ATSAM4E16CA-AU - 120MHz Cortex-M4 MCU 1MB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4E16CA-AU ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10.49 | $10.49 |
| 10 | $9.44 | $94.40 |
| 100 | $8.6 | $860.00 |
| 500 | $8.1 | $4,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $7.65 | $7,650.00 |
ATSAM4E16CA-AU Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a processor core, memory, and peripherals on one die, sitting at the lowest level of the embedded-systems hierarchy: MCU -> embedded processor -> system-on-chip -> computing platform. The SAM4E family belongs to Microchip (formerly Atmel) ARM-based MCU portfolio and is positioned for connectivity-rich, computation-oriented embedded designs.
Key features of the ATSAM4E16CA-AU include the Cortex-M4 core with DSP instructions, a hardware Floating Point Unit (FPU), Thumb-2 instruction support, and a Memory Protection Unit (MPU). The 2 KB cache and high-bandwidth bus architecture sustain near-zero-wait-state execution from Flash at the full 120 MHz clock rate. Industrial temperature support (-40C to +85C) and RoHS-compliant green packaging suit harsh-environment deployments.
Technically, the SAM4E series differentiates itself with advanced connectivity peripherals and Ethernet support within the family, paired with the FPU-accelerated core for control loops, signal processing, and protocol stacks. Multiple low-power modes, a rich clock tree with PLLs, DMA channels, and a broad peripheral set (USART, SPI, TWI/I2C, ADC, timers, PWM) reduce external component count in typical designs.
Typical applications include industrial automation and control nodes, networked sensors and gateways leveraging Ethernet-class connectivity, motor control and power conversion thanks to the FPU and DSP instructions, and embedded systems needing substantial 1 MB Flash for large firmware, file systems, or OTA update banks.
Design consideration: the -AU suffix denotes the 100-LQFP (14x14) tape-and-reel green industrial part; footprint-compatible family members with smaller Flash (e.g., ATSAM4E8CA-AU) enable BOM cost scaling without PCB redesign.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-package drop-in alternatives, design notes, and application guidance not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4E16CA-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 ATSAM4E16CA-AU (same form factor and footprint) — differing in RoHS Status, Packaging, Package, Flash Memory, Series.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4E16CA-AUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4E16CA-AN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4E8CA-AU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$7.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4S16CA-AU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4SD32CA-AU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4E16CA-AU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M4 |
| Core Size | 32-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory Size | 1 MB (1M x 8) |
| SRAM Size | 128 KB |
| Cache | 2 KB |
| FPU | Yes (hardware Floating Point Unit) |
| DSP Instructions | Yes |
| Memory Protection Unit | Yes (MPU) |
| Instruction Set | Thumb-2 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
| Package | 100-LQFP (14x14 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel (AU suffix), MRL A |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (green) |
| Series | SAM4E |
| Connectivity | Advanced connectivity peripherals (Ethernet-class within SAM4E family) |
ATSAM4E16CA-AU 100-lqfp (14x14 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4E16CA-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 ATSAM4E16CA-AU.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4E16CA-AU is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation and Control, Networked Gateways and Ethernet Nodes, Motor Control and Power Conversion, Data Loggers and Smart Meters, Medical and Diagnostic Instruments, IoT Edge Devices and Smart Sensors.
Industrial Automation and Control
The ATSAM4E16CA-AU fits industrial control nodes that need both compute headroom and deterministic peripherals. Its 120 MHz Cortex-M4 with hardware FPU executes PID and motion-control floating-point math without software emulation, while 1 MB Flash accommodates protocol stacks, HMI logic, and field-updatable firmware. The MPU supports partitioned safety code, and the industrial -40C to +85C rating matches factory-floor cabinets. Implemented as the main controller driving PWM outputs, ADC current sensing, and RS-485/SPI I/O expansion, it replaces multi-chip MCU+FPGA solutions in many PLC I/O modules. The trade-off versus a dual-core MCU is single-thread execution, so time-critical loops should rely on peripheral DMA to keep CPU load predictable.
Recommended
Networked Gateways and Ethernet Nodes
The SAM4E family is positioned for advanced connectivity, and the ATSAM4E16CA-AU is the high-memory member for gateway duty. The 1 MB Flash holds TCP/IP stacks, web servers, and OTA images, while 128 KB SRAM buffers socket data and packet descriptors. The Cortex-M4's 2 KB cache and high-bandwidth bus keep 120 MHz execution efficient during interrupt-heavy network traffic. Deployed between field buses and Ethernet backbones, the MCU handles protocol translation with the FPU accelerating encryption and checksum workloads. Compared with external MAC+MCU two-chip solutions, the single-chip approach lowers BOM cost and board area; the design consideration is that PHY connection and magnetics layout demand careful EMI planning per Microchip reference designs.
Recommended
Motor Control and Power Conversion
Field-oriented control (FOC) demands fast floating-point loops, and the ATSAM4E16CA-AU delivers them with single-cycle FPU multiply-accumulate at 120 MHz. The DSP instructions accelerate Clarke/Park transforms and PI compensators, PWM peripherals generate complementary drive signals with dead time, and fast ADCs sample phase currents for the control loop. 1 MB Flash stores sensorless observer algorithms plus multiple motor profiles. Typical usage: three-phase BLDC/PMSM drives up to several kW with external gate drivers, or digital power (solar micro-inverter control). The main trade-off versus dedicated motor DSPs is fewer specialized motor peripherals, so verify PWM channel count and ADC trigger latency against the SAM4E datasheet before committing.
