Week 7

SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES,
RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ
ONLY MEMORY
Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson the learner will be able

to:
Define semiconductor memories
Identify the types of RAM
Define ROM
Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES

Semiconductor memory is a digital electronic data storage

device, implemented with semiconductor devices. It is often used
as computer memory, implemented with metal-oxide-
semiconductor (MOS) memory cells on an integrated circuit (IC)
chip. There are many different types of implementations using
various technologies.
Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES

There are two electronic data storage mediums that we can

utilize, magnetic or optical.
Magnetic storage:
• Stores data in magnetic form.
• Affected by magnetic fields.
• Has high storage capacity.
• Doesn't use a laser to read/write data.
• Magnetic storage devices are; Hard disk , Floppy disk,
Magnetic tape etc.
Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES

Optical storage:
• Stores data optically, uses laser to read/write.
• Not affected by magnetic fields.
• Has less storage than a hard disk.
• Data accessing is high, compared to a floppy disc.
• Optical storage devices are; CD-ROM,CD-R, CD-RW,
DVD etc.
Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORY TYPES

* RAM (Random Access Memory) : Enables Read/Write of stored contents

* ROM (Read Only Memory) : Allows only Read operation
Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY

Random-access memory is a form of computer memory

that can be read and changed in any order, typically used
to store working data and machine code. A random-
access memory device allows data items to be read or
written in almost the same amount of time irrespective of
the physical location of data inside the memory.
Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

TYPES OF RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY

• STATIC RAM (SRAM)

• DYNAMIC RAM (DRAM)
Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

MEMORY CELL
The memory cell is the fundamental building block of computer memory. The memory cell is an electronic circuit
that stores one bit of binary information and it must be set to store a logic 1 (high voltage level) and reset to store a
logic 0 (low voltage level). Its value is maintained/stored until it is changed by the set/reset process. The value in the
memory cell can be accessed by reading it.

SRAM Cell (6 Transistors) DRAM Cell (1 Transistor and one capacitor)

Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

READ ONLY MEMORY

Read-only memory (ROM) is a type of storage medium

that permanently stores data on personal computers
(PCs) and other electronic devices. It contains the
programming needed to start a PC, which is essential for
boot-up; it performs major input/output tasks and holds
programs or software instructions.
Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

READ ONLY MEMORY

Other types of non-volatile memory include:

• Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM)

• Electrically Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM)
• Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
(EEPROM; also called Flash ROM)
• Electrically Alterable Read-Only Memory (EAROM)
Week 7: SEMICONDUCTOR MEMORIES, RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY, READ ONLY MEMORY

REFERENCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiconductor_memory
https://www.rohm.com/electronics-basics/memory/what-
is-semiconductor-memory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random-access_memory
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/2804/read-only-
memory-rom