ATSAM4C16CA-AUR - Dual-Core 120MHz 1MB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4C16CA-AUR β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.62 | $8.62 |
| 10 | $7.86 | $78.60 |
| 100 | $6.95 | $695.00 |
| 500 | $6.31 | $3,155.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.74 | $5,740.00 |
ATSAM4C16CA-AUR Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip embedded computer that integrates a processor core, program memory (flash), data memory (SRAM), and a rich set of peripherals onto one die, sitting at the lowest level of the embedded-system hierarchy below SoCs and application processors. The SAM4C family is Microchip's (formerly Atmel's) ARM-based line targeted specifically at smart energy and dual-core control applications.
Key differentiating features include the true dual-core architecture - two independent 120 MHz Cortex-M4F cores that can partition secure metering firmware from application code - plus 1 MB of on-chip flash for feature-rich metering firmware and 128 KB of SRAM for buffering and protocol stacks. The 120 MHz maximum core speed delivers approximately 150 DMIPS-class performance, and the hardware FPU accelerates floating-point DSP math used in energy measurement algorithms.
Architecturally, the SAM4C implements a dual-core system designed for smart energy meters: one core can run application/UI tasks while the second core handles security-critical metrology, supporting firmware partitioning that is difficult to retrofit onto single-core MCUs. Peripherals include serial interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C/TWI), timers, and analog blocks typical of the SAM4 series (full peripheral set detailed in the manufacturer datasheet).
Typical applications include smart electricity meters, smart-grid nodes, industrial control panels, and secure connected devices where dual-core separation and 1 MB of flash headroom justify the SAM4C selection.
A key design consideration is power integrity: at 120 MHz dual-core operation, ensure the 1.62-3.6 V supply rail is decoupled with low-ESR ceramics at every VDD pin pair, and confirm flash wait-state settings against the 120 MHz maximum clock per the datasheet.
This page synthesizes verified distributor data, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4C16CA-AUR 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 ATSAM4C16CA-AUR (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Core Processor, Packaging, RoHS Status, Package, Flash Memory.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4C16CB-AUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$5.94 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAM4C8CA-AUR
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$4.85 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAM4C4CA-AUR
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4S16CA-AU
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$5.55 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAM4E16CA-ANR
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4C16CA-AUR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M4/M4F (dual-core) |
| Core Size | 32-bit |
| Number of Cores | 2 |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory Size | 1 MB (1M x 8) |
| RAM Size | 128 KB (128K x 8) |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Series | SAM4C |
| Package | 100-LQFP (14 x 14 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Terminal Form | Gull Wing |
| Number of Terminals | 100 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel (R suffix) |
| Programmability | In-System Programmable (SAM-BA / SWD) |
| RoHS Status | Green / RoHS compliant (LQFP Green IND TEMP) |
ATSAM4C16CA-AUR 100-lqfp (14 x 14 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4C16CA-AUR (100-lqfp (14 x 14 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 ATSAM4C16CA-AUR.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4C16CA-AUR is suitable for 6 applications: Smart Electricity Meters, Industrial Control Panels, Smart Grid Communication Nodes, Secure Embedded Devices, Battery-Powered Monitoring Systems, Test and Measurement Instruments.
Smart Electricity Meters
The ATSAM4C16CA-AUR is Microchip's dedicated smart-energy SoC: its two independent 120 MHz Cortex-M4F cores let meter manufacturers partition metrology and security firmware on one core while running communication stacks (DLMS/COSEM, RF mesh) on the other, in a package qualified for industrial temperatures. With 1 MB of flash, there is headroom for multi-protocol firmware, firmware-update images, and data logging without external memory. The hardware FPU accelerates the floating-point RMS, power, and energy calculations typical of metering algorithms. Placed on a 3.3 V rail with per-pin 100 nF decoupling, the dual-core MCU removes the need for a separate security processor, reducing BOM cost in high-volume meter deployments.
Recommended
Industrial Control Panels
In industrial control and factory automation panels, the ATSAM4C16CA-AUR provides dual 120 MHz Cortex-M4F cores able to run a real-time control loop on one core and a human-machine interface or fieldbus protocol on the other, keeping deterministic control timing isolated from slower communication tasks. The industrial temperature grade and green 100-LQFP 14 x 14 mm package suit panel-mounted PCBs, while 1 MB flash accommodates feature-rich application code, PID libraries, and diagnostics. The 1.62-3.6 V supply range connects directly to standard 3.3 V logic rails. Its same-footprint family members (ATSAM4C8CA/ATSAM4C4CA) allow a single PCB design to scale flash across product tiers, protecting layout investment.
Recommended
Smart Grid Communication Nodes
Smart-grid concentrators and communication nodes benefit from the ATSAM4C16CA-AUR's architecture: one Cortex-M4F core handles the mesh or PLC protocol stack while the second core manages data aggregation, buffering the 128 KB SRAM for message queues. The 120 MHz core speed delivers the throughput needed for header parsing, encryption, and payload handling at line rates, and the 1 MB flash stores dual firmware banks enabling field firmware upgrades with rollback - a practical requirement for grid equipment with 15+ year service lives. The dual-core partition also helps meet firmware-isolation expectations in utility tenders. Use the CB variant (ATSAM4C16CB-AUR) when hardware CRYPTO acceleration is mandated.
