ATMEGA164PA-CU - 8-bit AVR MCU 20MHz 16KB Flash 49-VFBGA | Microchip
MPN: ATMEGA164PA-CU β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.42 | $3.42 |
| 10 | $3.08 | $30.80 |
| 100 | $2.74 | $274.00 |
| 500 | $2.4 | $1,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.15 | $2,150.00 |
ATMEGA164PA-CU Overview
A microcontroller unit (MCU) is a single integrated circuit that combines a processor core, memory, and programmable peripherals into one chip, sitting at the lowest level of the embedded-system hierarchy (MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor). The AVR family from Atmel, now Microchip, pioneered single-cycle RISC execution, allowing most of its 133 instructions to complete in one clock cycle.
Key features include 32 general purpose I/O lines, 32 general purpose working registers, three flexible timer/counters with compare modes and PWM, two USARTs, and a byte-oriented Two-Wire serial interface (I2C-compatible). The picoPower technology delivers industry-leading low-power consumption for battery-operated designs, with multiple sleep modes and a real-time counter operating in standby.
Technically, the device uses an advanced RISC Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, supporting read-while-write flash operation for in-system programming without halting execution. An 8-channel 10-bit ADC enables direct analog sensor interfacing, while the enhanced PWM timers suit motor control and LED dimming.
Typical applications include battery-powered sensor nodes, industrial control panels, consumer appliances, and HID devices, where the 49-VFBGA footprint saves board space in compact products. The two USARTs also support multi-drop communication in metering designs.
When designing with this MCU, note that the 5x5 mm BGA ball pitch requires controlled-impedance PCB fabrication; consider the TQFP variant (ATMEGA164PA-AUR) for hand-assembly prototyping, as both share the same die and firmware.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATMEGA164PA-CU β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with ATMEGA164PA-CU (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, SRAM, ADC, Flash Memory, Instruction Set.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATMEGA164PA-CUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet βATMEGA324PA-CUR
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA164A-CU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$4.03 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA324A-CU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA324PA-CU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA164PA-CU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | AVR 8-bit RISC |
| Data Bus Width | 8 bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 16 KB (8K x 16) ISP, read-while-write |
| EEPROM | 512 B |
| SRAM | 1 KB |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.7 V to 5.5 V (per datasheet summary; picoPower PA variants support lower VCC - verify in full datasheet) |
| I/O Ports | 32 general purpose I/O lines |
| Timers/Counters | 3 flexible timer/counters with compare modes and PWM |
| USART | 2 |
| Serial Interfaces | Two-Wire Interface (I2C), SPI, 2x USART |
| ADC | 8-channel 10-bit |
| Instruction Set | 133 powerful instructions, most single-cycle |
| Low Power Technology | picoPower with sleep modes and real-time counter |
| Package | 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (GREEN package per FindIC listing) |
ATMEGA164PA-CU 49-vfbga (5x5 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATMEGA164PA-CU (49-vfbga (5x5 mm) package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for ATMEGA164PA-CU.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATMEGA164PA-CU is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes, Industrial Control Panels, Metering and Multi-Drop Communication Systems, Consumer Appliances and HID Devices, Portable Medical and Health Monitoring Devices, Robotics and Embedded Motion Control.
Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes
The ATMEGA164PA-CU fits battery-powered sensor nodes because its picoPower technology minimizes average current draw across sleep, idle, and active modes, while the integrated real-time counter keeps timekeeping alive during deep sleep. With 16 KB flash there is ample room for a full sensor-fusion firmware including calibration tables, and the 8-channel 10-bit ADC samples analog sensors directly without an external converter. A typical node wakes on timer or pin-change interrupt, reads a sensor over the Two-Wire interface, and transmits via one USART to a radio module. The 2.7 V to 5.5 V supply range allows direct operation from three alkaline cells or a single Li-SOCl2 cell with a small LDO, and the compact 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) footprint keeps the total PCB area small for sealed enclosures.
Recommended
Industrial Control Panels
In industrial control panels, the ATMEGA164PA-CU provides 32 GPIO lines for driving relays, reading limit switches, and controlling indicators directly, eliminating external port expanders. The three timer/counters with compare modes generate PWM outputs for heater or motor control, while two independent USARTs support simultaneous Modbus RTU communication and a diagnostic/debug channel - a key advantage over single-UART MCUs at this price point. The 20 MHz single-cycle RISC core delivers roughly 20 MIPS, sufficient for deterministic control loops in the 10 microsecond range. Its industrial temperature rating and RoHS GREEN package suit panel-mounted PCBs, and the 5.5 V maximum supply allows direct operation from rectified industrial rails through a simple regulator, simplifying power-tree design in retrofit upgrades.
Recommended
Metering and Multi-Drop Communication Systems
Utility metering and multi-drop networks benefit from the ATMEGA164PA-CU's two USARTs: one services the RS-485 metering bus while the second handles local calibration or infrared optical probes, enabling service tools to interrogate a meter without interrupting bus traffic. The 512 B EEPROM stores metrology calibration coefficients and consumption accumulators through power cycles, and the 10-bit ADC can monitor supply voltage and tamper switches. PicoPower sleep modes keep standby current low for battery-backed metering heads, while the byte-oriented Two-Wire interface reads external metering ASICs. The read-while-write flash capability allows field firmware updates over the bus - an important maintenance feature for installed meter fleets - and the 49-VFBGA package supports compact two-layer meter PCBs.
