ATSAM4S16BA-MU - 120MHz Cortex-M4 MCU 1MB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4S16BA-MU β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.86 | $7.86 |
| 10 | $7.07 | $70.70 |
| 100 | $6.36 | $636.00 |
| 500 | $5.72 | $2,860.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.15 | $5,150.00 |
ATSAM4S16BA-MU Overview
A flash microcontroller (MCU) integrates a processor core, program memory, data memory, and peripherals on a single die, forming the complete control engine of an embedded system. Within the power management hierarchy of embedded design, an MCU sits above discrete logic and below application processors: it executes deterministic real-time control loops, manages communication peripherals, and handles signal processing workloads such as those enabled by the Cortex-M4 DSP instruction set.
Key differentiating features of the ATSAM4S16BA-MU include a 2 Kbytes instruction cache that sustains near-zero-wait-state execution from Flash at 120 MHz, a Memory Protection Unit (MPU) for robust task isolation, a DSP instruction set with Thumb-2 encoding for efficient signal processing, and dual-bank Flash with ECC, Security Bit, and lock regions enabling safe in-application firmware updates. The multi-layer bus matrix and multi-channel DMA support high data-rate communication without CPU bottlenecking.
Architecturally, the device is built on the high-performance ARM Cortex-M4 core and integrates Atmel/Microchip Flash read accelerator technology. The dual-bank memory organization allows one bank to execute code while the other is erased or programmed, a critical capability for field-upgradable industrial products that cannot tolerate downtime. ECC on Flash protects against single-bit errors in noisy environments.
Typical applications include industrial control and automation nodes, consumer appliances, PC peripherals, and portable data-acquisition instruments. The 200 uA/MHz efficiency and wide 1.62V to 3.6V supply range also suit battery-powered designs that still need DSP-grade throughput.
When designing with this MCU, budget the power architecture around the 1.62V to 3.6V supply window and exploit the pin-to-pin compatibility with SAM3N/SAM3S/SAM4N/SAM7S (64- and 100-pin versions) to simplify migration; verify USB and peripheral count differences before swapping families.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives within the SAM4S family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, as of 2026-09-20.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4S16BA-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 ATSAM4S16BA-MU (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Instruction Set, Package, Maximum Clock Frequency, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4SA16BA-MU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4S16CA-MU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4SD32BA-MU
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4S8BA-MU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$5.79 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAM4N16BA-MU
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$4.45 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAM4S16BA-MU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M4 |
| Core Size | 32-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 120 MHz |
| Cache | 2 Kbytes |
| Flash Memory Size | 1 MB (1M x 8), dual-bank with ECC |
| SRAM Size | 128 KB |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Power Consumption | 200 uA/MHz |
| Instruction Set | Thumb-2, DSP instruction set |
| Memory Protection Unit | Yes (MPU) |
| Security Features | Flash Security Bit, Flash Lock regions |
| Package | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
| Pin Compatibility | SAM3N, SAM3S (64/100-pin), SAM4N, SAM7S (64-pin) |
| Life Cycle Stage | ACTIVE |
ATSAM4S16BA-MU 64-qfn (9x9 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4S16BA-MU (64-qfn (9x9 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 ATSAM4S16BA-MU.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4S16BA-MU is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control and Automation, Consumer Appliances and White Goods, PC Peripherals, Portable Data-Acquisition Instruments, Motor Control and Drives, IoT Sensor Nodes and Edge Devices.
Industrial Control and Automation
The ATSAM4S16BA-MU fits industrial control nodes that need deterministic real-time performance and field firmware updates. The 120 MHz Cortex-M4 with 2 Kbytes cache sustains tight control loops, while Flash ECC, Security Bit, and lock regions protect code integrity in electrically noisy factory environments from -40C to +85C. Its dual-bank 1 MB Flash allows one bank to run live control firmware while the second bank receives updates over CAN-class or serial links, eliminating downtime. With a 1.62V to 3.6V supply and about 200 uA/MHz consumption, it also suits remote I/O modules on constrained power budgets. Multi-channel DMA offloads peripheral transfers so the CPU core remains dedicated to the control algorithm and communication protocol stacks.
Recommended
Consumer Appliances and White Goods
Appliance controllers benefit from the ATSAM4S16BA-MU combination of low cost, industrial temperature tolerance, and sufficient processing headroom for user interfaces and motor-assist algorithms. The 1.62V to 3.6V supply range simplifies power design from mains-derived or battery-backed rails, and the 64-pin QFN (9x9 mm) footprint keeps the PCB compact. The DSP instruction set accelerates touch-decoding, audio feedback, and sensor filtering at 120 MHz without a second processor. Dual-bank Flash with ECC enables safe OTA-style firmware updates via service tools, while the MPU helps isolate safety-relevant tasks from UI code. Pin compatibility with SAM3N/SAM3S 64-pin parts allows cost-down migrations mid-product-cycle without a board respin, protecting appliance platforms with long production lives.
Recommended
PC Peripherals
PC peripheral devices such as input devices, hubs, and accessory controllers use the ATSAM4S16BA-MU for its USB-class throughput and DMA-driven data paths. The multi-layer bus matrix and multi-channel DMA sustain high data-rate communication between peripherals and memory without CPU stalls, which matters for sustained streaming workloads. The 120 MHz Cortex-M4 with DSP instructions handles protocol processing, encryption-lite tasks, and HID latency budgets comfortably. Operating at 200 uA/MHz from a 3.3V USB-derived rail keeps the bus-power budget compliant. The Flash read accelerator with cache ensures consistent execution from internal 1 MB Flash even during interrupt-heavy traffic. The industrial -40C to +85C rating comfortably covers the 0C to +70C environment typical of desktop peripherals with margin.
