Query regarding EEPROM Life expectancy in this case?

[jaikumar]

Hi all,

In my application i need to write to internal eeprom of pic micro having endurance of 1,000,000.
I will write 1 byte of data to a particular location every hour.
How long will the eeprom last?.
Will it lost longer if i write the byte in a sequential manner increasing the
address of storage.

Thanks and Regards,
Jai.

[ezflyr]

Hi,

Here is a project that might provide some answers to your questions about EEPROM longevity....

http://dangerousprototypes.com/2010/05/25/prototype-flash_destroyer/

John

[PCM programmer]

Use the forum's search page:
http://www.ccsinfo.com/forum/search.php
Search for this:

[Douglas Kennedy]

Well once an hour for 1,000,000 is over 100 years. I doubt the PIC chip or at least it's memory will last that long. Most of these devices use a tunneling feature that quantum mechanics prescribe to electrons. The nand memory when being written pushes gillions of electrons toward a perfect insulator. It is very thin so a number of electrons have the probability of materializing on the other side of the insulator. They are effectively trapped on the other side and the memory is considered written. A few gillion electrons allows for a few million to jump the gap almost immediately. Now for the trapped electrons to jump back the odds it happens soon is small since they are far fewer electrons. Time is on the trapped electrons side so eventually they will tunnel back. Some say it takes 40 to 50 years but it will eventually happen.
Anyway I'd guess your eeprom rewrites will outlast the programmed code download unless you rewrite the code in the mean time.

[bkamen]