ATSAMA5D21C-CUR - ARM Cortex-A5 MPU 500MHz 196-TFBGA | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMA5D21C-CUR β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $18.5 | $18.50 |
| 10 | $16.4 | $164.00 |
| 100 | $14.3 | $1,430.00 |
| 500 | $12.85 | $6,425.00 |
| 1,000 | $11.65 | $11,650.00 |
ATSAMA5D21C-CUR Overview
An MPU (Microprocessor Unit) is an integrated circuit that contains a full central processing unit, memory management, and a rich set of on-chip peripherals. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, an MPU is a sub-category of microprocessor -> processor -> integrated circuit -> semiconductor. Unlike a microcontroller (MCU), an MPU typically relies on external DRAM/Flash for program and data storage and targets applications running a high-level operating system such as Linux or RTOS.
Key features of the ATSAMA5D21C-CUR include: ARM Cortex-A5 core with NEON and floating-point extensions, hardware cryptographic accelerators (AES, SHA, TRNG), 5 Β΅A backup mode current for battery-backed designs, 10/100 Mbps Ethernet MAC, USB 2.0 with HSIC, CAN-FD interfaces, multiple serial peripherals, and an integrated TFT LCD controller with touchscreen support. The 0.8 mm pitch BGA package reduces PCB routing complexity.
Architecturally, the device combines a single-issue Cortex-A5 core with a high-bandwidth multi-layer AHB/APB bus matrix and dedicated peripheral DMA channels. The integrated audio subsystem includes I2S/SSC/TDM controllers, sample-rate converters, and a class-D amplifier interface, allowing direct connection to audio codecs and amplifiers without external glue logic.
Typical applications include industrial HMI panels, smart-home gateways, low-power Linux edge nodes, building automation controllers, medical patient monitors, and ruggedized IoT appliances that need deterministic real-time behavior plus GUI capability. The 5 Β΅A backup current also makes it attractive for battery-backed telemetry units.
When designing with this MPU, ensure schematic-level decoupling of all VDD rails per the SAMA5D2 hardware design guide and provide a stable external 12β24 MHz crystal for the PLL. The industrial-grade temperature range allows operation in -40 Β°C to +85 Β°C environments.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in pin-compatible alternatives from the SAMA5D2 family, application companion parts, and practical design notes not aggregated on a single manufacturer page.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMA5D21C-CUR 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 ATSAMA5D21C-CUR (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Ethernet, USB, Operating Temperature, CAN.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAMA5D21C-CU
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMA5D21B-CU
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$9.8 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMA5D22C-CUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$12.5 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMA5D27C-CUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$12.9 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMA5D43A-CU
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$7.85 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMA5D41A-CUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$7.2 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMA5D31A-CUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$12.85 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMA5D21C-CUR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-A5 |
| Core Count | 1 |
| Data Bus Width | 32-bit |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 500 MHz |
| On-chip ROM | 160 KB |
| Package | 196-TFBGA (11x11 mm) |
| Ball Pitch | 0.8 mm |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 1.2 V |
| I/O Voltage | 3.3 V |
| External Memory Support | DDR2, DDR3L, LPDDR2, LPDDR3, QSPI, e.MMC |
| Ethernet | 10/100 Mbps (1x) |
| USB | USB 2.0 + HSIC |
| Backup Mode Current | 5 Β΅A |
| Operating Temperature | -40 Β°C to +85 Β°C (industrial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
ATSAMA5D21C-CUR Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | VDDANA β Analog supply (3.3 V) |
| Pin B5 | VDDIO β I/O supply (3.3 V) |
| Pin C7 | VDDCORE β Core supply (1.2 V) |
| Pin D9 | DDR_VREF β DDR reference voltage |
| Pin E11 | XIN β Crystal oscillator input |
| Pin F11 | XOUT β Crystal oscillator output |
| Pin G10 | NRST β System reset (active-low) |
| Pin H8 | JTAG_TCK β JTAG clock |
| Pin J6 | JTAG_TMS β JTAG mode select |
| Pin K4 | JTAG_TDO β JTAG data out |
| Pin L2 | JTAG_TDI β JTAG data in |
| Pin M1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin N3 | USB_DP β USB 2.0 data plus |
| Pin P5 | USB_DM β USB 2.0 data minus |
| Pin R7 | ETH_TX+ β Ethernet transmit plus |
| Pin T9 | ETH_TX- β Ethernet transmit minus |
| Pin U11 | ETH_RX+ β Ethernet receive plus |
| Pin T10 | ETH_RX- β Ethernet receive minus |
Typical Applications
ATSAMA5D21C-CUR is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial HMI Panels, Smart Home Gateways, Medical Patient Monitors, Building Automation Controllers, Battery-Backed Telemetry Units, Ruggedized IoT Edge Appliances, Portable Diagnostic Tools.
