11 PROM Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for proms as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 11 prom manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked prom companies as of April, 2024: 1.3D Plus SA, 2.Texas Instruments, 3.Embedded Data Systems.
Table of Contents
What Is a PROM?
A PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) is a type of semiconductor memory that is writable.
There are two main types of semiconductor memory: RAM (Random Access Memory), which can read and write, and ROM (Read Only Memory), which can only read.
RAM is a volatile memory that loses data when the power is turned off, while ROM is a nonvolatile memory that retains data even if the power is turned off.
There are two types of ROM: mask ROM and PROM. In mask ROM, the output value of the transistor for each bit of memory is fixed to either the supply voltage or ground during the semiconductor manufacturing process, so it cannot be changed after manufacturing.
In contrast, PROMs are nonvolatile ROMs developed to allow writing and rewriting after manufacturing.
Uses of PROMs
Microcontrollers used to control various devices have specific programs for each device and must operate upon power-on, so programs are stored in nonvolatile, low-cost ROMs.
Initially, mask ROMs were used as the primary type of ROM. However, the time from program finalization to manufacturing completion is long, making it difficult to respond to the shortened development cycles of new products.
Additionally, the need to produce a wide variety of products in small quantities due to the diversification of consumer needs has required the separate manufacturing of semiconductor chips.
In contrast, PROMs can be written even after the program has been debugged and finalized. This allows for the shortening of the development period by writing the program immediately before product shipment and for the development of new products by changing only the program.
Principles of PROMs
PROMs can be broadly classified into OTPROM (one-time PROM) and EPROM (erasable PROM). OTPROM is a type of PROM that can be written only once, while EPROM is a PROM that can be written multiple times.
1. OTPROM
OTPROM has a fuse for each bit of memory, and after shipment, some fuses are blown by selectively applying a high voltage. The transistor connected to the blown fuse, and the transistor connected to the unblown fuse have different current supplies, which distinguish between a0 and a1. A special tool is required for writing.
Once a fuse is blown, it cannot be restored, so it can only be written once.
2. EPROM
In EPROM, an electrically isolated region called a floating gate is formed in the manufacturing process in the transistor for each bit of memory. When writing, a voltage is selectively applied to the floating gate to store an electric charge, creating the difference between a0 and a1.
For rewriting, the memory charge in the target area is erased and then written again. There are UV-EPROM and EEPROM, depending on the erasure method.
UV-EPROM
UV-EPROM erases the charge by exposing the memory area to UV light (ultraviolet light). For this purpose, UV-EPROM has a window for UV light irradiation on the semiconductor package.
EEPROM
EEPROM allows data to be erased and rewritten by applying a higher voltage to the memory area than during normal read operations.
Other Information About PROMs
1. Expansion of Applications
The original use of PROMs was limited due to their high manufacturing cost. However, the use of PROMs has been expanding as their cost has decreased due to technological development and mass production.
In particular, flash memory (flash ROM), a type of EEPROM, has realized large capacity and high speed by simplifying the circuit to erase a large area of memory at once. The upper limit of rewritable cycles has been increased to several tens of millions, expanding applications that take advantage of its nonvolatility, and it is now used as a storage device in SD, USB, SSD, HDD, etc., becoming the mainstay of current memory technology.
2. Future Prospects
In the future, it is expected that non-volatile, low-cost memory with an unlimited number of rewrites will be put to practical use. Once this is realized, for example, PCs will no longer need to be started up and shut down, and can be used by simply turning the power on and off, as with lighting fixtures.
List of 11 PROM Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- France
- Japan
- Netherlands
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Microchip Technology Inc.
OTP EPROM
Manufacturer Overview
Microchip Technology Incorporated was incorporated in 1989 and is headquartered in Chandler, Arizona. The company is a developer and manufacturer of control solutions for global markets including the automotive, industrial, communications, human-machine interface, and connectivity industries. The company’s products include microcontrollers, field-programmable gate array products, MOSFET and radio frequency products, and both wired and wireless communications products. The company’s services include wafer foundry and assembly services, test subcontracting manufacturing services, development tools for enabling system designers to program microcontrollers and processors, and timing system products.
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NXP Semiconductors
8-bit EEPROM with LIN S08EL and S08SL MCUs
Manufacturer Overview
NXP was established in 2006 as a spinoff from Phillips and is headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The company is a co-founder of NFC communication and designs and manufactures semiconductors that serve the automotive, industrial, mobile, and smart home industries. The company’s automotive products include driver assistance transceivers, sensors, and security systems. For industrial markets, the company produces RFID readers, processors, and microcontrollers. For communication infrastructure, the company produces RF mixers, diodes, and low-noise amplifiers for wireless LAN networks. The company also produces peripherals, power management chips, communications chips, and interface devices.
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Renesas Electronics Corporation.
EEPROM & PROM
Manufacturer Overview
Renesas Electronics Corporation was established in 2002 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Renesas is a global research, design, and manufacturer of semiconductors used in industries spanning automotive, consumer electronics, the internet of things, power & energy, and industrial sectors. Renesas manufactures both analog and digital products. Analog products include amplifiers, audio & video devices, data converters, PLC, and switches & multiplexers. Digital products include microcontrollers, memory components, sensors, wireless connectivity products, and others. Renesas also offers design resources such as kits, development tools, partner programs, and design tools.
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Acme Chip Technology Co.
EEPROM
Manufacturer Overview
Acme Chip Technology Co. Ltd., founded in 2008 and based in Shenzhen, China, is a distributor of electronic components that is ISO 9001 certified. Its products include sensors, power supplies, and optical inspection equipment sourced from several manufacturers, including Advanced Linear Devices Inc., Central Semiconductor Corp., and Fluke. The company also offers a large stock of electronic components, including obsolete components and old code chips that are always available for immediate shipment.
