ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR - 48MHz Cortex-M4 MCU 512KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6.99 | $6.99 |
| 10 | $6.6 | $66.00 |
| 100 | $6 | $600.00 |
| 500 | $5.5 | $2,750.00 |
| 1,000 | $5 | $5,000.00 |
ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip embedded computer combining a processor core, memory, and peripherals on one die. Within the embedded hierarchy, the ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR sits in the high-performance, ultra-low-power tier of Microchip's SAM4L family: ARM Cortex-M4 core, flash-based program memory, and rich analog and digital peripherals targeted at battery-powered and energy-harvesting systems.
Key differentiating features include the lowest active-mode consumption in its class at approximately 90 uA/MHz, deep sleep modes down to 1.5 uA, and wake-up times as short as 1.5 us - among the fastest of any Cortex-M4-based flash MCU. Additional capabilities include an AES cryptographic accelerator for secure communication, a flexible event system allowing peripherals to interact without CPU intervention, and multiple low-power sleep modes with peripheral wake-up sources.
Technically, the SAM4L series pairs the ARM Cortex-M4 RISC processor (with DSP instructions and single-cycle MAC) with Microchip's low-leakage process technology and a Power Management Controller that gates clocks and regulates core voltage dynamically. The Flash memory supports the Peripheral Event System and 12-bit ADC/DAC channels (refer to the manufacturer datasheet for channel counts), enabling sensor-dense designs that sleep for long intervals yet respond almost instantly to interrupts.
Typical applications include battery-powered metering, portable medical devices, wireless sensor nodes with long sleep intervals, and consumer appliances requiring fast wake-up from deep sleep. The combination of 90 uA/MHz active current and 1.5 us wake-up makes it especially well suited to duty-cycled sensing where average current, not peak performance, determines battery life.
Design consideration: battery-life modeling should weight active current per MHz against sleep current and wake-up frequency - this device favors architectures with short, frequent work bursts rather than long compute sessions.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives within the SAM4L family, and practical design notes not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR — 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 ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Packaging, Wake-up Time, Core Processor, Package, Supply Voltage.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4LC8AA-MU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.39 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4LS8AA-MUR
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4LC4AA-MUR
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$3.49 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M4 (32-bit) |
| Core Size | 32-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 48 MHz |
| Flash Memory Size | 512 KB (512K x 8) |
| RAM Memory Size | 64 KB (64K x 8) |
| Supply Voltage | 3.3 V (nominal) |
| Active Mode Current | 90 uA/MHz |
| Sleep Mode Current | 1.5 uA |
| Wake-up Time | down to 1.5 us |
| Security Feature | AES cryptographic engine |
| Package | 48-VFQFN Exposed Pad, 7x7 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel (T&R) |
| Green / RoHS | GREEN (RoHS compliant per distributor listing) |
ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR 48-vfqfn exposed pad, 7x7 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR (48-vfqfn exposed pad, 7x7 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 ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Smart Metering, Portable Medical Devices, IoT Wireless Sensor Nodes, Industrial Condition Monitoring, Consumer Appliance Controls, Secure Access and Token Devices.
Battery-Powered Smart Metering
The ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR's 90 uA/MHz active current and 1.5 uA sleep current make it ideal for electricity, water, and gas meters that must operate for 10+ years on a battery or energy harvest. The MCU sleeps between metering intervals and wakes in 1.5 us to process ADC samples or pulse inputs, keeping average current dominated by sleep leakage rather than computation. The 512 KB Flash buffers consumption logs and firmware headroom for protocol stacks, while the hardware AES engine encrypts data transmitted over wired or wireless links to the utility's collection infrastructure.
Recommended
Portable Medical Devices
Wearable and portable medical monitors - pulse oximeters, glucose meters, ambulatory ECG loggers - benefit from the ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR's duty-cycle efficiency: the Cortex-M4 core with DSP instructions runs filtering algorithms quickly during short active windows, then the device drops to 1.5 uA sleep. Fast 1.5 us wake-up ensures button presses and alarm events respond immediately. Industrial temperature grading and RoHS compliance support regulated manufacturing, and the 512 KB Flash holds signal-processing firmware plus data logs. The exposed-pad 48-QFN 7x7 mm package suits compact handheld enclosures with four-layer PCBs.
Recommended
IoT Wireless Sensor Nodes
In wireless sensor nodes, average current - not peak performance - sets battery life, which is exactly where the ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR excels. A typical node wakes from 1.5 uA sleep in 1.5 us, reads sensors over I2C/SPI, formats packets using the Cortex-M4 DSP extensions, and hands them to a radio before returning to sleep. The 512 KB Flash accommodates mesh or LPWAN stacks without external memory. The Peripheral Event System lets analog comparators and timers react autonomously without CPU intervention, further trimming energy per sample in duty-cycled sensing topologies.
