I understand few micro-"processors" to be hard-wired. The classic chips especially.

8080,8085,z80,6800,68000,'x86; all microcoded. Some like the 68000 allowed alternate u-code (the WD 16 bit proc). If it's a CISC processor it's a good bet it's u-coded. Remember chips like the z80 are 4 bit inside although they are 8 to the outside world.

u-code doesn't generally shorten execution time as there is a sequencer that must perform as the u-code "Prog Counter" and you fall thru variable length u-instructions to perform each "opcode".

Remember when manufacturers used to display the chip die when announcing the latest chip? they would alway indicate the large coherent section was the u-code store.

regards,
p

some links:

http://www.enel.ucalgary.ca/People/Sm...sld005.htm

http://www.enel.ucalgary.ca/People/Sm...sld015.htm

http://courses.ece.uiuc.edu/ece497esd...jones2.pdf

http://bwrc.eecs.berkeley.edu/CIC/archi...story.html