What is JEDEC?

JEDEC is a global industry group that establishes open microelectronics standards. Originally named the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council, it is now known as the Solid State Technology Division of JEDEC. Currently, the organization has more than 3,000 volunteer members from around 300 member companies.

JEDEC Structure

• JEDEC is made up of 50 committees and sub-committees focusing on microelectronic technology sectors.
• These committees recommend and develop open standards and provide updates.
• All JEDEC requirements are identified on its website, and participants collaborate multiple times a year.
• The board of directors votes on it after a committee recommends a norm.
• Before sessions, any organization that becomes a JEDEC member gets one vote on proposals.

JEDEC Memory Standards

• The requirements of JEDEC aim to include the entire electronics market, from suppliers to customers.
• When specifications are established, packaging, monitoring, consistency, and reliability are all considered.
• JEDEC memory criteria largely fell into three categories:

Memory Flash

Flash memory is non-volatile storage that keeps data without needing power. It is used in USB drives, SSDs, and memory cards, offering good performance with low power use.

• Flash memory devices have high performance, low-power use, high reliability, and low cost.
• JEDEC has developed industry guidelines to cover all areas of flash memory as flash technologies expand.
• Solid-state drives, embedded Multimedia Card, and Universal Flash Storage are the main target areas.
• JEDEC's JC-64 group sets specifications for embedded memory storage and removable memory cards and specifically focuses on solid-state flash processing.

Main Memory

The main memory, or RAM, stores data temporarily for running programs, helping systems access information quickly and improve performance.

• Double data rate SDRAM and synchronous DRAM are used in the JEDEC main memory specifications.
• JEDEC has specifications for DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5.
• JEDEC DDR specifications tend to provide better performance and a more user-friendly interface than conventional DRAM technologies.
• The JC-42 Committee for Solid State Memories establishes primary memory requirements.

Cellular Memory

Cellular memory, also known as mobile memory, is designed for mobile devices. Technologies like Low-Power DDR (LPDDR) focus on saving energy while keeping speed to enhance mobile device performance.

• JEDEC has set requirements based on memory density and consistency to keep up with the development of mobile technologies.
• The Low-Power DDR specifications seek to improve memory speed and mobile devices' reliability.
• Wide I/O specifications offer high-bandwidth memory, and Wide I/O DRAM meets the industry's integration demands.
• The JC-42.6 Subcommittee for Low Power Memories recommends LPDDR and Large I/O requirements.

JEDEC History

• 1958 − JEDEC was introduced with two councils: tubes and semiconductors.
• 1958 − JEDEC initially worked to allocate part numbers to machines.
• 1970s − Telecommunications firms and the military drove market expectations.
• 1981 − Demands shifted with the PC's introduction, expanding the semiconductor mass market.
• 1990s − Military standards were transferred to consumer requirements, and the car industry became involved.
• 1997 − JEDEC made the specifications available online for free.
• 1999 − JEDEC signed agreements to make its specifications globally accessible.
• Present − JEDEC specifications have since expanded into the cloud, mobile computing, and other technologies.

Benefits of JEDEC Standards

• JEDEC aims to establish universal specifications that suppliers and customers will use.
• Universal standards decrease misunderstandings and uncertainty for customers and encourage product interchangeability.
• JEDEC standards act as foundational building blocks for flourishing markets in technology.
• Universal norms allow technology companies to optimize their research and development investments.
• JEDEC collaborates with various electronics industry associations to reduce duplicated development activities and foster continuity across fields.

Recent JEDEC Standards

In recent years, JEDEC has continued to release new standards. The organization aims to maintain a collaborative environment for developing universal standards that benefit both technology suppliers and consumers.