Recommended
Data Loggers and Smart Meters
Smart metering and industrial data loggers benefit from the ATSAM4E16CA-AU's large memory and connectivity options. The 1 MB Flash supports a local file system for time-stamped records and dual-image firmware for field updates, while 128 KB SRAM maintains running aggregates and communication buffers. Peripheral UARTs/SPI connect to metering front ends, and networked variants push data over wired links. The MCU runs the measurement-to-transmission chain end to end at 120 MHz, with low-power modes trimming consumption between sampling intervals in battery-assisted designs. Design consideration: external EEPROM/FRAM is typically added for write-endurance management since Flash wear-levelling for high-frequency logging consumes code space and complicates the memory map.
Recommended
Medical and Diagnostic Instruments
Benchtop and portable diagnostic instruments use the ATSAM4E16CA-AU where DSP-class math meets UI and connectivity. The FPU accelerates filtering and FFT analysis of sensor signals at 120 MHz, 1 MB Flash hosts GUI assets, calibration tables, and USB or Ethernet communication, and the MPU helps isolate measurement firmware from communication stacks. Typical deployment: the MCU reads an external precision ADC over SPI, applies digital filtering, and streams results to a host or display, replacing separate signal-processing ICs. Design consideration: this part is industrial-temperature, not medically certified; system-level IEC 60601 compliance depends on surrounding isolation and power design rather than the MCU itself, which must be stated in the safety file.
Recommended
IoT Edge Devices and Smart Sensors
Edge IoT nodes that preprocess data locally match the ATSAM4E16CA-AU's profile: the Cortex-M4 with DSP instructions runs feature extraction and lightweight inference-style filtering on-device, reducing cloud bandwidth. 1 MB Flash stores TLS stacks and certificates for secure uplinks, and connectivity peripherals bridge sensor buses to wired networks. The MCU's multiple low-power modes allow duty-cycled operation in mains-assisted sensors. Typical architecture: analog front end into ADC, SAM4E performing threshold and spectral analysis, then report transmission. Compared with wireless SoCs, this wired-edge approach trades radio integration for deterministic processing; add a dedicated wireless module when cable-free deployment is mandatory rather than forcing the MCU to bit-bang RF.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4E16CA-AU — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4E16CA-AUR | ATSAM4E16CA-AN | ATSAM4E8CA-AU | ATSAM4S16CA-AU | ATSAM4SD32CA-AU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 100-LQFP (14x14 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core / Max Frequency | Cortex-M4, 120 MHz | Cortex-M4, 120 MHz | Cortex-M4, 120 MHz | Cortex-M4, 120 MHz | Cortex-M4, 120 MHz | Cortex-M4, 120 MHz |
| Flash | 1 MB | 1 MB | 1 MB | 512 KB | 1 MB | 1 MB (dual bank 2 x 512 KB) |
| SRAM | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB |
| FPU / DSP Instructions | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes |
| SAM4E Connectivity Peripheral Set | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (SAM4S peripheral set) | Yes |
| Packaging / Supply Form | Tape & Reel (AU) | Tape & Reel (AUR) | Tray (AN) | Tape & Reel (AU) | Tape & Reel (AU) | Tape & Reel (AU) |
Key Differentiators
- Maximum family Flash capacity (1 MB) in same footprint (vs ATSAM4E8CA-AU)
- SAM4E advanced connectivity peripheral set retained (vs ATSAM4S16CA-AU)
- Single-bank simplicity vs dual-bank variant (vs ATSAM4SD32CA-AU)
Design Notes
Design the supply per the SAM4E datasheet recommended operating conditions (nominal single 3.3 V rail; confirm exact min/max for your silicon revision before design freeze, as Microchip recommends Revision B for new designs). Decouple each VDD/VDDIO pin pair with 100 nF ceramics placed within 2 mm of the pins, plus bulk 10 uF near the regulator. The internal core regulator output requires its own datasheet-specified capacitor - omitting it causes startup instability. Estimated: a fully loaded MCU (120 MHz, all peripherals, I/O sourcing ~50 mA) typically draws on the order of 50-100 mA total, so a 300 mA LDO provides comfortable margin.
The 100-LQFP 14x14 mm footprint uses 0.5 mm pitch - use solder-mask-defined pads per IPC-compatible land patterns and verify paste aperture reduction (about 50-60%) to prevent bridging in reflow. Provide a solid ground plane under the device and keep high-speed clocks (USB/Ethernet-class peripherals, main crystal) traces short with guard grounds. Place the 18.432 MHz or equivalent main crystal within 10 mm of the OSC pins with load capacitors sized per crystal spec. Break out fine-pitch pins with 0.15-0.2 mm traces and via fanout away from the package body.
Three recurring SAM4E pitfalls: (1) assuming pin compatibility with SAM4S parts at the register level - the footprints match but peripheral maps differ, so firmware must be ported, not copied. (2) Ignoring Microchip's Revision B recommendation for new designs; Revision A silicon errata can affect specific peripherals - check the product errata sheet. (3) Flash endurance management: logging frequently to internal Flash without wear-levelling wears sectors early; move high-write data to external EEPROM/FRAM. Always confirm the -AU (tape-and-reel, green, industrial) suffix ordering code when purchasing to avoid tray or non-industrial variants arriving instead.
Compliance Information
Mouser lists the part as LQFP GREEN IND TEMP MRL A, indicating green (halogen-free) packaging and industrial temperature grade. REACH and conflict-minerals status not stated in provided data.