Digital pot with EEPROM runs record write cycles

austriamicrosystems has launched an 8bit digital potentiometer claiming high-performance EEPROM and industry-leading data retention and write cycles for communications, industrial, medical and automotive applications. The AS1507 is a 256-tap SPI-interfaced non-volatile dual digital potentiometer available with 10-, 50- and 100k? resistance.

The AS1507 is suitable for use in low power environments, using a maximum of 500nA during standby and exceptional low 200?A (max) during operation including the CMOS write current. Operating from a single supply from 2.7V to 5.5V, the AS1507 offers an end-to end resistance temperature coefficient of 90ppm/°C. The AS1507 delivers an excellent integral nonlinearity of ±0.5LSB (max) as well as outstanding differential nonlinearity of ±0.5LSB (max). A mute input signal allows a wiper reset to zero for both potentiometer registers.

"The AS1507 offers several advantages over analog potentiometers and competitive digital potentiometers," said Walter Moshammer, Standard Linear marketing director at austriamicrosystems. "Besides the obvious advantages of being vibration and shock resistant, with better resolution, small form factor and increased overall performance, the AS1507 offers an exceptionally reliable EEPROM which is able to save the stored information for decades, even in the harshest environments."

Record write cycles
The AS1507 digital potentiometer stores the wiper information in the integrated high endurance, performance and retention (Hi-EPR) EEPROM with world beating numbers of write cycles and data retention time. austriamicrosystems Hi-EPR EEPROM allows 10 million write cycles at 25°C and an unheard of 1 million write cycles at 85°C which is 50 times more than conventional high grade EEPROM. Additionally, the AS1507 delivers 150 years of data retention at 85°C storing the EEPROM information 15 times longer than standard high grade EEPROM. A ready signal indicates the end of a writing operation.

The AS1507 is available in 16pin 3mm x 3mm TDFN package.