COLORADO SPRINGS, CO--(Marketwire - Jan 24, 2012) - Ramtron International Corporation (NASDAQ: [ RMTR ]), the leading developer and supplier of nonvolatile ferroelectric random access memory (F-RAM) and integrated semiconductor products, today announced the world's lowest energy nonvolatile memory product. The FM25P16 is a 16-kilobit serial nonvolatile memory that opens up new possibilities in power-sensitive system design with the industry's lowest energy consumption in a nonvolatile memory device. As the first member of the Ramtron Low Energy Memory family, the FM25P16 uses 1/1,000^th the energy of Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) devices, while delivering fast read/write performance and virtually unlimited endurance.

"The fast write ability of nonvolatile F-RAM combined with an innovative IC design has enabled us to achieve the lowest energy consumption to date in a nonvolatile memory device with a typical active current of about 3 microamps," said Scott Emley, Ramtron vice president of marketing. "Using Ramtron Low Energy memory products, power sensitive systems including wireless sensor nodes, remote metering, health and fitness products, as well as emerging energy harvesting applications can write data orders of magnitude more frequently while lowering system power."

The benefit of Ramtron low energy memory increases significantly as the system writes data more frequently. Unlike serial EEPROMs, FM25P16 can perform fast and power-efficient write operations at bus speed with no write delays. These capabilities make FM25P16 ideal for nonvolatile memory applications requiring both very low power and frequent or rapid writes.

About the FM25P16 Low Energy Memory
The FM25P16 employs an advanced ferroelectric process that yields virtually unlimited endurance of 100-trillion (1e14) read/write cycles and reliable data retention for 10 years. The FM25P16 uses a fast serial peripheral interface (SPI), operating up to full bus speed of 1MHz frequency. For more information about the system advantages of F-RAM Low Energy Memory, download a white paper by visiting [ www.ramtron.com/go/FRAM-advantage ].

FM25P16 Features

• 16K-bit Ferroelectric Nonvolatile RAM organized as 2,044 x 8 bits
• Virtually unlimited read/write cycles
• 10-year data retention
• NoDelay™ writes

Ultra Low Power Operation

• 1.8 - 3.6V operation
• 3.2 μA (typ.) active current @ 100 kHz
• 1.2 μA (typ.) standby current

Serial Peripheral Interface - SPI

• Up to 1 MHz frequency
• SPI mode 0 & 3

Industry Standard Configuration

• Industrial temperature -40°C to +85°C
• "Green"/RoHS 8-pin SOIC package

Pricing and Availability
The FM25P16 is now sampling in limited quantities with an expected resale unit price of $0.99 in 10K volume.

About Ramtron and F-RAM Technology
Ramtron International Corporation, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops and markets specialized semiconductor memory and integrated semiconductor solutions used in a wide range of product applications and markets.

Ramtron pioneered the integration of ferroelectric materials into semiconductor products that enabled a class of low energy nonvolatile memory, called ferroelectric random access memory, or F-RAM. Ramtron F-RAM products combine the high-speed performance of Random Access Memory (RAM) with high-integrity nonvolatile data storage, or the ability to save information without power. Since commercializing the technology, Ramtron has sold hundreds of millions of F-RAM devices into demanding applications such as automotive safety and entertainment systems, portable medical devices, industrial process control systems, smart electricity meters, and consumer printer cartridges. As the most energy-efficient of any nonvolatile memory technology on the market, F-RAM products promise to pave the way for the development of ultra-efficient battery powered products and energy harvesting applications, among others. For more information, visit [ www.ramtron.com ]. For a 300-dpi product photo, visit [ www.ramtron.com/press-center/image-bank.aspx ] (see F-RAM Low Energy Memory).

Safe Harbor Statement
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements herein that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements. Please refer to Ramtron's Securities and Exchange Commission filings for a discussion of such risks. The forward-looking statements in this release are being made as of the date of this report, and Ramtron expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein.