ATSAMA5D31A-CU - ARM Cortex-A5 MPU 536MHz 324-LFBGA | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMA5D31A-CU ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.91 | $7.91 |
| 10 | $7.45 | $74.50 |
| 100 | $6.82 | $682.00 |
| 500 | $6.18 | $3,090.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.65 | $5,650.00 |
ATSAMA5D31A-CU Overview
What is an ARM Cortex-A5 MPU? An MPU (Microprocessor Unit) is a high-integration processor designed for running full operating systems such as Linux or Android, in contrast to an MCU which typically runs a real-time OS or bare-metal firmware. The Cortex-A5 core from ARM implements the ARMv7-A architecture with a single-issue superscalar pipeline, NEON SIMD optional, and a hardware floating-point unit (VFPv4). The ATSAMA5D31A belongs to the Application Processor / Embedded MPU taxonomy, sitting above Cortex-M MCUs in the silicon hierarchy and below Cortex-A9/A53/A72 cores in performance.
Key features of the ATSAMA5D31A-CU include a 536 MHz maximum CPU clock delivering 850 DMIPS, hardware FPU and NEON media engine, 128 KB on-chip SRAM, a 16-bit DDR2/LPDDR/LPDDR2 external memory controller, LCD controller with touchscreen, 10/100 Ethernet MAC, two HS USB 2.0 ports (host + device), two CAN controllers, and a rich set of serial peripherals (UART, SPI, TWI, I2S, SSC). It also integrates an image sensor interface (ISI) and an AES/TrueRNG crypto accelerator for secure applications.
The SoC is built on a 65 nm low-power CMOS process and uses a multi-layer AHB/APB bus matrix for low-latency peripheral access. The dynamic power consumption is below 0.5 mW in deep-sleep retention mode (per the SAMA5D3 datasheet family data), making it well-suited to battery-backed industrial gateways and energy-harvesting endpoints.
Typical applications include industrial HMI panels, building automation controllers, smart-grid concentrators, medical patient monitors, low-end POS terminals, and Linux-based IoT gateways. The integrated LCD controller and touchscreen make it a drop-in candidate for graphical operator-interface designs that previously required a discrete display controller.
When designing with the ATSAMA5D31A-CU, pay careful attention to the DDR2/LPDDR PCB layout (matched impedance, length-matched DQS), the LFBGA ball-pitch thermal pad connection, and the boot sequence (Boot from NAND, SPI Flash, SDCard, or UART). A Linux BSP and AT91Bootstrap loader from Microchip are mandatory to bring up the board.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in SAMA5D3 family alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMA5D31A-CU — 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 ATSAMA5D31A-CU (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Ethernet, USB, Core Architecture, CAN.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAMA5D31A-CUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$12.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D31A-CFUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$11.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D33A-CU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D34A-CU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D35A-CU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D36A-CU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$46.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMA5D31A-CU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | ARM Cortex-A5 (32-bit) |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 536 MHz |
| DMIPS Performance | 850 DMIPS |
| Internal SRAM | 128 KB |
| L1 Cache | 32 KB instruction + 32 KB data |
| Floating Point Unit | Yes (VFPv4) |
| NEON Media Engine | Yes |
| External Memory Interface | DDR2 / LPDDR / LPDDR2 (16-bit) |
| Package | 324-LFBGA (15x15 mm) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Supply Voltage | 1.0 V core / 1.8 V DDR / 3.3 V I/O (typical) |
| Low-Power Mode Power | < 0.5 mW (deep-sleep retention) |
| Ethernet | 10/100 MAC (MII/RMII) |
| USB | 2x HS USB 2.0 (host + device) |
| CAN | 2x CAN 2.0B controllers |
| LCD Controller | Yes, with 2D graphics engine and resistive touchscreen |
| Image Sensor Interface | Yes (ISI, up to 12-bit) |
| Crypto Accelerator | AES + True Random Number Generator |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (per DigiKey listing) |
| Process Technology | 65 nm low-power CMOS |
ATSAMA5D31A-CU 324-lfbga (15x15 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATSAMA5D31A-CU (324-lfbga (15x15 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 ATSAMA5D31A-CU.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATSAMA5D31A-CU is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial HMI Panel, Linux IoT Gateway, Smart Energy Concentrator, Medical Patient Monitor, Building Automation Controller, POS / Payment Terminal.
Industrial HMI Panel
The ATSAMA5D31A-CU drives industrial HMI panels via its integrated LCD controller with 2D graphics engine, supporting displays up to 2048x2048 with hardware overlay. The 536 MHz Cortex-A5 core runs Qt/Embedded and LVGL smoothly at 60 fps for multi-window operator interfaces. The integrated 4-wire resistive touchscreen ADC eliminates an external touch controller, reducing BOM cost. Two CAN 2.0B controllers allow direct connection to industrial fieldbus networks.
Recommended
Linux IoT Gateway
The ATSAMA5D31A-CU runs mainline Linux 4.9+ with full Docker/containers support, making it ideal for IoT gateways aggregating sensor data over RS-485, Modbus, or CAN. The 10/100 Ethernet MAC and dual HS USB 2.0 ports allow wired backhaul plus cellular modem attachment. Sub-0.5 mW deep-sleep power suits battery-backed deployments, while the hardware AES engine secures MQTT payloads. The Cortex-A5 NEON engine accelerates JSON parsing and TLS handshakes.
