ATSAM4S4AA-MU - 120MHz Cortex-M4, 256KB MCU | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4S4AA-MU ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.63 | $7.63 |
| 10 | $7.1 | $71.00 |
| 100 | $6.55 | $655.00 |
| 500 | $6.15 | $3,075.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.79 | $5,790.00 |
ATSAM4S4AA-MU Overview
A microcontroller unit (MCU) is a single integrated circuit that combines a processor core, memory, and programmable peripherals into one chip. Within the semiconductor hierarchy, the SAM4S sits in the 32-bit flash MCU family, part of the broader ARM Cortex-M ecosystem that spans everything from low-power sensor nodes to industrial control boards. Microchip acquired Atmel in 2016, so the SAM4S series datasheets are published under the Microchip Technology name.
Key differentiating features of the ATSAM4S4AA-MU include the Cortex-M4 core with hardware DSP instructions and single-precision FPU, a maximum clock speed of 120 MHz, 256KB of in-system-programmable flash, and low-power operation as low as 180 uA in backup-related modes per the Microchip product page. The device also provides standard SAM4S peripherals such as UART/USART, SPI, TWI (I2C), PWM channels, and DMA for offloading data movement from the CPU.
Architecturally, the SAM4S series is based on the ARMv7E-M Cortex-M4 core with a Harvard bus structure, providing deterministic single-cycle flash access with cache/accelerator layers that sustain full-speed execution at 120 MHz. The Cortex-M4 DSP extension accelerates MAC and SIMD operations useful in motor control, digital filtering, and sensor fusion workloads.
Typical applications include industrial automation nodes, motor control, consumer appliances, IoT sensor gateways, and portable battery-powered instruments, where the combination of 256KB flash and a 12-bit ADC reduces external component count. The SAM4S series offers pin-to-pin compatibility with SAM4N, SAM3S, SAM3N, and SAM7S devices, easing memory and performance migration.
When designing with this MCU, budget the flash for bootloader plus application and verify that 64KB SRAM is sufficient for DMA buffers and stacks; for heavier DSP workloads consider the FPU-enabled build options.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, pin-compatible alternatives, and design guidance not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4S4AA-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 ATSAM4S4AA-MU (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Series, RoHS Status, Flash Memory, Core Processor.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4S2AA-MU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.22 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM3S4AA-MU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4N16CA-CFUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4LC8BA-UUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4LS8BA-AUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.72 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4S4AA-MU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | ARM Cortex-M4 |
| Core Size | 32-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 256KB (256K x 8) |
| SRAM | 64KB (64K x 8) |
| Supply Voltage | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Data Converters | A/D 8x12b |
| Oscillator Type | Internal |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (TA) |
| Package | 48-QFN (7x7 mm) Exposed Pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Series | SAM4S |
| Connectivity | UART/USART, SPI, TWI (I2C) |
| Peripherals | PWM, DMA, WDT |
| Low Power Consumption | 180 uA (per Microchip product page) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (QFN GREEN package per Mouser listing) |
| Processor / FPU | Cortex-M4 with FPU and DSP instructions |
ATSAM4S4AA-MU 48-qfn (7x7 mm) exposed pad Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4S4AA-MU (48-qfn (7x7 mm) 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 ATSAM4S4AA-MU.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4S4AA-MU is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation Nodes, Motor Control, IoT Sensor Gateways, Portable Battery-Powered Instruments, Consumer Appliances, Data Acquisition and Test Equipment.
Industrial Automation Nodes
The ATSAM4S4AA-MU fits factory automation and sensor-node designs because its 120 MHz Cortex-M4 core processes control loops and protocol stacks concurrently, while 256KB flash holds firmware plus Modbus, CAN, or IO-Link stacks without external memory. The 8-channel 12-bit ADC digitizes up to eight analog sensor inputs at high sample rates, and the 1.62V to 3.6V supply range tolerates industrial rail sag. SAM4S pin compatibility with SAM3S/SAM4N lets one PCB be populated across a performance range. Place the MCU near a 3.3V LDO with 100 nF bypassing per supply pin; the exposed pad must be soldered to ground for thermal and noise performance. Unlike smaller 8-bit MCUs, the hardware DSP instructions accelerate filtering of noisy industrial sensor signals in real time.
Recommended
Motor Control
For BLDC/PMSM motor drives, the ATSAM4S4AA-MU provides the Cortex-M4 DSP instruction set and single-precision FPU needed for field-oriented control (FOC) at 120 MHz, executing Clarke/Park transforms and PI loops with deterministic cycle counts. Its 8-channel 12-bit ADC samples phase currents and bus voltage; PWM peripherals generate the inverter gating signals, and DMA moves ADC results without CPU intervention for tight control latency. The 256KB flash accommodates the control algorithm plus communication interfaces (UART, SPI, TWI) used by drives. Route the ADC ground reference as a separate analog ground plane tied to the exposed pad, and sense current with a low-side shunt feeding an op-amp with bandwidth above the PWM ripple frequency. The -40C to +85C rating covers typical drive enclosures.
Recommended
IoT Sensor Gateways
In IoT gateways and smart sensor hubs, the ATSAM4S4AA-MU aggregates data from multiple sensors over its UART, SPI, and TWI (I2C) interfaces while the Cortex-M4 core performs filtering, protocol translation, and light cryptography ahead of radio transmission. The 256KB flash stores firmware, communication stacks, and over-the-air update staging, and 64KB SRAM buffers network packets and sensor streams. Power consumption of 180 uA in low-power mode (per Microchip's product page) combined with sleep modes and the internal oscillator supports battery- or energy-harvesting-powered nodes on the 1.62V to 3.6V supply. Design firmware so the MCU sleeps between sensor samples, waking via RTC or external interrupt; the wide voltage range allows direct operation from a 3V coin cell via a small LDO.
