F-RAM (Ferroelectric RAM)

Highly reliable, low power data logging memory

FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory or FeRAM) is a stand-alone nonvolatile memory that enables you to instantly capture and preserve critical data when power is interrupted. They are ideal for mission-critical data-logging applications like high-performance Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) requiring high reliability control and throughput, or life-enhancing patient monitoring devices. Designed in a low-power, small footprint, F-RAMs offer instant non-volatility and virtually unlimited endurance without compromising on speed or energy-efficiency.

Density: 4Kb, 16Kb, 64Kb, 128Kb, 256Kb, 512Kb, 1Mb, 2Mb, 4Mb, 8Mb, 16Mb
Interface: I2C, SPI, QSPI, Parallel(X8, X16)

Key features

• NoDelay™ Write – Writes data to memory cells at bus speed with no soak-time
• High Endurance – Outlasts floating gate memories with over 100 trillion write cycles
• Ultra Low Power – Consumes 200x less energy than EEPROMs and 3,000x less than NOR Flash
• Radiation Tolerant – Immune to soft errors caused by radiation that can produce bit flips

Infineon F-RAM memory family

Infineon offers a comprehensive portfolio of serial and parallel F-RAM non-volatile memories. Our standard F-RAMs are available in densities ranging from 4kbit to 4Mbit. Excelon™ is Infineon’s next generation of FRAM memory. Excelon™ F-RAM delivers the industry’s lowest-power nonvolatile memory, by combining ultra-low-power operation with high-speed interfaces, instant nonvolatility and unlimited read/write cycle endurance making it the ideal data-logging memory for portable medical, wearable, IoT sensor, industrial and automotive applications. They are available in densities ranging from 2 Mbit to 16 Mbit and support 1.71V to 1.89V operating voltage range in addition to the wide-voltage 1.8V to 3.6V range.
Learn more about our high-density Excelon™ FRAM’s.

F-RAM technology and benefits

F-RAM memories are built on Ferroelectric technology. The F-RAM chip contains a thin ferroelectric film of lead zirconate titanate, commonly referred to as PZT. The atoms in the PZT change polarity in an electric field, thereby producing a power efficient binary switch. However, the most important aspect of the PZT is that it is not affected by power disruption, making F-RAM a reliable nonvolatile memory. The underlying operation principle of the F-RAM and its unique memory cell architecture imparts specific advantages that sets the technology apart from competing memory technologies like EEPROM or NOR Flash.

F-RAM vs competing non-volatile memory solutions

F-RAM products are among the industry’s lowest power nonvolatile memory solutions consuming much lesser active currents than competing EEPROM and MRAM solutions. This makes F-RAMs suitable for battery operated devices such as wearables and medical implants. Virtually unlimited endurance and instant non-volatility ensure that F-RAMs outperform existing memories like EEPROM and NOR Flash in several datalogging applications.

F-RAM (Ferroelectric RAM) subcategories

EXCELON™ F-RAM

The most energy efficient, high density, reliable data logging memories
EXCELON™, Infineon’s next-generation Ferroelectric RAM (F-RAM) memory, delivers the industry’s lowest-power mission-critical nonvolatile memory, by combining ultra-low-power operation with high-speed interfaces, instant nonvolatility and unlimited read/write cycle endurance. This makes EXCELON™ the ideal data-logging memory for portable medical, wearable, IoT sensor, industrial and automotive applications.

Density: 2Mbit, 4Mbit, 8Mbit

Interface: SPI, QSPI

Key features

• High performance – More than 10x increase in performance with a 108Mhz serial QSPI interface vs today’s SPI FRAMs
• Ultra-Low-Energy – Up to 70x reduction in typ. standby currents vs. F-RAMs today, along with inrush current control
• Low Supply Voltage – Supports 1.71V to 1.89V operating voltage in addition to the wide voltage 1.8V to 3.6V range
• High Density – Industry’s highest density serial nonvolatile RAM offering up to 16Mbits of storage for datalogging

Infineon’s EXCELON™ F-RAM Family
EXCELON™ Ultra – High-Performance F-RAM for Industrial Automation

• Low-pin-count 108 MHz QSPI interface that is as fast as a parallel interface with 35 ns burst access time.
• Read/write endurance of 100 trillion cycles to log data continuously for 15-20 years at 85°C.
• Single chip to replace a multi-component solution (SRAM + battery + power management controller).

EXCELON™ Auto – High Reliability F-RAM for Automotive Event Data Recorder

• AEC-Q100 qualified and Functional Safety (ISO 26262) compliant memory
• Read/write endurance of 10 trillion cycles to log data every 10 microseconds for 20 years
• Robust performance at higher automotive operating temperatures from -40°C to +125°C

EXCELON™ LP – Ultra-Low-Energy F-RAM for Portable Medical devices and Wearables

• Multiple power-saving modes – Hibernate, Deep Power Down and Standby
• 200x less energy than EEPROMs and 3,000x less energy than NOR Flash
• Inrush current control to minimize surge current on power up
• Read/write endurance of 1,000 trillion cycles to log data every millisecond for more than 3,000 years
• Tiny footprint (~10mm2) 8-pin GQFN package for small form factors

2Mbit to 16Mbit EXCELON™ F-RAM Family
Learn more about the ultra-low-energy family of serial F-RAMs that is the industry’s most energy efficient, high performance, high-reliability nonvolatile memory.