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Flash memory chips for your embedded
design
The flash memory has become vital chip on your embedded board.
It stores all the code you have written for the MCU to perform.
While selecting flash memory IC, you may have to look for
type, memory size, package, speed, temperature range, and
cost.
Memory Type: The two most popular types in the market
are NOR flash and NAND flash. The NOR flash's advantage is
it's access speed and ability to rewrite the content faster.
These characteristics of NOR makes it highly suitable for
storing source code. The drawback of NOR is it's limited size
and cost. So if you have huge data to store along with code,
better use NAND flash for storing data. The NAND is slower(byte
wise access)than NOR but can store huge quantity of data in
small size. The NAND costs cheaper than NOR. However NAND
doesn't suit for storing source code, since source code need
faster access time. Here in this article we are providing
list of NOR flash memories.
Memory Size: If your code can fit within 1MB of flash,
than you may not need external flash memory at all because
some of the latest microcontrollers have up to 1MB built-in
flash. You can choose memory sizes of 2MB- to 512MB of NOR
flash devices. For small sized flash (1MB-8MB) go for SST
and Macronix and for larger size (>8MB) go for Spansion
and Intel.
Package: The most common packages are TSOP and BGA.
The other packages are SSOP, SOIC, LGA, CSP, AL42, and PLCC
Cost: Intel, AMD, and ST Micro prices are higher than
Taiwanese vendors Macronix and SST. Atmel chips too are lower
priced.
Hi-rel applications: ST Micro flash chips have more option
for you to select in the Automotive and Mil/Aerospace range.
Here below in the table, we have listed a few selected NOR
flash memories available from popular flash vendors around
the world.
| Vendor |
Part No. |
Vendor's Technology Name |
Memory size in MB |
Access time in nano secs |
Serial |
Cost |
Package |
Temp Range |
| Spansion |
S29AL032D |
floating gate |
32 |
70 |
No |
High |
TSOP, BGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Spansion |
S29CD-J |
floating gate |
16-32 |
50 |
No |
High |
BGA, PQFP |
-40 to 125 Deg C |
| Spansion |
Am29BL162C |
floating gate |
16 |
65 |
No |
High |
SSOP |
-55 to 125 Deg C |
| Spansion |
S29PL127N |
Mirror bit |
128 |
60 |
No |
High |
BGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Intel |
J3 series |
Embedded Flash |
128 |
75 |
No |
High |
TSOP, BGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Intel |
C3 Series |
Advanced boot block flash |
32 |
70 |
No |
High |
TSOP, BGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Intel |
S33 Series |
Serial Flash |
64 |
N/A |
Yes |
High |
SOIC |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Intel |
P30/P33 Series |
Strata-Flash |
64-512 |
85 |
No |
High |
TSOP, BGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| SST |
SST39WF1601/2 |
Multi Purpose Flash plus
(MPF+) |
16 |
90 |
No |
Medium |
BGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| SST |
SST39VF6401/02B |
Multi Purpose Flash plus
(MPF+) |
64 |
70 |
No |
Medium |
TSOP, BGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| SST |
SST39WF800B |
Multi Purpose Flash(MPF) |
8 |
70 |
No |
Medium |
BGA, LGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| SST |
SST39WF400A |
Multi Purpose Flash(MPF) |
4 |
90 |
No |
Medium |
BGA, LGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| SST |
SST39LF200/
400/800A
|
Multi Purpose Flash(MPF) |
2-8 |
45 |
No |
Medium |
TSOP, BGA, LGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Macronix |
MX29LV002C/
002NC T/B
|
Industry-Standard Flash
|
2 |
70 |
No |
Medium |
SOP, TSOP |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Macronix |
MX29LV400C T/B |
Industry-Standard Flash
|
4 |
55 |
No |
Medium |
CSP, SOP, TSOP |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Macronix |
MX29LV800C T/B |
Industry-Standard Flash
|
8 |
45 |
No |
Medium |
CSP, SOP, TSOP |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Macronix |
MX29LV160C T/B |
Industry-Standard Flash
|
16 |
55 |
No |
Medium |
CSP, SOP, TSOP |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Macronix |
MX29LV320C T/B |
Industry-Standard Flash
|
32 |
70 |
No |
Medium |
CSP, SOP, TSOP |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| Macronix |
MX29LV640D T/B |
Industry-Standard Flash
|
64 |
90 |
No |
Medium |
CSP, SOP, TSOP |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| ST Microelectronics |
M28W series |
Industry Standard, Boot
Block 3V, M28W [8] |
16-64 |
70 |
No |
High |
TSOP, BGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| ST Microelectronics |
M29DW |
Multiple Bank 3V, M29DW
[5] |
64-128 |
60 |
No |
High |
TSOP, BGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
| ST Microelectronics |
M29F |
Industry Standard, 5V,
M29F [12] |
1-32 |
55 |
No |
High |
SOIC, TSOP, AL42, PLCC |
-40 to 125 Deg C |
| ST Microelectronics |
M29W |
Industry Standard, 3V,
M29W [26] |
1-128 |
45 |
No |
High |
TSOP, BGA, AL42, PLCC |
-40 to 125 Deg C |
| Atmel |
AT49BV322D |
2.7V, x8/x16, or x16, Large
Sectored Flash |
32 |
70 |
No |
Medium |
TSOP, BGA |
-40 to 85 Deg C |
For detailed specs please visit vendor's website or contact
us for full detailed analysis report
Are you looking for alternate to FLASH MEMORY chips as your
non volatile memory click the below article:
No-volatile
Flash Memory alternatives: FRAM, PRAM and MRAM
To learn how to interface flash memory IC chips to a microcontroller
or a processor in a embedded system design click the below
article.
Flash memory basics and its interface
to a processor
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