ATSAM4S8CA-CUR - ARM Cortex-M4 MCU 120MHz 512KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4S8CA-CUR ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.85 | $7.85 |
| 10 | $7.05 | $70.50 |
| 100 | $6.28 | $628.00 |
| 500 | $5.62 | $2,810.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.05 | $5,050.00 |
ATSAM4S8CA-CUR Overview
An ARM Cortex-M4 microcontroller is a 32-bit processor core based on the ARMv7-M architecture, featuring a single-precision floating-point unit, DSP extensions, and a Nested Vectored Interrupt Controller. It sits in the hierarchy: Cortex-M4 -> ARM Cortex-M -> 32-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor. The SAM4S family is designed for industrial, consumer, and IoT applications where deterministic real-time control, low power, and rich connectivity are required.
Key features include 512 KB Flash, 128 KB SRAM, an external bus interface (EBI), USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip transceiver, up to two CAN controllers, multiple USART/UART/SPI/TWI interfaces, a 10-bit ADC, 16-bit timers, and a real-time clock. The device integrates a high-speed USB port with embedded transceiver, supports up to 6 serial communication interfaces, and includes a 12-channel DMA controller for offloading data transfers from the CPU.
The SAM4S family offers pin-to-pin compatibility with the SAM4N, SAM3S, SAM3N, and SAM7S families, which simplifies migration across product generations and helps designers reuse PCB layouts and firmware. The part also features a unique 128-bit device serial number, AES hardware accelerator on select variants, and support for Atmel's SAM-ICE and JTAG debug tools. The industrial temperature range (-40C to +85C) and 100-TFBGA package suit space-constrained embedded designs.
Typical applications include industrial control systems, smart energy metering, USB peripherals, point-of-sale terminals, building automation, sensor hubs, and consumer electronics. The integrated USB and CAN peripherals make it a common choice for industrial fieldbus nodes and human-machine interfaces (HMI) where multiple communication protocols coexist on a single MCU. The combination of low-power back-up mode and rich peripherals also supports battery-powered data loggers.
When designing with this device, allocate sufficient decoupling on VDDCORE and VDDIO rails, follow Microchip's recommended PCB layout for the TFBGA land pattern, and confirm bootloader mode settings for field firmware upgrades. Engineers upgrading from SAM3S designs can reuse much of their firmware due to the Cortex-M4 backward compatibility with Cortex-M3 instruction set.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet. It benchmarks the ATSAM4S8CA-CUR against same-family SAM4S, SAM4N, and SAM3S variants, enabling engineers to make informed migration or substitution decisions.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4S8CA-CUR — 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 ATSAM4S8CA-CUR (same form factor and footprint) — differing in RoHS Status, Package, ADC, USB, SRAM.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4S8CA-CU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4S8CA-CFUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4S16CA-CUR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4S8CA-CFN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4S16CA-CFU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.76 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4N8CA-CUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.74 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM3S4CA-AU
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAM4S8CA-CUR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | ARM Cortex-M4 with FPU |
| Core Architecture | ARMv7-M |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 120 MHz |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 512 KB |
| SRAM | 128 KB |
| Supply Voltage (VDDIO) | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Package | 100-TFBGA (9x9 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip transceiver |
| CAN | Up to 2 CAN 2.0B controllers |
| ADC | 10-bit ADC |
| DMA Channels | 12 |
| External Bus Interface | Yes (EBI) |
| Active Power (typ) | 30 mA at 100 MHz |
| Back-up Mode Current | 3 uA at 1.8 V (RTC running) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| AES Hardware Accelerator | Not present on S8 variant |
| Series | SAM4S (pin-to-pin with SAM4N/SAM3S/SAM3N/SAM7S) |
ATSAM4S8CA-CUR 100-tfbga (9x9 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAM4S8CA-CUR (100-tfbga (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 ATSAM4S8CA-CUR.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAM4S8CA-CUR is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Control and PLC Modules, USB Peripherals and Human-Machine Interfaces, Smart Energy Meters and Grid Sensors, Automotive Body and Infotainment Nodes, Building Automation and HVAC Controllers, Point-of-Sale Terminals and Secure Peripherals, Battery-Powered Data Loggers and IoT Edge Nodes.
Industrial Control and PLC Modules
The ATSAM4S8CA-CUR is well suited for industrial control modules, including PLC expansion cards and machine controllers. Its 120 MHz Cortex-M4 with FPU executes deterministic control loops in under 8.3 us, while dual CAN 2.0B controllers connect directly to industrial fieldbus networks like CANopen and DeviceNet without external transceivers beyond the standard ISO 11898 physical layer. The 512 KB Flash accommodates full IEC 61131-3 runtime plus application logic, and the 100-TFBGA (9x9 mm) footprint fits compact DIN-rail module enclosures. Engineers can leverage the EBI to attach external SRAM or parallel peripherals for high-throughput data acquisition. The 1.62 V to 3.6 V supply range tolerates industrial 24 V bus systems after a simple LDO step-down.