Recommended
Industrial Condition Monitoring
Vibration and thermal condition monitors on motors and rotating machinery use the ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR to sample accelerometers in short bursts: the Cortex-M4 performs FFT analysis at 48 MHz, flags anomalies, and sleeps at 1.5 uA between scheduled captures. The industrial -40C to +85C temperature range covers electrical cabinets and unconditioned factory floors. The AES engine protects telemetry sent to plant SCADA or cloud analytics platforms, and the 512 KB Flash stores baseline vibration signatures locally, allowing edge anomaly detection even when network connectivity is intermittent.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Controls
Appliances with standby regulations benefit from the ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR: in standby, the 1.5 uA deep sleep current supports strict energy-efficiency limits, while the 1.5 us wake-up lets a touch or IR command activate the appliance instantly. The Cortex-M4 core drives HMI peripherals - capacitive touch scanning, LCD segments, buzzer tones - with headroom in the 512 KB Flash for localization data and OTA firmware updaters. The green/RoHS 48-QFN package supports lead-free reflow assembly lines typical of high-volume consumer manufacturing.
Recommended
Secure Access and Token Devices
Access-control readers, secure tokens, and authentication dongles leverage the ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR's hardware AES engine and crypto-flagged platform to encrypt challenge-response exchanges without software crypto overhead. The Cortex-M4 processes cryptographic handshakes at 48 MHz while consuming only 90 uA/MHz, extending coin-cell life in battery-powered tokens. The 512 KB Flash stores multiple key slots, certificate chains, and contactless protocol stacks. Fast 1.5 us wake-up delivers an immediate user experience when a card or fob is presented to the reader terminal.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4LC8AA-MUR — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4LC8AA-MU | ATSAM4LS8AA-MUR | ATSAM4LC4AA-MUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 48-VFQFN (7x7 mm) Exposed Pad | 48-VFQFN (7x7 mm) Exposed Pad - same | 48-VFQFN (7x7 mm) Exposed Pad - same | 48-VFQFN (7x7 mm) Exposed Pad - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core / Max Frequency | ARM Cortex-M4, 48 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4, 48 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4, 48 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4, 48 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 512 KB | 512 KB | 512 KB | 256 KB |
| Active Current | 90 uA/MHz | 90 uA/MHz | 90 uA/MHz (SAM4L family figure) | 90 uA/MHz (SAM4L family figure) |
| Packaging Format | Tape & Reel | Tray | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest wake-up in Cortex-M4 flash MCU class (vs ATSAMD20E18A-MUT)
- Double the memory of lower SAM4LC variants (vs ATSAM4LC4AA-MUR)
- Hardware AES security (vs ATSAM4LC8AA-MU)
Design Notes
Estimated: battery-life modeling should be built around sleep current. For a node sleeping 95% of the time at 1.5 uA and active 5% at 90 uA/MHz x 48 MHz = 4.32 mA, average current is roughly 0.95 x 1.5 uA + 0.05 x 4.32 mA = about 217 uA before radio/sensor loads. Use the SAM4L Power Management Controller to scale clock frequency dynamically during active windows - halving the clock halves active energy since consumption is proportional to MHz.
The 48-QFN exposed pad must be soldered to a ground pad on the PCB - it serves as both thermal relief and the main ground return. Use a 3x3 or 4x4 via array under the exposed pad connected to the internal ground plane. Place 100 nF decoupling capacitors within 2 mm of each VDD pin pair, plus one bulk 4.7-10 uF capacitor near the supply entry. Follow Microchip's SAM4L hardware design application note for the exact VDDIO/VDDCORE decoupling topology.
Do not confuse the MUR (Tape & Reel) and MU (tray) orderable variants when generating pick-and-place reels - they are electrically identical but packaged differently. Additionally, SAM4L subfamilies (LC, LS, C) differ in peripheral multiplexing on shared pins even when packages match; if migrating from ATSAM4LS8AA to ATSAM4LC8AA or vice versa, re-verify every pin's peripheral function in the datasheet I/O multiplexing table before reusing the PCB layout unchanged.
For shortest wake-up time (1.5 us spec), configure the wake-up source on the low-power clock domain rather than the main crystal oscillator, which requires start-up stabilization time. Place the SWD programming header (SWDIO/SWCLK) accessibly in production layouts even after initial debug, since firmware field updates rely on it. Keep crystal load capacitors close to the oscillator pins and route their traces away from fast-switching GPIO to preserve clock accuracy.
Compliance Information
Distributor listings (Mouser) mark the part as GREEN, indicating RoHS-compliant lead-free construction. Full REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals declarations should be confirmed from Microchip's official compliance documentation.
