Cypress, Micron and Infineon Announce CellularRAM

by Anton Shilov
05/07/2003 | 04:26 PM

The CellularRAM co-development team of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, Infineon Technologies AG and Micron Technology announced the availability of 32Mb CellularRAM devices for wireless handsets. Samples are available in both asynchronous and burst modes.

Last year, the three companies announced an agreement to co-develop specifications for CellularRAM products, a new multi-generation family of low-power pseudo-static RAM (PSRAM). The devices are designed to meet growing memory and bandwidth demands of future 2.5G and 3G handset designs by offering a lower cost/bit ratio than current solutions. CellularRAM devices incorporate several low-power features and are drop-in compatible, having the same voltage range, package, and ball assignment, with asynchronous low-power SRAMs currently used in cell phone designs. This compatible architecture provides designers a smooth transition from SRAM to CellularRAM products.

The co-development effort between Cypress, Infineon and Micron provides customers with pin- and function-compatible products from multiple sources, based on a jointly developed specification for CellularRAM memory. Each company is manufacturing products using their own design and process technologies and product development timetables. In addition to 32Mb density components, the co-development roadmap includes plans for 16Mb and 64Mb density components. Micron is currently sampling the 32Mb and 64Mb devices, with full production expected in the third quarter of 2003. Infineon is currently sampling the 32Mb and 16Mb with full production expected in the third quarter of 2003. And Cypress plans to have samples available in the first half of 2004.

Based on a DRAM cell, the CellularRAM architecture provides significant advantages over traditional SRAMs and six-transistor (6T) SRAM cells by leveraging the technology and reduced size of a DRAM cell. The 32Mb CellularRAM samples currently available operate at up to 104MHz clock-rates with low initial latency of 70ns and can achieve up to 208MB/s of peak bandwidth. These devices emulate popular standard burst READ and WRITE modes including the Intel W18 and Micron Flash Burst-compatible protocol with various I/O voltage options.

The 32Mb samples are organized as 2Mx16. The 16Mb and 64Mb density components are organized as 1Mx16 and 4Mx16. To ensure full compatibility for customers seeking multiple sources, the CellularRAM co-development companies are now analyzing and validating each manufacturer's sample products for final verification.

CellularRAM co-development members are jointly working on the definition of the next generation of the CellularRAM product family, a 128Mb device, targeted for sampling in second half of 2004.