ATSAM4C16CB-AU - Dual Cortex-M4 120MHz 1MB MCU | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4C16CB-AU ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.88 | $7.88 |
| 10 | $7.25 | $72.50 |
| 100 | $6.65 | $665.00 |
| 500 | $6.2 | $3,100.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.85 | $5,850.00 |
ATSAM4C16CB-AU Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer integrating a processor core, program memory, data memory, and peripherals. The SAM4C family sits within the wider ARM Cortex-M-based microcontroller hierarchy (MCU -> 32-bit MCU -> ARM Cortex-M4 MCU), positioning it as a system-on-chip for smart energy and industrial control systems that require two independent processing cores in one package.
Key features include a dual-core architecture with one Cortex-M4 with FPU and a second Cortex-M4 processor, enabling partitioned applications such as metering computation plus communication. The 1 MB Flash supports large firmware images and OTA update dual-bank schemes. The 1.62V to 3.6V supply range suits battery and mains-powered meters, and the industrial temperature offering supports harsh deployment environments.
Technical depth: each core runs up to 120 MHz with on-chip cache, improving Flash execution efficiency. Per Microchip product data, the device integrates peripherals targeted at energy metering, including serial connectivity and analog interfaces, allowing one chip to host metrology plus protocol stacks.
Typical applications include smart electricity meters, smart energy gateways, industrial automation controllers, and dual-channel sensor processing where the second core offloads real-time tasks.
Design consideration: at 120 MHz, supply decoupling and a clean 3.3V rail are essential; plan Flash partitioning early to exploit dual-core task isolation.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-package alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, adding value beyond spec listings.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4C16CB-AU — 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 ATSAM4C16CB-AU (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core Processor, Series, Core Size, Packaging, RAM Size.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4CMS16CB-AU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$5.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4CMS4CB-AUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4C8CB-AU
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4C16CA-AU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$9.56 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4E16CA-AN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4C16CB-AU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M4/M4F, Dual-Core |
| Core Size | 32-Bit |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 1 MB (1M x 8) |
| SRAM | 152 KB |
| RAM Size Detail | 128K x 8 |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Package | 100-LQFP (14x14 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Series | SAM4C |
| Application Target | Smart Energy Metering |
| Peripherals | On-chip cache per core, serial connectivity, analog interfaces |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial |
| Packaging | Tray |
| Terminal Form | Gull Wing |
ATSAM4C16CB-AU 100-lqfp (14x14 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4C16CB-AU (100-lqfp (14x14 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 ATSAM4C16CB-AU.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4C16CB-AU is suitable for 6 applications: Smart Electricity Metering, Industrial Automation Controllers, Smart Energy Gateways, Dual-Channel Sensor Processing, Battery-Powered Data Loggers, Security-Conscious Embedded Control.
Smart Electricity Metering
The ATSAM4C16CB-AU was designed by Microchip specifically as a system-on-chip for smart energy applications, making single-phase and three-phase smart meters its primary market. The dual 120 MHz Cortex-M4 cores allow hardware partitioning: one core runs metrology algorithms computing RMS voltage, current, power, and energy registers, while the second core services communication (DLMS/COSEM, PLC, RF mesh) and security functions. The 1 MB Flash holds metering firmware, tariff tables, and protocol stacks with room for field upgrades, and 152 KB SRAM supports data logging. With per-core cache improving Flash execution throughput, the MCU sustains real-time sample processing at typical metering sampling rates while maintaining concurrent communication responsiveness on a single chip, reducing BOM cost versus separate metrology and communication processors.
Recommended
Industrial Automation Controllers
Industrial control nodes benefit from the ATSAM4C16CB-AU's dual-core architecture: the primary core executes the control loop and HMI logic while the secondary core handles fieldbus communication, sensor aggregation, or diagnostic logging. Running both cores at 120 MHz with cache enables deterministic response for loop-critical code even while communication traffic spikes. The 1.62V to 3.6V supply range tolerates industrial rail droop, and the industrial temperature grade suits cabinet-mounted electronics. The 1 MB Flash accommodates modular firmware with multiple protocol drivers, and the 100-LQFP gull-wing package offers enough GPIO for relay drives, optocoupler inputs, and expansion buses. Designers should isolate the analog front-end supply and use the peripheral multiplexing tables in the SAM4C datasheet when routing motor control or encoder signals.
Recommended
Smart Energy Gateways
Energy gateways aggregating multiple meters need concurrent protocol termination and data processing, a workload the ATSAM4C16CB-AU handles with its two Cortex-M4 cores. One core can run the secure WAN-side stack while the other manages LAN-side meter polling and preprocessing, and the on-chip caches keep both code paths responsive at 120 MHz. The 1 MB Flash stores TLS libraries, multiple protocol parsers, and buffering logic, while 152 KB SRAM supports message queues. The device's single-chip integration reduces gateway cost and board area versus a two-processor design. Firmware partitioning should be established early, assigning the security-critical stack to a dedicated core, and dual-bank Flash update schemes enabled by the 1 MB density permit field firmware upgrades without a service visit.
