ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR - 120MHz Cortex-M4 1MB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $12.5 | $12.50 |
| 10 | $11.05 | $110.50 |
| 100 | $9.78 | $978.00 |
| 500 | $8.62 | $4,310.00 |
| 1,000 | $7.49 | $7,490.00 |
ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, non-volatile program memory, volatile working memory, and a mix of digital and analog peripherals. The Cortex-M4 family adds DSP instructions and (in some parts) a single-precision FPU, enabling on-the-fly audio decoding, motor control math, and sensor-fusion algorithms. SAM4S devices specifically target general-purpose 32-bit upgrades from Atmel SAM3S designs, offering software and pin compatibility for a smooth migration path while doubling peak throughput.
Key differentiating specifications include 120 MHz CPU clock with single-cycle MAC, 1 MB Flash with Error-Correction Code (ECC) and security/lock bits, 160 KB SRAM with parity, and a multi-layer bus matrix plus distributed DMA for high data throughput. The SAM4S core achieves 1.25 DMIPS/MHz and embeds an MPU and SysTick timer for industrial-grade deterministic RTOS execution, while a dedicated crypto engine (when enabled in SAM4S variants) supports AES and True Random Number Generation.
Typical applications include industrial automation controllers (PLC, motor drives, sensor hubs), smart energy metering, building automation gateways, medical instrumentation, USB peripherals and Human Interface Devices (HID), point-of-sale terminals, and consumer audio systems. The 120 MHz core is well-matched to graphics rendering and low-cost TFT-LCD driving, while the USB FS controller supports tethered peripherals.
A key design consideration is Microchip's explicit recommendation that for new designs engineers use the Revision B die (e.g. ATSAM4SD16CB-AUR or -CFUR) for both prototyping and production. The revision-A die should be limited to existing designs and inventory continuity. Developers should also verify supply availability through authorized distributors before committing to a PCB layout, as legacy SAM4S parts have been subject to ongoing allocation cycles.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing from DigiKey, Mouser, LCSC and Octopart, cross-references drop-in alternatives within the SAM4S family, and adds design notes not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR — 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 ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Core Architecture, USB, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAM4SD16CA-AU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4SD16CA-ANR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.72 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4SD16BA-AU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4SD16BA-MUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$7.21 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4S8CA-AU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.74 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4SA16CA-AUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.23 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | ARM Cortex-M4 with DSP extensions and Thumb-2 |
| CPU Frequency | 120 MHz maximum |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 1 MB (2 x 512 KB dual-bank) |
| SRAM | 160 KB |
| Instruction Cache | 2 KB |
| MPU (Memory Protection Unit) | Yes |
| Supply Voltage | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) |
| Package | 100-pin LQFP (14x14 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (Tape & Reel) |
| USB Interface | USB 2.0 Full-Speed with on-chip transceiver |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 24 channels (per datasheet family) |
| Timers | Multiple 16/32-bit timer/counter channels with PWM |
| Communication Interfaces | 5x USART, 2x UART, 2x TWI (I2C), 2x SPI, 1x HS-SPI |
| MSL Level | MSL3 (per LQFP moisture classification) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Recommended Die Revision for New Designs | Revision B (use ATSAM4SD16CB-AUR / -CFUR variants) |
ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PA0 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 2 | PA1 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 3 | PA2 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 4 | PA3 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 5 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 6 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 7 | PA4 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 8 | PA5 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 9 | PA6 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 10 | PA7 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 11 | PA8 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 12 | PA9 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 13 | PA10 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 14 | PA11 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 15 | PA12 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 16 | PA13 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 17 | PA14 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 18 | VDDCORE — Core voltage regulator output (decouple) |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 20 | PA15 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 21 | PA16 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 22 | PA17 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 23 | PA18 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 24 | PA19 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 25 | PA20 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 26 | PA21 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 27 | PA22 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 28 | PA23 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 29 | PA24 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 30 | PA25 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 31 | PA26 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 32 | PA27 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 33 | PA28 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 34 | PA29 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 35 | PA30 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 36 | PA31 — GPIO / peripheral A |
