ATMEGA324P-15AT1 - 8-Bit AVR MCU 16MHz 32KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATMEGA324P-15AT1 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6.01 | $6.01 |
| 10 | $5.55 | $55.50 |
| 100 | $4.95 | $495.00 |
| 500 | $4.55 | $2,275.00 |
| 1,000 | $4.21 | $4,210.00 |
ATMEGA324P-15AT1 Overview
An 8-bit AVR microcontroller is a Harvard-architecture RISC processor that executes most instructions in a single clock cycle, sitting within the broader hierarchy of embedded processors: MCU -> AVR ATmega family -> microcontroller unit (MCU) -> semiconductor integrated circuit. AVRs integrate program Flash, data SRAM, EEPROM, timers, UART/SPI/TWI serial interfaces and a 10-bit ADC on a single die, replacing multi-chip solutions in cost- and power-sensitive embedded control designs.
Key features include the picoPower low-power technology with idle, power-down and power-save sleep modes, read-while-write Flash for in-system self-programming, and a rich peripheral set: two 8-bit timers, one 16-bit timer, real-time counter, 8-channel 10-bit ADC, USART, SPI and two-wire (I2C) interfaces, and an on-chip debug capability via debugWIRE-style ICSP using just two I/O pins plus reset.
The AVR core pairs 32 general purpose working registers directly with the ALU, eliminating the accumulator bottleneck of older 8051-class architectures. In-system programmable (ISP) Flash supports firmware updates in the field through SPI, while boot-section self-programming enables bootloader-based updates over UART.
Typical applications include automotive body and comfort modules (leveraging its AEC-Q100 qualification), industrial sensors and actuators, and consumer appliance control boards where 5V-tolerant I/O and wide 2.7V to 5.5V supply operation simplify system design.
When designing with this device, budget the maximum 16 MHz clock against your 5.5V worst-case supply, and reserve the PC2-PC7 pins carefully since they double as JTAG/oscillator functions; configure fuses deliberately because an incorrect clock fuse selection can lock out ICSP access.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing (LCSC, DigiKey, Octopart), same-footprint drop-in alternatives within the AVR family, and practical design notes not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATMEGA324P-15AT1 — 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 ATMEGA324P-15AT1 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Maximum Clock Frequency, ADC, Serial Interfaces, Instructions.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATMEGA324A-AU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.09 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA324PA-AU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.87 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA32-16AUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.41 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA16A-AU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA644P-AU
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA1284P-AU
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA169PV-8AUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.16 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA324P-15AT1 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | 8-bit AVR RISC |
| Core Size | 8-Bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 16 MHz |
| Program Memory Size | 32 KB (16K x 16) Flash |
| SRAM Size | 2 KB |
| EEPROM Size | 1 KB |
| Number of I/O | 32 general purpose I/O lines |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.7 V to 5.5 V |
| Package | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Qualification | Automotive, AEC-Q100 |
| Programming | ISP (In-System Programmable), read-while-write |
| ADC | 8-channel 10-bit (per ATmega324P family) |
| Serial Interfaces | USART, SPI, TWI (I2C) |
| Timers | Two 8-bit, one 16-bit timer plus real-time counter |
| Low Power Technology | picoPower with idle, power-down, power-save modes |
| Working Registers | 32 general purpose working registers |
| On-Chip Debug | ICSP via 2 I/O pins + reset line |
ATMEGA324P-15AT1 44-tqfp (10x10 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATMEGA324P-15AT1 (44-tqfp (10x10 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 ATMEGA324P-15AT1.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATMEGA324P-15AT1 is suitable for 6 applications: Automotive Body and Comfort Control Modules, Industrial Sensor Nodes and Data Loggers, Home Appliance and Consumer Control Boards, Battery-Powered Portable Instruments, Motor Control and PWM Actuation, Communication Gateways and Protocol Converters.
Automotive Body and Comfort Control Modules
The ATMEGA324P-15AT1 is AEC-Q100 qualified, making it a natural fit for automotive body electronics such as seat controllers, mirror actuators, lighting modules, and door-zone ECUs where cost per node is critical. Its 32 general purpose I/O lines drive relays, lamps, and switches directly, while the 8-channel 10-bit ADC reads potentiometer position and diagnostic current-sense inputs. The wide 2.7V to 5.5V supply range tolerates automotive 12V rail transients after a front-end regulator, and picoPower sleep modes keep key-off battery drain low. Firmware updates in the field are handled through the ISP boot section over LIN-style UART links, avoiding dealer reflash tooling.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Nodes and Data Loggers
In factory automation, the ATMEGA324P-15AT1 reads 4-20 mA current loops and resistive sensors through its 8-channel 10-bit ADC, processes scaling in the 16 MHz AVR core, and transmits results over the USART or the two-wire TWI interface to a display or gateway. The 2 KB SRAM buffers sensor histories, while the 1 KB EEPROM stores calibration constants that survive power cycles without external memory. The 5V-tolerant I/O simplifies interfacing with legacy 24V-scaled industrial signal conditioning, and power-down sleep modes suit intermittently powered loggers. Because the AVR toolchain (AVR-GCC, MPLAB X) is free and mature, long-life industrial products avoid tooling obsolescence risk.