Recommended
Portable Data-Acquisition Instruments
Handheld data loggers and measurement instruments exploit the ATSAM4S16BA-MU's 200 uA/MHz efficiency and wide 1.62V to 3.6V input range, allowing direct operation from two alkaline cells or a single Li-ion cell across its discharge curve. The Cortex-M4 DSP instruction set performs in-line filtering, windowing, and FFT analysis of ADC streams at 120 MHz, enabling real-time spectrum display without offloading to a host. The 1 MB dual-bank Flash stores calibration tables and logged datasets while ECC protects records against bit errors over years of battery-powered storage. The 64-QFN (9x9 mm) package fits compact handheld enclosures, and SRAM of 128 KB buffers acquisition bursts between communication sessions over USB or UART.
Recommended
Motor Control and Drives
Small motor drives use the ATSAM4S16BA-MU's 120 MHz core and DSP instructions for field-oriented control mathematics, including the single-cycle MAC operations needed by Clark/Park transforms and PI current loops executed at tens of kilohertz. Timer resources clocked from the core generate complementary PWM with dead-time insertion, while the multi-channel DMA moves ADC current-sample results into memory without jitter-inducing CPU intervention. Flash ECC ensures the control firmware remains bit-exact despite switching noise, a real risk in inverter environments. The 2 Kbytes cache plus Flash accelerator keep loop timing deterministic. At 200 uA/MHz, standby and light-load power stays low for fan and pump applications subject to energy-efficiency regulations.
Recommended
IoT Sensor Nodes and Edge Devices
IoT edge nodes pair the ATSAM4S16BA-MU with radio modules where local signal preprocessing reduces uplink traffic. The DSP instruction set at 120 MHz executes compression, thresholding, and lightweight analytics locally, while 1 MB dual-bank Flash supports secure over-the-air firmware update with rollback, protected by the Security Bit and ECC. Active power of about 200 uA/MHz combined with low-power modes extends battery life in duty-cycled deployments. The industrial -40C to +85C operating range covers outdoor and unconditioned enclosures. Pin compatibility across the SAM4S/SAM4N/SAM3S 64-pin families lets a single PCB design scale from 512 KB cost-optimized SKUs to 1 MB feature-rich SKUs, simplifying logistics across IoT product tiers and regional variants.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4S16BA-MU β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4SA16BA-MU | ATSAM4S16CA-MU | ATSAM4SD32BA-MU | ATSAM4S8BA-MU | ATSAM4N16BA-MU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) - same | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) - same | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) - same | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) - same | 64-QFN (9x9 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core / Max Clock | Cortex-M4 @ 120 MHz | Cortex-M4 @ 120 MHz | Cortex-M4 @ 120 MHz | Cortex-M4 @ 120 MHz | Cortex-M4 @ 120 MHz | Cortex-M4 @ 120 MHz |
| Flash | 1 MB dual-bank, ECC | 1 MB | 1 MB | 1 MB dual-bank oriented | 512 KB | 1 MB |
| SRAM | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 160 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB |
| 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 | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Peripheral Set | Full S-series (USB, DMA, timers) | S-series, cache-only acceleration | CA peripheral-set variant | S-series | S-series | N-series, simplified peripherals |
| Pin Compatibility | SAM3N/SAM3S/SAM4N/SAM7S 64-pin | Pin-to-pin with ATSAM4S16BA-MU | Pin-to-pin with ATSAM4S16BA-MU | Pin-to-pin with ATSAM4S16BA-MU | Pin-to-pin with ATSAM4S16BA-MU | Pin-to-pin with ATSAM4S16BA-MU |
Key Differentiators
- Full 1 MB Flash with ECC and dual-bank update capability (vs ATSAM4S8BA-MU)
- Full S-series peripheral richness (vs ATSAM4N16BA-MU)
- Balanced memory-map with cache plus Flash accelerator (vs ATSAM4SA16BA-MU)
Design Notes
Design the supply for the 1.62V to 3.6V window with a single 3.3V LDO or buck output. Estimated: at 120 MHz and 200 uA/MHz, core active current is roughly 24 mA before I/O and peripheral loads, so size the regulator for at least 50-80 mA total with margin for GPIO drive and Flash programming current. Place 100 nF ceramic decoupling on every VDD/VDDIO pin pair plus one 4.7-10 uF bulk capacitor near the 64-QFN. The datasheet family document (60001419B) specifies brown-out and supply monitoring behavior - enable the brown-out detector for Flash-write safety.
The 64-QFN (9x9 mm) exposed-pad package requires a well-designed land pattern with via array under the pad to ground for heat spreading and signal return. Flash programming, debugging (SWD), and USB differential pairs should be routed short and matched if USB-class communication is used. Follow Microchip SAM4S family layout guidance: keep crystal load capacitors within 2 mm of the oscillator pins and guard them with ground pour to minimize jitter on the 120 MHz system clock.
Migrating from SAM3S or SAM7S legacy parts exploits pin compatibility, but verify peripheral register maps and clock-tree differences before reusing firmware - SAM4S adds the cache, MPU, and DMA topology changes. Do not assume the N-series variant (ATSAM4N16BA) is fully peripheral-identical; it omits some S-series peripherals. For in-application programming, respect the dual-bank Flash erase granularity and lock regions to avoid bricking the active bank during updates.
Compliance Information
Mouser listing describes the part as QFN, GREEN, IND TEMP, MRL A - the GREEN designation suggests Microchip's standard green/RoHS packaging flow, but explicit RoHS/REACH status must be confirmed from the Microchip product compliance page.
