Production Glossary
Flash Memory
Flash memory, a class of Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory, or EEPROM, is a small chip that is able to store different types of digital information without the need of a source of power. These memory chips are often used in devices such as cell phones, memory sticks, digital cameras and MP3 players. Flash memory is able to delete the data it has stored in whole blocks, as opposed to byte- by- byte like other EEPROMs.The Way it Works
Inside of the flash chip are “cells”. These cells are where the information from a given device is held. There are SLC (single-level cells), in which only one bit of information is stored, and more recently MLC (multi-level cells), in which numerous bits of data can be stored by selecting from different electrical charges applied to the gates. The “floating gate” of the cell guards the information written there. When the cell’s contents is to be deleted, “tunneling” electrons alter the electronic charge of the floating gate in “a flash” (hence the name flash memory).
A Brief History
Dr. Fujio Masuoka developed flash memory in 1980 while he was employed by Toshiba. The new idea was introduced in 1984 at the International Electron Devices Meeting. The first commercial flash memory chip was introduced by Intel Corporation in 1988. These chips have seen numerous changes and advances since their initial launch. The goal of most of these changes were to improve erase and write times of the chips themselves, and to expand the uses of flash memory to multiple devices (such as flash memory sticks). More recently, flash memory has been replacing hard drives in computers. The advantage being that the flash chip is absent of any moving parts and tends to be less noisy than traditional hard drives. The ease of transport and the decreased access time both give flash memory a leg up over hard drives.
