News and New Products

Ramtron expands serial-FRAM line with 32-kbit device

By Rick Nelson, Editor-in-Chief -- EDN, 6/19/2009

Ramtron International Corp, a supplier of nonvolatile FRAM (ferroelectric random-access memory), has announced the FM24CL32, a serial-nonvolatile RAM that offers high-speed read/write performance, low-voltage operation, and long-term data retention. The FM24CL32 features 32-kbit nonvolatile memory organized in a 4096-word×8-bit array. It comes in an 8-pin SOIC package that uses the two-wire I²C (inter-integrated-circuit) protocol. The FM24CL32 features fast read/write access. Unlike an EEPROM, it exhibits no write delays and requires no data polling. The device writes at bus speeds as high as 1 MHz and supports legacy speeds of 100 and 400 kHz.

The FM24CL32 withstands 10¹⁴ read/write cycles. It operates from a 2.7 to 3.6V supply and typically draws 70 μA at 100 kHz when active and 12 μA in standby. The device is a direct hardware replacement for serial EEPROM in industrial-control, metering, medical, military, gaming, and computing applications. It provides reliable data retention for 45 years when operated at 75°C, a necessary retention time for the utility-metering industry. The FM24CL32 operates over the industrial temperature range of −40 to +85°C. Unit pricing begins at 99 cents (10,000).