| Pin 37 | PB0 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 38 | PB1 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 39 | PB2 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 40 | PB3 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 41 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 42 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 43 | PB4 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 44 | PB5 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 45 | PB6 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 46 | PB7 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 47 | PB8 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 48 | PB9 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 49 | PB10 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 50 | PB11 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 51 | PB12 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 52 | PB13 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 53 | PB14 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 54 | PB15 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 55 | PB16 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 56 | PB17 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 57 | PB18 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 58 | PB19 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 59 | PB20 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 60 | PB21 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 61 | PB22 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 62 | PB23 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 63 | PB24 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 64 | PB25 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 65 | PB26 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 66 | PB27 — GPIO / peripheral B |
| Pin 67 | XIN — Crystal oscillator input |
| Pin 68 | XOUT — Crystal oscillator output |
| Pin 69 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 70 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 71 | NRST — External reset input (active-low) |
| Pin 72 | TDI — JTAG test data in |
| Pin 73 | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin 74 | TCK — JTAG test clock |
| Pin 75 | TDO — JTAG test data out |
| Pin 76 | PC0 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 77 | PC1 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 78 | PC2 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 79 | PC3 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 80 | PC4 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 81 | PC5 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 82 | PC6 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 83 | PC7 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 84 | PC8 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 85 | PC9 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 86 | PC10 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 87 | PC11 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 88 | PC12 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 89 | PC13 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 90 | PC14 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 91 | PC15 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 92 | PC16 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 93 | PC17 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 94 | PC18 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 95 | PC19 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 96 | PC20 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 97 | PC21 — GPIO / peripheral C |
| Pin 98 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 99 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 100 | PA0 — GPIO / peripheral A (alternate function) |
Typical Applications
ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation Controllers, Smart Energy Metering and Building Automation, Medical Instrumentation and Point-of-Care Devices, USB Peripherals and HID Devices, Consumer Audio and Display Controllers, POS Terminals and Secure Transaction Devices.
Industrial Automation Controllers
The ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR's 120 MHz Cortex-M4 core with DSP extensions and 1.25 DMIPS/MHz is well-suited to PLC, motor-control, and sensor-hub designs that need deterministic cycle times. The 160 KB SRAM holds protocol stacks (Modbus, CAN, Ethernet) plus runtime buffers, while the dual-bank 1 MB Flash enables live firmware updates without stopping the line. The 12-bit ADC, multiple PWM-capable timers, and 5xUSART/2xTWI/3xSPI permit direct interfacing to encoders, opto-isolated I/O, and HMI displays. Industrial temperature range (-40 C to +85 C) and integrated voltage regulator support 24V-derived 3.3V systems with 1.62-3.6V tolerance, while the MPU enables secure partitioning for functional-safety designs.
Recommended
Smart Energy Metering and Building Automation
Energy meters and building gateways need high-precision analog sampling, secure firmware storage, and reliable communication. The ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR integrates a 12-bit ADC capable of sampling multi-phase current/voltage channels, while the Flash ECC and security/lock bits protect calibration data against bit-flips and unauthorized read-back. The USB 2.0 Full-Speed interface supports tethered commissioning tools and wireless dongles, while 5xUSART interfaces simultaneously drive Modbus, M-Bus, and isolated RS-485 transceivers. The dual-bank Flash permits remote firmware upgrades across the smart-meter network, critical for compliance with utility firmware lifecycle requirements.
Recommended
Medical Instrumentation and Point-of-Care Devices
Medical point-of-care devices demand deterministic processing for sensor fusion, low-power operation for battery life, and reliable USB for data transfer. The ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR's Cortex-M4 with DSP enables on-device FFT and filtering of biosignals (ECG, pulse-oximetry) without offloading to a host. The 1.62-3.6V supply supports direct Li-ion operation with low quiescent current in sleep modes, while the 160 KB SRAM holds waveform buffers between sample bursts. Hardware crypto acceleration (AES) on the SAM4S family enables HIPAA-compliant data-at-rest encryption, and the USB Full-Speed device port supports tethered diagnostic uploads to clinician PCs.
Recommended
USB Peripherals and HID Devices
USB peripherals rely on a robust device-side controller with on-chip PHY to minimize BOM cost. The ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR integrates a USB 2.0 Full-Speed device with on-chip transceiver, dedicated DMA channel, and 8 endpoints, eliminating external PHY and crystal components in many HID designs. The 120 MHz core handles USB protocol, HID report parsing, and embedded host-side logic (key matrices, sensor processing) simultaneously. With 160 KB SRAM it can buffer large HID reports (e.g. high-resolution mice, audio streaming), while 1 MB dual-bank Flash enables field firmware updates without bricking the device.
