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INTRODUCTION:
Data is read by applying an electric field to the capacitor. If this switches the
cell into the opposite state (flipping over the electrical dipoles in the ferroelectric
material) then more charge is moved than if the cell was not flipped. This can be
detected and amplified by sense amplifiers. Reading destroys the contents of a cell
which must therefore be written back after a read. This is similar to the precharge
operation in DRAM, though it only needs to be done after a read rather than
periodically as with DRAM refresh.
FRAM is found mainly in consumer devices and because of its low power
requirements, could also be used in devices that only need to activate for brief
periods. FRAM allows systems to retain information even when power is lost,
without resorting to batteries, EEPROM, or flash. Access times are the same as for
FRAM TECHNOLOGY:
To increase the memory capacity, the cell size must always be reduced, and
the design, process, and materials have been improved aggressively for this purpose.
ferroelectric RAM products (FRAMs) are the most advanced of the flash challengers.
The pioneer, Ramtron International Corp. (Colorado Springs, Colo.), has been selling
FRAM chips since 1992. Their memory capacities are low, however, the largest being
256Kb—still a small fraction of the multimegabit chips offered by the major flash
memory makers. In current commercial FRAMs, the interconnects that link individual
transistors into circuits are 0.5 µm wide and operate at 3 V. Narrower interconnects
are desirable so that memory cells may be made smaller and be packed in greater
numbers onto an IC. Ramtron's FRAMs are made by Fujitsu Ltd., Tokyo, which also
sells its own FRAM products, mostly as embedded memory in microcontrollers and
smart cards.
Each unit cell of PZT is shaped like an elongated cube. At each of the cube's
eight corners is an atom of lead; in the center of each cube face is an oxygen atom;
and in the interior of the cube is an atom of either zirconium or titanium. This last has
two stable positions, explains Mike Alwais, Ramtron's vice president of FRAM
products: "One is near the cube's top face and the other is near the bottom."
Apply an electric field and the atoms in the interiors of all the unit cells in the
ferroelectric material move in the field's direction. Remove the field and the atoms
stay put. The positions of the atoms in the cubes store the bit of data, a binary 1 or 0.
To read a bit, an electric field is applied. If the atoms are near the cube
"floors" and the electric field pushes them to the top, the cell gives off a current pulse.
Reading an FRAM cell destroys the data stored in its capacitor. So after the bit
is read, the sense amplifier writes the data back into the cell, just as in a DRAM.
The FRAM in fact is like the DRAM in every way but one: the DRAM cell's
capacitor is of a nonferroelectric material, usually silicon dioxide. When data is stored
as charge on the DRAM cell's capacitor, the charge leaks away into the silicon
substrate almost immediately—unless it is rewritten several times a second. That
requirement drives up power consumption, and of course when the power is turned
off, the charge stored in the capacitors quickly disappears.
Because the basic operation and structure of the FRAM and the DRAM are so
similar, Alwais expects that FRAMs will eventually run as fast as DRAMs with the
same memory capacity and cell size. Texas Instruments is interested in FRAMs for
embedded applications—for example, for on-chip storage of the operating
instructions for digital signal processors and microcontrollers.
Fig 1:
MEMORY BASIC:
FRAM offers a unique set of features relative to other memory technologies.
Traditional mainstream semiconductor memories can be divided into two primary
categories -- volatile and nonvolatile. Volatile memories include SRAM (static
random access memory) and DRAM (dynamic random access memory). They share
the property that they lose their contents after power is removed from the electronic
system. RAM type devices are very easy to use, and are high performing, but they
share the annoying quirk of losing their mind when the lights go out.
Fig2:
FRAM offers features consistent with a RAM technology, but is nonvolatile like a
ROM technology. FRAM bridges the gap between the two categories and creates
something completely new -- a nonvolatile RAM.
FRAM SPECIFATION:
APPLICATIONS:
FRAM is faster than flash memory, because it is fast memory with a very low
power requirement, it is expected to have many applications in small consumer
devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld phones, power meters,
and smart card, and in security systems.
