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.
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
