Fujitsu today came out with two new FCRAM memory chips featuring an operating temperature range that has been extended to a high-temperature of 125°C for the first time in memory with a DDR SDRAM interface. The new FCRAM products, the 512Mbit (MB81EDS516545), and 256Mbit (MB81EDS256545), are low power consumption memory optimized for use in system-in-packages (SiPs) in digital consumer products such as digital TVs and digital video camcorders.

To use such a conventional memory in the SiP, another option is to add some kind of heat disperser like a heat-sink. As shown in Figure 1(b), this would reduce the SiP temperature to 90 °C so operating is feasible, however there is increased cost and increases size. Subsequently, many customers who have been investigating using SiPs have wished for memory with an extended operating temperature range.

Fujitsu Microelectronics has responded to those needs by developing these 512Mbit and 256Mbit Consumer FCRAM products with a maximum operating temperature of 125°C. As shown in Figure 1(c), using the 125°C rated FCRAM, the SiP operates fine even with an SoC with high power consumption, and without the need to add a heat-sink. This solves the problem of increased costs for thermal measures encountered when trying to use 95°C-rated conventional memory.

Furthermore, even for operating temperatures of 125°C, these FCRAM products can provide data transfer rates that are more than 2 times the data rate of conventional DDR SDRAM memory, while keeping power consumption low. In fact the new 512Mbit FCRAM for example can provide a reduction in power consumption of up to 50% compared to the equivalent conventional DDR2 SDRAM memory. Therefore these new FCRAMs also contribute to a 50% reduction of CO2 emissions from the memory in digital consumer products.