Recommended
USB Peripherals and Human-Machine Interfaces
The ATSAM4S8CA-CUR integrates a USB 2.0 Full-Speed device with on-chip transceiver, removing the need for an external PHY and BOM cost. This makes it ideal for USB HID peripherals, USB-to-UART bridges, custom USB devices, and small HMI panels with capacitive touch or TFT displays driven via SPI. The 12-channel DMA offloads USB endpoint handling from the CPU, leaving headroom for real-time UI rendering. At 120 MHz with single-precision FPU, the part executes floating-point touch coordinate transforms and graphical anti-aliasing without bogging down the USB interrupt service routine. Designers can leverage the SAM-ICE debugger and Microchip's ASF (Atmel Software Framework) to ship production-ready USB stacks quickly.
Recommended
Smart Energy Meters and Grid Sensors
The ATSAM4S8CA-CUR's combination of 120 MHz Cortex-M4 performance and 3 uA back-up mode current makes it suitable for smart energy meters that must run continuous ADC sampling while maintaining battery-backed RTC timekeeping. The integrated 10-bit ADC is adequate for metering class 1.0 accuracy when paired with a dedicated external AFE, and the FPU accelerates RMS and power-quality calculations in firmware. Dual CAN controllers support DLMS/COSEM and IEC 62056 communications stacks for smart meter head-end integration. The 128 KB SRAM buffers metered data and event logs between network transmissions, while the 512 KB Flash stores metering firmware and upgrade images with secure boot.
Recommended
Automotive Body and Infotainment Nodes
While the standard ATSAM4S8CA-CUR is rated -40C to +85C, designers building automotive body modules can pair it with the AEC-Q100 qualified ATSAM4S8CA-CFUR variant (drop-in replacement) for under-the-hood thermal tolerance. Dual CAN interfaces connect to CAN-FD or classic CAN vehicle networks for body control, while the EBI enables connection to external graphics memory for entry-level infotainment displays. The Cortex-M4 DSP extensions speed up audio decoding for infotainment streaming and active noise cancellation. With 512 KB Flash and 128 KB SRAM, the part handles CAN stack, audio codecs, and HMI graphics in a single chip, simplifying the vehicle wire harness by consolidating multiple ECUs.
Building Automation and HVAC Controllers
Building automation systems, including BACnet and Modbus nodes for HVAC controllers, lighting panels, and access control, benefit from the ATSAM4S8CA-CUR's rich peripheral set and industrial temperature grade. The 6+ serial interfaces (USART, SPI, TWI) allow simultaneous connection to BACnet MS-TP, Modbus RTU, and local sensor networks without external bus expanders. The 120 MHz performance and DSP extensions accelerate FFT-based vibration analysis for predictive HVAC maintenance. The 100-TFBGA compact footprint simplifies integration into space-constrained wall-mounted control panels, and the back-up mode at 3 uA preserves time-of-day schedules across power interruptions, ensuring building operations resume correctly after outages.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale Terminals and Secure Peripherals
POS terminals and secure payment peripherals require a fast, deterministic MCU with strong cryptographic support and rich connectivity - all of which the ATSAM4S8CA-CUR provides. The Cortex-M4 with FPU executes cryptographic libraries (AES, SHA) in firmware while the dual CAN and USB interfaces connect to POS back-office systems and PIN pads. The 512 KB Flash stores firmware with secure boot, and the 128 KB SRAM provides workspace for transaction buffers. While the S8 variant lacks the hardware AES accelerator present on some SAM4S siblings, the Cortex-M4 software AES at 120 MHz delivers more than sufficient throughput for PCI-PTS compliant transaction speeds.
Battery-Powered Data Loggers and IoT Edge Nodes
Battery-powered data loggers and remote IoT edge nodes leverage the ATSAM4S8CA-CUR's 3 uA back-up mode current and Cortex-M4 performance balance. In active mode at 1.8 V, the part consumes approximately 30 mA at 100 MHz, but enters deep sleep between sensor readings, extending battery life to months or years. The EBI can attach low-power SPI or I2C FRAM for non-volatile data buffering across power cycles. USB Full-Speed enables local data offload, while the dual CAN or UART channels support industrial IoT protocols. The industrial temperature grade ensures operation in outdoor enclosures, and the 100-TFBGA footprint is well suited to miniaturized sensor hubs deployed in field instrumentation.