Recommended
Consumer Appliances and HID Devices
For consumer appliances and human-interface devices, the ATMEGA164PA-CU combines enough flash (16 KB) for USB-class HID or capacitive-touch firmware with the I/O density (32 lines) to drive keypads, encoders, LCD segments, and status LEDs without glue logic. The PWM timers support backlight dimming and small fan or pump speed control common in appliances, and the 10-bit ADC reads user-adjustable analog controls such as thermostats or volume pots. Cost-sensitive consumer designs also benefit from the availability of the same die in TQFP and PDIP packages, letting engineering use TQFP during prototyping and switch to the space-saving 49-VFBGA for the production board with no firmware change. The 5x5 mm BGA height under 1 mm suits slim control boards behind front panels.
Recommended
Portable Medical and Health Monitoring Devices
Portable medical accessories such as glucose meters, pulse oximeter front-ends, and wearable health loggers leverage the ATMEGA164PA-CU's low sleep current, its 8-channel 10-bit ADC for analog front-end sampling, and the Two-Wire interface for connecting digital sensors. The 1 KB SRAM accommodates ring buffers of sample data, and 16 KB flash holds signal-processing routines plus a calibration/UID block. The 2.7 V to 5.5 V operating range supports both 2xAAA coin-cell-boosted rails and 3 V lithium batteries directly. The 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) package enables compact, lightweight PCBs for handheld and wearable enclosures, while the long-term availability of the ATmega family helps medical device makers satisfy component-lifecycle requirements across multi-year regulatory approval cycles and production runs.
Recommended
Robotics and Embedded Motion Control
In small robotics and motion-control boards, the ATMEGA164PA-CU's three timer/counters generate multiple simultaneous PWM channels for servo or brushed-motor drivers, while the fast single-cycle RISC core executes PID loops at multi-kilohertz rates. Two USARTs allow one channel for a host/command link and another for a telemetry or IMU stream, and the Two-Wire interface reads motor-driver or encoder ICs. The 8-channel ADC monitors battery voltage, motor current via shunt amplifiers, and end-stop sensors. The 16 KB flash holds a full kinematics-plus-communication firmware stack, and 512 B EEPROM persists calibration parameters between power cycles. The compact 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) footprint is well suited to dense multi-axis driver boards where each joint has its own controller.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATMEGA164PA-CU β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATMEGA164PA-CUR | ATMEGA324PA-CUR | ATMEGA164A-CU | ATMEGA324A-CU | ATMEGA324PA-CU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) | 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) - same | 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) - same | 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) - same | 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) - same | 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 16 KB (8K x 16) | 16 KB | 32 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB |
| SRAM | 1 KB | 1 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 512 B | 512 B | 1 KB | 512 B | 1 KB | 1 KB |
| Max Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| picoPower Low-Power Technology | Yes (PA suffix) | Yes | Yes | No (A-series standard power) | No (A-series standard power) | Yes |
| GPIO Lines | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
Key Differentiators
- picoPower ultra-low-power die (vs ATMEGA164A-CU)
- Memory headroom drop-in upgrade (vs ATMEGA324PA-CUR)
- Board-space advantage over TQFP variants (vs ATMEGA164PA-AUR)
- Dual USART for multi-channel communication (vs ATMEGA16-16AU)
Design Notes
The 49-VFBGA (5x5 mm) package uses a fine ball pitch requiring controlled PCB fabrication: specify a minimum 4-layer stackup with via-in-pad or dog-bone escape routing, and confirm your fabricator supports the ball pitch of this BGA before layout. Plan solder-mask-defined pads per the Microchip BGA land-pattern recommendation, and include at least one fiducial near the footprint for optical placement. Because BGA solder joints cannot be visually inspected without X-ray, define an AOI/X-ray sampling plan for production. For prototyping or hand rework, lay out a dual footprint accepting the TQFP variant (ATMEGA164PA-AUR) on a daughter card.
Decouple every VCC/VDD ball pair with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed within 2 mm of the balls, connected to a solid ground plane through short vias; add 4.7-10 uF bulk capacitance at the board entry. The picoPower die is sensitive to supply ripple during ADC conversions - if the 10-bit ADC is used, add an RC filter or LC bead on the AVCC supply and connect it per the datasheet to reduce conversion noise. Estimated: a typical active-mode current of a few mA at 5 V and 20 MHz keeps total dissipation well under 50 mW, so no thermal relief is needed.
Do not assume the ATMEGA164A (non-PA) and ATMEGA164PA are power-identical: the PA picoPower die has different sleep-mode current and some fuse/register defaults differ, so firmware written against one may need sleep-mode and BOD configuration review when migrating. Also, BGA balls are easily damaged by repeated reflow - limit to the JEDEC-classified reflow cycles and never hand-solder. Verify the exact minimum VCC for your clock frequency in the full ATmega164A/PA datasheet before running below 2.7 V, since the summary data lists 2.7 V minimum while the picoPower family supports lower voltages in restricted modes.
Compliance Information
FindIC listing describes the ATMEGA164PA-CU as 'GREEN' package, indicating lead-free and halogen-free RoHS-compliant construction. AEC-Q100 qualification is not stated for this commercial part.
