The evolving automotive event data recorder (EDR) market is driving demand for specialized data logging memory devices that instantly capture and reliably store critical data for decades.
To this end, Infineon Technologies has introduced two new Ferroelectric RAM (F-RAM) memory devices in 1Mbit and 4Mbit densities into its EXCELON F-RAM family. The 1 Mbit devices are the first automotive-qualified serial F-RAMs available in the industry.
The new devices, which are AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualified and support an extended temperature range (-40° to +125° C), complement a portfolio of automotive F-RAM products ranging from densities from 4Kbit to 16Mbit.
These devices feature fast, highly reliable read/write performance at speeds of up to 50 MHz in SPI mode and up to 108 MHz in Quad SPI (QSPI) mode, and an endurance of 10 trillion read/write cycles to support data logging in 10-microsecond intervals for more than 20 years.
“Data logging requirements are growing rapidly in automotive systems, as trends toward broader use of electronic systems and industry regulations have encouraged the use of high-reliability non-volatile memories in airbag safety systems, along with with engine control and battery management systems,” said Ramesh Chettuvetty, vice president of RAM solutions at Infineon. “Demand for memory densities tailored to specific use cases has grown as the number of applications requiring data logging has increased. Infineon is committed to providing our customers with the flexibility needed to meet the memory architectural requirements of any system design.”
EXCELON F-RAM's zero-delay recording capability allows system data to be captured and recorded up to the last instant before an accident or other user-defined trigger event. Both new devices use the serial interface (SPI/QSPI), have the exceptionally low power consumption characteristic of F-RAM, operate from 1.8 to 3.6 V, and come in a standard 8-pin SOIC package.
In addition to its exceptional endurance, Infineon's F-RAM is also designed to retain data for over 100 years after power loss.