Guide to the Robert (Bob) Norman papers
Finding aid prepared by Sydney Gulbronson Olson
Computer History Museum
November 2018
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Mountain View, CA, 94043
(650) 810-1010
research@computerhistory.org
Title: Robert (Bob) Norman papers
Identifier/Call Number: X8246.2017
Contributing Institution:
Computer History Museum
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
4.75 Linear feet,
4 record cartons
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1963-1985
Date (inclusive): 1963-2009
Abstract: The Robert (Bob) Norman papers hold the professional and personal papers of Bob Norman, who was an engineer who worked at
Fairchild Semiconductor, General Micro Electronics, and other technology companies involved in integrated circuit production
during the 1960s and 1970s in Silicon Valley. He is known for designing the first Micrologic integrated circuits at Fairchild
Semiconductor as well as cofounding General Micro-Electronics, Inc., which pioneered MOS integrated circuits. Ranging in date
from 1963 to 2009, with the bulk between 1963 and 1985, this collection traces his early work on integrated circuits as well
as his work at companies such as Nortec Electronics Corporation, Timex, Applied Micro Circuits Corporation, General Dynamics,
and Singer Corporation. Types of materials in the collection include correspondence, memos, lab notebooks, clippings, presentation
materials, internal business documents, project planning and implementation documents, board of directors meeting minutes,
industry market forecasts, research files, and handwritten notes and figures. The collection also includes files related to
Norman's personal life, including correspondence and hand-written reflections on his career.
Collection surveyed by Sydney Gulbronson Olson, 2018.
The collection is open for research.
The Computer History Museum (CHM) can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying
any claims of the copyright holder. Requests for copying and permission to publish, quote, or reproduce any portion of the
Computer History Museum's collection must be obtained jointly from both the copyright holder (if applicable) and the Computer
History Museum.
[Identification of Item], [Date], Robert (Bob) Norman papers, Lot X8246.2017, Box [#], Computer History Museum.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of AnneMarie Norman, 2017.
Robert (Bob) Norman was an engineer who worked at Fairchild Semiconductor, General Micro Electronics, and other technology
companies involved in integrated circuit production during the 1960s and 1970s in Silicon Valley. Born in New York on March
24, 1927, Norman served in WWII as a gunner on the battleship "Alabama." He graduated from Oklahoma A&M with a degree in electrical
engineering and obtained his master's degree at Columbia University. From 1953 to 1959, Norman worked at Sperry Gyroscope
Company, where he introduced the use of semiconductors in logic design. He then joined Fairchild Semiconductor in Mountain
View, California in 1959, where he designed Micrologic, the first family of planar integrated circuits. In 1963, Norman co-founded
General Microelectronics (GM-e), the first company to manufacture commercial MOS integrated circuits. From 1966 to 1972, Norman
was President of Nortec Electronics Corporation, after which he worked at American Microsystems, Inc., Ion Equipment Corporation,
and Astrotech Corporation. From 1977 to 1980, Norman worked at Timex Corporation, and from 1981 to 1982 he served as the Manager
of Programs and Technical Publications at Applied Micro Circuits Corporation. From 1983 to 1984 he established Application
Specific Integrated Circuit development at Singer Corporation. Norman then worked at General Dynamics from 1984 to 1992, where
he managed the development of a computer for combat vehicles and an automatic infra-red target recognizer. Over the course
of his career, Norman earned 23 patents. He passed away on January 6, 2017 in Massachusetts.
Scope and Content of the Collection
The Robert (Bob) Norman papers, which date from 1963 to 2009, consist of the professional and personal papers of Bob Norman.
He is known for designing the first Micrologic integrated circuits at Fairchild Semiconductor as well as cofounding General
Micro-Electronics, Inc., which pioneered MOS integrated circuits. This collection traces his early work on Micrologic and
MOS integrated circuits, as well as his subsequent work at companies such as Nortec Electronics Corporation, Timex, Applied
Micro Circuits Corporation, General Dynamics, and Singer Corporation. Types of materials in the collection include correspondence,
memos, lab notebooks, newspaper and magazine clippings, financial statements, presentation materials and slides, internal
business documents, project planning and implementation documents, board of directors meeting minutes, industry market forecasts,
research files, and handwritten notes and figures. There is also material pertaining to the sale of General Micro-Electronics
by Pyle-National Company to Philco Corp. in 1966. Additionally, the papers include drafts for several handbook chapters as
well as records from two court cases: Hughes Aircraft Company vs. General Instrument Corporation (1973) and AT&T Technologies
Inc. vs Mintel Corporation (1989). There is a small amount of conference proceedings, manuals, data sheets, 32mm presentation
slides, negatives, and photographic prints. The collection also includes files related to Norman's personal life, including
correspondence, hand-written reflections on his career, and a few files on his biography and family background.
Physical objects were separated from the main collection. To view catalog records for separated material, search the CHM catalog
at
http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/search/ .
Norman patent notebook (#195), Lot X6464.2012, catalog number 102723002.
Norman, Bob (Robert) oral history, Lot X5445.2009, catalog number 102702133.
Information Technology Corporate Histories Collection, Lot X7847.2017, catalog numbers 102762460, 102770284, 102770848, and
102770865.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Fairchild (Firm).
Integrated circuits
Micrologic integrated circuit
MOS integrated circuit
Semiconductors