Digital ICs/DSP: Ferroelectric RAM Packs 1 Mbit Of Nonvolatile Storage

May 26, 2005

The FM20L08, a 1-Mbit (128 kwords by 8 bits) nonvolatile ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), can operate at supply levels of 3.3 V. Housed in a 32-lead TSOP package, the chip has a read access time of 60 ns and packs a high-speed page mode that allows 4-byte transfers at up to 33 MHz. It offers an unlimited number of read/write cycles and can serve as a drop-in replacement for standard asynchronous SRAMs. The chip has fully compatible SRAM timing with address transition detection (ATD), which lets users change addresses while leaving the chip enable active. The FRAM is a good match for systems such as set-top boxes, automotive telematics, and industrial applications. Available in both commercial and industrial temperature ranges (0°C to 70^oC and 40°C to 85^oC, respectively), FRAM prices start at $13.65 apiece in lots of 10,000 units.

Ramtron Corp.www.ramtron.com

About the Author

Dave Bursky

Technologist

Dave Bursky, the founder of New Ideas in Communications, a publication website featuring the blog column Chipnastics – the Art and Science of Chip Design. He is also president of PRN Engineering, a technical writing and market consulting company. Prior to these organizations, he spent about a dozen years as a contributing editor to Chip Design magazine. Concurrent with Chip Design, he was also the technical editorial manager at Maxim Integrated Products, and prior to Maxim, Dave spent over 35 years working as an engineer for the U.S. Army Electronics Command and an editor with Electronic Design Magazine.