The VRS51L3072, an 8051-based microcontroller, has 2 kbyte of nonvolatile FRAM memory for quick and reliable nonvolatile data storage. It is pin-compatible with the company’s 8-kbyte F-RAM MCUs and said to be a costeffective alternative for applications needing less than 8 kbyte of F-RAM. F-RAM eliminates the code overhead accompanying Flash data storage and the limited endurance and drawn out write cycles of Flash/EEPROM. Unlike Flash, F-RAM bytes can be modified without first erasing an entire sector, so it’s easier to use. Other features on the chip include a 40-Mips, singlecycle 8051-core, 64-kbyte Flash with in-system/in-application programming, 4-kbyte SRAM, DSP extensions, and a digital peripheral set. The chip operates at 3.3 V over the entire industrial temperature range.
Ramtron International Corp., 1850 Ramtron Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80921, (719) 481-7000, www.ramtron.com