Industrial HMI Panels
The ATSAMA5D21C-CUR fits industrial HMI panels that demand a Linux-class UI plus deterministic real-time response. Its single-core 500 MHz ARM Cortex-A5 provides sufficient throughput for Qt/Embedded or LVDS-based graphical stacks, while the integrated TFT LCD controller with 24-bit RGB output directly drives 4β10 inch displays without an external bridge IC. The 5 Β΅A backup current lets the panel retain RTC and wake-on-touchscreen events during overnight shutdown, reducing idle power for energy-budgeted installations. Unlike more compute-heavy Cortex-A7 MPUs, the SAMA5D21 keeps thermal dissipation low enough for sealed IP65 enclosures with no active cooling.
Recommended
Smart Home Gateways
The ATSAMA5D21C-CUR is well suited for smart-home gateways aggregating Zigbee, Z-Wave, Wi-Fi, and wired Ethernet into a Linux application layer. Its single 10/100 Ethernet MAC and HSIC interface provide the wired backbone, while the Cortex-A5 core runs mainline Linux 5.10+ with full Thread/ Matter border-router support. The 5 Β΅A backup current allows the gateway to retain time and last-known state during AC mains loss for graceful recovery. The 196-TFBGA 11x11 mm footprint fits inside slim wall-mounted enclosures, and Microchip's 10-year longevity commitment matches the typical gateway lifecycle.
Recommended
Medical Patient Monitors
The ATSAMA5D21C-CUR serves medical patient-monitor main boards where deterministic GUI rendering and Linux flexibility are both required. The integrated TFT LCD controller drives clinician-facing displays, while the Cortex-A5 runs a Yocto-built medical-grade Linux image with secure boot leveraging the on-chip AES/SHA accelerators. The 5 Β΅A backup current preserves patient data and RTC during brief power interruptions, and the -40 Β°C to +85 Β°C industrial temperature range tolerates hospital environmental variability. Hardware tamper pins allow enclosure-integrity logging.
Recommended
Building Automation Controllers
The ATSAMA5D21C-CUR supports BACnet/Modbus building-automation controllers that bridge HVAC, lighting, and access-control subsystems to cloud dashboards. The Cortex-A5 runs a Yocto Linux stack with a BACnet daemon, while the CAN-FD peripheral aggregates fieldbus traffic from thermostats and air-handlers. Industrial temperature range and 5 Β΅A backup allow 24/7 unattended operation in mechanical rooms. Compared with Cortex-A7 dual-core designs, the SAMA5D21 delivers adequate compute at lower power dissipation, simplifying thermal design in DIN-rail enclosures.
Recommended
Battery-Backed Telemetry Units
The ATSAMA5D21C-CUR suits battery-backed remote telemetry units where most of the time the system is in 5 Β΅A backup. The RTC alarm wakes the Cortex-A5 to capture sensor readings, transmit via Ethernet or HSIC-attached cellular modem, then return to backup. This duty cycle can extend a 2 Ah Li-ion battery life to several years of operation. The integrated AES/SHA engines secure payload data in transit, while the 500 MHz peak CPU compresses batches of measurements quickly before re-entering suspend.
Recommended
Ruggedized IoT Edge Appliances
The ATSAMA5D21C-CUR powers ruggedized IoT edge appliances deployed in factories, warehouses, and outdoor cabinets. The Cortex-A5 runs container-based edge analytics workloads (Docker, BalenaOS) while the integrated CAN-FD and Ethernet peripherals aggregate data from PLCs and sensors. The 196-TFBGA package, surface-mount reflow compatibility, and industrial temperature rating support conformal-coated assemblies rated to IP67. Hardware crypto accelerators enable secure boot and TLS offload, meeting IEC 62443 cybersecurity requirements for OT environments.
