Memory

Basic terms and ideas

Magnetic memory
Memory addressing
ROMs, PROMs, and EPROMs
SRAMs,
DRAM
Basic terms and ideas
Store information – important requirement –
in digital system
Data storage – circuits called memory
Memory – may be flip flop / no.of flip flops
connected from a register
Composed of semi conductor memory chips
Semiconductor memory – composed of
bipolar trassistors or MOS transistors on an
IC – it is available in 2 categories
1. ROM
2. RAM
ICs – MSI and LSI
reliable and
economical memory
circuits available
Semiconductor
memory consists –
rectangular array of
memory cells
Memory cells
fabricated on a silicon
wafer – it is housed in
a DIP (Duel inline
Package)
The basic memory
cell –transistor flip
The total no.Of cells determines its capacity
A 1024 bipolar memory chip is a
semiconductor memory that has 1024
memory cells, each cell consisting of a flip-
flop constructed with the use of bipolar
transistors.
Chip is a term commonly used to refer to a
semiconductor memory device
Memories either classified into bipolar, metal
oxide semiconductor or Complementary MOS
Characteristics
The two general
categories of memory,
RAM and ROM
Once de power is applied
to a static RAM (SRAM),
the SRAM retains stored
information
indefinitely,
. A dynamic RAM
(DRAM), does not retain
stored data indefinitely;
any stored data must be
stored again (refreshed)
periodically
Both SRAMs and DRAMs are used to construct the
memory inside a microcomputer or minicomputer
DRAMs are used as the bulk of the memory, and
high-speed SRAMs are used for a smaller, rapid-
access type of memory known as cache memory.
The cache is used to momentarily store selected data
in order to improve computer speed of operation.
SRAMs can be either bipolar or MOS, but all DRAMs
are MOS.
The information (data) stored in a ROM is .fixed and
will be retained permanently even if de power is
removed -the startup and operation of a
computer
These instructions are retained, even when the
computer is off, and become immediately
available each time the computer is turned on.
Data stored in a programmable ROM
(PROM) is permanent-a PROM can be
programmed only once! However, the data
stored in an erasable PROM (EPROM) can
be "erased";
the EPROM can then be used to store new
data. PROMs can be either bipolar or MOS,
but all EPROMs are MOS
RAM
The logic circuitry associated with a RAM will allow a single bit
of information to be stored in any of the memory cells-this is
the write operation – data changes frequently.
logic circuitry that will detect whether a O or a 1 is stored in
any particular cell-this is the read operation.
 The fact that a bit can be written ( stored) in any cell or read
from any cell suggests the description random access.
A control signal, usually called chip-select or chip-enable, is
used to enable or disable the chip.
In the read mode, data from the selected memory cells is made
available at the output. In the write mode, information at the
data input is written into (stored in) the selected cells.
The address lines determine the cells written into or read from.
Since each cell is a transistor circuit, a loss of de power
means a loss of data-a RAM that has this type of memory cell
is said to provide volatile storage.
ROM
An application in which the data does not change
dictates the use of a ROM.
For instance, a "lookup table" that stores the values of
mathematical constants such as trigonometric functions
or a fixed program such as that used to find the square
root of a number could be stored in a ROM.
A ROM is still random access, since there are logic
circuitry and address lines to select any desired cell in
the memory. When enabled, data from the selected cells
is made available at the output.
no write mode. Since data is permanently stored in
each cell, a loss of power does not cause a loss of data,
and thus a ROM provides nonvolatile data storage.
Magnetic Memory
The basic principle involved in each case is
the magnetization of small spots in a thin
film of magnetic material.
Magnetic Recording
Magnetic tape is produced by the deposition
of a thin film of magnetic material on a long
strip of plastic, which is then wound on a
reel.
Magnetic material deposited on a rigid disk
forms the basis of a hard disk; the same
material on a semi rigid disk is used to
 A current i in the coil will produce
a magnetic field across the gap.
 A portion of this field will extend
into the magnetic material below
the gap, and the material will be
magnetized with a fixed
orientation.
 When the current is removed, a
magnetized spot remains, (figure
b) -information has been stored
 If the current is reversed in
direction, a spot will again be
magnetized, but with the opposite
fixed orientation, Fig. c.
 Clearly this is a binary system,
and it can be used to store binary
information
 s 1 (high) and Part c as 0 (low).
Introducing current i to record a O
or a I is writing (or recording or
storing) data.
Magnetic tape
n