiconductor device could serve as the cell of a reprogrammable ROM.

Image source: Floating-gate MOSFET

Floating-gate ROM proposed

EPROM invented

1971

Dov Frohman of Intel invented erasable programmable read-only memory in 1971, following the floating-gate concept proposed at Bell Labs.

Image source: EPROM

EPROM invented

EEPROM developed

1972

Yasuo Tarui, Yutaka Hayashi, and Kiyoko Naga developed electrically erasable programmable read-only memory at the Electrotechnical Laboratory in 1972.

Image source: EEPROM

EEPROM developed

NOR flash invented

1984

Masuoka and colleagues presented the invention of NOR flash memory in 1984, extending floating-gate semiconductor storage.

Image source: Flash memory

NOR flash invented

NAND flash invented

1987

Masuoka and colleagues presented NAND flash memory in 1987, introducing a high-density flash-memory architecture.

NAND flash commercialized by Toshiba

1987

Toshiba commercialized NAND flash memory in 1987, bringing the technology from invention toward widespread practical use.

Semiconductor memory

Semiconductor memory ships to the U.S. Air Force

1961

Texas Instruments first shipped semiconductor memory made from discrete devices to the United States Air Force in 1961.

Image source: Semiconductor memory

Semiconductor memory ships to the U.S. Air Force

MOS memory developed

1964

John Schmidt developed MOS memory at Fairchild Semiconductor in 1964, advancing semiconductor-based computer storage.

Image source: MOSFET

MOS memory developed

CMOS storage systems proposed

1965

J. Wood and R. Ball of the Royal Radar Establishment proposed digital storage systems using CMOS memory cells, MOSFET power devices, switched cross-coupling, switches, and delay-line storage.

Image source: CMOS

CMOS storage systems proposed

Silicon-gate MOS technology developed

1968

Federico Faggin developed silicon-gate MOS integrated-circuit technology at Fairchild in 1968, enabling the production of MOS memory chips.

MOS memory enables memory-chip production

1968

Federico Faggin's 1968 development of silicon-gate MOS integrated-circuit technology at Fairchild enabled production of MOS memory chips.

RAM development

Bipolar SRAM invented

1963

Robert Norman invented bipolar static random-access memory at Fairchild Semiconductor in 1963.

Image source: Static random-access memory

Bipolar SRAM invented

MOS SRAM developed

1964

John Schmidt developed MOS static random-access memory at Fairchild Semiconductor in 1964, following the invention of bipolar SRAM.

Bipolar SRAM commercialized by IBM

1965

Commercial use of SRAM began in 1965 when IBM introduced the SP95 SRAM chip for the System/360 Model 95.

IBM introduces the SP95 memory chip

1965

IBM introduced the SP95, identified as the first bipolar semiconductor memory IC chip, in 1965 for the System/360 Model 95.

Image source: IBM System/360

IBM introduces the SP95 memory chip

Toshiba develops bipolar DRAM cells

1965

Toshiba introduced bipolar DRAM memory cells for its Toscal BC-1411 electronic calculator in 1965.

Image source: Dynamic random-access memory

Toshiba develops bipolar DRAM cells

Dennard begins MOS memory research

1966

In 1966, Robert H. Dennard at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center was working on MOS memory.

Image source: Robert H. Dennard

Dennard begins MOS memory research

Dennard files single-transistor DRAM patent

1967

Robert H. Dennard filed a patent in 1967 for a single-transistor DRAM memory cell based on MOS technology.

First commercial DRAM IC developed

1967 - 1970

Dennard's single-transistor DRAM work led to the first commercial DRAM integrated circuit, the Intel 1103.

Single-transistor DRAM leads to Intel 1103

1967 - 1970

The single-transistor MOS DRAM cell patented by Robert H. Dennard in 1967 led to the Intel 1103, the first commercial DRAM IC chip, in October 1970.

Intel 1103 reaches the market

Oct 1970

The Intel 1103 became the first commercial DRAM IC chip in October 1970.

Image source: Intel 1103

Intel 1103 reaches the market

SDRAM debuts

1992

Synchronous dynamic random-access memory later debuted with Samsung's KM48SL2000 chip in 1992.

Samsung introduces KM48SL2000

1992

Samsung introduced the KM48SL2000 chip in 1992, identified as the debut of synchronous dynamic random-access memory.

Image source: Synchronous dynamic random-access memory

Samsung introduces KM48SL2000

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Key Facts

  1. Early computers used vacuum tubes, relays, and delay lines to store small amounts of data and instructions.
  2. Magnetic-core memory became widely used in the 1950s and 1960s because it was reliable, relatively fast, and non-volatile.
  3. Dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) emerged in the late 1960s and became the primary working memory in modern computers.
  4. Semiconductor memory enabled increasingly smaller, faster, and more affordable computers, while ROM and flash memory provided persistent storage.
  5. Modern systems combine multiple memory levels, including processor registers, cache, RAM, solid-state storage, and cloud-based memory services.

Source

This History of Computer Memory timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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