Recommended
Dual-Channel Sensor Processing
Systems requiring two independent real-time processing paths, such as vibration monitoring or redundant sensor acquisition, map naturally onto the ATSAM4C16CB-AU. Each Cortex-M4 core at 120 MHz can own one sensor channel end-to-end, from ADC sampling through filtering to threshold decisions, providing isolation so a fault or heavy load on one path does not starve the other. The FPU on the M4F core accelerates floating-point DSP filters for spectral analysis, while the 1 MB Flash stores calibration tables and multi-mode acquisition firmware. The 152 KB SRAM buffers waveforms for event capture. Designers should allocate each core its own peripheral set using the multiplexed pin functions and synchronize via the inter-core communication resources documented in the SAM4C datasheet.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Data Loggers
The ATSAM4C16CB-AU's 1.62V minimum supply and low-power SAM4C operating modes make it usable in battery-backed data logging equipment where the 1 MB Flash must retain long configuration sets and the dual cores allow aggressive clock gating: one core sleeps while the other services wake events at 120 MHz bursts. The industrial grade part handles unattended outdoor enclosures, and the 100-LQFP 14x14 mm footprint balances GPIO count with board area. Loggers capturing power quality or environmental data benefit from the FPU for on-device computation of derived values, reducing data transmission volume. Sleep-current budgeting should follow the SAM4C datasheet power management chapter, using the backup domain and peripheral clocks gating to minimize consumption between acquisition windows.
Recommended
Security-Conscious Embedded Control
Applications that must separate safety or security-critical code from open firmware, such as payment-adjacent terminals or protected controllers, exploit the ATSAM4C16CB-AU's dual-core structure: a trusted core runs security supervision while the second core executes application logic. Both cores run identical 120 MHz Cortex-M4 instruction sets, simplifying shared tooling, and the 1 MB Flash supports code partitioning with the memory configurations of the SAM4C CMS variants offering additional secure-memory options for sensitive deployments. The 152 KB SRAM allows isolated stacks per core. Developers should configure the inter-core communication primitives defined in the SAM4C datasheet, enforce minimal shared-memory windows, and reserve watchdog supervision for the trusted core to recover the application side after faults.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4C16CB-AU — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4CMS16CB-AU | ATSAM4CMS4CB-AUR | ATSAM4C8CB-AU | ATSAM4E16CA-AN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 (Atmel) | Microchip Technology (Atmel) | Microchip Technology (Atmel) | Microchip Technology (Atmel) | Microchip Technology (Atmel) |
| Core Architecture | Dual-core ARM Cortex-M4/M4F, 120 MHz | Dual-core Cortex-M4, 120 MHz | Dual-core Cortex-M4, 120 MHz | Dual-core Cortex-M4, 120 MHz | Single-core Cortex-M4F, 120 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V (SAM4C family) | 1.62 V to 3.6 V (SAM4C family) | 1.62 V to 3.6 V (SAM4C family) | 1.62 V to 3.6 V (SAM4E family) |
| Target Application | Smart energy metering, dual-core | Secure smart energy metering | Smart energy metering (reduced memory) | Cost-reduced smart energy | General embedded with USB |
| Pin Compatibility | Reference (CB pinout) | Same CB pinout | Same CB pinout | Same CB pinout | Same package, NOT pin-guaranteed (verify) |
Key Differentiators
- Dual-core processing on one chip (vs ATSAM4E16CA-AN)
- Maximum memory density in the CB footprint (vs ATSAM4C8CB-AU)
- Balanced GPIO count and board area (vs ATSAM4CMS4CB-AUR)
Design Notes
The ATSAM4C16CB-AU requires a 1.62V to 3.6V external supply with a 1.2V core domain. Use a well-regulated 3.3V rail with at least one 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor per supply pin pair plus bulk 10 uF near the regulator, placed within 2 mm of the LQFP pins. During 120 MHz core operation, supply ripple directly translates to timing jitter on Flash accesses; a local ferrite bead separating VDDCORE from I/O supply domains is recommended per standard SAM4C reference designs from Microchip.
Substituting the single-core ATSAM4E16CA-AN on an ATSAM4C16CB-AU board is not a drop-in change: peripheral multiplexing differs and firmware written for the dual-core inter-processor architecture will not run. Similarly, the CA vs CB suffix denotes different port configurations in the SAM4C family - always confirm the exact suffix against the SAM4C datasheet pin multiplexing tables before committing a PCB revision or a second-source order.
For the 100-LQFP 14x14 mm package, plan a breakout fan-out using 0.5 mm pitch routing rules with via-in-pad avoidance on the fine leads. Reserve footprint compatibility with the whole SAM4C CB family (e.g., ATSAM4C8CB-AU, ATSAM4CMS4CB) so future memory-density changes do not require a new board. Keep the crystal and its load capacitors within 5 mm of the OSC pins with a guard ground ring, and route SWD debug (SWDIO/SWCLK) to a standard Cortex-M 10-pin header for production programming.
Compliance Information
The -AU suffix denotes the lead-free industrial grade package in tray packaging. RoHS/REACH certificates should be requested from Microchip directly for this exact MPN.