
12
Am29F040B
21445E5
November 1, 2006
D A T A  S H E E T
Timer”
 section.) The time-out begins from the rising 
edge of the final WE# pulse in the command sequence.
Once the sector erase operation has begun, only the 
Erase Suspend command is valid. All other commands 
are ignored. 
When the Embedded Erase algorithm is complete, the 
device returns to reading array data and addresses are 
no longer latched. The system can determine the sta-
tus of the erase operation by using DQ7, DQ6, or DQ2. 
Refer to 
“Write Operation Status”
 for information on 
these status bits.
Figure
 2
 illustrates the algorithm for the erase opera-
tion. Refer to the Erase/Program Operations tables in 
the 
“AC Characteristics”
 section for parameters, and to 
the Sector Erase Operations Timing diagram for timing 
waveforms.
Erase Suspend/Erase Resume Commands
The Erase Suspend command allows the system to in-
terrupt a sector erase operation and then read data 
from, or program data to, any sector not selected for 
erasure. This command is valid only during the sector 
erase operation, including the 50 μs time-out period 
during the sector erase command sequence. The 
Erase Suspend command is ignored if written during 
the chip erase operation or Embedded Program algo-
rithm. Writing the Erase Suspend command during the 
Sector Erase time-out immediately terminates the 
time-out period and suspends the erase operation. Ad-
dresses are “don’t-cares” when writing the Erase 
Suspend command.
When the Erase Suspend command is written during a 
sector erase operation, the device requires a maximum 
of 20 μs to suspend the erase operation. However, 
when the Erase Suspend command is written during 
the sector erase time-out, the device immediately ter-
minates the time-out period and suspends the erase 
operation.
After the erase operation has been suspended, the 
system can read array data from or program data to 
any sector not selected for erasure. (The device “erase 
suspends” all sectors selected for erasure.) Normal 
read and write timings and command definitions apply. 
Reading at any address within erase-suspended sec-
tors produces status data on DQ7–DQ0. The system 
can use DQ7, or DQ6 and DQ2 together, to determine 
if a sector is actively erasing or is erase-suspended. 
See 
“Write Operation Status”
 for information on these 
status bits.
After an erase-suspended program operation is com-
plete, the system can once again read array data within 
non-suspended sectors. The system can determine 
the status of the program operation using the DQ7 or 
DQ6 status bits, just as in the standard program oper-
ation. See 
“Write Operation Status”
 for more 
information.
The system may also write the autoselect command 
sequence when the device is in the Erase Suspend 
mode. The device allows reading autoselect codes 
even at addresses within erasing sectors, since the 
codes are not stored in the memory array. When the 
device exits the autoselect mode, the device reverts to 
the Erase Suspend mode, and is ready for another 
valid operation. See 
“Autoselect Command Sequence”
for more information.
The system must write the Erase Resume command 
(address bits are “don’t care”) to exit the erase suspend 
mode and continue the sector erase operation. Further 
writes of the Resume command are ignored. Another 
Erase Suspend command can be written after the de-
vice has resumed erasing.
Notes:
1. See the appropriate Command Definitions table for erase 
command sequence.
2. See 
“DQ3: Sector Erase Timer”
 for more information.
 Figure 2. Erase Operation
START
Write Erase 
Command Sequence
Data Poll 
from System
Data = FFh
No
Yes
Erasure Completed
Embedded 
Erase
algorithm
in progress