ATSAM4E8EA-AUR - 120MHz ARM Cortex-M4 MCU 512KB | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4E8EA-AUR ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10.19 | $10.19 |
| 10 | $9.42 | $94.20 |
| 100 | $8.68 | $868.00 |
| 500 | $8.02 | $4,010.00 |
| 1,000 | $7.45 | $7,450.00 |
ATSAM4E8EA-AUR Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single integrated circuit that combines a processor core, memory, and peripherals into one chip, forming the lowest level of the embedded systems hierarchy: MCU -> embedded processor -> computing system. The SAM4E family belongs to Microchip's (formerly Atmel) SMART ARM-based MCU portfolio, targeting industrial connectivity applications that require both control performance and rich connectivity.
Key features of the ATSAM4E8EA-AUR include the ARM Cortex-M4 core with a 2 KB cache, a hardware Floating Point Unit (FPU), DSP instructions, Thumb-2 instruction set support, and a Memory Protection Unit (MPU). The high data bandwidth architecture enables deterministic real-time execution while the FPU accelerates control algorithms such as PID loops and digital filtering.
Technical depth: the Cortex-M4 core with 2 Kbytes cache reduces flash wait-state penalties at 120 MHz operation, while the MPU supports functional-safety-oriented software partitioning. Embedded flash allows in-field firmware updates without external memory.
Typical applications include industrial automation, building and factory control, gateways and connectivity nodes, and motor control systems that leverage the DSP and FPU capability of the Cortex-M4 core.
Design consideration: verify supply voltage, peripheral set, and I/O configuration against the official SAM4E datasheet before layout, and confirm the 144-LQFP (20x20) footprint dimensions against the land pattern data.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, stock status, drop-in family alternatives, and practical design guidance not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4E8EA-AUR — 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 ATSAM4E8EA-AUR (same form factor and footprint) — differing in RoHS Status, Core Processor, FPU.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4E16EA-AUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$11 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4E8EA-AU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.98 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4E8EA-AUR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | ARM Cortex-M4 with 2 KB cache |
| Core Size | 32-Bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 120 MHz |
| Program Memory Size | 512 KB (512K x 8) FLASH |
| RAM Memory Size | 128 KB |
| FPU | Yes |
| DSP Instructions | Yes |
| Instruction Set | Thumb-2 |
| Memory Protection Unit | Yes (MPU) |
| Number of ADCs | 2 |
| Number of Pins | 144 |
| Package | 144-LQFP (20 x 20 mm) |
| Mounting Style | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (Green, per Mouser) |
| Packaging Variant | Tape and Reel (-AUR suffix) |
ATSAM4E8EA-AUR 144-lqfp (20 x 20 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4E8EA-AUR (144-lqfp (20 x 20 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 ATSAM4E8EA-AUR.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4E8EA-AUR is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation and Factory Control, Building and Facility Control Gateways, Motor Control Systems, Embedded Connectivity Nodes and IoT Bridges, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Medical and Health Monitoring Devices.
Industrial Automation and Factory Control
The ATSAM4E8EA-AUR fits industrial automation nodes that must combine deterministic control with communication connectivity. Its 120 MHz ARM Cortex-M4 core with 2 KB cache and hardware FPU executes real-time control loops and protocol stacks concurrently, while the 512 KB flash and 128 KB SRAM host industrial communication firmware and data buffers. The MPU enables software partitioning between safety-relevant control code and less-critical tasks. Used as the main controller on a control board, the Cortex-M4's Thumb-2 DSP instructions accelerate filtering and monitoring algorithms; unlike general-purpose parts without an FPU, it avoids slow software floating-point emulation, cutting loop-cycle times measurably in closed-loop control applications.
Recommended
Building and Facility Control Gateways
In building management gateways, the ATSAM4E8EA-AUR acts as the aggregation controller linking sensors, actuators, and upstream networks. The 120 MHz Cortex-M4 with DSP instructions and FPU handles protocol translation and time-stamped event processing, while the 512 KB embedded flash supports large, field-updatable firmware images and 128 KB SRAM buffers packet traffic. The two integrated ADCs digitize analog sensor inputs without external converters. Placed on a gateway main board as the central MCU, its embedded flash permits in-field OTA-style firmware updates; the trade-off versus larger parts is code space, which is why the pin-compatible 1 MB ATSAM4E16EA-AUR exists for headroom-constrained designs.
Recommended
Motor Control Systems
The ATSAM4E8EA-AUR suits embedded motor drives that need fast, floating-point control mathematics. Field-oriented control requires trigonometric transforms executed every PWM cycle; the Cortex-M4's single-cycle DSP MAC instructions and hardware FPU at 120 MHz complete these calculations with deterministic latency, while the two on-chip ADCs sample phase currents and position feedback in parallel. With 512 KB flash, complete sensorless drive stacks and protection state machines fit on-chip. In a drive board, the MCU generates PWM outputs and runs fault monitoring; compared with MCUs lacking an FPU, it removes software floating-point overhead, tightening current-loop bandwidth in servo and industrial drive applications.
