The Atmel AT25256A is a 256Kbit Serial SPI EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory). It provides non-volatile storage for data and configuration settings in a wide variety of electronic devices. It communicates using a standard SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) bus, making it easy to interface with microcontrollers and other digital systems.

Applications

• Data Logging
• Configuration Storage
• Storing User Preferences
• Industrial Automation
• Automotive Electronics
• Medical Equipment

Features

• 256Kbit (32K x 8) EEPROM
• Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)
• High Speed Clock Frequency
• Low Voltage Operation: 1.8V to 5.5V
• Hardware Write Protection
• Software Write Protection
• Page Write Mode
• Self-Timed Write Cycle
• High Reliability: 1 Million Write Cycles
• Data Retention: 100 Years

Benefits

• Large Storage Capacity: Offers a significant amount of non-volatile storage.
• Easy to Interface: SPI interface simplifies integration with microcontrollers.
• High Speed: Fast clock frequency allows for quick data transfers.
• Low Power Consumption: Suitable for battery-powered applications.
• Write Protection: Prevents accidental data corruption.

Additional Details

The AT25256A supports both hardware and software write protection mechanisms. The page write mode allows writing up to a page of data in a single operation, significantly increasing write speeds. The device has a self-timed write cycle, which eliminates the need for external timing components and simplifies the write process. Although it is listed as END-OF-LIFE, it may still be suitable for replacement in existing systems. It is available in various packages, including SOIC, TSSOP, and DIP.