Cypress, Infineon and Micron Announce First CellularRAM™ Samples - Multi-Generation Family of Low-Power PSRAMs - Designed for 2.5G and 3G Wireless Handsets
Joint Press Release by Cypress, Infineon and Micron
SAN JOSE, Calif., May 5, 2003 The CellularRAM co-development team of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE: CY), Infineon Technologies (FSE, NYSE: IFX) and Micron Technology, Inc. (NYSE: MU), today announced the availability of 32 Megabit (Mb) 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.
The CellularRAM architecture offers mobile handset designers the ability to add exciting new product features at very low costs by providing a unique combination of high performance and low power consumption in a simple, straightforward design, said Pashupathy Gopalan, Director of Marketing for Cypresss Memory Products Division.
" Supported by leading memory manufacturers, the CellularRAM product family is poised to become the preferred solution for emerging high-performance handset applications," said Dr. Ernst Strasser, Director of Marketing for Specialty DRAM at Infineon Technologies. "We also offer CellularRAM products in known-good die (KGD) wafer formats so that memory subsystems can be tuned to specific application requirements, such as integration into multi-chip package solutions."
The CellularRAM architecture is our answer to handset designers' demands for a faster, more efficient, and simpler design in a high-throughput memory subsystem, said Mario Fazio, Microns Director of Strategic Marketing for Wireless Products. It is also an ideal volatile memory companion to popular high-speed burst Flash memory. Combining CellularRAM memory with Flash memory in a multi-chip package provides improved system performance while reducing board space for emerging handset designs.
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 104 MHz clock rates with low initial latency of 70ns and can achieve up to 208 MB/s (1.5 Gb/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 2 Meg x 16. The 16Mb and 64Mb density components are organized as 1 Meg x 16 and 4 Meg x 16. To ensure full compatibility for customers seeking multiple sources, the CellularRAM co-development companies are now analyzing and validating each manufacturers 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. For more information, visit www.cellularram.com.
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE: CY) is Connecting from Last Mile to First Mile with high-performance solutions for personal, network access, enterprise, metro switch, and core communications-system applications. Cypress Connects using wireless, wireline, digital, and optical transmission standards, including USB, Fibre Channel, SONET/SDH, Gigabit Ethernet, and DWDM. Leveraging its process and system-level expertise, Cypress makes industry-leading physical layer devices, framers, and network search engines, along with a broad portfolio of high-bandwidth memories, timing technology solutions, and programmable microcontrollers. More information about Cypress is accessible online at www.cypress.com.
SAN JOSE, Calif., May 5, 2003 The CellularRAM co-development team of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE: CY), Infineon Technologies (FSE, NYSE: IFX) and Micron Technology, Inc. (NYSE: MU), today announced the availability of 32 Megabit (Mb) 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.
The CellularRAM architecture offers mobile handset designers the ability to add exciting new product features at very low costs by providing a unique combination of high performance and low power consumption in a simple, straightforward design, said Pashupathy Gopalan, Director of Marketing for Cypresss Memory Products Division.
" Supported by leading memory manufacturers, the CellularRAM product family is poised to become the preferred solution for emerging high-performance handset applications," said Dr. Ernst Strasser, Director of Marketing for Specialty DRAM at Infineon Technologies. "We also offer CellularRAM products in known-good die (KGD) wafer formats so that memory subsystems can be tuned to specific application requirements, such as integration into multi-chip package solutions."
The CellularRAM architecture is our answer to handset designers' demands for a faster, more efficient, and simpler design in a high-throughput memory subsystem, said Mario Fazio, Microns Director of Strategic Marketing for Wireless Products. It is also an ideal volatile memory companion to popular high-speed burst Flash memory. Combining CellularRAM memory with Flash memory in a multi-chip package provides improved system performance while reducing board space for emerging handset designs.
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 104 MHz clock rates with low initial latency of 70ns and can achieve up to 208 MB/s (1.5 Gb/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 2 Meg x 16. The 16Mb and 64Mb density components are organized as 1 Meg x 16 and 4 Meg x 16. To ensure full compatibility for customers seeking multiple sources, the CellularRAM co-development companies are now analyzing and validating each manufacturers 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. For more information, visit www.cellularram.com.
About Cypress
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE: CY) is Connecting from Last Mile to First Mile with high-performance solutions for personal, network access, enterprise, metro switch, and core communications-system applications. Cypress Connects using wireless, wireline, digital, and optical transmission standards, including USB, Fibre Channel, SONET/SDH, Gigabit Ethernet, and DWDM. Leveraging its process and system-level expertise, Cypress makes industry-leading physical layer devices, framers, and network search engines, along with a broad portfolio of high-bandwidth memories, timing technology solutions, and programmable microcontrollers. More information about Cypress is accessible online at www.cypress.com.
About Infineon
Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions for the automotive and industrial sectors, for applications in the wired communications markets, secure mobile solutions as well as memory products. With a global presence, Infineon operates in the US from San Jose, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore and in Japan from Tokyo. In fiscal year 2002 (ending September), the company achieved sales of Euro 5.21 billion with about 30,400 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the DAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX). Further information is available at http://www.infineon.com.
About Micron
Micron Technology, Inc., is one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron manufactures and markets DRAMs, Flash memory, CMOS image sensors, other semiconductor components and memory modules for use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, and mobile products. Micron's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit its web site at www.micron.com.
CellularRAM is a trademark of Micron Technology, Inc. in the U.S.and is a trademark of Infineon Technologies outside the U.S. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Editorial Contacts:
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
Ed Rebello
(408) 545-7665
ewr@cypress.com
Micron Technology, Inc
Echo (208) 368-4400Chadwick
echadwick@micron.com
Information Number
INFMP200305.073