ATSAMC20J17A-AUT - 128KB Flash CAN-FD MCU | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMC20J17A-AUT β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.92 | $4.92 |
| 10 | $4.41 | $44.10 |
| 100 | $3.94 | $394.00 |
| 500 | $3.55 | $1,775.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.16 | $3,160.00 |
ATSAMC20J17A-AUT Overview
What is a SAM C20 microcontroller? The SAM C20 (also written SAMC20) is Microchip's family of ARM Cortex-M0+ based microcontrollers optimized for automotive and industrial CAN node applications. It is a member of the broader category hierarchy: microcontroller -> MCU -> embedded controller -> semiconductor IC. The Cortex-M0+ core is the smallest, most energy-efficient ARM processor, and the SAM C20 family adds 5V-tolerant I/O, CAN-FD connectivity, and a peripheral touch controller (PTC) to support harsh-environment and human-machine-interface designs.
Key features of the ATSAMC20J17A-AUT include an integrated CAN-FD controller (ISO 11898-1:2015 compliant) for modern in-vehicle networking, an Advanced Analog block with a 12-bit ADC and 16-bit Sigma-Delta ADC-like support, up to 52 programmable I/O pins with 5V tolerance, and a Peripheral Touch Controller supporting capacitive-touch buttons, sliders, and wheels. The device supports 1.62V to 5.5V operation on the core/analog domains and 5V-tolerant digital I/O, making it ideal for mixed-voltage systems typically found in automotive body and powertrain peripherals.
Technically, the SAM C20 architecture combines an ultra-low-power Cortex-M0+ core with a 6-channel peripheral event system, dual 16-bit timer/counters, a 12-bit ADC with up to 11 effective bits (ENOB), and a hardware AES engine on some family members. The device operates over an automotive temperature range of -40C to +85C (AUT suffix) and is qualified to AEC-Q100 Grade 1 standards for automotive reliability.
Typical applications include automotive HVAC control modules, body control modules (BCM), CAN-based sensor nodes (BMS, tire pressure monitoring), industrial control panels with capacitive touch, and 5V industrial sensors requiring direct interface to legacy 5V logic. The built-in CAN-FD peripheral makes the part particularly attractive for any system that previously used a discrete MCU + external CAN controller.
When designing with the ATSAMC20J17A-AUT, place the decoupling capacitor network as close to the VDD pins as possible - use a 100 nF X7R per power pin plus a bulk 4.7 uF near the regulator. The 5V I/O tolerance simplifies interface to existing 5V peripherals but requires review of input threshold behavior on shared lines. The AUT temperature grade implies full AEC-Q100 qualification, but designers should still validate ESD and EMC performance at the system level.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMC20J17A-AUT 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 ATSAMC20J17A-AUT (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, ADC, RoHS Status, SRAM, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAMC20J17A-AUTS2
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMD20J17A-AUT
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2.3 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMC20J16A-AUT
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.82 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMC20J16A-MUT
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2.25 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMC20G18A-ANT
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2.34 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMC20E17A-AUT
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMC20J17A-AUT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Architecture | ARM Cortex-M0+ (32-bit) |
| Family | SAM C20 |
| Series | SAM C20 |
| Core Speed | 48 MHz |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 128 KB (128K x 8) |
| RAM (SRAM) | 16 KB |
| Package | 64-TQFP (10 x 10 mm) |
| Operating Voltage (Core) | 1.62 V to 3.63 V |
| Operating Voltage (I/O, 5V tolerant) | Up to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 52 programmable I/O |
| CAN-FD Controller | Yes (ISO 11898-1:2015) |
| ADC | 12-bit SAR ADC |
| Temperature Grade | Automotive (AUT), -40C to +85C |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (TQFP) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
ATSAMC20J17A-AUT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PA03 β General purpose I/O / ADC input |
| Pin 2 | PA04 β General purpose I/O / VREF |
| Pin 3 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 4 | VDDIO β I/O supply (5 V tolerant) |
| Pin 5 | VDDANA β Analog supply |
| Pin 6 | PA05 β General purpose I/O / ADC |
| Pin 7 | PA06 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 8 | PA07 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 9 | PA08 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 10 | PA09 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 11 | PA10 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 12 | PA11 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 13 | PA14 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 14 | PA15 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 15 | PA16 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 16 | PA17 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 17 | PA18 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 18 | PA19 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 19 | PA20 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 20 | PA21 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 21 | PA22 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 22 | PA23 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 23 | PA24 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 24 | PA25 