8-Pin Flash Exibits High-Speed Programming Capability

Available housed in either 8-pin SOIC or low-profile WSON packages, the SST25VF family of serial flash memory devices is said to deliver higher performance than traditional serial EEPROM architectures and to offer design flexibility with a common footprint for all densities - densities range from 512 Kb to 16 Mb. The flash ICs also offer Auto Address Increment (AAI) operation, a programming mode that decreases total memory programming time by 50% compared to single byte modes. With AAI operation, multiple bytes of serial flash memory can be programmed without re-issuing subsequent addresses and commands after the first data byte program sequence, enabling new programs to be loaded into flash using fewer commands and thus reducing programming times. Incorporating a 4-wire, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), SST25VFxxx flash devices are said to use fewer pins to transfer data to and from a system CPU compared to other nonvolatile memories, resulting in an overall reduction in board space and power consumption. The new flash supports applications such as medical monitors, handheld terminals, bar code readers, and automotive electronics. Densities of 512 Kb to 4 Mb are available now in production quantities, with pricing ranging from $0.79 to $1.72 each/10,000. For more information, contact Scott Foster at SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY INC., Sunnyvale, CA. (408) 523-7739.