Catalyst Semiconductor EEPROMS Ride DDR II DIMM Memory Market Expansion.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 21, 2004 Catalyst Semiconductor (Nasdaq:CATS) today announced a new Serial Presence Detect Serial Presence Detect - presence detect (SPD (Serial Presence Detect) The method used by DIMM memory modules to communicate their capacity and features to the computer. Data such as manufacturer, size, speed, voltage and row and column addresses are stored in an EEPROM chip on the module. ) EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM) A rewritable memory chip that holds its content without power. Although EEPROMs spawned flash memory, EEPROMs are byte addressable at the write level, whereas flash chips must erase a block of bytes before rewriting. that supports Double Date Rate II (DDR (Double Data Rate) Refers to an SDRAM memory chip that increases performance by doubling the effective data rate of the frontside bus. For more details, see SDRAM. DDR - Double Data Rate Random Access Memory II) memory modules. For optimal speed and performance, all DDR II memory modules must have a SPD EEPROM that holds critical system information for the system BIOS. The CAT34RC02 is built around the JEDEC The division of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA) that deals with semiconductor standards (officially, the JEDEC Solid State Technology Association of EIA). JEDEC was formed in 1958 when the Joint Electron Tube Engineering Council (JETEC) split into two Joint Electron Device DDR II standard that defines reversible software write protect (RSWP) and permanent software write protect (PSWP PSWP Pregnant Soldier Wellness Program ) methods for the first 128 bytes of the SPD EEPROM. The CAT34RC02 supports RSWP and PSWP methods. "Catalyst Semiconductor participated in the early development of DDR II SPD EEPROM specifications by working through JEDEC standard committees," said Catalyst Product Marketing Manager Gary Craig. "We are working closely with major dual inline memory module (DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module) A printed circuit board that holds memory chips and plugs into a DIMM socket on the motherboard. See memory module. DIMM - Dual In-Line Memory Module ) manufacturers to qualify the CAT34RC02 and are also developing advanced, compact package options using Thin, Dual-in-line Flat Package, No Lead (TDFN TDFN The Digimon Frontier Network TDFN Thin Dual-in-line Flat Package ) and chip scale package A chip scale package (CSP) (sometimes, chip-scale package with a hyphen) is a type of integrated circuit chip carrier. According to the IPC, to qualify as chip scale, the package must have an area no greater than 1.2 times that of the die that is being packaged. technology. As a long-time supplier of SPD EEPROMs to DIMM suppliers worldwide, we look for rapid adoption and high production volumes of the CAT34RC02 during 2004." According to published reports, the total DRAM market revenue is expected to grow at an annual growth rate of 18 percent through the year 2007. DRAM revenues forecasts reach $35 billion in 2007 from a base of $20 billion in 2004. CAT34RC02 Features Catalyst has been supplying serial presence detect EEPROMs since 1997. The CAT34RC02 represents the latest technology and supports the fast growing DDR II memory market that serves PC, notebook, server and graphic display markets.
Key CAT34RC02 features include:
-- Permanent and reversible software memory-write protection
-- Hardware write protection pin
-- Wide power supply operation: 1.7 V to 5.5 V
-- High-speed I2C data bus
-- 400 kHz at 2.5 V
-- 100 kHz at 1.7 V
-- 100 year data retention
-- Low power CMOS technology: "Zero" standby current
Packages and Availability The CAT34RC02 2-kbit serial SPD EEPROM is available in 8-lead TSSOP TSSOP Thin Shrink Small Outline Package TSSOP Thin Scale Small Outline Package , SOIC (Small Outline IC) A small-dimension, plastic, rectangular, surface mount chip package that uses gull-wing pins extending outward. See gull-wing lead, SOJ and chip package. and thin TDFN packages. Environment friendly "Green" packages, that are halogen free and lead free, are also available. Prices start at $0.25 in 10,000 piece quantities. Samples and production quantities are available now. About Catalyst Semiconductor Founded in 1985, Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc. is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. The Company is a developer and marketer of programmable products used in telecommunications, networking systems, computation, automotive, industrial and consumer markets. The Company designs and markets a broad range of programmable products including Flash Memories, Parallel and Serial EEPROMs with I2C, SPI and Microwire interfaces, NVRAMs, Digitally Programmable Potentiometers, White LED drivers, Voltage References, Microcontroller Supervisory circuits and other programmable Mixed Signal products. Typical applications for the Company's products include optical networks, modems, wireless LANs, network cards, PC BIOS, DIMM modules, cellular telephones, digital satellite box receivers, set-top boxes and Internet routers. Catalyst's Quality Management System is ISO (1) See ISO speed. (2) (International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland, www.iso.ch) An organization that sets international standards, founded in 1946. The U.S. member body is ANSI. 9001:2000 certified. Additional information about Catalyst Semiconductor is available on the Company's web site at www.catalyst-semiconductor.com. Except for those statements that report the Company's historical results, the statements being made are forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained under the heading "Certain Factors That May Affect the Company's Future Results of Operations" listed from time to time in Catalyst's SEC reports including but not limited to the report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2003, and more recent Forms 10-Q. Editor Notes: Trademark notices: DPP is a trademark of Catalyst Semiconductor. I2C is a registered trademark of Philips Corporation. SPI is a trademark of Motorola, Inc. Electronic images are available at www.catalyst-semiconductor.com/editor. |
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