ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR - 48MHz Cortex-M4 MCU, 128KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.42 | $5.42 |
| 10 | $4.92 | $49.20 |
| 100 | $4.41 | $441.00 |
| 500 | $3.98 | $1,990.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.61 | $3,610.00 |
ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR Overview
A microcontroller unit (MCU) integrates a processor core, memory, and programmable peripherals on a single chip, sitting at the center of the embedded systems hierarchy - above simple logic ICs and below full application processors. The SAM4L family belongs to Microchip's (formerly Atmel) ARM-based flash MCU portfolio, targeting low-power embedded designs within the broader power-management-conscious MCU market.
Key features include the lowest active-mode consumption in its class at 90 uA/MHz, deep sleep mode at just 1.5 uA, and the shortest wake-up time of any Cortex-M4-based device at down to 1.5 us, per the manufacturer's product data. The device integrates an LCD controller, hardware cryptography, and USB host capability, reducing external component count in human-interface and secure connected designs.
Technically, the SAM4LC2C implements the ARM Cortex-M4 RISC core with a three-stage pipeline and efficient interrupt handling (NVIC), balancing compute performance against the family's dominant design goal: energy efficiency across active, sleep, and wake-up states. The 1.8V/3.3V supply capability with a 1.68V minimum matches both coin-cell and USB-powered architectures.
Typical applications include battery-powered metering with segmented LCDs, portable medical devices, industrial sensors, and security products leveraging the hardware crypto engine and USB host port.
Design consideration: exploit the 1.5 us wake-up time by aggressively cycling between sleep and active states rather than reducing clock frequency, which maximizes the 90 uA/MHz efficiency advantage.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-family drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4LC2CA-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 ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Wake-up Time, Core Size, Flash Memory, Operating Temperature, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4LC2CA-AU
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View Datasheet βATSAM4LS2CA-AU
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$3.95 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAM4LS4CA-AU
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M4 |
| Core Size | 32-Bit Single-Core |
| Max Clock Frequency | 48 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 128KB (128K x 8) |
| Supply Voltage (Min) | 1.68 V |
| Supply Voltage Nominal | 1.8 V / 3.3 V |
| Active Mode Current | 90 uA/MHz |
| Sleep Mode Current | 1.5 uA |
| Wake-up Time | 1.5 us |
| Package | 100-TQFP (14x14 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Peripherals | LCD controller, USB host, hardware cryptography |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel (T/R) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (GREEN) |
ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR 100-tqfp (14x14 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR (100-tqfp (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 ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Utility Metering, Portable Medical and Health Monitoring Devices, Industrial Sensor Nodes and Data Loggers, USB Host Peripherals and Accessories, Smart Home and IoT Security Nodes, Handheld Test and Measurement Instruments.
Battery-Powered Utility Metering
The ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR fits battery-powered electricity, water, and gas meters because it integrates a segmented LCD controller with the SAM4L family's 90 uA/MHz active and 1.5 uA sleep current. In a typical metering architecture the MCU spends most of its duty cycle in deep sleep, waking in 1.5 us to sample the metrology front end, update the LCD, and handle communication before returning to sleep - a pattern that directly exploits the shortest wake-up time in any Cortex-M4-based device. Powered from a 3.3V rail (1.68V minimum supply supported), the hardware cryptography engine secures billing data and firmware authentication without software crypto overhead. Using the LCD controller instead of an external driver removes a whole IC from the bill of materials, cutting both cost and leakage paths in a 10-year battery-life budget.
Recommended
Portable Medical and Health Monitoring Devices
Portable medical instruments such as glucose meters, pulse oximeters, and handheld diagnostic tools benefit from the ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR's combination of a 48 MHz Cortex-M4 core with DSP-class arithmetic and 1.5 uA sleep current. Signal processing of biopotential or optical sensor data runs efficiently on the Cortex-M4, while the 1.5 us wake-up allows the device to respond instantly to user interaction from sleep, preserving battery life measured in months on a single cell. The 1.8V/3.3V supply range supports direct operation from Li-MnO2 coin cells through a simple LDO. The integrated USB host port enables connectivity to printers or USB flash drives for on-device data export without adding a host controller, and the industrial -40C to +85C rating covers storage and transport conditions typical of medical logistics.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Nodes and Data Loggers
Industrial sensor nodes and stand-alone data loggers use the ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR to combine measurement, local display, and secure logging on one chip. The 128KB flash accommodates protocol stacks and logging buffers, while the 90 uA/MHz efficiency keeps energy harvesting or battery budgets viable in field deployments. Per Microchip data, the SAM4L family's 1.5 uA sleep current allows multi-year operation on primary cells when sampling at low duty cycles, and the 1.5 us wake-up supports event-driven acquisition triggered by threshold interrupts rather than polling. The hardware cryptography engine protects logged data and authenticates cloud uplinks, and the industrial temperature rating of -40C to +85C matches unconditioned factory-floor and outdoor enclosures. USB host capability permits field data extraction to a USB stick without a PC.
