Editing Zilog Z80 (section)

=== Into production ===
The first samples were returned from Mostek on March 9, 1976.{{sfn|Faggin|Shima|Ungermann|2007|p=5}} By the end of the month, they had also completed an [[assembler (computing)|assembler]]-based [[microprocessor development board|development system]]. Some of the Z80 support and peripheral ICs were under development at this point, and some of them were launched during the following year. Among them were the Z80 CTC (counter/timer), Z80 DMA<ref>{{Cite web |title=Z80® DMA Direct Memory Access Controller |url=http://www.bitsavers.org/components/zilog/z80/Z80_DMA_Product_Specification_Feb80.pdf |access-date=January 8, 2024 |archive-date=February 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205070618/http://www.bitsavers.org/components/zilog/z80/Z80_DMA_Product_Specification_Feb80.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> (direct memory access), Z80 DART (dual asynchronous receiver–transmitter), Z80 SIO (synchronous communication controller), and Z80 PIO (parallel input/output).

The Z80 was officially launched in July 1976.{{sfnp|Anderson|1994|p=51}} One of the first customers was a buyer who, unknown to Zilog, worked for NEC. At the time, the Japanese electronics companies were well known for taking US chip designs and producing them without a license. The Zilog team had worried about this, and Faggin had come up with the idea of adding transistors that would be subtly modified to operate differently than a visual inspection would suggest. Shima added six of these "traps" around the design. Sometime later, Shima was told by an engineer within NEC that the traps had delayed their copying efforts by six months.{{sfn|Faggin|Shima|Ungermann|2007|p=13}}

The launch allowed Faggin and Ungermann to approach Exxon looking for funding to build their own fab. The company agreed, and Zilog built a production line. This allowed them to capture about 60 to 70% of the total market for Z80 sales.{{sfn|Faggin|Shima|Ungermann|2007|p=9}} With their own line running, Mostek was given the go-ahead to start sales of their version, the MK3880, which provided a [[second source]] for customers that Intel lacked. At the time, a second source was considered extremely important as a start-up like Zilog might go out of business and leave potential customers stranded.{{sfn|Faggin|Shima|Ungermann|2007|p=4}}{{efn|Zilog manufactured the Z80 as well as most of their other products for many years until they sold their [[manufacturing plant]]s and become the "[[fabless]]" company they are today.}}