ATSAM3S8CA-CU - Cortex-M3 MCU 512KB Flash 64MHz | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM3S8CA-CU ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.34 | $7.34 |
| 10 | $6.75 | $67.50 |
| 100 | $6.2 | $620.00 |
| 500 | $5.7 | $2,850.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.25 | $5,250.00 |
ATSAM3S8CA-CU Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that combines a processor core, program memory, data memory, and peripherals such as timers, communication interfaces, and analog blocks. Within the power-management hierarchy of embedded systems, the MCU sits at the center, coordinating sensors, actuators, and communication. The ARM Cortex-M3 core is a 32-bit RISC processor widely used in cost-sensitive, low-power embedded designs, and the SAM3S family extends this core with Microchip (formerly Atmel) peripheral IP.
Key differentiating features of the ATSAM3S8CA-CU include its 64 MHz maximum CPU clock frequency, 512KB of on-chip Flash for program storage, and the compact 100-TFBGA ball-grid package that saves board area in space-constrained designs. The digchip specification listing also documents 47 I/O ports, a Flash-based program memory type, and a core supply range of 1.08 V to 1.32 V, supporting low-voltage core operation with 3.3 V-class I/O.
Technically, the Cortex-M3 core implements the ARMv7-M architecture with a 3-stage pipeline, Thumb-2 instruction set, and a nested vectored interrupt controller (NVIC) for deterministic interrupt latency. The SAM3S series adds Microchip peripherals such as USARTs, SPI, TWI (I2C), PWM channels, an ADC, and a USB device port (refer to the manufacturer datasheet for the exact peripheral allocation of this device). The embedded Flash controller allows in-system programming and fast code execution.
Typical applications include industrial control and factory automation nodes, consumer and portable devices requiring small footprint and moderate processing, and embedded systems that need USB connectivity with 512KB of code space. The 9 x 9 mm TFBGA package suits high-density PCBs where QFP footprints are too large.
Design consideration: the TFBGA package requires careful PCB land-pattern design and reflow assembly; verify ball map and core versus I/O supply decoupling against the manufacturer datasheet before layout.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, giving engineers and buyers a single decision-ready resource.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM3S8CA-CU — 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 ATSAM3S8CA-CU (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Flash Memory, Package, SRAM, Connectivity, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM3S8CA-CUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →ATSAM3SD8CA-CU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$2.41 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM3S8BA-MUR
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$5.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM3S4CA-CU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$4.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM3S2CA-CU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$3.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM3S8CA-CU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M3 |
| Core Architecture | 32-Bit |
| Max Clock Frequency | 64 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 512KB (512K x 8) |
| Package | 100-TFBGA (9 x 9 mm) |
| Series | SAM3S (ATSAM3S8) |
| Program Memory Type | Flash |
| Number of I/O | 47 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.08 V to 1.32 V |
| Operating Supply Voltage | 1.8 V |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Life Cycle Stage | Active |
| Green/Halogen Status | Green, IT, MRL A (per Mouser) |
ATSAM3S8CA-CU 100-tfbga (9 x 9 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM3S8CA-CU (100-tfbga (9 x 9 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 ATSAM3S8CA-CU.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM3S8CA-CU is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control and Automation, Portable and Battery-Powered Devices, USB-Connected Embedded Peripherals, Consumer Appliances and White Goods, Medical Diagnostic Instruments, IoT Sensor Nodes and Gateways.
Industrial Control and Automation
In industrial control nodes such as sensor hubs, motor-control panels, and PLC I/O modules, the ATSAM3S8CA-CU's 64 MHz Cortex-M3 core provides deterministic interrupt latency through the NVIC, which matters for time-critical control loops. The 512KB Flash accommodates communication stacks (MODBUS-style serial protocols over USART, or fieldbus bridges over SPI/TWI) alongside application logic, while 47 I/O lines interface relays, optocoupled inputs, and status LEDs. The part is typically placed as the main controller between field wiring and an upstream gateway, powered from an industrial 3.3 V rail with local LDO regulation. Its Flash-based program memory supports in-field firmware updates, an important maintenance feature in deployed industrial equipment where physical access is costly.
Recommended
Portable and Battery-Powered Devices
For battery-operated products such as handheld meters, portable data loggers, and wireless accessory units, the ATSAM3S8CA-CU offers a favorable mix of 64 MHz processing and low-voltage core operation (1.08 V to 1.32 V core supply per digchip data), which supports Microchip's low-power modes for sleep and standby current budgets. The 9 x 9 mm 100-TFBGA package is 30-40% smaller in board area than a 100-pin LQFP equivalent, freeing PCB area for battery cells in compact enclosures. The device is usually run from a single Li-ion cell through a buck converter feeding the 1.8-3.3 V I/O domain. Designers should budget wake-up latency and RAM retention modes into their power profile, and verify SRAM retention characteristics in the datasheet before finalizing the sleep-state design.
Recommended
USB-Connected Embedded Peripherals
Embedded peripherals that enumerate to a host PC - custom HID devices, virtual-COM-port adapters, and data-acquisition pods - fit the SAM3S8's capability envelope. The SAM3S family includes USB device capability (confirm allocation for this exact variant in the datasheet), and the 512KB Flash comfortably holds a USB stack plus application firmware. In a typical design, the ATSAM3S8CA-CU enumerates as a CDC or HID class device over a dedicated 1.8-3.3 V USB rail, with the 47 I/O lines handling ADC front-ends or digital sensor buses. The deterministic Cortex-M3 interrupt structure keeps isochronous and interrupt-endpoint servicing reliable. A crystal-controlled 48 MHz USB clock source and careful differential-pair routing on the D+/D- traces are the principal layout considerations.
