Enjoy the perks of FRAM memory with MB94R330 and PIC18F57Q43

FRAM 3 Click is based on the MB94R330, a FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memory) authentication IC from Fujitsu Semiconductor, made using ferroelectric and silicon gate CMOS process technologies to form nonvolatile memory cells. The MB94R330 adopts an original communication protocol based on the two-wire serial interface (I2C BUS), a hardware cryptographic macro, and a proprietary control core. It is suitable for detecting cloned peripherals and accessories used in electric equipment such as printers and multifunction printers. Ferroelectric technology is still being developed and perfected, but the advantages have already been demonstrated. This technology exploits the properties of ferroelectric materials to retain the electric field after exposure, the same way the ferromagnetic materials retain their magnetic field. This phenomenon is employed to polarize the FRAM cells and store the information.

One area that still needs improvement is the thermal instability, especially at high temperatures. When the ferroelectric material reaches the Curie temperature, its properties are degraded. Therefore, the high temperature might damage the content of the FRAM module. This is illustrated by the data retention period: while working at 55˚C, the data retention period is ten years. Still, combined with the endurance of 1010 read/write cycles at bus write speed, this type of memory still represents an ideal solution for applications with frequent writing to nonvolatile memory locations. This Click board™ uses the I2C communication protocol, allowing fast serial clock rates. The device employs certain protection mechanisms to ensure reliable data transactions and avoid accidental writing to the memory array. The MB94R330 supports the I2C bus and operates as a peripheral device. The role of the communication for the I2C bus is different from

the "Master" side and the "Slave" side. The master side has the authority to initiate control. Furthermore, the party line can be connected, which connects two or more peripheral devices to one master. In this case, the slave side has a unique address, respectively, and after specifying the address on the slave side, the master side starts to communicate. The FRAM 3 click is suitable for detecting cloned peripherals and accessories used in electric equipment such as printers, multifunction printers, and more. This Click board™ can be operated only with a 3.3V logic voltage level. The board must perform appropriate logic voltage level conversion before using MCUs with different logic levels. Also, it comes equipped with a library containing functions and an example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

PIC18F57Q43 Curiosity Nano evaluation kit is a cutting-edge hardware platform designed to evaluate microcontrollers within the PIC18-Q43 family. Central to its design is the inclusion of the powerful PIC18F57Q43 microcontroller (MCU), offering advanced functionalities and robust performance. Key features of this evaluation kit include a yellow user LED and a responsive

mechanical user switch, providing seamless interaction and testing. The provision for a 32.768kHz crystal footprint ensures precision timing capabilities. With an onboard debugger boasting a green power and status LED, programming and debugging become intuitive and efficient. Further enhancing its utility is the Virtual serial port (CDC) and a debug GPIO channel (DGI

GPIO), offering extensive connectivity options. Powered via USB, this kit boasts an adjustable target voltage feature facilitated by the MIC5353 LDO regulator, ensuring stable operation with an output voltage ranging from 1.8V to 5.1V, with a maximum output current of 500mA, subject to ambient temperature and voltage constraints.