Winbond > Part Catalog/Code Storage Flash Memory > Serial NOR Flash
Serial NOR Flash
Winbond provides SpiFlash® memories features multi I/O memory with a popular Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) and flash densities ranging from 512Kbit to 2G-bit. Not only does it have the highest performance in the industry, but it also has small erasable sectors. As for Serial NOR Flash memory, Winbond now adopts 58nm manufacturing process to produce and has been the largest supplier in the market since 2012.
What is Serial NOR Flash?
Non-volatile flash memory is generally available for system designers to store their data. NOR flash is a stable and reliable memory that can be read and written for long periods of time while retaining data. However, its production capacity is relatively low, and the unit cost is relatively high.
NOR flash is well-suited for code storage as it requires reliable performance and long-term data retention, as well as frequent read and write operations. Winbond now adopts 58nm manufacturing process to produce higher-capacity NOR Flash memory products, offering densities ranging from 512Mb to 2Gb, and supporting operating voltages of 3V and 1.8V to meet the industry's demand for higher storage capacity memory products.
NAND Flash and NOR Flash are two dominant non-volatile memories used in electronic devices. Since the capacity of NAND Flash is larger than that of NOR Flash—512Kb～2Gb—it could be used for data storage. With sufficient address space and data lines, NOR Flash has faster random read speed and suits to be used for code storage and execution. Besides, NOR Flash also has higher reliability than NAND Flash.
What are the benefits of Winbond Serial NOR Flash?
High performance & higher clock rates:
Winbond Serial NOR Flash - W25Q family is equipped with Dual-I/O or Quad-I/O SPI for high performance. With Quad-SPI, the clock rates could reach up to 133MHz, which achieve an equivalent of 532MHz (50M-Byte/S transfer rate). (66M-Byte/s transfer rate) when using Quad-SPI.
Faster transfer rates:
It means controllers can execute code with Execute in Place (XIP) directly from the SPI interface, and the boot time could be further improved when the codes are shadowed to RAM. Some devices in W25Q family offer the new Quad Peripheral Interface (QPI) supporting true Quad Commands for improved XIP performance and simpler controller circuitry.
Ultra-small form factor:
Winbond provide the new ultra-small form factor packages are provided for size constraints for the application of mobility and handheld devices. (e.g. the packing of USON8, WLCSP… )
What applications are suitable for Serial NOR Flash?
The wide range applications including PCs, Printers, DSL/Cable Modem, Hard Drives, Set Top Box, LCD-TV, WLAN, Bluetooth, GPS, MP3, Meters, DSP, FPGAs and more.
The new ultra-small form-factor packages are the ideal for space constrained in mobile and handheld applications, like AMOLED in mobile phone and TWS earbuds.
For IoT devices, the cost, the power consumption, the size, the reliability, the performance are all needed to be considered. What is even obvious is that the demands of NOR Flash are the same as other IoT devices.
Winbond memories supports automotive applications by TS16949 certified and AEC-Q100 qualified.