ATSAM4N8BA-MU - 100MHz Cortex-M4 512KB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4N8BA-MU ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.1 | $5.10 |
| 10 | $4.62 | $46.20 |
| 100 | $3.95 | $395.00 |
| 500 | $2.8 | $1,400.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.76 | $1,760.00 |
ATSAM4N8BA-MU Overview
A microcontroller unit (MCU) is a single integrated circuit that combines a processor core, memory, and programmable peripherals into one chip, forming the lowest level of the embedded computing hierarchy: MCU -> embedded processor -> microprocessor system. The SAM4N family sits within Microchip (formerly Atmel) ARM-based flash MCU portfolio as its entry point to the Cortex-M4 class, and is pin-to-pin compatible with the SAM4S, SAM3S, SAM3N and SAM7S families, which enables straightforward migration within the portfolio.
Key features include six USARTs, three SPI interfaces and three I2C interfaces for high-speed serial communication, a 10-channel 12-bit ADC, a 10-bit DAC, PWM outputs, timers and an RTC. The device operates from a single 1.62V to 3.6V supply and is rated for industrial temperature ranges, with a green, RoHS-compliant package.
Technically, the ARM Cortex-M4 core delivers efficient 32-bit computation with deterministic interrupt handling, while the generous serial connectivity (six USARTs plus three SPI plus three I2C) makes the device well suited to multi-protocol designs that would otherwise require external communication controllers. The 10-channel, 12-bit ADC supports multi-sensor front ends, and the complementary 10-bit DAC enables closed-loop analog control without external conversion ICs.
Typical applications include industrial automation, consumer and appliance control, energy metering, and smart-home IoT nodes - all domains where the SAM4N family's balance of 100 MHz performance, low power consumption, and rich peripherals fits directly, according to the Microchip SAM4N family datasheet (document 60001422B).
When designing with this device, keep the 1.62V to 3.6V supply range in mind for battery-powered designs, and use the exposed pad of the 64-QFN package as the ground return to improve thermal and signal-integrity performance.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in family alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4N8BA-MU — 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 ATSAM4N8BA-MU (same form factor and footprint) — differing in RoHS Status, Package, Core Processor, Maximum Clock Frequency, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4N16BA-MU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$4.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4N8AA-MU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM3S8BA-MUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM3N4BA-MU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.48 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4S8BA-MU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$5.79 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4N8BA-MU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M4 |
| Core Size | 32-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 100 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 512KB (512K x 8) |
| SRAM | 64KB |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Number of USARTs | 6 |
| Number of SPI Interfaces | 3 |
| Number of I2C Interfaces | 3 |
| ADC Resolution | 12-bit |
| ADC Channels | 10 |
| DAC Resolution | 10-bit |
| Peripherals | PWM, Timers, RTC |
| Package | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) with Exposed Pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | Industrial temperature range (-40C to +85C) |
| Programmability | In-System Flash programmable |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (GREEN package, MRL A) |
ATSAM4N8BA-MU 64-qfn (9x9 mm) with exposed pad Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4N8BA-MU (64-qfn (9x9 mm) with exposed pad 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 ATSAM4N8BA-MU.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4N8BA-MU is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation, Energy Metering, Consumer Appliances, Smart Home IoT Nodes, Sensor Data Acquisition Systems, Medical and Health Monitoring Devices.
Industrial Automation
Industrial automation controllers benefit directly from the ATSAM4N8BA-MU's six USARTs, three SPI and three I2C interfaces, which allow a single MCU to talk to motor drivers, encoders, HMI panels and field sensors simultaneously without external communication bridges. The 100 MHz Cortex-M4 core provides the deterministic interrupt latency needed for time-critical I/O scanning, while the 512KB flash accommodates protocol stacks and diagnostic logging. According to the SAM4N datasheet, industrial automation is a primary target market for this family. Using the 10-channel 12-bit ADC, analog sensor loops (pressure, temperature, current) are sampled on-chip, and the RTC keeps time-stamped event records across power cycles. Trade-off: the part lacks on-chip Ethernet or CAN, so those buses need an external transceiver/MAC solution on the SPI or USART ports.
Recommended
Energy Metering
Energy metering designs exploit the ATSAM4N8BA-MU's 10-channel 12-bit ADC to sample voltage and current channels for RMS power computation, while the 100 MHz Cortex-M4 core executes DSP-style filtering and FFT calculations in firmware. The 512KB flash holds metrology firmware plus tariff and logging tables, and the RTC maintains billing-grade timestamps. Microchip explicitly lists energy metering as a SAM4N target market. The 10-bit DAC can generate calibration or test reference signals during production trim. Low-power modes allow battery-backed metering heads to stay alive through outages. Design consideration: for revenue-grade accuracy, budget external precision reference and anti-alias filtering ahead of the ADC inputs, since MCU ADC performance alone does not meet 0.2S class specifications without careful analog design.
Recommended
Consumer Appliances
Appliance control boards - washers, cooktops, air conditioners - need several UART links (display, Wi-Fi module, service port), triac/PWM drive, and multi-point temperature sensing, all of which map naturally onto the ATSAM4N8BA-MU. Six USARTs eliminate external UART expanders, the 12-bit ADC handles NTC thermistor banks across ten channels, and PWM outputs drive motors or heater power stages. The 1.62V to 3.6V supply range simplifies integration with 3.3V logic and battery-backed clocks. The 512KB flash provides ample space for touch UI frameworks and OTA-style update staging. Consumer and appliance is a named target market in the SAM4N family datasheet. Consider the exposed QFN pad as solid ground return to contain switching noise from the power stage near the ADC front end.