A smart card is a plastic card about the size of a credit card, with an embedded
microchip that can be loaded with data, used for telephone calling, electronic cash
payments, and other applications, and then periodically refreshed for additional use. .
A Smart Card is an IC card that contains a microcomputer, storage circuit, and RF
circuit. The ferroelectric RAM (FRAM) has been developed as a nonvolatile memory
that satisfies the above requirements. An FRAM embedded in an LSI must operate as
a low-voltage peripheral logic IC. We have developed a new FRAM sensing scheme
that can read bit-line potentials close to the GND potential.
Contactless Smart Cards in particular have rapidly come into wide use
because they are easy to use, can perform high-speed processing, and can be used in a
wide variety of applications. In keeping with this trend, Fujitsu has produced various
FRAM-embedded (ferroelectric-RAM-embedded) LSIs for Contactless Smart Cards.
Current applications for FRAM memory products can be divided into the following
four categories:
Data collection and logging
configuration storage
nonvolatile buffer
SRAM replacement & Expansion
FRAM allows system designers to write data to nonvolatile memory faster and more
often -- a luxury not afforded to users of EEPROMs.
Data collection consists of the acquisition and storage of data, which must be retained
in the absence of power (not temporary or scratchpad in nature). These are systems,
or subsystems that have the primary function of collecting data that varies over time.
In most cases, a history of the changes is important.
CONFIGURATION STORAGE
FRAM helps system designers overcome the woes of sudden power loss by
providing the flexibility to store configuration information in real time -- not just on
power down.
Configuration storage deals with the tracking of a system as it changes over
time. The goal is either to restore its state on power up, or to identify the cause of an
error. In general, data collection is often the function of a system or subsystem, where
as configuration storage is a low level engineering function regardless of the system
type.
End system applications: laser printers and copiers, industrial process control,
networking, cable modems and set top boxes, and white goods
NONVOLATILE BUFFER
FRAM can store operating data quickly, before transmitting or storing in other
nonvolatile media.
In this case, information is being sent from one subsystem to another, this
information is critical and should not be lost if power fails. In some cases, the target
system is a larger storage device. FRAM, with its fast write and high endurance
allows the user to store data before it is sent on to another system.
End system applications: industrial systems and in banking systems such as ATM
machines, future applications will include hard disk drives with nonvolatile caching.
SRAM REPLACEMENT & EXPANSION
FRAM's fast write and nonvolatile features allow system designers to combine
SRAM and EEPROM into one device, or simply expand SRAM.
In many cases, a system uses multiple memory types. FRAM offers the ability
to perform ROM, RAM, and EEPROM functions with one device, saving space,
power and sometimes cost. The most common example is an embedded
microcontroller with external serial EEPROM. FRAM can replace the EEPROM, and
offer additional SRAM functionality to the micro as well.
FUTURE APPLICATIONS:
to sixty. Recent introductions include improved ABS systems with traction control,
continuously variable transmissions, electronic shift, dynamic stability control, and
digital radio platforms. In the coming years, new electronic applications will include
adaptive cruise control with collision avoidance, DVD players with car navigation,
and control by wire (x-by-wire), and crash recording (black-box) technology.
Additional sophisticated network technologies will continue to improve behind the
scenes automation and performance.
AIRBAG
A principle feature of airbag and restraint systems in the near future will be crash
recorders, commonly know as black-boxes. The automotive black box will be
integrated into the airbag or restraint system, it is unlikely to be a separate assembly
such as the aircraft black box. This architecture is attractive because the sensor data
that is critical for a crash recorder is largely available to the controller or can be
accessed via busses already in place such as CAN.
