Ramtron Upgrades 16-Kilobit Serial F-RAM Memory to Meet AEC-Q100 Grade 1 Automotive Standards

Ramtron expanded its line of AEC-Q100-specified F-RAM memory devices, qualifying the FM25L16-GA, a 16-Kilobit (Kb) serial F-RAM to operate over the Grade 1 automotive temperature range of -40 to +125 degrees Celsius. The FM25L16-GA is part of Ramtron’s growing family of Grade 1 and Grade 3 AEC-Q100-qualified automotive memory products.

The previously announced FM25L16-G (Grade 3 qualified product) has been designed into advanced automotive audio platforms in which F-RAM is used to record dynamic data quickly and frequently while maintaining data integrity even upon sudden power loss. “By passing the stringent Grade 1 qualification, the FM25L16 product line spans a broad temperature range from industrial to automotive Grade 1 and Grade 3, which enables a wide spectrum of memory applications,” says Mike Peters, Ramtron marketing manger.

About the FM25L16-GA

The FM25L16-GA is a 16-Kilobit nonvolatile RAM, organized as 2,048 x 8 bits, with an industry-standard serial peripheral interface (SPI).
The device is a direct hardware replacement for equivalent EEPROMs, yet far superior because of F-RAM’s fast writes, virtually unlimited endurance (100-trillion writes), 45-year data retention, and low power consumption. The FM25L16 operates at a voltage range of 3.0-3.6 volts over the Grade 1 automotive temperature range, draws 3.0 microamps (typical) for reads and writes at 15.0 MHz, and has a standby current of 1.0 microamp. The Grade 1 qualified part is available in a “green”/RoHS 8-pin SOIC package.

In 1994, the Automotive Electronics Council (AEC) established the AEC-Q100 qualification standard, which is recognized worldwide as a benchmark for automotive systems. Electronic components that meet AEC-Q100 standards are deemed reliable, high-quality components suitable for use in the harsh automotive environment without additional component-level qualification testing. For more details, visit www.aecouncil.com.

Ramtron International Corporation, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops and markets specialized semiconductor memory and integrated semiconductor solutions used in a wide range of product applications and markets worldwide. For more information, visit www.ramtron.com.