Recommended
USB Host Peripherals and Accessories
The ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR's integrated USB host controller makes it a strong fit for accessories that must drive USB devices: credential readers, printer adapters, and portable data bridges. Unlike host-only designs built around a PC, this MCU can enumerate USB mass storage, HID devices, or vendor-specific peripherals directly, and the 48 MHz Cortex-M4 core has the throughput for protocol translation and buffering. Power is drawn from 1.8V/3.3V rails typical of USB bus-powered designs, and the 90 uA/MHz active current keeps standby draw low when the device idles between transactions. Hardware cryptography supports secure dongle authentication use cases. Because the USB host stack and application share 128KB of flash, firmware architecture should keep protocol code compact to leave headroom for feature growth.
Recommended
Smart Home and IoT Security Nodes
Smart home controllers and IoT security nodes leverage the ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR's hardware cryptography for authenticated wireless module links and secure key storage, while its 1.5 uA sleep current suits battery or energy-harvesting nodes that must last years between charges. The Cortex-M4 core at 48 MHz handles sensor fusion, packet parsing, and local decision logic, and the 1.5 us wake-up enables immediate reaction to door, motion, or tamper interrupts from deep sleep. Per Microchip's SAM4L positioning, this power profile is the lowest among Cortex-M4-based devices, which matters when Zigbee, Thread, or sub-GHz radio modules are powered from the same battery. The LCD controller can also drive a small status display for wall-mounted panels, and the industrial temperature range covers garages and exterior enclosures.
Recommended
Handheld Test and Measurement Instruments
Handheld multimeters, environmental meters, and portable testers benefit from the ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR's balance of compute and idle power: the 48 MHz Cortex-M4 executes DSP filtering and calibration math, while 1.5 uA sleep extends battery life between measurements in tools used intermittently throughout a workday. The integrated LCD controller natively drives the segmented or small-matrix display typical of handheld instruments without an external driver, and the 1.5 us wake-up makes button presses feel instantaneous even from deep sleep. The 1.8V/3.3V supply range simplifies the power tree around a single-cell lithium battery, and the -40C to +85C industrial rating covers field service environments. 128KB of flash leaves room for firmware plus calibration tables and multilingual UI strings.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4LC2CA-AUR β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4LC2CA-AU | ATSAM4LS2CA-AU | ATSAM4LS4CA-AU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 100-TQFP (14x14 mm) | 100-TQFP (14x14 mm) - same | 100-TQFP (14x14 mm) - same | 100-TQFP (14x14 mm) - same |
| Core / Max Clock | ARM Cortex-M4, 48 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4, 48 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4, 48 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4, 48 MHz |
| Active Mode Current | 90 uA/MHz | 90 uA/MHz | 90 uA/MHz (SAM4L family) | 90 uA/MHz (SAM4L family) |
| Sleep Mode Current | 1.5 uA | 1.5 uA | 1.5 uA (SAM4L family) | 1.5 uA (SAM4L family) |
| Supply Voltage | 1.68 V min; 1.8 V / 3.3 V nominal | 1.68 V min; 1.8 V / 3.3 V | 1.8 V / 3.3 V | 1.8 V / 3.3 V |
Key Differentiators
- Industry-lowest Cortex-M4 power envelope (vs ATSAM4LS4CA-AU)
- Fastest wake-up in class (vs ATSAM4LS2CA-AU)
- Hardware cryptography included (vs ATSAM4LC2CA-AU)
Design Notes
Structure the firmware around aggressive sleep cycling rather than frequency scaling: with 1.5 uA sleep current and 1.5 us wake-up, waking to process an event and returning to sleep almost always beats running at a reduced clock. Estimated: a node active 1% of the time at 48 MHz (approx. 4.3 mA at 90 uA/MHz) and asleep otherwise averages roughly 43 uA plus regulator overhead - use this to size the battery and set the LDO quiescent-current budget accordingly.
The 100-pin TQFP (0.5 mm pitch) requires careful decoupling: place one 100 nF ceramic capacitor at each VDD/VDDIO pin pair as close to the pin as possible, plus bulk 10 uF per supply domain. The 14x14 mm body leaves routing channels under the package - use them for non-critical signals, not for switching or high-fanout clocks. Follow Microchip SAM4L hardware design application notes for oscillator layout (crystal guard ring and short traces).
SAM4L pins are heavily multiplexed; before finalizing routing, check the datasheet pin-multiplexing tables for conflicts between the LCD segment lines, USB D+/D-, and desired peripherals - LCD usage can consume many of the same pins as GPIO-heavy functions. Also note the minimum supply is 1.68 V: brown-out detector thresholds and flash write operations must be qualified against the lowest battery voltage, not the nominal 3.3 V.
Compliance Information
Mouser lists the part as 'TQFP, GREEN, IND TEMP, CRYPTO, MRL' - Microchip's GREEN designation denotes RoHS-compliant, halogen-free packaging. Not marketed as AEC-Q100 automotive qualified.
