erasable programmable read-only memory

EPROM

 in full erasable programmable read-only memory

Form of computer memory that does not lose its content when the power supply is cut off and that can be erased and reused. EPROMs are generally employed for programs designed for repeated use (such as the BIOS) but that can be upgraded with a later version of the program.

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erasable programmable read-only memory [i¦rās·ə·bəl prō¦gram·ə·bəl ¦rēd ‚ōn·lē ′mem·rē]

(computer science)

A read-only memory in which stored data can be erased by ultraviolet light or other means and reprogrammed bit by bit with appropriate voltage pulses. Abbreviated EPROM.

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(storage)

Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory - (EPROM) A type of storage device in which the data is determined by electrical charge stored in an isolated ("floating") MOS transistor gate. The isolation is good enough to retain the charge almost indefinitely (more than ten years) without an external power supply. The EPROM is programmed by "injecting" charge into the floating gate, using a technique based on the tunnel effect. This requires higher voltage than in normal operation (usually 12V - 25V). The floating gate can be discharged by applying ultraviolet light to the chip's surface through a quartz window in the package, erasing the memory contents and allowing the chip to be reprogrammed.