2 FlashOverview_AN_A0 November 10, 2005
Non-Volatile Memory
Non-volatile memory is memory that retains its contents even if the power is lost. Non-
volatile memory was originally called Read Only Memory (ROM) because its contents
were loaded during the manufacturing process and could be read, but never erased or
reprogrammed. Over time, the ability to erase and reprogram ROM was added in differ-
ent ways and referred to as Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically
Erasable and Programmable ROM (EEPROM), and Flash EEPROM - commonly referred
to simply as Flash memory.
ROM memory is programmed by the way it is manufactured and stores permanent code
and data that is generally used to initialize and operate a computer system.
EPROM can be electrically programmed one byte at a time but is not electrically eras-
able. It has to be exposed to ultra-violet (UV) light for about twenty minutes in order to
erase all bits in the memory array. EPROM uses a single transistor for each data bit and
can be used in relatively high density memories.
EEPROM is electrically erasable and programmable in-system, one byte at a time, but
the memory cells use more transistors and are larger than those in EPROMs, thus
EEPROM has higher costs and lower density (generally less than 1 Mb).
Flash EEPROM memory can be electrically programmed a single byte or word at a
time, but a large group of bytes or words - called a block, sector , or page - are electri-
cally erased at the same time. Due to the erase operation being much faster than the
prior EPROM or EEPROM devices, these devices came to be called Flash erase EEPROM,
or simply Flash memories. The Flash memory cell uses a single transistor to store one
or more bits of information. Flash technology combines the high density of EPROM with
the electrical in-system erase and programmability of EEPROMs. Flash memory has be-
come the dominant type of non-volatile memory in use.
Table 1 compares the fundamental features of Flash memory with those of the other
memory technologies discussed earlier . The remainder of the application note will cover
only Flash memory.
Table 1. Compares Flash Memory with Other Memory T echnologies
Non volatile High Density Low Power
One Transistor
Per Cell
In-System Rewriteable
Fully
Bit-Alterable
High-Performance
Read
Flash
Memory
x x x x x x
SRAM x x x
DRAM x x x x x
EPROM x x x x x
EEPROM x x x x x
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