Fujitsu Microelectronics America is now offering a new 256Mbit Fast Cycle Random Access Memory (FCRAM) chip that features low power consumption and high throughput for digital consumer electronics products.

 

The new MB81EDS256545 is ideal for system-in-package (SiP) designs that feature small mounting spaces on circuit boards, reduced component costs, and that run on 1.7 to 1.95 Volts.

 

MB81EDS256545 also provides for data transfer with 64-bit I/O, low-power DDR SDRAM interface. This data transfer rate is equivalent to two DDR2 SDRAMs with 16-bit I/O. The new FCRAM reduces power consumption by a maximum of approximately 1 watt (1W) and this is equivalent to about 70 percent less power than is required in typical implementations.

 

This product has a maximum data transfer rate of 3.46 gigabytes per second, with a 64-bit-wide I/O and operating frequencies up to 216MHz. This makes it well-suited for processing of image/video data and other data types that require high bandwidth, such as digital television.

 

To maintain stable signals, DDR2 SDRAM and other high-speed memory interfaces require a termination resistor. These resistors are responsible for much of the total power consumption in such applications. By using a wide 64-bit I/O bus, the new FCRAM eliminates the need for resistors to run at a lower operating frequency.

 

Using one unit of the new consumer FCRAM and two DDR2 SDRAMs, the power consumption comparison is based on a continuous data transfer of 3.2 GBps. A significant proportion of the DDR2 SDRAM's total power consumption has been accounted for by the terminating resistors as it gets rid of them with a significant contribution to power savings.

 

“The latest generation of consumer electronics products requires very low power consumption in order to reduce heat and operate efficiently,” said Tong Swan Pang, senior product marketing manager at Fujitsu Microelectronics America. “This new consumer FCRAM is designed specifically to deliver the performance, high integration and low power that digital televisions, camcorders, and other consumer products require.”