Fujitsu Microelectronics America, Inc. (FMA) today introduced its 1MBit FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory), the highest-ever capacity FRAM ever developed.

The new FRAM also features high-speed read-and-write operations, low power consumption, and high endurance.

Fujitsu's two 1Mbit FRAM devices ? the MB85R1001 (?8 bits) and the MB85R1002 (?16 bits) ? have the highest capacity of any FRAM product available today. The new devices have been built using the latest 0.35-micron 1T1C cell technology.

The FRAMs are designed to meet the growing demand for non-volatile memory that provides high-speed operation, low power consumption, and high endurance for office equipment (including printers, copier machines and portable information devices) and appliances (such as microwaves and washing machines). The FRAMs, which combine the features of both RAM and ROM, easily support the major requirements of these applications, including storing security information and status monitoring.

Fujitsu has been a world leader in FRAM development and mass production, and is the first company to mass-produce megabit-class FRAM. Fujitsu first marketed embedded LSI FRAMs in 1999 and produced a 256 Kbit application-specific standalone memory for the non-volatile memory market. To date, the company has sold more than 160 million FRAM products.

This expanded FRAM product line-up offers next-generation memory solutions. FRAM replaces battery back-up memory, and offers many other advantages including easy production and maintenance. Because they replace battery power, FRAMs are environmentally friendly. Using FRAM in place of RAM and ROM also reduces development costs.

FRAM's writing speed is more than 10,000 times faster; the product consumes less than 1/10th the power in write operation, and its rewriting endurance is more than 100,000 times higher than EEPROM. The company also has introduced 1T1C cell technology that doubles the amount of capacity than is provided by its traditional 2T2C cell technology. This high capacity has been achieved without increasing the die size.

Pricing and Availability
The 1Mbit FRAM is available now. Built using Fujitsu's 0.35-micron CMOS process, the devices are housed in TSOP48 and FBGA48 packages. Sample pricing for the MB85R1001 and MB85R1001 begins at $19 each in 1,000-piece units.