A crash recorder is a data logger. It may be called on to collect data frequently over a
long period of time in a circular buffer, or to respond very quickly based on sensor
readings. Ideally the crash recorder would offer both capabilities. In this rugged
environment the data must be stored in a true nonvolatile memory as any form of
battery backup will present crash survivability challenges. Technologies such as Flash
face performance problems as they provide write endurance which is limited when it
comes to long term data collection and they are far too slow to store data in the
moment of impact. Crash statistics show high percentages of serious crashes result in
a power outage during the crash, therefore data must be stored instantly and in a non-
volatile state, before power leaves the vehicle and data is lost. Ramtron is a member
of the IEEE P1616 committee to define a standard for Motor Vehicle Event Data
Recorders (MEVDR). As a result we have gained valuable insight into data recorder
requirements. Today crash recorders are being designed with FRAM products from
16Kb to 64Kb, typically with a SPI interface such as the FM25640.
TELEMATICS/NAVIGATION:
Telematic functions are increasingly part of a high end vehicle electronics package.
These systems provide dynamic maps that allow routing to be adjusted based on
traffic patterns or other criteria. FRAM memories are used today in such system to
store navigation waypoints, bookmarks etc. 16Kb memories are commonly used in
this application. Last year Matsushita selected Ramtron's FRAM for its in-car
navigation system. The 16K FM25C160’s fast read/write and high-endurance features
provide Matsushita mobile automotive devices with a distinctive resume play
function. The FM25C160 stores scene changes and unique user data upon power
down, enabling the user to continue where they left off when the unit is powered back
up.
ENTERTAINMENT
Digital car radios are gaining in popularity. Such radios can download station
information and store it in nonvolatile memory. The uncertainty of changes in this
data makes it risky to use a limited endurance memory such as EEPROM. A common
work-around is to maintain such download data in RAM and write it when power is
turned off. This requires the use of a large capacitor which can maintain power on the
EEPROM while it is written. While inexpensive, these capacitors are physically bulky
and undesirable in ever shrinking electronic radios. Matsushita designed a 16K
FRAM into their in-car entertainment systems. The FM25C160 saves system board
space by eliminating components and allowing a reduced capacitor size, which would
not be possible with alternative memory solutions.
INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
used in such instrumentation with great success and provides robust operating and
data integrity in a noisy environment.
TIRE PRESSURE
ABS has evolved from its basic form to include traction control and more
recently to include stability control. Traction control uses the wheel slip information
already produced by ABS sensors to regulate power to prevent spinning tires due to
slippery conditions. Stability control is a more sophisticated variety where power is
regulated to each wheel depending on driving conditions. Based on speed, turn radius
and road conditions the rotation of individual wheels is managed. Such systems are
very sophisticated and involve learning algorithms. To use a FRAM for example in
this application would be more suitable for users since FRAM allows for unrestricted
updates of system data. Currently temperatures for FRAM are specified to 85C and
ABS system electronics must normally operate at 125C, however the road map for
FRAM products includes meeting these temperature requirements.
POWER TRAIN
Like stability control, power train management systems are ever more
adaptive and can benefit from a nonvolatile memory that can be updated quickly and
often. Also like ABS, these systems operate at 125C and will depend on a future
generation of FRAM products, most likely 256Kb parts rated at 125C or higher.
ADVANTAGES:
1. FRAM allows systems to retain information even when power is lost, without
resorting to batteries, EEPROM, or flash.
2. Access times are the same as for standard SRAM, so there's no delay-at-write
access as there is for EEPROM or flash.
3. Low power consumption , low voltage operation and high write endurance make
it superior than other non-volatile memories like EEPROM & FLASH
4. It is less expensive than magnetic memories which require 4 extra mask
DISADVANTAGE:
FUTURE OF FRAM:
In addition, the FRAM technology can easily be combined with logic and mixed
signal technologies to offer more cost effective integrated solutions in the future.
CONCLUSION
consumption compared to other new memory technologies , and hence economic. The
wide range of applications it has in case of SMART cards and data storage
applications, together with the future automotive applications make it one of the best
memories among the new memory technologies among ferromagnetic and ovonic
memories.
REFERENCES