Recommended
Portable Battery-Powered Instruments
Handheld meters, loggers, and diagnostic instruments benefit from the ATSAM4S4AA-MU's balance of performance and efficiency: the 120 MHz Cortex-M4 with FPU runs user interfaces and DSP-based measurement algorithms (RMS, FFT) while the 180 uA low-power mode preserves battery life between measurements. The 8-channel 12-bit ADC reads front-end signals directly, reducing external component count, and the 1.62V to 3.6V operating range suits single-cell lithium or multi-cell alkaline supplies through a small regulator. The 48-QFN (7x7 mm) package keeps board area compact for handheld enclosures. Budget the display, touch sensing, and ADC sampling power separately - the MCU's active-mode current at full 120 MHz is far higher than sleep current, so gate the clock whenever idle for maximum runtime.
Recommended
Consumer Appliances
Appliance control boards - from coffee makers to HVAC user interfaces - use the ATSAM4S4AA-MU where a responsive UI plus real-time control are combined. The 120 MHz core drives segmented or small TFT displays over SPI while simultaneously running control loops, and the 12-bit ADC reads temperature sensors (NTC thermistors), potentiometers, and current monitors. The industrial -40C to +85C temperature rating and the GREEN RoHS-compliant QFN package meet typical appliance qualification requirements, and SAM4S pin compatibility with SAM3S gives appliance makers a second source of firmware-compatible silicon within one footprint. The 256KB flash allows stored recipes, OTA-style field updates, and multiple language packs. Keep the exposed pad solidly grounded to reduce EMI from the PWM outputs near the switching loads.
Recommended
Data Acquisition and Test Equipment
Compact DAQ modules and bench instrument front-ends leverage the ATSAM4S4AA-MU's 8-channel 12-bit ADC with DMA for continuous multi-channel sampling, while the Cortex-M4's DSP instructions perform real-time decimation, windowing, and calibration math at 120 MHz. USB-class communication or UART links stream results to a host, and 256KB flash holds calibration tables and logging structures. The deterministic Cortex-M4 interrupt latency makes sample timing predictable, which matters for coherent sampling across channels. Use the DMA in circular buffer mode and keep ADC reference decoupling (a clean VREF with 100 nF plus 1 uF) to preserve effective resolution; avoid routing PWM or clock traces adjacent to ADC inputs on the 48-QFN footprint. The exposed-pad ground connection is essential for analog noise performance.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4S4AA-MU — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4S2AA-MU | ATSAM3S4AA-MU | ATSAM4N16CA-CFUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 48-QFN (7x7 mm) Exposed Pad | 48-QFN (7x7 mm) - same | 48-QFN (7x7 mm) - same | QFN (verify pin count) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M4 (FPU/DSP) | ARM Cortex-M4 (FPU/DSP) | ARM Cortex-M3 (no FPU) | ARM Cortex-M4 (SAM4N family) |
| Pin-to-Pin Compatibility | Baseline (SAM4S family) | Pin-to-pin with SAM4S | Pin-to-pin (SAM4S compatible with SAM3S) | SAM4S pin-compatible with SAM4N family |
Key Differentiators
- Cortex-M4 with hardware FPU and DSP instructions (vs ATSAM3S4AA-MU)
- Double the flash of the low-cost sibling (vs ATSAM4S2AA-MU)
- Family-wide pin compatibility enables BOM migration (vs ATSAM4S2AA-MU)
- Integrated 8-channel 12-bit ADC (vs ATSAM4N16CA-CFUR)
Design Notes
The ATSAM4S4AA-MU uses a 48-QFN (7x7 mm) package with an exposed pad on the underside. Solder this exposed pad to a grounded thermal pad on the PCB - it is not optional; it provides the primary ground connection and thermal relief. Use a solder paste stencil array (roughly 50-70% coverage) with multiple small vias to the ground plane to prevent solder voiding. Each VDD pin requires a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 2 mm of the pin, plus at least one bulk 4.7 uF to 10 uF capacitor near the supply entry.
Do not assume the 48-QFN pinout matches other SAM4S package variants - the 'AA' suffix denotes the 48-pin option, and pin multiplexing differs between package options. Always pull the pin multiplexing tables from the SAM4S family datasheet (document 60001419B) before routing. Also note the 1.62V to 3.6V absolute operating range: exceeding 3.6V even transiently during brownout or bench supply mistakes can damage the part. Add a 3.3V LDO with UVLO rather than connecting the MCU directly to USB VBUS (5V).
Estimated: a SAM4S-class MCU at 120 MHz with all peripherals active typically dissipates on the order of 100-200 mW at 3.3V. With the 48-QFN 7x7 exposed-pad package on a standard 4-layer board with a solid ground plane, the junction temperature rise above ambient is expected to be modest (well under 20C). This estimate is derived from typical Cortex-M4 current consumption, not a datasheet figure; confirm exact active-mode current in the SAM4S datasheet power consumption tables for your specific peripheral configuration and clock settings.
When using the ADC in precision applications, isolate the ADC input traces from PWM, SPI SCK, and crystal traces on the 48-QFN layout. Use the device's dedicated analog supply/ground pins with a filtered analog supply (ferrite bead plus capacitors). Keep source impedance below a few kilo-ohms or add an op-amp buffer, since sampling capacitor charging at high ADC clock rates degrades accuracy with high-impedance sources. Match crystal load capacitors to the datasheet's specified load capacitance for oscillator reliability across the -40C to +85C range.
Compliance Information
Mouser listing describes the package as QFN GREEN IND TEMP, indicating RoHS-compliant green packaging. REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals status should be confirmed via Microchip's official compliance documentation.