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STMicroelectronics
Serial EEPROM
Manufacturer Overview
ST Micro Electronics is a global semiconductor company serving customers with innovations to have a positive impact on people's lives. Their product line is micro electronic systems, such as switches, controllers, sensors and drivers. The main selling point of ST Micro Electronics is its provision of sustainable products, and introducing their electronics to create a more sustainable world. The company, as well as providing the electronic devices, also provides software and support, ensuring that all fields are covered to provide a fully provide a supported and strong relationship with their customer base. ST Micro Electronics believe that technology plays a key role in helping to solve environmental and social challenges, which is why their semiconductor technologies start with their employees, their customers and partners.
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Texas Instruments
32X8 Bi-Polar PROM
Manufacturer Overview
Texas Instruments Incorporated was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Texas Instruments is a producer of high tech equipment for industrial, automotive, personal electronics, communications equipment industries. Texas Instruments designs, manufactures, and sells semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers in the United States and internationally. Texas Instruments operates in two segments: analog and embedded processing. The Analog segment offers power products, including battery-management solutions, DC/DC switching regulators, power switches, linear regulators, voltage references, and lighting products. The Embedded Processing segment offers microcontrollers that are used in fields such as electronic equipment and digital signal processors for mathematical computations.
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Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Programmable Logic Controller, ALPHA EEPROM-Memory Cassette
Company Overview
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (Mitsubishi EC) is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of electrical as well as electronic products and systems originally established in 1921 by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., now known as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Based in Tokyo, Japan, the company produces home appliances, HVAC products, and automotive equipment, as well as factory automation and communication systems. These supply consumers and clients internationally throughout the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Mitsubishi EC has several subsidiaries operating globally; some as distributors of its products. Some of its notable subsidiaries are Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. and Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc.
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ROHM Co., Ltd.
Serial EEPROM
Company Overview
ROHM Semiconductor was incorporated in 1940 and is headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. ROHM manufactures and sells electronic components worldwide. ROHM operates through the segments ICs, discrete semiconductor devices, and modules. ROHM provides ICs comprising memory, amplifiers and linear, power management, clocks and timers, switches and multiplexers, logic, data converters, sensors and MEMS, display drivers, motor/actuator drivers, interfaces, communication and speech synthesis LSI, audio and video, and microcontrollers. ROHM also offers discrete semiconductor products include MOSFETs, bipolar transistors, and diodes; power devices, including power transistors and diodes, SiC power devices, IGBT, and IPM; passive devices, such as resistors, and conductive polymer and tantalum capacitors; and various modules among others.
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shengyuic
EEPROM
Company Overview
Shenzhen Shengyu Electronics Technology Ltd., founded in 2008 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, is an electric component distributor that is ISO 9001 certified. The company stocks several components, including switches, capacitors, and resistors, which it sources from multiple manufacturers like Seiko Instruments, Inc., Renesas Electronics America, and Nuvoton Technology Corporation America. Depending on the size and configuration of the customer’s components, the company provides a full range of packaging services. It accepts single or multiple-part quotations, and its website allows customers to search hundreds of products ranging from ICs to computer accessories.
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3D Plus SA
PROM
Distributor Overview
Established in 1995, 3D PLUS is a world-leading supplier of advanced high-density 3D microelectronic products, bare die, and wafer level stacking technology. The company provides a wide range of products and services to meet the demands of various industries, including aerospace and defense. Their products include Radiation Tolerant Companion Chip, Radiation Tolerant Memory IP, Industrial Memory, Micro Camera Heads and more complex System-In-Package (SiP) solutions. The company has established a global Quality Policy to ensure that stringent product quality and reliability expectations are integrated throughout the company. Being a global company, 3D PLUS is operating at different parts of Europe, Middle East, Africa, Canada, USA, and Asia.
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Embedded Data Systems
DS2433S - 4Kb 1-Wire EEPROM No Longer Sold by EDS
Distributor Overview
Embedded Data Systems is a distributor of embeddable systems and sensors that was established in 2001 in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, USA. The company stocks products from a number of brands including Western Reserve Controls, MeshNet, and MicroDL. These products include portable iButtons for storing and transferring data, data loggers for recording and uploading data, and wireless communication products utilizing Bluetooth or radio frequency protocols. The company also offers discontinued or surplus products to its customers at “closeout” or discounted prices.
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PROM Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of April 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3D Plus SA |
20.0%
|
| 2 | Texas Instruments |
15.0%
|
| 3 | Embedded Data Systems |
10.0%
|
| 4 | Acme Chip Technology Co. |
10.0%
|
| 5 | shengyuic |
10.0%
|
| 6 | ROHM Co., Ltd. |
10.0%
|
| 7 | Renesas Electronics Corporation. |
10.0%
|
| 8 | Mitsubishi Electric Corporation |
5.0%
|
| 9 | NXP Semiconductors |
5.0%
|
| 10 | Microchip Technology Inc. |
5.0%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the prom page as of April 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- ROHM Co., Ltd.: 23,754
- Renesas Electronics Corporation.: 21,017
- 3D Plus SA: 250
Newly Established Company
- Renesas Electronics Corporation.: 2002 (22 years ago)
- ROHM Co., Ltd.: 1958 (66 years ago)
- Texas Instruments: 1930 (94 years ago)
Company with a History
- NXP Semiconductors: 1891 (133 years ago)
- Mitsubishi Electric Corporation: 1921 (103 years ago)
- Texas Instruments: 1930 (94 years ago)
PROM Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
Global Distribution of PROM Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
Japan
|
3 | 50.0% |
United States of America
|
1 | 16.7% |
Netherlands
|
1 | 16.7% |
France
|
1 | 16.7% |