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 25 | PA26 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 26 | PA27 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 27 | PA28 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 28 | PA29 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 29 | PA30 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 30 | PA31 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 31 | PB00 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 32 | PB01 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 33 | PB02 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 34 | PB03 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 35 | PB04 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 36 | PB05 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 37 | PB06 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 38 | PB07 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 39 | PB08 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 40 | PB09 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 41 | PB10 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 42 | PB11 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 43 | PB12 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 44 | PB13 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 45 | PB14 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 46 | PB15 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 47 | PB16 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 48 | PB17 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 49 | PB18 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 50 | PB19 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 51 | PB20 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 52 | PB21 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 53 | PB22 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 54 | PB23 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 55 | PB24 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 56 | PB25 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 57 | PB26 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 58 | PB27 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 59 | PB28 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 60 | PB29 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 61 | PB30 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 62 | PB31 β General purpose I/O |
| Pin 63 | RESET β Reset (active low) |
| Pin 64 | PA02 β General purpose I/O / ADC |
Typical Applications
ATSAMC20J17A-AUT is suitable for 6 applications: Automotive HVAC Control Module, Body Control Module (BCM), Industrial Sensor Node with CAN-FD, Capacitive Touch HMI Panel, Battery Management Sensor Module, Automotive Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS) Receiver.
Automotive HVAC Control Module
The ATSAMC20J17A-AUT fits HVAC control modules because it pairs CAN-FD connectivity with 5V-tolerant I/O for direct interface to 5V analog temperature and blower-drive circuits. The 12-bit SAR ADC reads thermistor and pressure-sensor networks with sufficient ENOB for closed-loop fan/pump control. AEC-Q100 qualification ensures thermal endurance across -40C to +85C vehicle environments. The Peripheral Touch Controller enables capacitive HVAC knob and slider inputs, eliminating mechanical switches. Compared to external-CAN-controller MCUs, the integrated CAN-FD cuts BOM count by one IC. Companion parts: TJA1057 CAN transceiver, MCP9700A temperature sensor.
Recommended
Body Control Module (BCM)
For body control modules the ATSAMC20J17A-AUT offers 52 programmable I/O lines sufficient for driving lights, mirrors, and door locks with little external muxing. The dual-bank Flash allows in-application firmware updates with read-while-write safety for non-disruptive OTA service. CAN-FD bandwidth scales to handle the rising traffic from modern mirror and lighting subsystems. AEC-Q100 plus -40C to +85C operation ensures it survives underhood heat soak and cold-start conditions. Companion parts: MCP2518FD CAN-FD controller, RT9818 voltage supervisor.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Node with CAN-FD
The ATSAMC20J17A-AUT suits industrial sensor nodes because 5V-tolerant I/O directly interfaces to legacy 5V industrial sensors and switches without level shifters. The 48 MHz Cortex-M0+ executes CANopen, J1939, or custom CAN-FD stacks with deterministic latency. 128 KB Flash holds protocol stack plus application logic; 16 KB SRAM handles buffering for high-rate data acquisition. The peripheral event system and 16-bit timers allow precise synchronization without CPU overhead. Companion parts: STM32F072 (cross-brand reference), TLE7259-3 CAN transceiver.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch HMI Panel
The ATSAMC20J17A-AUT's Peripheral Touch Controller supports up to 64 self-capacitance or mutual-capacitance electrodes for buttons, sliders, and wheels without external touch ICs. Combined with the 12-bit ADC for force sensing and 5V-tolerant I/O for backlight driving, a complete 7-inch HMI panel can be realized on a single chip. The -40C to +85C automotive range supports outdoor industrial HMI panels. Companion parts: AT42QT1010 touch sensor, TLC59108 LED driver.
Recommended
Battery Management Sensor Module
In a low-cost battery management slave module the ATSAMC20J17A-AUT's 12-bit SAR ADC samples cell voltages at 500 ksps for Li-ion cell balancing and SOC estimation. CAN-FD transports cells' data to the master pack controller at up to 1 Mbit/s for accurate charge equalization. The 5V tolerant analog input simplifies integration with resistive isolation across 6S-12S pack architectures. AEC-Q100 makes the part appealing for EV BMS slave boards. Companion parts: MCP9808 cell-isolated voltage reference, TLP2362 isolator.
