This text is intended for microprocessor courses at the undergraduate level in technology and engineering. ll is a comprehensive treatment of the microprocessor. covering both hardware and software based on the Z80 microprocessor family. The text assumes a course in digital logic as a prerequisite; however, it does not assume a background in programming. This text is also suited for the second level course in curricula where the ?rst level course is based on another microprocessor. At the outset there are two critical questions: Why teach an 8-bit microprocessor when technology is dominated by l6- and 32-bit microprocessors? And why select the Z80 microprocessor?

The ?rst question is best answered by an anology front the auto industry. For transportation, we have trucks, sports cars, family cars, and compact cars. Each serves at different purpose. The 8-bit microprocessors have already established their market in the areas of industrial control, such as machine control, process control, instrumentation, and consumer appliances. The l6~ and 32-bit microprocessors are so powerful that their applications are better suited in such areas as high-speed data processing, CAD/CAM, multitasking, and multi-user systems. The 16- and 32-bit microprocessors are less likely to replace 8-bit microprocessors in industrial control applications. In many applications, even 8-bit microprocessors are utilized at less than 50 percent of their capacity. Furthermore, the basic concepts of architecture, programming, and interfacing are easier to teach with the 8-bit than with the I6-bit microprocessor.