Out in Front: February 1, 1996

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has begun its road map to convert its flash-memory line to operate at 3V. The 1-Mbyte, boot-block configuration, Am29LV800, is the company’s first device on that path. Although AMD is calling the Am29LV800 a 3V-only device, flash memory supports unregulated battery voltage from 2.7 to 3.6V.

The LV800 consumes the same amount of current during reading, erasing, and programming as AMD’s equivalent-density 5V-only device. As a result, you might initially believe that the low-voltage devices would yield less than 50% power savings. AMD has added several power-management features, however, that should significantly lower power consumption. For example, if the device is not in use for 300 nsec, it shuts down its circuitry to the point at which it consumes only 1 µA. When you access the device in this low-power mode, it responds immediately, without power-up delays.

At 2.7V, the LV800 has a 100-nsec access time. It comes in 8- and 16-bit-wide buses and in 48-pin TSOP and 44-pin SOP packages. Price is $34.65 (10,000).
-- by Markus Levy

Advanced Micro Devices, Austin, TX. (512) 462-4360