Increased EEPROM write cycle endurance

[westaust55]

There has been quite a number of threads covering EEPROM endurance in recent years on this forum.
The PIC microcontroller datasheets and the 24LCxxx serial EEPROM datasheets suggest 1,000,000 Write cycles to EEPROM memory.

The 1 Million number is based on typical conditions and if one has the ability to control some of the environmental factors and method of writing, then it would seem that far greater write cycles can be achieved (maybe even 38 Million in your cryogenic chamber).

Below are links to a couple of Micrcochipa rticles. The second (newer) app note has some interesting tabulated data.


How to get 10 Million Cycles out of your Microchip Serial EEPROM AN6002 (1995)
http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/AppNotes/00602.pdf

EEPROM Endurance AN1019 (2005)
http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/AppNotes/01019A.pdf

 

[Dippy]

Even though I'd read the Endurance note before I hadn't relised how significant the voltage relationship was. Obv reducing system voltage is easier than using your device in a freezer

And anyone considering the 'write it all over the place' method of extending EEPROM life should remember Page mode writing.

Even though I've raised it before, but was gently pacified (i.e. no-one seemed to bat an eyelid), people should also remember the reduction in typical write endurance of K series PICs.
I have had, from the Microchip horse's mouth, that for K series we should consider 100,000 (one hundred thousand) as a 'typical' EEPROM write/erase endurance figure.
People should READ Data Sheets.