ATSAM4LS8BA-MU - 48MHz Cortex-M4 512KB MCU | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4LS8BA-MU β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.7 | $1.70 |
| 10 | $1.53 | $15.30 |
| 100 | $1.36 | $136.00 |
| 500 | $1.19 | $595.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.02 | $1,020.00 |
ATSAM4LS8BA-MU Overview
A microcontroller unit (MCU) is a single integrated circuit that combines a processor core, memory (Flash for code and SRAM for data), and a rich set of peripherals (timers, serial interfaces, ADCs) on one die. Within the power-management hierarchy, MCUs like the SAM4L sit at the lowest power tier of 32-bit embedded processing, below application processors, and are optimized for battery-powered and energy-harvesting systems where every microamp matters.
The ATSAM4LS8BA-MU differentiates itself with the lowest power in its class: 90 uA/MHz in active mode, 1.5 uA in sleep mode, and a wake-up time as short as 1.5 us, which Microchip reports as the fastest in any Cortex-M4 device. It integrates a USB device controller, a peripheral event system that lets peripherals communicate without CPU intervention, and the Sleepwalking feature that allows peripherals to operate autonomously while the core sleeps.
Architecturally, the device is based on the high-performance 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 RISC processor with a 3-stage pipeline and single-cycle MAC/DSP instructions. The SAM4L family adds a picoPower technology portfolio: multiple sleep modes, a reduced core voltage of 3.3V operation, and peripheral gating. The embedded Flash with 512KB (512K x 8) density supports field firmware updates, and the exposed-pad HVQCCN QFN package provides excellent thermal and grounding performance for compact designs.
Typical applications include battery-powered sensor nodes, smart meters, portable medical monitors, wearable devices, industrial IoT endpoints, and low-power USB accessories where fast wake-up and long battery life dominate the design requirements.
Designers should budget the lowest-power sleep mode against wake-up latency: the 1.5 us wake-up enables aggressive duty cycling, but peripheral Sleepwalking configurations require careful clock and event-system planning to actually realize the datasheet-level current figures.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in SAM4L family alternatives, pinout guidance, and practical design notes not found in a single manufacturer datasheet, saving engineers cross-referencing time.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4LS8BA-MU 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 ATSAM4LS8BA-MU (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Flash Memory, Core Processor, Packaging, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
No drop-in alternatives available for this product.
Request AlternativesATSAM4LS8BA-MU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M4 (32-bit RISC) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 48 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 512KB (512K x 8) |
| Supply Voltage | 3.3 V |
| Active Mode Current | 90 uA/MHz |
| Sleep Mode Current | 1.5 uA |
| Wake-up Time | down to 1.5 us |
| Package | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) with exposed pad (HVQCCN) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Number of Terminals | 64 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial |
| USB | USB device controller |
| Special Features | Peripheral Event System, Sleepwalking, picoPower |
ATSAM4LS8BA-MU 64-qfn (9x9 mm) with exposed pad (hvqccn) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4LS8BA-MU (64-qfn (9x9 mm) with exposed pad (hvqccn) 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 ATSAM4LS8BA-MU.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4LS8BA-MU is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes, Portable Medical Monitoring, Smart Metering, USB Battery Accessories, Industrial IoT Endpoints, Wearable Devices.
Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes
The ATSAM4LS8BA-MU fits wireless and wired sensor nodes where a coin cell or small lithium cell must last months to years. Its 90 uA/MHz active current lets bursts of sensing and computation complete with minimal charge draw, while the 1.5 uA sleep mode dominates the duty-cycle energy budget during idle periods. The 1.5 us wake-up allows the node to react to interrupts almost instantly without holding the core awake. Using the Sleepwalking feature, an ADC can sample a sensor and trigger thresholds autonomously, so the CPU only runs on genuine events. The 512KB Flash accommodates protocol stacks and OTA firmware updates. Estimated battery life improves 5-10x versus always-on 8-bit solutions at similar throughput.
Recommended
Portable Medical Monitoring
Portable and wearable medical monitors - pulse oximeters, ECG patches, glucose loggers - require both DSP capability and strict power budgets, which the ATSAM4LS8BA-MU addresses directly. The ARM Cortex-M4 core provides single-cycle MAC instructions for filtering and feature extraction on physiological signals at 48 MHz, while 90 uA/MHz active current and 1.5 uA sleep keep multi-day battery runtimes realistic on small cells. The 512KB Flash stores calibration tables, logging buffers, and BLE firmware for data upload. The industrial temperature grade and exposed-pad QFN support reliable operation against skin-mounted thermal conditions. Designers should place the exposed pad on a copper pour for thermal spreading and use the peripheral event system to timestamp sensor samples without waking the core.
Recommended
Smart Metering
Electricity, water, and gas meters benefit from the ATSAM4LS8BA-MU's combination of measurement compute and multi-year battery or energy-harvest power budgets. The Cortex-M4 performs RMS calculations, tamper detection, and protocol handling at 48 MHz while drawing only 90 uA/MHz, and 1.5 uA sleep between measurement intervals keeps quiescent losses negligible. The 512KB Flash supports secure bootloaders, DLMS/COSEM or M-Bus stacks, and logged data staging. The 1.5 us wake-up enables capture of fast load-profile events without continuous monitoring. Using Sleepwalking, an ADC can track current channels and wake the core only on threshold crossings. The 64-QFN 9x9 mm footprint suits compact meter PCBs constrained by enclosure and sealing requirements.