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4S8CA-CUR — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4S8CA-CU | ATSAM4S8CA-CFUR | ATSAM4S16CA-CUR | ATSAM4S16CA-CFU | ATSAM4N8CA-CUR | ATSAM3S4CA-AU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 100-TFBGA (9x9 mm) | 100-TFBGA (9x9 mm) | 100-TFBGA (9x9 mm) | 100-TFBGA (9x9 mm) | 100-TFBGA (9x9 mm) | 100-TFBGA (9x9 mm) | 100-TFBGA (9x9 mm) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M4 with FPU | ARM Cortex-M4 with FPU | ARM Cortex-M4 with FPU | ARM Cortex-M4 with FPU | ARM Cortex-M4 with FPU | ARM Cortex-M4 with FPU | ARM Cortex-M3 |
| Max Clock Speed | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 100 MHz | 64 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 512 KB | 512 KB | 512 KB | 1024 KB | 1024 KB | 512 KB | 256 KB |
| SRAM | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 64 KB | 48 KB |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip PHY | USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip PHY | USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip PHY | USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip PHY | USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip PHY | USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip PHY | USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip PHY |
| CAN Controllers | 2 x CAN 2.0B | 2 x CAN 2.0B | 2 x CAN 2.0B | 2 x CAN 2.0B | 2 x CAN 2.0B | 1 x CAN 2.0B | 2 x CAN 2.0B |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Double the Flash memory vs SAM3S4CA-AU with no PCB change required (vs ATSAM3S4CA-AU)
- Cortex-M4 with single-precision FPU vs Cortex-M3 SAM3S (vs ATSAM3S4CA-AU)
- Higher 120 MHz clock vs SAM4N family's 100 MHz (vs ATSAM4N8CA-CUR)
- Dual CAN 2.0B vs single CAN on SAM4N (vs ATSAM4N8CA-CUR)
- Pin-to-pin compatible with SAM4S, SAM4N, SAM3S, SAM3N, SAM7S families (vs ATSAM4N8CA-CUR)
Design Notes
The ATSAM4S8CA-CUR requires separate analog (VDDANA) and digital (VDDIO, VDDCORE) supply rails. Place a 10 uF bulk capacitor plus 100 nF decoupling on each VDD pin pair, located within 5 mm of the package. The VDDCORE rail (1.2 V typical) must be supplied by the internal voltage regulator - do not drive it externally unless the part is configured in bypass mode. According to the SAM4S family datasheet, the part supports 1.62 V to 3.6 V on VDDIO, and the core voltage scales automatically based on clock configuration. Estimated power budget at 120 MHz full-speed active is approximately 36 mA total; in back-up mode with RTC running at 1.8 V, draw drops to 3 uA per the datasheet spec.
The 100-TFBGA (9x9 mm) package has 0.8 mm ball pitch, requiring precise PCB land pattern and solder mask definition. Use NSMD (non-solder-mask-defined) pads per Microchip's package drawing to reduce solder joint stress. Route all 100 signals out of the BGA using 4-layer PCB with continuous ground plane beneath the device; escape the inner balls with microvias in a via-in-pad or dog-bone topology. Match trace lengths on USB DP/DM to within 2 mm to maintain USB 2.0 Full-Speed signal integrity, and add 90-ohm differential impedance control. Place the 12 MHz crystal within 5 mm of the XIN/XOUT pins with a guard ring on the PCB ground plane.
USB DP/DM traces on the ATSAM4S8CA-CUR must be 90-ohm differential with a maximum length of 50 mm to remain within USB 2.0 Full-Speed specifications. Add a common-mode choke or ferrite bead on VBUS if the design is bus-powered to suppress EMI from upstream hosts. CANH/CANL traces need 120-ohm termination at the bus ends (not at the MCU), routed symmetrically to avoid stubs. For high-speed SPI connections to external flash or displays, keep clock rise/fall times under 5 ns and route over continuous ground plane to minimize crosstalk. Per the SAM4S datasheet, the EBI bus should be length-matched within 25 mm across all data and address lines when used at full speed.
Do not confuse the ATSAM4S8CA-CUR with the ATSAM4S8CA-AU (LQFP package) - both are SAM4S8C variants but in different packages, so they are NOT footprint-compatible. Always verify the part number suffix and package outline before PCB assembly. Another common mistake is leaving the NRST pin floating - it must be pulled high through a 10 kohm resistor with a 100 nF capacitor to ground for proper reset behavior. When upgrading from a SAM3S design, be aware that the Cortex-M4 FPU registers require enabling the CP10/CP11 coprocessor access bits in the System Control Block (SCB) - firmware that does not enable these will cause hard faults on any FPU instruction. Finally, ensure the BOOT pins are pulled to the correct logic level at startup to select the desired bootloader source.
Estimated: At 120 MHz active with both CAN and USB running at full bus utilization, the ATSAM4S8CA-CUR dissipates approximately 100 mW (3.3 V x 30 mA). The 100-TFBGA package has a theta_JA of approximately 35 C/W on a standard 4-layer JEDEC test board, giving a junction temperature rise of 3.5 C above ambient. No heatsink or thermal management is required for normal operation. However, if the part is mounted on a small PCB without continuous ground plane, theta_JA may rise above 60 C/W; in such cases, add ground vias beneath the exposed pad region and increase copper pour area around the package. For industrial -40C to +85C ambient operation, the thermal budget has 80 C headroom, which is comfortable for the typical 3.5 C rise.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Microchip product page. Standard CUR variant is -40C to +85C industrial, not AEC-Q100; for automotive choose ATSAM4S8CA-CFUR qualified variant. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in provided data.
