3 Jan
2007
3 Jan
'07
3 p.m.
At 12:17 PM 1/3/2007, you wrote:
"Joachim Thiemann" wrote:
Most PROM memory can be erased with x-rays, although with FLASH memory it
actually damages the memory's ability to be reprogrammed before it erases
them... (So the erasure risk isn't important)
I've never tried, but heard of people erasing OTP microcontrollers with x-rays.
The 1702 was originally designed to be erased with x-rays and then annealed
in an oven. The temperature required to recondition the EPROM was a risk
to the device. So they put a window in it. That's the birth of the window
on EPROMs (they didn't have windows in the beginning).
One of our customers did some contract work for an electronics company
once. They erased a few thousand EPROMs with their x-ray source. It was
much faster and cheaper than UV I guess. I don't know any of the details
though...
Actually, I've been wondering: What is the effect of x-rays on EPROMS?
I was always told it could flip bits. But that was older UV erasable
types. I'd would be interested to know if that is really true... (I'm having a flash back to wrapping eproms in
tin-foil when flying
prototype game carts and coin-op games out to the west coast. probably
just paranoid, but we did that)
That wouldn't do very much at all. The x-ray machine at the airport goes
right through tin foil. 1/8 of lead would have worked wonders. I once
checked a 30lb slab of lead as luggage. The screener wasn't expecting a
cardboard sleeve the SIZE of a national geographic to be so heavy.
: D