Recommended
Consumer Appliances and White Goods
Consumer appliances - coffee machines, air handlers, small kitchen devices - need moderate processing, HMI interfaces, and low unit cost. The ATSAM3S8CA-CU serves as the main control MCU driving a segment or dot-matrix display over SPI/TWI, scanning capacitive or mechanical buttons on its I/O lines, and controlling loads through PWM outputs. The 64 MHz clock leaves ample headroom for UI rendering and control-law computation, while the 512KB Flash stores localized UI strings andota-style update frameworks. Green packaging status (per Mouser: 'BGA, Grn') aligns with consumer RoHS-driven sourcing policies. Cost-sensitive derivative SKUs can share the same PCB with the pin-compatible 256KB ATSAM3S4CA-CU, giving a hardware-common platform strategy across product tiers without layout changes.
Recommended
Medical Diagnostic Instruments
Point-of-care and desktop diagnostic instruments - glucose analyzers, pulse oximetry modules, sample handlers - benefit from the ATSAM3S8CA-CU's combination of 32-bit processing, generous 512KB code space, and quiet low-voltage core operation. The Cortex-M3 handles digital filtering of ADC samples and protocol translation to a USB or UART link with predictable latency. Its Flash program memory supports calibration-table storage and signed firmware updates, both relevant to regulated medical devices. In a typical architecture, analog front-end ICs digitize biosignals and stream to the SAM3S8 over SPI, while the MCU manages the UI, data logging, and connectivity. Designers must validate the device's temperature range and follow the datasheet's power-sequencing guidance; medical qualification documentation should be requested from Microchip for regulated deployments.
Recommended
IoT Sensor Nodes and Gateways
IoT sensor nodes and sub-gateway devices pair the ATSAM3S8CA-CU with a radio module (Wi-Fi, BLE, or sub-GHz) over UART or SPI. The 64 MHz Cortex-M3 preprocesses sensor data - filtering, aggregation, and protocol framing - reducing the radio's duty cycle and battery drain. The 512KB Flash stores TLS stacks and buffering logic for intermittently connected networks, and the 47 I/O ports handle multiple sensor buses simultaneously. The compact 100-TFBGA footprint suits dense multi-node PCBs and gateway form factors. Power design typically uses a buck or LDO front end feeding the 1.8 V domain noted in distributor listings, with the MCU's low-power modes used between transmissions. Verify SRAM sizing against your protocol stack's buffering needs in the datasheet before committing to the design.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM3S8CA-CU — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM3S8CA-CUR | ATSAM3SD8CA-CU | ATSAM3S8BA-MUR | ATSAM3S4CA-CU | ATSAM3S2CA-CU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 100-TFBGA (9 x 9 mm) | 100-TFBGA (9 x 9 mm) - same | 100-TFBGA (9 x 9 mm) - same | 100-TFBGA (9 x 9 mm) - same | 100-TFBGA (9 x 9 mm) - same | 100-TFBGA (9 x 9 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M3, 32-bit | ARM Cortex-M3, 32-bit | ARM Cortex-M3, 32-bit | ARM Cortex-M3, 32-bit | ARM Cortex-M3, 32-bit | ARM Cortex-M3, 32-bit |
| Max Clock Frequency | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 512KB | 512KB | 512KB | 512KB | 256KB | 128KB |
| Replacement Confidence | Reference | Fully replaceable, no circuit change (FindIC) | Same footprint, verify Flash split | Same footprint, verify peripheral set | Same footprint, less Flash | Same footprint, less Flash |
Key Differentiators
- 512KB Flash in a compact 9 x 9 mm BGA (vs ATSAM3S2CA-CU)
- Verified drop-in continuity (vs ATSAM3S8CA-CUR)
- Cost-down path without redesign (vs ATSAM3S4CA-CU)
Design Notes
The 100-TFBGA (0.8 mm ball pitch class, 9 x 9 mm body) requires a controlled land-pattern per the Microchip datasheet footprint recommendation - do not derive pads from generic BGA rules. Plan vias on a dog-bone or via-in-pad strategy for inner-row balls, and verify the exact ball map against the SAM3S datasheet ball-out table before routing, since many balls are multiplexed across peripheral functions. Estimate: reflow assembly (not hand soldering) is mandatory for BGA packages; budget rework capability or X-ray inspection for production QA.
The device uses separate core (VDDCORE, 1.08 V to 1.32 V per digchip data) and I/O supply domains. Follow the datasheet's recommended regulator topology - typically an on-chip or external core regulator fed from the 1.8-3.3 V main rail - and place 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitors at each supply ball pair plus bulk capacitance near the package. Sequence supplies per the datasheet power-up requirements to avoid latch-up or brown-out during reset. Verify reset supervisor (BOR/RST) threshold behavior on your board under slow-rising supplies.
Do not assume pin-compatibility across SAM3S suffixes without checking the datasheet: B, C, and D suffix variants share the 100-ball footprint but differ in Flash split and peripheral allocation, so firmware and pin muxing may need changes even when the PCB footprint is reused. Also, distributor listings show both 1.8 V-class operation and a 1.08-1.32 V core range - these are different supply domains, not contradictory specs. Confirm the ordering code suffix (-CU versus -CU versus -AU package variants) on purchase orders to avoid receiving the wrong package.
Compliance Information
Mouser listing describes the part as 'BGA, Grn, IT, MRL A', indicating a green package designation; full RoHS/REACH/lead-free status should be confirmed on the Microchip product page compliance section.
