ATMEGA324P-A15AZ - 8-bit AVR MCU 32KB Flash 16MHz TQFP-44 | Microchip
MPN: ATMEGA324P-A15AZ ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.2 | $3.20 |
| 10 | $2.95 | $29.50 |
| 100 | $2.6 | $260.00 |
| 500 | $2.3 | $1,150.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.05 | $2,050.00 |
ATMEGA324P-A15AZ Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) integrates a processor core, memory, and programmable peripherals on a single chip, forming the lowest tier of the embedded-system hierarchy: transistor -> logic IC -> microcontroller -> system-on-module. The AVR family uses an advanced RISC architecture with 131 mostly single-cycle instructions and 32 general-purpose working registers, allowing a throughput close to 1 MIPS per MHz.
Key features of the ATMEGA324P-A15AZ include picoPower low-power technology, read-while-write Flash programming, and a rich peripheral set: three flexible timer/counters with compare modes and PWM, two USARTs, a byte-oriented Two-Wire (I2C) serial interface, and an 8-channel 10-bit ADC. Supply voltage is rated 4.5V to 5.5V for this speed grade (the AVR family spans 2.7V to 5.5V across variants).
The picoPower technology reduces power in idle and power-down modes, which is significant in automotive battery-connected nodes. The AVR Harvard architecture separates program and data buses, letting instruction fetches overlap with data access for efficient C-code execution. In-System Programming (ISP) enables field firmware updates without removing the device from the PCB.
Typical applications include automotive body and comfort modules, industrial sensor nodes, motor control auxiliaries, and building-automation controllers. The AEC-Q100 qualification and automotive temperature grade make it suitable for under-dash and cabin environments.
Design consideration: respect the 5V supply requirement of this speed grade and budget EEPROM write endurance in logging applications. Ensure SPI/TQFP thermal relief per Microchip layout guidance.
This page synthesizes distributor inventory, drop-in alternatives, pinout data, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet. Pricing information as of 2026-09-17 is quote-based at listed distributors.
Drop-in alternatives for ATMEGA324P-A15AZ — 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-A15AZ (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Flash Memory, Instructions, Serial Interfaces.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATMEGA324P-20AUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.52 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA324A-AU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.09 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA324P-20MQ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA324P-A15MZ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA324P-B15AZ
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA324P-A15AZ Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit AVR RISC |
| Flash Program Memory | 32 KB |
| EEPROM | 1 KB |
| SRAM | 2 KB |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 16 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 4.5 V to 5.5 V |
| Family Supply Voltage Range | 2.7 V to 5.5 V (across variants) |
| General Purpose I/O | 32 lines |
| Working Registers | 32 general purpose |
| Instructions | 131 instructions, most single-cycle |
| Timers/Counters | 3 flexible timer/counters with compare modes and PWM |
| USART | 2 |
| Serial Interfaces | Two-Wire (I2C) byte-oriented serial interface |
| ADC | 8-channel, 10-bit |
| Package | 44-TQFP, 10 x 10 mm, 1 mm height, 0.8 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Qualification | Automotive, AEC-Q100 |
| Temperature Grade | Automotive |
| Special Technology | picoPower low power |
| Flash Programming | ISP with read-while-write |
ATMEGA324P-A15AZ Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PC6 (RESET) — Port C bit 6 / Reset input |
| Pin 2 | PD0 (RXD0) — Port D bit 0 / USART0 receive |
| Pin 3 | PD1 (TXD0) — Port D bit 1 / USART0 transmit |
| Pin 4 | PD2 (RXD1/INT0) — Port D bit 2 / USART1 receive / External interrupt 0 |
| Pin 5 | PD3 (TXD1/INT1) — Port D bit 3 / USART1 transmit / External interrupt 1 |
| Pin 6 | PD4 (XCK1/T1) — Port D bit 4 / USART1 clock / Timer1 external clock |
| Pin 7 | VCC — Digital supply voltage |
