ATSAM4S16CA-CFU - Cortex-M4 120MHz 1MB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4S16CA-CFU β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.07 | $7.07 |
| 10 | $6.72 | $67.20 |
| 100 | $6.38 | $638.00 |
| 500 | $6.06 | $3,030.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.76 | $5,760.00 |
ATSAM4S16CA-CFU Overview
A microcontroller unit (MCU) is a single integrated circuit that combines a processor core, memory, and peripherals into one chip, forming the lowest layer of the embedded-system hierarchy above discrete logic and below application processors. The SAM4S family belongs to Microchip (formerly Atmel) ARM-based flash MCU portfolio, positioned as a mid-range performance line between the entry-level SAM3N/SAM3S and the high-performance SAM E70/SAMS70 families.
Key features include the Cortex-M4 core with a 2 KB cache, Memory Protection Unit (MPU), DSP instructions, and the Thumb-2 instruction set; 1024 KB of dual-bank embedded Flash with ECC, Security Bit, and lock regions; and 128 KB of SRAM. Power consumption is a low 200 uA/MHz, and the supply range of 1.62 V to 3.6 V suits battery and industrial 3.3 V designs.
Architecturally, the device builds on the high-performance 32-bit Cortex-M4 core, and the DSP extension accelerates filtering and control-loop math found in motor control and digital power. Dual-bank Flash enables safe in-application programming with bank swapping for firmware update schemes.
Typical applications include industrial automation nodes, motor control, consumer and portable devices, and embedded systems migrating from legacy SAM7S parts - the ATSAM4S16CA-CFU is pin-to-pin compatible with SAM3N, SAM3S (64- and 100-pin versions), and SAM7S legacy devices.
Design consideration: the VFBGA ball-grid package requires controlled-impedance, fine-pitch PCB fabrication; verify your assembly capability before selecting the CA (BGA) variant over the AU (LQFP) variant.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4S16CA-CFU 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 ATSAM4S16CA-CFU (same form factor and footprint) β differing in RoHS Status, Pin Compatibility, Package, Instruction Set, Flash Memory.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4S16CA-CFUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$5.5 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAM4SD16CA-CFU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4S8CA-CFU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4S4CA-CFU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$3.2 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAM4N16CA-CFUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$4.95 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAM4S16CA-CFU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M4 |
| Core Size | 32-bit |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 1 MB (1M x 8) dual-bank with ECC |
| SRAM | 128 KB |
| Core Cache | 2 KB |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Power Consumption | 200 uA/MHz |
| Memory Protection Unit | Yes (MPU) |
| DSP Instructions | Yes |
| Instruction Set | Thumb-2 |
| Package | 100-VFBGA (7x7 mm) |
| Number of Pins/Balls | 100 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | Industrial temperature range (-40C to +85C) |
| Pin Compatibility | Pin-to-pin compatible with SAM3N, SAM3S (64/100-pin) and SAM7S legacy |
| Lifecycle Status | Active |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (GREEN package per Mouser) |
ATSAM4S16CA-CFU 100-vfbga (7x7 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4S16CA-CFU (100-vfbga (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 ATSAM4S16CA-CFU.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4S16CA-CFU is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation Nodes, Motor Control, Portable and Battery-Powered Devices, Legacy SAM7S / SAM3S Migration, IoT Sensor Hubs and Edge Nodes, Consumer Embedded Systems.
Industrial Automation Nodes
The ATSAM4S16CA-CFU fits industrial automation nodes because its Cortex-M4 core at 120 MHz with DSP instructions handles control-loop math and protocol processing, while the industrial temperature grade and GREEN VFBGA package per Mouser data suit factory environments. Its 1 MB dual-bank Flash with ECC stores large firmware images with field-update capability via bank swapping, and the MPU supports safety-partitioned code. In a typical node the MCU runs Modbus or CAN stacks from the on-chip peripherals, powered at 3.3 V from the 1.62-3.6 V supply, consuming roughly 200 uA/MHz - at 120 MHz that is about 24 mA core current, enabling thermally passive sealed enclosures. Pin compatibility with SAM3S lets designers upgrade legacy nodes without board respin.
Recommended
Motor Control
For motor control, the ATSAM4S16CA-CFU's Cortex-M4 DSP extension accelerates PI regulators, Clarke/Park transforms, and space-vector modulation math at 120 MHz, meeting loop rates for FOC on BLDC and PMSM motors. The 1 MB Flash holds sensorless-observer code plus communication stacks, and 128 KB SRAM buffers current-sampling histories. SAM4S peripherals include PWM timers and ADCs suitable for phase-current acquisition per the Microchip SAM4S datasheet. Operating at 3.3 V with about 200 uA/MHz, the MCU itself dissipates under 30 mW at full speed, keeping thermal budget available for gate-driver design. Using the CA VFBGA-100 package gives abundant GPIO for gate enables, encoder inputs, and fault interlocks in compact drive boards.
Recommended
Portable and Battery-Powered Devices
The ATSAM4S16CA-CFU suits portable designs because it draws 200 uA/MHz from a 1.62 V to 3.6 V supply, allowing direct operation from a single Li-ion cell range and from two alkaline cells at the low end of its input window. Its 7x7 mm 100-ball VFBGA conserves board area in handheld enclosures, while 1 MB Flash and 128 KB SRAM accommodate GUI assets and BLE-stack-class workloads offloaded appropriately. Sleep and wait modes per the SAM4S datasheet extend battery life between wake events. Typical topology: the MCU runs from a 3.3 V LDO fed by the battery, with 100 kHz-class peripheral polling. Estimated: at an average 30 MHz clock, core consumption is roughly 6 mA - a 2000 mAh cell supports continuous operation for weeks.