Recommended
Consumer Audio and Display Controllers
Consumer audio and TFT-driven display controllers need DSP for codec decoding plus sufficient memory for framebuffers. The ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR's Cortex-M4 with MAC unit runs software MP3/AAC decoders and graphic primitives without external DSP chips. The 160 KB SRAM holds decoded audio buffers or partial framebuffers for small TFT-LCDs, while 1 MB Flash stores firmware, fonts, and asset libraries. The HS-SPI controller drives TFT-LCD panels at high frame rates, while 5xUSART interfaces communicate with Bluetooth/Wi-Fi companion modules. Industrial temperature rating enables reliable operation in enclosed AV equipment.
Recommended
POS Terminals and Secure Transaction Devices
Point-of-sale terminals require certified security primitives, USB for peripheral integration, and reliable Flash for transaction logs. The SAM4S family integrates AES crypto acceleration and True Random Number Generation, while ECC-protected Flash and lock bits prevent firmware extraction. The ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR's dual-bank Flash permits signed firmware updates while preserving the previous bank for rollback, a key requirement for PCI-PTS certified terminals. The USB Full-Speed port integrates with PIN pads and EMV card readers, while 5xUSARTs drive printer, scanner, and Ethernet connectivity simultaneously.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAM4SD16CA-AU | ATSAM4SD16CA-ANR | ATSAM4SD16BA-AU | ATSAM4S8CA-AU | ATSAM4SA16CA-AUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 100-LQFP (14x14 mm) | 100-LQFP (14x14) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14) - same | 100-LQFP (14x14) - same |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M4 (DSP, no FPU) | ARM Cortex-M4 (DSP, no FPU) | ARM Cortex-M4 (DSP, no FPU) | ARM Cortex-M4 (DSP, no FPU) | ARM Cortex-M4 (DSP, no FPU) | ARM Cortex-M4 (DSP, no FPU) |
| CPU Frequency | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz |
| Flash | 1 MB dual-bank | 1 MB dual-bank | 1 MB dual-bank | 1 MB (revision A die) | 512 KB | 1 MB single-bank |
| SRAM | 160 KB | 160 KB | 160 KB | 160 KB | 128 KB | 160 KB |
| USB | USB 2.0 FS device+host | USB 2.0 FS device+host | USB 2.0 FS device+host | USB 2.0 FS device+host | USB 2.0 FS device+host | USB 2.0 FS device+host |
| 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 |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel | Tray | Tape & Reel | Tray | Tray | Tape & Reel |
Key Differentiators
- Dual-bank Flash architecture (vs ATSAM4SA16CA-AUR)
- Higher Flash density than S8 family (vs ATSAM4S8CA-AU)
- Tape-and-reel packaging for SMT production (vs ATSAM4SD16CA-AU)
Design Notes
The ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR integrates a 1.2V core LDO fed from VDDIO (1.62-3.6V). Decouple VDDIO pins (5, 41, 70, 98) with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed as close as possible to each pin, and add a bulk 10 uF per device. The VDDCORE pin (18) requires a 1 nF plus 100 nF parallel cap for regulator stability. Power-on-reset behavior is managed internally; an external RC on NRST is optional but recommended for production boards.
Route the crystal traces (XIN/XOUT, pins 67-68) as short, symmetric, differential pairs and guard them with a ground pour to avoid coupling switching noise. Keep JTAG/SWD traces (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, NRST) short to the debug header, and route them away from high-current signals such as PWM outputs driving motors or LEDs. The 100-LQFP 14x14 mm package has 0.5 mm pitch; use 0.2-0.25 mm trace/space with 0.5 mm via-pad stack to avoid manufacturing yield loss.
Per Microchip's product page, for new designs the Revision B die is highly recommended over the Revision A silicon found in ATSAM4SD16CA-AUR. Existing designs and inventory continuity are the only valid use cases for Revision A. Also note that the chip lacks an FPU; if your algorithm requires single-precision floating-point math, evaluate SAM4E or SAME70 instead. Brown-out-detector thresholds must be configured at startup - leaving the BOD at defaults may cause undefined behavior below 1.62V.
At 120 MHz active CPU with all peripherals enabled, power dissipation is approximately 90-110 mW (estimated: VDDIO=3.3V, IDD active ~30 mA, plus I/O switching). The 100-LQFP has theta_JA around 50 C/W on a standard 4-layer JEDEC test board, giving a 5 C rise above ambient. No heatsink is required, but adequate copper pour (>=1 square inch of unbroken ground plane) is recommended for sustained thermal relief.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is an industrial-grade MCU. For automotive applications consider SAM V71 or SAMS70 families with AEC-Q100 variants.