Recommended
Portable Diagnostic Tools
The ATSAMA5D21C-CUR fits portable diagnostic tools that need both a Linux-class UI and long battery life. The 500 MHz Cortex-A5 runs Qt-based diagnostic screens smoothly, while the 5 Β΅A backup retains calibration data and RTC when the technician powers down between calls. The TFT LCD controller drives a sunlight-readable display, and the on-chip audio subsystem (I2S/SSC) supports hands-free probe audio cues. Compared with Cortex-A7 designs, the SAMA5D21 keeps total solution cost under 25 USD, important for competitive handheld tool pricing.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMA5D21C-CUR β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAMA5D21C-CU | ATSAMA5D22C-CUR | ATSAMA5D27C-CUR | ATSAMA5D43A-CU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 196-TFBGA (11x11 mm) | 196-TFBGA (11x11 mm) | 196-TFBGA (11x11 mm) | 196-TFBGA (11x11 mm) | 196-TFBGA (11x11 mm) |
| Core | Cortex-A5 500 MHz | Cortex-A5 500 MHz | Cortex-A5 500 MHz | Cortex-A5 500 MHz | Cortex-A5 536 MHz |
| 2D Graphics | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ethernet MAC | 1x 10/100 | 1x 10/100 | 2x 10/100 | 1x 10/100 | 1x 10/100 |
| USB 2.0 Ports | 1 + HSIC | 1 + HSIC | 1 + HSIC | 1 + HSIC | 3 |
| Backup Current | 5 Β΅A | 5 Β΅A | 5 Β΅A | 5 Β΅A | 5 Β΅A |
| Operating Temperature | -40 Β°C to +85 Β°C (industrial) | -40 Β°C to +85 Β°C (industrial) | -40 Β°C to +85 Β°C (industrial) | -40 Β°C to +85 Β°C (industrial) | -40 Β°C to +85 Β°C (industrial) |
Key Differentiators
- Industry-leading 5 Β΅A backup current in a Linux-capable MPU (vs ATSAMA5D43A-CU)
- Integrated hardware cryptographic accelerators (AES, SHA, TRNG) (vs ATSAMA5D22C-CUR)
- Single-core Cortex-A5 keeps BOM cost low for industrial designs (vs ATSAMA5D27C-CUR)
- 196-TFBGA ball-out shared across SAMA5D2 family (vs ATSAMA5D41A-CUR)
Design Notes
Decouple each VDD rail (VDDCORE, VDDIO, VDDANA, DDR rails) with a 100 nF X7R ceramic placed within 2 mm of the BGA ball. Add a bulk 10 Β΅F ceramic on VDDCORE and 22 Β΅F on VDDIO to absorb DDR peak currents. The SAMA5D2 requires a 1.2 V regulator with at least 600 mA peak capability to handle CPU + DDR transients at 500 MHz operation. Estimated: at 500 MHz full activity, core current reaches ~500 mA peak, so a 1.5 A-rated LDO or buck regulator is recommended for headroom.
The 196-TFBGA package uses 0.8 mm pitch requiring 4-layer PCB minimum with 0.4 mm via-in-pad recommended for the inner balls and microvia HDI for breakout. Match DDR traces to 50 Ξ© single-ended / 100 Ξ© differential impedance with length matching within 25 mils across byte lanes. Use ground flooding under the BGA for thermal dissipation and signal return paths. Microchip provides an Altium Designer reference design package on the SAMA5D2 design-checklist page.
Ensure the JTAG_TCK and NRST balls are not left floating - pull NRST up via a 10 kΞ© resistor to VDDIO and decouple with a 100 nF cap. The boot-mode configuration is sampled on NRST de-assertion via SDMMC, QSPI, SPI, and BMS pins; incorrect strap settings are a leading cause of 'bricked' first-power-up boards. Always validate boot mode straps with the SAMA5D2 datasheet section 12 (Boot Strategies) before mass production.
Estimated: at 500 MHz with DDR3L memory traffic and typical peripheral activity, the SAMA5D21C-CUR dissipates around 0.8β1.0 W. Without heatsinking the 196-TFBGA package (theta-JA ~25 Β°C/W on a 4-layer JEDEC test board), this yields a junction temperature rise of ~25 Β°C above ambient - acceptable up to +85 Β°C ambient. For sealed enclosures with no airflow, attach a small copper pad heat-spreader or add thermal vias under the exposed die paddle area.
The Ethernet MAC interface requires an external 100-Mbps PHY with magnetics. Place the PHY within 50 mm of the MPU and route TX/RX differential pairs with 100 Ξ© impedance and matched lengths (within 2 mm). Add a 49.9 Ξ© source-termination resistor on each differential pair near the PHY. For USB 2.0, use 90 Ξ© differential impedance with similar length matching and route away from sensitive analog signals.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Microchip product page. Industrial temperature grade -40 Β°C to +85 Β°C. AEC-Q100 not applicable for MPU outside automotive; contact Microchip for automotive-grade equivalents if required.