Recommended
Legacy SAM7S / SAM3S Migration
The ATSAM4S16CA-CFU is explicitly pin-to-pin compatible with SAM3N, SAM3S (64- and 100-pin versions) and SAM7S legacy products per the DigChip datasheet summary, making it the designated migration path for aging Atmel ARM7 and Cortex-M3 designs. Designers gain the 120 MHz Cortex-M4 with DSP instructions and Thumb-2, doubling or tripling available performance while retaining the same footprint, so no PCB respin is needed. The 1 MB dual-bank Flash replaces external memory in many legacy boards, and ECC improves field reliability. Migration effort is mostly peripheral-clock and driver-library updates to the SAM4S software package; the MPU and 2 KB cache require no board-level change. Requalification is limited to firmware validation, dramatically cutting redesign cost.
Recommended
IoT Sensor Hubs and Edge Nodes
As an IoT sensor-hub controller, the ATSAM4S16CA-CFU combines a 120 MHz Cortex-M4 with 1 MB Flash and 128 KB SRAM, enough to aggregate multiple sensor streams, run filtering (aided by DSP instructions), and serve a network interface over UART/SPI/I2C-connected radios. The MPU isolates the wireless stack from sensor drivers, improving robustness in unattended deployments. Power at 200 uA/MHz permits duty-cycled operation: estimated at 10% active time at 120 MHz, average current falls near 2.4 mA before radio overhead. The GREEN VFBGA-100 package supports lead-free assembly for RoHS-directed IoT products. Dual-bank Flash enables over-the-air firmware updates by writing the inactive bank and swapping at reset, a key field-maintenance capability for large fleets.
Recommended
Consumer Embedded Systems
In consumer products - appliances, toys, fitness devices, and small displays - the ATSAM4S16CA-CFU offers 120 MHz Cortex-M4 performance with DSP instructions for audio effects and sensor fusion, plus 1 MB Flash that eliminates external code memory and its cost. The industrial-rated 1.62-3.6 V supply tolerates battery sag in cordless products, and the GREEN VFBGA package supports consumer RoHS compliance. Compared with 8-bit MCUs, its Thumb-2 core and 128 KB SRAM handle USB-class stacks and rich HMI logic in one chip, reducing BOM count. Designers should note the BGA assembly requirement: consumer CMs must support 0.8 mm-class ball pitch reflow and X-ray inspection, which slightly raises assembly cost versus QFP alternatives like the AU variant.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4S16CA-CFU β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4S16CA-CFUR | ATSAM4SD16CA-CFU | ATSAM4S8CA-CFU | ATSAM4N16CA-CFUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 100-VFBGA (7x7 mm) | 100-VFBGA (7x7 mm) - same | 100-VFBGA (7x7 mm) - same | 100-VFBGA (7x7 mm) - same | VFBGA-100 - same class |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core / Max Speed | ARM Cortex-M4 / 120 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 / 120 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 / 120 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 / 120 MHz | ARM Cortex-M4 / 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 1 MB dual-bank with ECC | 1 MB dual-bank with ECC | 1 MB dual-bank with ECC | 512 KB | 1 MB (single-bank class) |
| 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 |
| Packaging Format | Tray (CFU suffix) | Tape & Reel (R suffix) | Tray | Tray | Tape & Reel |
Key Differentiators
- Highest memory density in the 100-VFBGA CA-footprint SAM4S family (vs ATSAM4S8CA-CFU)
- Pin-to-pin legacy migration path (vs ATSAM4N16CA-CFUR)
- Trade-off: BGA assembly requirement (vs ATSAM4S16CA-AU (LQFP-100))
Design Notes
The 7x7 mm 100-ball VFBGA demands fine-pitch PCB fabrication: verify your fab supports the ball pitch with adequate solder-mask-defined pads, and plan X-ray inspection at assembly since BGA joints cannot be visually inspected. Follow the SAM4S datasheet Package Information section for the exact ball map and land-pattern dimensions rather than third-party footprints. Provide at least one decoupling capacitor per supply ball pair, placed within 1-2 mm of the balls on the opposite board side, with via stitching to the ground plane.
Power the device from a clean 3.3 V rail within the 1.62-3.6 V range. Estimated: at 120 MHz the core draws roughly 24 mA (200 uA/MHz), plus peripheral and I/O currents - size the regulator for at least 50-80 mA total with margin. Use separate ferrite beads or RC filtering for the VDDCORE/VDDIO domains per Microchip reference designs. For battery designs, exploit wait/sleep modes; the dual-bank Flash also enables zero-downtime firmware updates by writing the inactive bank before swapping at reset.
Two frequent mistakes: (1) selecting the CFU (VFBGA) suffix when the existing PCB is laid out for the AU (LQFP) suffix - the die is identical but the footprint is completely different, so confirm the suffix against your land pattern before ordering. (2) Migrating from SAM7S/SAM3S assumes only firmware changes, but peripheral register maps and clock tree differ between ARM7/Cortex-M3 and Cortex-M4 SAM generations - re-run driver-library initialization and verify Flash wait-state settings at 120 MHz.
Compliance Information
Mouser listing describes the package as 'VFBGA, GREEN, IND TEMP, MRL A', indicating a GREEN (lead-free/halogen-reduced per Microchip GREEN definition) package. REACH and conflict-minerals status not stated in provided data.