Recommended
Embedded Connectivity Nodes and IoT Bridges
As a connectivity bridge, the ATSAM4E8EA-AUR mediates between field buses and network backbones. The SAM4E series high data bandwidth architecture supports sustained packet processing, and the 128 KB SRAM accommodates communication stacks plus message queues. The 120 MHz Cortex-M4 core with 2 KB cache sustains protocol handling alongside application logic without external RAM. Deployed as the host controller on a bridge PCB, its 512 KB flash hosts dual-bank firmware for safe in-field updates, and the MPU isolates the network stack from application code to improve robustness. Systems requiring additional code capacity can migrate to the pin-compatible ATSAM4E16EA-AUR without PCB changes.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Bench and portable instruments use the ATSAM4E8EA-AUR as the measurement and user-interface controller. The 120 MHz Cortex-M4 with DSP instructions processes sampled waveforms, applies windowing and FFT computations, and drives display and communication peripherals. The dual ADCs provide simultaneous multi-channel acquisition, and 128 KB SRAM offers capture buffers for waveform data. On an instrument main board, the FPU executes calibration and scaling math in native floating point, avoiding fixed-point implementation effort; the embedded 512 KB flash stores instrument firmware and calibration tables. Designs requiring deep waveform memory pair the MCU with external SRAM or upgrade to the 1 MB ATSAM4E16EA-AUR.
Recommended
Medical and Health Monitoring Devices
Portable medical monitoring equipment benefits from the ATSAM4E8EA-AUR's balance of processing performance and integration. The Cortex-M4 FPU executes digital filtering and analysis algorithms on physiological signals in native floating point, the dual ADCs sample multiple sensor channels, and the MPU supports software partitioning between measurement code and user-interface logic. The 512 KB flash holds signal-processing firmware and data-logging code, while 128 KB SRAM buffers acquired samples. Used as the main controller on a monitor board, its embedded memory and 120 MHz throughput support continuous acquisition; the deterministic Thumb-2 execution aids timing-critical sampling loops typical of diagnostic instrumentation.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4E8EA-AUR — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4E16EA-AUR | ATSAM4E8EA-AU |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 144-LQFP (20 x 20 mm) | 144-LQFP (20 x 20 mm) - same | 144-LQFP (20 x 20 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 120 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 120 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 512 KB | 1 MB | 512 KB |
| SRAM | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB |
| FPU / DSP | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes |
| Number of ADCs | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Packaging Delivery Format | Tape & Reel (-AUR) | Tape & Reel (-AUR) | Tray (-AU) |
Key Differentiators
- Cost-optimized 512 KB flash point in the SAM4E family (vs ATSAM4E16EA-AUR)
- Hardware FPU and DSP instructions on Cortex-M4 (vs Cortex-M3 family members (e.g., ATSAM3S8BA-MUR))
- Reel delivery for automated assembly (vs ATSAM4E8EA-AU)
Design Notes
The 144-LQFP (20 x 20 mm) package uses a 0.5 mm lead pitch typical of LQFP-144; generate the land pattern directly from the package drawing in the SAM4E datasheet rather than from third-party footprints, and verify courtyard dimensions before routing. Because the -AUR part ships in tape and reel, confirm your pick-and-place feeder supports 24 mm tape width for 20 x 20 mm QFP bodies. Route high-frequency peripheral signals away from the crystal and keep analog ADC traces short with a local ground reference.
Microchip explicitly recommends Revision B of the SAM4E8E for new designs, prototypes, and production - the rev note appears on the official product page. Ordering an older revision during shortage-driven secondary-market sourcing (broker stock may carry older date codes) can create subtle silicon behavior differences. Also confirm exact supply voltage range and peripheral selection from the datasheet before finalizing the power tree; do not infer these from family summaries alone.
Provide local decoupling capacitors at each supply pin pair of the 144-LQFP package per the datasheet power distribution guidance, placing the smallest ceramics closest to the pins. For the 512 KB flash device, in-application flash programming draws momentary additional current - size the regulator headroom accordingly. Estimated: verify total budget by summing core, peripheral, and I/O currents from the datasheet current-consumption tables against your rail capacity.
At 120 MHz core operation, keep the crystal/oscillator loop traces as short as possible with guard grounding, and route high-speed peripheral clocks away from ADC inputs to preserve sampling accuracy. The on-chip 2 KB cache masks flash wait states, but interrupt-latency-critical ISRs should be reviewed for flash access timing per the SAM4E datasheet system controller section.
Compliance Information
Mouser lists the part as LQFP Green IND TEMPMRL, indicating RoHS/Green packaging. REACH, lead-free, and halogen-free declarations should be confirmed via Microchip's official material content documentation.