Infineon Technologies CY15B116QN-40BKXI

Overview

CY15B116QN-40BKXI from Infineon is a 16 Mb serial ferroelectric RAM (F-RAM) organized as 2048K × 8, operating at up to 40 MHz SPI clock, with 1.8 V–3.6 V supply, industrial temperature range (−40°C to +85°C), and 10¹⁵ write endurance. It serves as non-volatile data logging memory in real-time industrial controllers where rapid, deterministic writes eliminate flash/EEPROM latency.

For engineers reviewing the CY15B116QN-40BKXI datasheet, CY15B116QN-40BKXI pinout, CY15B116QN-40BKXI application, or CY15B116QN-40BKXI equivalent, key selection criteria include instant write capability (no polling), 24-ball FBGA package compatibility, SPI Mode 0/3 support, and hardware/software write protection for mission-critical data integrity.

Technical Context

The CY15B116QN-40BKXI implements a true SPI slave interface with zero-latency write execution: data commits immediately upon byte transfer completion, eliminating status polling. Its ferroelectric memory array enables 151-year data retention without refresh and withstands ≥3 reflow cycles in its dedicated 256-byte special sector.

It integrates a non-volatile status register, manufacturer/product ID, unique device ID, and 8-byte programmable serial number. Write protection is enforced via WP pin (hardware) and WRDI instruction plus block-level software lock (1/4, 1/2, or full array), all managed through SPI opcodes.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Package: 24-ball fine-pitch ball grid array (FBGA), 4.0 mm × 4.0 mm × 0.9 mm, 0.5 mm pitch, RoHS-compliant.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar serial non-volatile memory applications.

Compared with CY15B116QN-40BKXI, the SOIC variant trades package flexibility for easier prototyping, while the DataFlash alternative sacrifices write speed and endurance for lower unit cost-neither matches the deterministic zero-latency, ultra-high-endurance operation essential for real-time industrial logging.

Availability

CY15B116QN-40BKXI is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial data loggers, smart energy meters, programmable logic controllers, and medical sensor hubs requiring stable component supply across extended product lifecycles.

Supply support for CY15B116QN-40BKXI includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Infineon Technologies is a German semiconductor leader specializing in power management, automotive ICs, and high-reliability memory solutions, with global manufacturing and quality certification to ISO/TS 16949 and IATF 16949.

The EXCELON™ LP F-RAM product line targets applications demanding frequent, low-latency non-volatile writes-specifically replacing serial flash and EEPROM in industrial control, metering, and medical instrumentation where data integrity and timing determinism are critical.

FAQ

Is CY15B116QN-40BKXI pin-compatible with standard SPI serial flash devices?

No. While it uses the same SPI bus signals (CS, SCK, SI, SO, WP), the 24-ball FBGA footprint differs from common 8-lead SOIC or 16-pin WSON flash packages. Pin mapping aligns functionally (e.g., CS to CS, SCK to SCK), but physical layout and ball count require dedicated PCB land patterns-not drop-in replacement without board redesign.

Does CY15B116QN-40BKXI require external high-voltage programming circuitry?

No. Unlike EEPROM or flash, it performs writes at standard VDD levels (1.8–3.6 V) with no charge pump or elevated voltage generation. All operations-including byte, page, and status register writes-execute using only the core supply, simplifying power design and eliminating HV-related noise or layout constraints.

Can the dedicated 256-byte special sector be used for secure key storage?

Yes. The special sector retains data across ≥3 reflow cycles and supports standard read/write commands. Though not cryptographically hardened, its physical separation and guaranteed reflow survivability make it suitable for storing calibration keys, device certificates, or symmetric encryption seeds-provided host-side cryptographic operations enforce confidentiality.

What is the maximum achievable sustained write bandwidth?

At 40 MHz SPI clock with 8-bit opcode + 3-byte address + 1-byte data per transaction, theoretical peak is ~4 MB/s. Real-world sustained throughput is ~3.2 MB/s due to CS assertion/deassertion overhead and command framing-still >100× faster than typical serial flash page programming times.