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From: kurt@tc.fluke.COM (Kurt Guntheroth)
Newsgroups: comp.misc,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Non-volatile Memory--EEPROM
Message-ID: <12459@fluke.COM>
Date: 14 Nov 89 17:07:07 GMT
References: <1308@rodan.acs.syr.edu> <65243@psuecl.bitnet>
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There are several non-volatile memory technologies.

1.  (Most vanilla) battery backed CMOS RAM.  There are very low standby
    power CMOS RAMs kept alive by watch batteries.  

2.  EEPROMs.  These are fast read access, slow write access devices.

3.  (Most out-there) Ferroelectric RAM.  These are the semiconductor version
    of core memory.  RAMTRON is the US company that makes these.  These were
    all over the ISSCC conference proceedings a couple of years ago, but
    there are problems with the manufacturing process that are limiting their
    commercial development.  Ferroelectric RAM has the theoretical potential
    to beat dynamic RAM in density (if you believe the press releases) is
    intrinsically non-volatile, and has fast read and write access.