| Pin 8 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 9 | PB6 (XTAL1/TOSC1) — Port B bit 6 / Crystal oscillator input |
| Pin 10 | PB7 (XTAL2/TOSC2) — Port B bit 7 / Crystal oscillator output |
| Pin 11 | PD5 (XCK0/T0) — Port D bit 5 / USART0 clock / Timer0 external clock |
| Pin 12 | PD6 (OC0A/AIN0) — Port D bit 6 / Timer0 compare output A / Analog comparator input 0 |
| Pin 13 | PD7 (OC2A/AIN1) — Port D bit 7 / Timer2 compare output A / Analog comparator input 1 |
| Pin 14 | PB0 (SS/PCINT0) — Port B bit 0 / SPI slave select / Pin change interrupt 0 |
| Pin 15 | PB1 (SCK/PCINT1) — Port B bit 1 / SPI clock / Pin change interrupt 1 |
| Pin 16 | PB2 (MOSI/PCINT2) — Port B bit 2 / SPI master out / Pin change interrupt 2 |
| Pin 17 | PB3 (MISO/PCINT3) — Port B bit 3 / SPI master in / Pin change interrupt 3 |
| Pin 18 | PB4 (OC2A/PCINT4) — Port B bit 4 / Timer2 compare output / Pin change interrupt 4 |
| Pin 19 | PB5 (OC1A/PCINT5) — Port B bit 5 / Timer1 compare output A / Pin change interrupt 5 |
| Pin 20 | AVCC — ADC supply voltage |
| Pin 21 | AREF — ADC analog reference |
| Pin 22 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 23 | PA0 (ADC0) — Port A bit 0 / ADC channel 0 |
| Pin 24 | PA1 (ADC1) — Port A bit 1 / ADC channel 1 |
| Pin 25 | PA2 (ADC2) — Port A bit 2 / ADC channel 2 |
| Pin 26 | PA3 (ADC3) — Port A bit 3 / ADC channel 3 |
| Pin 27 | PA4 (ADC4) — Port A bit 4 / ADC channel 4 |
| Pin 28 | PA5 (ADC5) — Port A bit 5 / ADC channel 5 |
| Pin 29 | PA6 (ADC6) — Port A bit 6 / ADC channel 6 |
| Pin 30 | PA7 (ADC7) — Port A bit 7 / ADC channel 7 |
| Pin 31 | PC0 (SCL/T8) — Port C bit 0 / Two-Wire clock |
| Pin 32 | PC1 (SDA) — Port C bit 1 / Two-Wire data |
| Pin 33 | PC2 (TCK) — Port C bit 2 / JTAG test clock |
| Pin 34 | PC3 (TMS) — Port C bit 3 / JTAG test mode select |
| Pin 35 | PC4 (TDO) — Port C bit 4 / JTAG test data out |
| Pin 36 | PC5 (TDI) — Port C bit 5 / JTAG test data in |
| Pin 37 | PC7 (TOSC2) — Port C bit 7 / Timer oscillator output |
| Pin 38 | PD0 (OC0B/SCL) — Port D alternate function (32-pin mapping variant); see datasheet TQFP-44 port map |
| Pin 39 | PD1 (SDA) — Port D alternate function; see datasheet TQFP-44 port map |
| Pin 40 | PD2 (RXD1) — Port D alternate function; see datasheet TQFP-44 port map |
| Pin 41 | PD3 (TXD1) — Port D alternate function; see datasheet TQFP-44 port map |
| Pin 42 | PD4 (XCK1) — Port D alternate function; see datasheet TQFP-44 port map |
| Pin 43 | PD5 (XCK0) — Port D alternate function; see datasheet TQFP-44 port map |
| Pin 44 | PD6 (OC0A) — Port D alternate function; see datasheet TQFP-44 port map |
Typical Applications
ATMEGA324P-A15AZ is suitable for 6 applications: Automotive Body Electronics, Industrial Sensor Nodes, Building Automation Controllers, Battery-Powered Metering, Consumer Appliance Control, Automotive Diagnostic and Telematics Accessories.
Automotive Body Electronics
The ATMEGA324P-A15AZ fits automotive body-control subfunctions such as lighting modules, seat adjusters, and mirror controllers because it combines AEC-Q100 qualification with 32 GPIO lines for driving loads and relays, plus a 10-bit ADC for switch and sensor monitoring. The 5V, 16 MHz core executes lamp-decision logic and LIN-like polling loops (two USARTs available for serial links) with ample timing margin. In a typical circuit the MCU drives high-side switches through GPIO with a 4.5V-5.5V rail supplied from a car-network 5V LDO, and picoPower sleep modes cut quiescent draw when the module awaits wake events, protecting battery state during parking periods.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Nodes
Industrial sensor acquisition nodes benefit from the ATMEGA324P-A15AZ's 8-channel 10-bit ADC, which multiplexes up to eight analog sensors (temperature, pressure, level) without external analog multiplexers, and its 1KB EEPROM for storing calibration constants that survive power cycles. The Two-Wire (I2C) interface connects external displays or EEPROM expansions, while a USART streams readings to a PLC or gateway. Running at 16 MHz from a 5V industrial rail gives roughly 16 MIPS of headroom for filtering and linearization math in C. Noise rejection in electrically harsh plants is supported by the AVR's brown-out detection and watchdog timer, keeping nodes self-recovering.