Recommended
Smart Energy Concentrator
The ATSAMA5D31A-CU aggregates data from smart meters and DLMS/COSEM clients via its dual CAN interfaces and multiple UARTs. Hardware AES-256 and TrueRNG provide secure key handling for grid-compliance authentication. The 128 KB on-chip SRAM serves as zero-latency scratch for real-time meter polling while external LPDDR2 holds meter database cache. Industrial temperature rating and Microchip's 10-year longevity commitment support long-life utility deployments.
Recommended
Medical Patient Monitor
Medical patient monitors use the ATSAMA5D31A-CU as the application processor for waveform rendering and alarm logic. The Cortex-A5 with hardware FPU computes real-time ECG/SpO2 DSP at low overhead, while the image sensor interface accepts a CMOS camera for video laryngoscopy preview. Hardware isolation from low-level signal acquisition requires careful board partitioning, but the LFBGA-324 footprint simplifies layout for compact bedside designs.
Recommended
Building Automation Controller
The ATSAMA5D31A-CU serves as the central controller in BACnet or KNX building automation gateways, handling scheduling logic and HVAC loop control. Its dual Ethernet MAC (via companion PHY) supports redundant ring topologies, and the two CAN interfaces connect to variable-air-volume boxes. The Cortex-A5 runs Node-RED or OpenHAB for flexible field-configuration. Deep-sleep retention mode saves energy during off-hours in hotel rooms or vacant offices.
Recommended
POS / Payment Terminal
The ATSAMA5D31A-CU powers Linux-based POS terminals, running payment application frameworks (such as Android Things variants or Yocto Linux) with secure PIN entry via the hardware crypto engine. The integrated LCD controller drives a 7-inch operator display plus a customer-facing secondary panel. Two USB 2.0 ports attach receipt printers and NFC readers. The Cortex-A5 FPU accelerates RSA/ECC signature verification on contactless transactions.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMA5D31A-CU — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAMA5D31A-CUR | ATSAMA5D31A-CFUR | ATSAMA5D33A-CU | ATSAMA5D34A-CU | ATSAMA5D35A-CU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 324-LFBGA (15x15) | 324-LFBGA (15x15) - same | 324-LFBGA (15x15) - same | 324-LFBGA (15x15) - same | 324-LFBGA (15x15) - same | 324-LFBGA (15x15) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology - same | Microchip Technology - same | Microchip Technology - same | Microchip Technology - same | Microchip Technology - same |
| Core | ARM Cortex-A5 32-bit | ARM Cortex-A5 32-bit | ARM Cortex-A5 32-bit | ARM Cortex-A5 32-bit | ARM Cortex-A5 32-bit | |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 536 MHz | 536 MHz | 536 MHz | 536 MHz | 536 MHz | |
| Internal SRAM | 128 KB | 128 KB | 256 KB (+100%) | 192 KB (+50%) | 128 KB | |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | 0C to +70C (Commercial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | ||
| CAN Interfaces | 2x CAN 2.0B | 2x CAN 2.0B | 2x CAN 2.0B | 2x CAN-FD | ||
| LCD Controller | Yes, with 2D engine + touchscreen | Yes, higher resolution | Yes | Yes (same) | ||
| RoHS | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant |
Key Differentiators
- Deep-sleep power under 0.5 mW with full SRAM retention (vs ATSAMA5D27A-CN)
- Integrated hardware AES + TrueRNG crypto accelerator (vs ATSAMA5D33A-CU)
- Industrial temperature grade with 10-year Microchip longevity (vs ATSAMA5D31A-CFUR)
Design Notes
The 324-LFBGA package has 0.8 mm ball pitch on a 15x15 mm substrate; use a 4-layer PCB stackup with continuous GND plane under the BGA for return-path integrity. Escape routing must use microvias (laser-drilled, 0.1 mm pad) and dogbone fan-out; design for an 8-mil trace / 8-mil space minimum. Place 100 nF decoupling capacitors on every VDDCORE pin within 1 mm of the ball, with 4.7 uF bulk capacitors on each VDDCORE rail clustered around the SoC perimeter.
Estimated: at full 536 MHz CPU load driving dual Ethernet, USB, and LCD, the ATSAMA5D31A-CU dissipates approximately 0.8 W to 1.2 W (input values: VDDcore=1.0 V, Icore ~ 800 mA peak). With the LFBGA-324 the package exposes its die through the ball grid; an LGA-style thermal pad on the PCB inner plane is not provided. For high-ambient enclosures (>60C), use a 50x50 mm copper pour on top layer connected through thermal vias to inner GND plane. Forced airflow or heatsink is not required for typical industrial use.
Do not skip the boot configuration resistors on BMS (Boot Mode Select) pins; an incorrect strapping will leave the part unbootable. Ensure the DDR2 reference voltage (VREF) tracks within 2% of 0.5xVDD and use series termination resistors on the address/command bus. Many first-PCB failures stem from DQS length mismatch: target within +/-25 mils for DDR2-800. Refer to the SAMA5D3 hardware design checklist document for the full bring-up sequence.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per DigiKey and Abacus Technologies product pages. AEC-Q100 not qualified - the SAMA5D3 family is targeted at industrial/consumer, not automotive. Conflict-minerals DRC conflict free per Abacus Technologies.