Recommended
USB Battery Accessories
The ATSAM4LS8BA-MU's integrated USB device controller makes it a strong fit for battery-powered USB accessories - data loggers, HID devices, portable instrument interfaces - that must enumerate reliably yet sip current when unplugged. When attached, USB suspend/resume states map naturally onto the SAM4L's sleep modes; the 1.5 us wake-up ensures compliance with USB resume timing without wasted standby current. The 512KB Flash accommodates USB class stacks (CDC, MSC, HID) alongside application logic, and the Cortex-M4 DSP instructions handle on-device data reduction before transfer. Compared with generic Cortex-M0+ USB MCUs, the SAM4L retains a full DSP pipeline at comparable sleep currents. Layout should keep the exposed pad solidly grounded for USB signal-integrity.
Recommended
Industrial IoT Endpoints
Industrial IoT endpoints - condition monitors, valve controllers, asset trackers - need the ATSAM4LS8BA-MU's blend of 32-bit compute, robust Flash for field upgrades, and ultra-low standby consumption on harvested or primary-cell power. The 90 uA/MHz active current permits continuous low-rate sampling of vibration or current signatures, and the Cortex-M4 MAC accelerates FFT-based anomaly detection at the edge. The peripheral event system routes sensor events between peripherals while the core sleeps at 1.5 uA, and the industrial temperature grade covers factory-floor extremes. The 512KB Flash hosts MQTT/TLS stacks with room for OTA updates over the device lifetime. Designers should budget brown-out supervision and use the fast wake-up for interrupt-driven fieldbus response.
Recommended
Wearable Devices
Wearables - fitness bands, smart rings, hearing accessories - impose severe PCB area and energy constraints that the ATSAM4LS8BA-MU's 9x9 mm QFN and picoPower architecture satisfy. The 90 uA/MHz active draw supports real-time step counting and heart-rate signal processing on the Cortex-M4 core, while multi-second sleep stretches at 1.5 uA define the battery life envelope. The 1.5 us wake-up lets the MCU service touch or motion interrupts instantly, preserving user-experience responsiveness. The 512KB Flash leaves margin for BLE stacks and gesture-recognition firmware updates in the field. Place the exposed pad over a small ground island and route I2C sensor buses short and shielded; the peripheral event system can pre-filter sensor streams without waking the core.
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Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4LS8BA-MU β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4LS8BA-AUR | ATSAM4LC8BA-UUR | ATSAM4LS4BA-MU | ATSAM4LS2BA-MU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) EP | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) EP - same | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) EP - same | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) EP - same | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) EP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core / Speed | ARM Cortex-M4, 48 MHz | Cortex-M4, 48 MHz | Cortex-M4, 48 MHz | Cortex-M4, 48 MHz | Cortex-M4, 48 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 512KB | 512KB | 512KB | 128KB | 64KB |
| Supply Voltage | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V |
| Key Differentiator | 512KB Flash, ultra-low-power flagship of 'S' subfamily | Reel packaging of identical die | 'C' variant power/peripheral profile | Cost-reduced 128KB option | Cost-reduced 64KB option |
Key Differentiators
- Largest Flash in the pin-compatible SAM4L group (vs ATSAM4LS4BA-MU)
- Class-leading power figures within Cortex-M4 (vs ATSAM4LC8BA-UUR)
- Trade-off: higher unit cost than smaller siblings (vs ATSAM4LS2BA-MU)
Design Notes
The 64-QFN exposed pad must be soldered to a solid ground pour with an array of thermal vias (typically 4x4 grid of 0.3 mm vias) to the internal ground plane. This is not optional: the exposed pad is the primary ground return for the device, and an unsoldered pad causes floating-ground behavior, degraded USB signal integrity, and unreliable peripheral operation. Follow the footprint land-pattern recommendation in the SAM4L datasheet, with via-in-pad or dog-bone fanout for the 0.5 mm pitch perimeter pins.
To achieve the advertised 1.5 uA sleep current, every unused GPIO must be configured (never left floating) and the clock tree must be fully gated in the chosen sleep mode. Verify current on the bench with a microammeter in the target firmware state - datasheet figures assume a specific sleep mode and peripheral configuration. Use the Sleepwalking framework so ADC/timer monitoring runs from a low-frequency clock source (e.g., 32 kHz oscillator) instead of the main 48 MHz clock, which dominates active-mode consumption at 90 uA/MHz.
The ATSAM4LS4BA-MU and ATSAM4LS2BA-MU share this part's footprint but offer only 128KB and 64KB Flash respectively. Substituting them during shortages silently truncates firmware images that exceed their Flash size - link-stage failure is the best case, runtime flash-overwrite corruption is the worst. Add a build-time Flash-size assertion to your linker script, and verify the Peripheral Multiplexer configuration when moving between 'S' and 'C' subfamily parts, as default mux settings can differ.
Compliance Information
Mouser lists the part as 'QFN, GREEN, IND TEMP, MRL A' - GREEN designation indicates halogen-free, RoHS-compliant lead-free construction. Formal REACH and conflict-minerals declarations should be obtained from Microchip compliance documentation.