Recommended
Building Automation Controllers
Room controllers, damper actuators, and HVAC zone boards are well served by the ATMEGA324P-A15AZ because its three timer/counters generate PWM signals for fan and valve actuation, its two USARTs accommodate RS-485 style half-duplex field buses through external transceivers, and 32 I/O lines read thermostats and drive status LEDs. The 44-TQFP 10x10 mm package fits cost-sensitive two-layer control boards. With 32KB Flash, full protocol stacks plus a PID loop coexist without external memory. The 5V supply matches legacy building-wiring levels, and the ADC enables NTC-based room-temperature measurement directly on-chip at 10-bit resolution.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Metering
Utility sub-meters and battery-backed counters use the ATMEGA324P-A15AZ's picoPower technology: sleep modes allow the MCU to idle between measurement windows while the asynchronous timer keeps a real-time counter running, extending battery life in installed meters. The 10-bit ADC samples shunt or Hall-effect current signals, the 1KB EEPROM logs consumption indices across resets, and a USART forwards totals on demand. Although this 16 MHz automotive grade targets 5V operation, meter designers value the AEC-Q100 process consistency and the Flash read-while-write feature, which lets logging occur in Flash while firmware stays resident without stalls that corrupt timing.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control
Appliance boards - coffee machines, air purifiers, small ovens - adopt the ATMEGA324P-A15AZ when its automotive process consistency is desired for high-reliability consumer lines. The 16 MHz AVR core runs menu logic and encoder handling from a single-chip design: 32 GPIO lines drive a segment LCD through external driver or LEDs directly, the ADC reads NTC probes and touch/potentiometer settings, and timer PWM controls heaters and fan motors at 5V logic with external power stages. The 44-TQFP gull-wing package hand-solders and reflows easily for regional assembly. Flash ISP supports final-programming at end-of-line without removing parts from boards.
Recommended
Automotive Diagnostic and Telematics Accessories
Diagnostic dongles and telematics accessory modules use the ATMEGA324P-A15AZ's two USARTs to bridge in-vehicle serial links and telemetry radios simultaneously, one channel to the vehicle bus transceiver and one to a cellular or GNSS modem. The 16 MHz throughput sustains transparent pass-through logging at typical bus rates, while the 2KB SRAM buffers frames during radio outages. AEC-Q100 qualification matches the automotive supply chain expectations of tiered accessory suppliers. The 10-bit ADC can additionally monitor board temperature and vehicle supply levels for fault reporting, and picoPower modes keep the module dormant between ignition cycles.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATMEGA324P-A15AZ — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATMEGA324P-20AUR | ATMEGA324A-AU | ATMEGA324P-20MQ | ATMEGA324P-A15MZ | ATMEGA324P-B15AZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) | 44-TQFP - same | 44-TQFP - same | 44-VQFN (not same footprint) | 44-TQFP - same | 44-TQFP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology (Atmel) | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash / SRAM / EEPROM | 32KB / 2KB / 1KB | 32KB / 2KB / 1KB | 32KB / 2KB / 1KB | 32KB / 2KB / 1KB | 32KB / 2KB / 1KB | 32KB / 2KB / 1KB |
| Automotive AEC-Q100 | Yes | No (industrial) | No (industrial) | No (industrial) | Yes | Yes |
| USART / Timers / ADC | 2 USART / 3 timers / 8ch 10-bit | 2 / 3 / 8ch 10-bit | 2 / 3 / 8ch 10-bit | 2 / 3 / 8ch 10-bit | 2 / 3 / 8ch 10-bit | 2 / 3 / 8ch 10-bit |
| Special Technology | picoPower | picoPower (P die) | A-die refresh | picoPower (P die) | picoPower | B-die (enhanced low-voltage family) |
Key Differentiators
- AEC-Q100 automotive qualification (vs ATMEGA324P-20AUR)
- Pin-identical refresh migration path (vs ATMEGA324A-AU)
- 5V 16 MHz operating point matches legacy automotive rails (vs ATMEGA324P-B15AZ)
Design Notes
The -15AZ speed grade is specified at 4.5V to 5.5V. If your board also hosts 3.3V peripherals, isolate the MCU rail with a 5V LDO and use level shifting (series resistors on Two-Wire lines, proper direction translation on USART) rather than under-powering the MCU, since below 4.5V the 16 MHz frequency-voltage guarantee is void. Decouple each VCC/AVCC pin with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed within 5 mm of the pins, plus bulk 10 uF at the board inlet. Estimated: an active-mode current in the low mA range at 16 MHz, 5V implies roughly 80 mW core power, well within TQFP-44 thermal capability without a heatsink.
Keep AVCC connected to VCC through a low-pass RC network (10 uH inductor or 100-ohm resistor plus 100 nF) when ADC accuracy matters; never leave AVCC floating. Route the AREF pin with its own 100 nF capacitor to ground and do not drive it externally when the internal reference is selected. The crystal on XTAL1/XTAL2 needs load capacitors matched to the crystal specification (typically 12-22 pF range - verify against the crystal datasheet) and short traces under 15 mm. Follow Microchip AVR hardware design application notes for ISP header placement (6-pin ISP header on the same SPI pins PB0-PB3).
PC6 is RESET by default - enabling it as GPIO removes in-circuit ISP programming unless JTAG or a bootloader window is arranged first; always verify you can still reprogram before repurposing it. Also, EEPROM wear is finite: polling loops that write EEPROM every second will exhaust 100k-cycle endurance within days - move frequent logging to SRAM and batch writes. Finally, this automotive AZ part is frequently counterfeited on gray markets; buy from franchised distributors or MicrochipDirect to guarantee AEC-Q100 traceability.
Compliance Information
AEC-Q100 automotive qualification confirmed via atmel-micro.com and Microchip USA listings. RoHS/REACH certificates not stated in retrieved data - verify via Microchip quality documentation.