Recommended
Automotive Tire Pressure Monitoring (TPMS) Receiver
The ATSAMC20J17A-AUT decodes incoming 315/433 MHz TPMS sensor transmissions via the dedicated external interrupt and timer blocks at low power. CAN-FD reports individual wheel pressures and temperatures to the cluster, supporting modern vehicle network bandwidth. The ARM Cortex-M0+ at 48 MHz is sufficient for rolling code and CRC validation. AEC-Q100 and -40C to +85C operation ensure glove-compartment and underbody reliability. Companion parts: MAX1471 RF receiver, TPS3823 voltage supervisor.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMC20J17A-AUT β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAMC20J17A-AUTS2 | ATSAMD20J17A-AUT | ATSAMC20J16A-AUT | ATSAMC20J16A-MUT | ATSAMC20G18A-ANT | ATSAMC20E17A-AUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same |
| Core | Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz | Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz | Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz | Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz | Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz | Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz | Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz |
| Flash | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 256 KB | 128 KB |
| RAM | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 32 KB | 16 KB |
| CAN-FD | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| I/O Tolerant Voltage | 5 V | 5 V | 3.3 V only | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V |
| Automotive Grade (AEC-Q100) | Yes (AUT) | Yes (AUT) | Yes (AUT) | Yes (AUT) | Yes (MUT) | Yes (ANT) | Yes (AUT) |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated CAN-FD controller with 5V-tolerant I/O (vs ATSAMD20J17A-AUT)
- Identical die automotive-grade option (AUTS2) (vs ATSAMC20J17A-AUTS2)
- Higher Flash with same SAM C20 peripheral set (vs ATSAMC20J16A-AUT)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF X7R bypass capacitor directly on each VDD pin pair (VDDIO, VDDANA) and a 4.7 uF bulk near the regulator input. Estimated: a switching current draw of 30 mA at 48 MHz requires a 10 nH max inductance between the bulk cap and MCU; keep the bulk cap within 5 mm of the IC for clean 5V-tolerant I/O operation. The 5V tolerant I/O tolerance is independent of VDD core voltage - it is recommended to tie VDDIO to 5V for full I/O tolerance.
Despite the -40C to +85C automotive temperature grade, the 64-TQFP package benefits from a 4-layer PCB with a 2-3 square-inch copper ground pour under the IC. Estimated: at 48 MHz with 128 KB Flash active, the MCU draws approximately 12 mA (worst case -40C) yielding 0.066 W power dissipation; the TQFP-64 has theta_JA approximately 50 C/W, giving only 3.3C rise above ambient.
Route the CAN bus differential pair (CAN-H, CAN-L) with 100 ohm controlled impedance, 13 mm spacing between pins, and keep the pair length-matched within 2 mm. Place the CAN transceiver chip adjacent to the MCU CAN pins to minimize stub length. Add a common-mode choke and ESD diodes (e.g. PESD1CAN) at the connector for EMI/ESD immunity - this is critical for AEC-Q100 EMC compliance.
Do NOT omit the decoupling capacitors on VDDANA; the 12-bit ADC noise floor depends on them. The 5V I/O tolerance is not unlimited - applying more than 5.5V on a 5V I/O pin causes latch-up regardless of VDD. Always use a supervisor (e.g. MCP130) on the RESET line because the internal POR takes 2 ms - external hardware needs to see a clean RESET during power-up.
For capacitive touch sensing via the Peripheral Touch Controller, use guarded electrode routing and shield traces around the sensor lines. Avoid running high-speed digital signals (e.g. SERCOM SPI) directly under the touch sensor I/O lines to prevent capacitive crosstalk into the touch measurement. The PTC scan takes up to 25 ms per full scan - sequence touch reading during idle peripheral periods to avoid handshake conflicts with CAN-FD messaging.
Compliance Information
AEC-Q100 qualified per Microchip SAM C20 family automotive-grade certification. RoHS/REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Lead-free and halogen-free verified by DigiKey/Mouser distributor listings.