Recommended
Secure Embedded Devices
For secure embedded products that must separate security-critical code from open application code, the ATSAM4C16CA-AUR's dual-core design provides a hardware boundary: run key handling and secure boot on one core and exposed connectivity firmware on the other. The 1 MB flash supports segregated firmware images plus update payloads, and 128 KB SRAM holds session keys and buffers. The industrial-grade 100-LQFP package is widely used in terminal, reader, and access-control form factors. Where cryptographic hardware acceleration is required by the threat model, the pin-compatible ATSAM4C16CB-AUR adds the CRYPTO peripheral on the same silicon revision family, making migration a firmware change rather than a PCB respin.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Monitoring Systems
The 1.62 V low-end of the ATSAM4C16CA-AUR supply range enables operation directly from a single lithium cell regulation point, useful in battery-backed data loggers and monitoring nodes. In such systems the second Cortex-M4F core can be parked while one core services low-rate sensor sampling, and the 120 MHz ceiling allows burst processing of vibration or power-quality waveforms with the hardware FPU before returning to sleep. The 1 MB flash retains logged configuration tables and dual firmware images for remote updates of deployed units, where physical access is impractical. Use the 100-LQFP gull-wing package with a solid ground plane to control noise on the analog sensing front end.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instruments
Handheld and bench instruments use the ATSAM4C16CA-AUR to separate the acquisition engine from the user interface: one 120 MHz Cortex-M4F core timestamps and processes measurement data with FPU math, while the second core drives the display, buttons, and USB/serial connectivity. The 1 MB flash hosts calibration tables, multiple instrument profiles, and bootloader plus application, and the industrial temperature range supports handheld field instruments. The 100-LQFP 14 x 14 mm package provides enough general-purpose I/O for keyboards, encoders, and display buses without expanding the BOM. Design in the ATSAM4C16CB-AUR pin-compatible variant if cryptographic signing of calibration data or firmware authentication is required.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4C16CA-AUR β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4C16CB-AUR | ATSAM4C8CA-AUR | ATSAM4S16CA-AU | ATSAM4E16CA-ANR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 100-LQFP (14x14 mm) | 100-LQFP (14x14 mm) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14 mm) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14 mm) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core Architecture | Dual-core Cortex-M4F | Dual-core Cortex-M4F | Dual-core Cortex-M4F | Single-core Cortex-M4 | Single-core Cortex-M4 |
| Max Clock Speed | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 1 MB | 1 MB | 512 KB | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Supply Voltage | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Hardware Crypto Engine | No | Yes (CRYPTO, RevB) | No | No | No |
| Ethernet MAC | No | No | No | No | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- True dual-core Cortex-M4F architecture for firmware partitioning (vs ATSAM4S16CA-AU)
- Cost-optimized scaling within the same 100-LQFP footprint (vs ATSAM4C8CA-AUR)
- Lowest-risk option versus CRYPTO-equipped sibling (vs ATSAM4C16CB-AUR)
Design Notes
Power the ATSAM4C16CA-AUR from a regulated 3.3 V rail within the 1.62-3.6 V window. Place 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitors at every VDD/VDDIO pin pair, with one 4.7-10 uF bulk capacitor per supply domain. In dual-core designs both cores draw simultaneously at 120 MHz, so transient currents are higher than a single-core SAM4S design; verify regulator load transient response before layout freeze. Estimated: a dual 120 MHz Cortex-M4F typically draws in the tens-of-mA range per the datasheet power tables - confirm against the current Microchip datasheet before sizing the regulator.
The 100-LQFP (14 x 14 mm, 0.5 mm pitch) gull-wing package requires careful reflow profile control to avoid solder bridging on fine pitch. Allocate a solid ground plane on layer 2 beneath the MCU and keep the analog supply domain separated if using ADC-based metrology in smart-meter designs. Route crystal and SWD debug traces short and guard them with ground. Provide test points for SAM-BA in-system programming access, since the R (tape-and-reel) variant is intended for automated assembly and rework on a 100-pin QFP is difficult.
Three frequent mistakes with this part: (1) confusing the CA and CB variants - only the CB (RevB) carries the CRYPTO peripheral, so security-dependent firmware will not build/run correctly on the CA; (2) ordering the -AUR tape-and-reel part for hand prototyping when the -AU tray variant is more practical; (3) assuming a single-core ATSAM4S binary will run unmodified on the dual-core SAM4C - core startup, peripheral mapping, and partitioning all differ even though the footprint is the same. Validate flash wait-state configuration at 120 MHz against the current datasheet revision.
Compliance Information
Mouser lists the part as LQFP Green IND TEMP, indicating green (halogen-free) package qualification. REACH and conflict-minerals status not stated in the provided data - consult the Microchip product page.