EPROM

An EPROM. The small quartz window admits UV light for erasure.

An EPROM, or Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory, is a type of memory chip that retains its data when its power supply is switched off. In other words, it is non-volatile. It is an array of floating-gate transistors individually programmed by an electronic device that supplies higher voltages than those normally used in digital circuits. Once programmed, an EPROM can be erased only by exposing it to strong ultraviolet light. That UV light usually has a wavelength of 253.7nm (for optimum erasure time) and belongs to the UVC range of UV light. EPROMs are easily recognizable by the transparent fused quartz window in the top of the package, through which the silicon chip can be seen, and which permits UV light during erasing.

Details

As the quartz window is expensive to make, OTP (one-time programmable) chips were introduced; here, the die is mounted in an opaque package so it can not be erased after programming - this also means the manufacturer doesn't have to test the erase functionality, further reducing cost. OTP versions of both EPROMs and EPROM-based microcontrollers are manufactured. However, OTP EPROM (whether separate or part of a larger chip) is being increasingly replaced by EEPROM for small amounts where the cell cost isn't too important and flash for larger amounts.

A programmed EPROM retains its data for about ten to twenty years^{[citation needed]} and can be read an unlimited number of times. The erasing window must be kept covered with a foil label to prevent accidental erasure by sunlight. Old PC BIOS chips were often EPROMs, and the erasing window was often covered with a label containing the BIOS publisher's name, the BIOS revision, and a copyright notice.

Erasure of the EPROM begins to occur with wavelengths shorter than 400 nm. Exposure time for sunlight of 1 week or 3 years for room fluorescent lighting may cause erasure. The recommended erasure procedure is exposure to UV light at 253.7 nm of at least 15 W-sec/cm2 for 20 to 30 minutes, with the lamp at a distance of about 1 inch.

Erasure can also be accomplished with X-rays:

"Erasure, however, has to be accomplished by non-electrical methods, since the gate electrode is not accessible electrically. Shining ultraviolet light on any part of an unpackaged device causes a photocurrent to flow from the floating gate back to the silicon substrate, thereby discharging the gate to its initial, uncharged condition. This method of erasure allows complete testing and correction of a complex memory array before the package is finally sealed. Once the package is sealed, information can still be erased by exposing it to X radiation in excess of 5*10⁴ rads, a dose which is easily attained with commercial X-ray generators." (5*10⁴ rad = 500 J/kg)^[1]

"In other words, to erase your EPROM you would first have to X-ray it and then put it in an oven at about 600 degrees Celsius. The effects of this process on the reliability of the part would have required extensive testing so they decided on the window instead."^[2] (any temperature between 450 - 1410 °C should work).

Some microcontrollers, often those from before the era of EEPROMs and flash memory, use EPROM to store their program. Such microcontrollers include some versions of the Intel 8048, the Freescale 68HC11, and the "C" versions of the PIC microcontroller. Like EPROM chips, such microcontrollers came in windowed (expensive) versions that were useful for debugging and program development, and also the same chip came in (somewhat cheaper) opaque OTP packages for production. Leaving the die of such a chip exposed to light can also change behavior in unexpected ways when moving from a windowed part used for development to a non-windowed part for production.

The EPROM was invented by Israeli engineer Dov Frohman in 1971.

EPROMs come in several sizes both in physical packaging as well and storage capacity. While parts of the same type number from different manufacturers are compatible as long as they're only being read, there are subtle differences in the programming process.

Most EPROMS could be identified by the programmer through "signature mode" by forcing 12V on pin A9 and reading out two bytes of data. However, as this was not universal, programmer software also would allow manual setting of the manufacturer and device type of the chip to ensure proper programming.

^[3]

Gallery

Close up of a EPROM die

A 32KB (256Kbit) EPROM

EPROM. 60x closeup

This 8749 Microcontroller stores its program in internal EPROM

See also

• Programmable read-only memory
• EEPROM
• Flash memory
• Intel HEX - File format
• SREC - File format

References

External links

• Detailed information about EPROMs types and EPROM programming