Recommended
Smart Home IoT Nodes
Smart-home sensor and actuator nodes use the ATSAM4N8BA-MU as the local hub: its three I2C buses can each carry a daisy of environmental or touch sensors, a USART links to a Wi-Fi/BLE module for cloud connectivity, and SPI connects high-rate peripherals such as displays or flash data loggers. The 64KB SRAM buffers message queues during network outages, and 512KB flash supports dual-image OTA update schemes. The SAM4N's low power consumption in wait and sleep modes extends battery life in always-on nodes. Trade-off: the MCU has no integrated radio, so total node power and cost depend partly on the chosen wireless companion module - select one with a sleep current below the SAM4N's own standby budget for best battery life.
Recommended
Sensor Data Acquisition Systems
Multi-channel data acquisition front ends leverage the ATSAM4N8BA-MU's 10-channel 12-bit ADC with programmable scan sequencing, streaming results over any of the six USARTs or three SPI ports to a host or storage. The Cortex-M4 core applies digital filtering, scaling, and threshold alarms locally, offloading the host processor. The 10-bit DAC provides excitation or actuation output for closed-loop sensing (for example, bridge excitation or valve drive), enabling a compact single-chip DAQ node. The 9x9 mm QFN suits dense multi-board sensor arrays. Design tip: keep analog routing away from USART clock edges and use the exposed pad as a low-impedance ground to protect ADC noise floor; expect roughly 10-12 effective bits after layout-optimized design rather than the full nominal 12 bits.
Recommended
Medical and Health Monitoring Devices
Portable patient-monitoring accessories - pulse oximeter pods, glucose loggers, wearable vitals recorders - fit the ATSAM4N8BA-MU profile: 100 MHz Cortex-M4 processing handles signal extraction algorithms, the 12-bit ADC samples physiological front ends, and USART/SPI/I2C links connect to analog front ends, displays, and Bluetooth modules. The 1.62V low end of the supply range supports single-cell battery operation, and low-power modes stretch run time between charges. The industrial temperature rating comfortably covers the human-environment range, and the GREEN RoHS package meets consumer-medical material expectations. Note: for devices submitted to medical regulation, plan firmware validation on the specific silicon revision and consider the flash density headroom (this 512KB part, or the 1MB ATSAM4N16BA-MU drop-in) for certified-feature growth.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4N8BA-MU — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4N16BA-MU | ATSAM4N8AA-MU | ATSAM3S8BA-MUR | ATSAM3N4BA-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 | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 100 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 100 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 @ 100 MHz | ARM Cortex-M3 @ 96 MHz | ARM Cortex-M3 @ 96 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 512KB | 1MB | 256KB | 512KB | 256KB |
| SRAM | 64KB | 128KB | 64KB | 96KB | 24KB |
| Supply Voltage | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Pin-to-Pin Compatibility | Reference (SAM4N) | Yes - same SAM4N family | Yes - same SAM4N family | Yes - per SAM4N datasheet migration note | Yes - per SAM4N datasheet migration note |
Key Differentiators
- More serial interfaces than Cortex-M3 alternatives (vs ATSAM3S8BA-MUR)
- Double the flash for growth headroom at the same footprint (vs ATSAM4N8AA-MU)
- Cortex-M4 core versus Cortex-M3 at same pin count (vs ATSAM3N4BA-MU)
- Trade-off: no integrated USB unlike SAM4S equivalents (vs ATSAM4S8BA-MU)
Design Notes
The 64-QFN 9x9 mm package has a central exposed pad that must be soldered to a grounded copper pad array on the PCB. Use a via array (typically 4x4 to 5x5 vias) under the exposed pad to tie it to internal ground planes - this provides both the primary ground return for the MCU and a thermal path estimated to reduce effective theta_JA versus peripheral-pin-only soldering. Follow the Microchip SAM4N datasheet PCB layout recommendations for QFN thermal pad stencil design; insufficient exposed-pad soldering is a leading cause of intermittent ground bounce issues on high-pin-count QFN MCUs.
The ATSAM4N8BA-MU operates from 1.62V to 3.6V, with 3.3V being the typical rail. Decouple each VDD/VDDIO pin pair with 100nF ceramic capacitors placed within 2 mm of the pin, plus one bulk 4.7-10uF capacitor near the supply entry. Estimated: at 100 MHz active mode the core draw is in the tens of mA range - size the LDO or buck converter with at least 2x headroom for wake-up current surges. Keep the 1.62V floor in mind for battery designs: an alkaline cell under load can sag near this limit, so add bulk capacitance or a boost converter for 2-cell primary-battery systems.
With six USARTs and three SPI ports available, it is easy to route multiple high-speed buses across the QFN perimeter. Keep SPI clocks under short, length-matched traces and avoid crossing analog ADC input channels with digital clock lines; the 10-channel 12-bit ADC shares the device ground with all digital I/O, so crosstalk appears directly as ADC code noise. Place analog sensor connectors on the side of the package opposite the USART/SPI clusters, and use a solid, unbroken ground plane under the analog pin bank to preserve ADC effective-bit performance.
A frequent migration mistake: SAM4N code built for other family members will not run unmodified when moving between SAM3 (Cortex-M3) and SAM4N (Cortex-M4) cores even though the parts are pin-to-pin compatible - full recompilation against the correct device header and CMSIS pack is required. Also verify the flash density before substituting the 256KB ATSAM4N8AA-MU: firmware images with OTA staging that fit 512KB will not fit 256KB. Finally, I/O is not 5V tolerant; level-shift any 5V logic interfaces.
Compliance Information
Distributor listings (DigiKey, Mouser, FindIC) describe the part as 'QFN, GREEN, IND TEMP, MRL A', indicating a GREEN (RoHS, lead-free) package with Material Declaration Level A. REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals declarations should be confirmed via Microchip's official Material Declaration documents for the specific date code.