Recommended
Home Appliance and Consumer Control Boards
Washing machines, rice cookers, fan controllers, and thermostats use the ATMEGA324P-15AT1 because one 44-TQFP device replaces discrete logic, timers, and a display driver: 32 I/O lines drive 7-segment or LED-matrix displays directly with multiplexing from the 16-bit timer, while the ADC reads NTC temperature sensors and user potentiometers. The picoPower power-save mode with the real-time counter wakes the unit once per second for standby clock displays at minimal current. The wide 2.7V to 5.5V operating range allows direct battery or half-wave rectified supply architectures, and the EEPROM retains user settings through power interruptions.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Portable Instruments
Handheld meters, weather stations, and portable testers benefit from the ATMEGA324P-15AT1's picoPower technology: in power-down mode with only the real-time counter or pin-change interrupt armed, standby current drops to microamp levels, extending multi-cell battery life. The 3.3V operation point sits comfortably inside the 2.7V to 5.5V range, and the 10-bit ADC samples battery voltage for fuel-gauge indication. The 44-TQFP 10x10 mm footprint fits compact PCBs, while SPI and TWI interfaces connect external flash, displays, and RF modules. Choose the related ATMEGA324PA-AU if your minimum supply voltage falls below 2.7V.
Recommended
Motor Control and PWM Actuation
The ATMEGA324P-15AT1 generates multi-channel PWM from its two 8-bit timers and one 16-bit timer, enabling control of DC fan motors, servos, and small brushed or stepper motors via external drivers. Timer input-capture and compare channels implement closed-loop speed control using Hall or encoder feedback into the 10-bit ADC or external interrupt pins. The 16 MHz core executes PI control loops with margin to spare at typical 1-20 kHz PWM frequencies. Its AEC-Q100 qualification also covers automotive fan modules and actuator drivers where 12V transients and wide temperature ranges are routine, and 32 I/O lines leave headroom for limit switches and diagnostics.
Recommended
Communication Gateways and Protocol Converters
With one USART, one SPI, and one two-wire TWI interface available simultaneously, the ATMEGA324P-15AT1 bridges protocols such as Modbus RTU (UART) to I2C sensor buses or SPI peripherals, a common requirement in building automation and retrofit industrial systems. The 32 KB Flash accommodates two complete protocol stacks plus a bootloader, and read-while-write self-programming allows configuration updates from the communications link. The 16 MHz clock supports UART rates well beyond 115200 baud, and the 5V I/O directly drives legacy RS-485 transceivers without level shifting, reducing bill-of-material cost in brownfield installations.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATMEGA324P-15AT1 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATMEGA324A-AU | ATMEGA324PA-AU | ATMEGA32-16AUR | ATMEGA1284P-AU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology (Atmel) | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Program Memory | 32 KB (16K x 16) | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 128 KB |
| SRAM | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 16 KB |
| EEPROM | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 4 KB |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 16 MHz | 16 MHz | 20 MHz | 16 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 4.5 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| picoPower Low-Sleep-Current Technology | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- AEC-Q100 automotive qualification at mainstream pricing (vs ATMEGA324A-AU)
- picoPower sleep current over the legacy generation (vs ATMEGA32-16AUR)
- Upgrade path without PCB respin (vs ATMEGA1284P-AU)
Design Notes
Decouple every VCC and AVCC pin with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed within 3-5 mm of the pins, plus 10 uF bulk capacitance near the device. Connect AVCC to VCC through a low-pass LC filter when ADC accuracy matters; AVR datasheets recommend keeping AVCC ripple below 0.3 Vpp for full 10-bit ADC accuracy. At 16 MHz and 5.5V, active current is in the low-milliamp range, but inductive transient loads (relays, motors) on nearby I/O can inject supply noise - separate analog and digital ground returns that rejoin at a single point.
Clock fuses are the single most common lock-out cause on ATmega parts: if you select the external crystal/clock fuse option without a functioning crystal, ISP programming becomes unreachable because the core has no clock. Always test fuse changes on a bench board first, keep a HV parallel programmer available for recovery, and never enable debugWIRE or RSTDISBL unless you can recover the part. The 15AT1 speed grade is rated for 16 MHz - do not assume 20 MHz operation like the PA variant.
The 44-TQFP 0.8 mm pitch footprint needs no special assembly beyond standard SMT practice, but plan pin usage before routing: PC2-PC7 multiplex JTAG (TCK/TMS/TDO/TDI) and the 32 kHz TOSC oscillator, so dedicating these to JTAG keeps in-circuit debugging available while external interrupt and I2C functions go to other ports. Route the XTAL1/XTAL2 crystal traces short (under 10 mm) with guard grounds, and reserve a 6-pin ICSP header (MOSI, MISO, SCK, RESET, VCC, GND) on every production PCB.
The reset pin is the vulnerable node in noisy automotive environments: add an external 10 kOhm pull-up and 100 nF capacitor, and consider the internal brown-out detector fuse to prevent corrupt EEPROM writes during supply dips. For long RS-485 or LIN lines driven from the USART, add series 100 ohm resistors at the MCU side and TVS protection at the connector; the 5V-tolerant I/O simplifies direct transceiver interfacing without level shifters.
Compliance Information
Automotive, AEC-Q100 qualification per DigiKey and FindIC product data. RoHS/REACH/lead-free status not stated in the provided web data - verify on the Microchip product page.