Freescale adds 2Mbit devices to growing MRAM portfolio

AUSTIN, Texas ¨C Aug. 13, 2007 ¨C Freescale Semiconductor, a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors, has introduced a series of 2Mbit magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) devices, providing designers a broader portfolio of MRAM products for a range of commercial, industrial and automotive applications. The 2Mbit MRAM replaces two current 1Mbit nvRAM parts with a single device designed to help reduce system cost and board area.

The 2Mbit devices round out Freescale's award-winning MRAM family of products with a choice of commercial, industrial and extended temperature ranges (operating from -40o to 105oC). MRAM devices are well-suited for a variety of applications, such as networking, security, data storage, gaming and printers. The extended temperature version is suitable for use in rugged application environments, such as military, aerospace and automotive designs.

MRAM uses magnetic materials combined with conventional silicon circuitry to deliver the speed of SRAM with the non-volatility of flash in a single, unlimited-endurance device. MRAM devices offer industry-leading price/performance within the high-density non-volatile RAM market and can be used in applications that require speed, endurance and non-volatility. Freescale's MRAM devices are designed to combine the best features of non-volatile memory and RAM to enable ¡°instant-on¡± capability and power loss protection in new classes of intelligent electronic devices.

Announced in 2006, Freescale's 4Mbit MR2A16A device is the world's first commercially available MRAM product. It recently received the 2007 R&D 100 Award from R&D magazine. In addition, the MR2A16A has been awarded Electronic Products 2006 Product of the Year, EE Times China 2007 Memory Product of the Year, the LSI of the Year Award of Excellence in conjunction with ESEC Japan and the 2007 In-Stat/Microprocessor Report Product of the Year Award for innovation. Additionally, Freescale's MRAM device was selected as a finalist in EDN's 2006 Innovation Awards and EE Times' 2006 ACE Awards.

The 2Mbit MRAM device (MR1A16A) is in volume production and available at a suggested resale price of $12.50 (USD) in 10,000-unit quantities. Initial shipments are planned to begin in September 2007.