ATSAMC21E15A-MUT - 48MHz Cortex-M0+ 5V MCU, 32KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMC21E15A-MUT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.02 | $8.02 |
| 10 | $6.95 | $69.50 |
| 100 | $5.42 | $542.00 |
| 500 | $4.55 | $2,275.00 |
| 1,000 | $4.05 | $4,050.00 |
ATSAMC21E15A-MUT Overview
What is a 5V Cortex-M0+ MCU? An ARM Cortex-M0+ microcontroller is the smallest, most energy-efficient core in the Cortex-M family, designed for deterministic 32-bit control in deeply embedded systems. A "5V" MCU means its I/O and supply rails are natively compatible with 5V analog and industrial logic, eliminating the level shifters that 1.8V/3.3V cores require in 24V industrial bus systems. Within the broader taxonomy, this device is a member of the microcontroller class of microcontrollers -> embedded MCUs -> ARM Cortex-M -> Cortex-M0+ -> 5V tolerant industrial MCUs.
Key features of the ATSAMC21E15A-MUT include a CAN-FD controller for modern automotive and industrial networking, six SERCOM modules configurable as UART/SPI/I2C, a 12-bit ADC, 10-bit DAC, and multiple timer/counter channels. The FuSa diagnostics library and brown-out detection simplify IEC 60730 Class B compliance for white goods, HVAC, and motor-control subsystems.
The architecture uses the Cortex-M0+ core with a 2-stage pipeline, Thumb-2 instruction set, and a single-cycle hardware multiplier that delivers deterministic interrupt response. An on-chip 32kHz ultra-low-power oscillator and a Fractional Digital Phase-Locked Loop (FDPLL) drive the 48MHz system clock while keeping sleep-mode currents low for energy-harvesting edge nodes.
Typical applications include industrial automation I/O modules, CAN-FD connected appliances, low-voltage motor drives, smart metering, and IoT edge nodes that require 5V tolerance and CAN connectivity without external transceivers. It is also widely used in functional-safety appliances where the integrated self-test firmware reduces BOM cost.
A key design consideration is decoupling the 5V and 1.5V internal LDO rails separately, keeping the analog AVCC pin isolated from noisy digital traces, and following the SAM C21 datasheet's reference layout for the VQFN-5x5 thermal pad to achieve the rated 85C operating range in forced-air designs.
This page synthesizes Microchip datasheet specifications, drop-in pin-compatible alternatives, and practical layout/decoupling notes not found on a single distributor listing - giving engineers a faster path from selection to bring-up.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMC21E15A-MUT — 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 ATSAMC21E15A-MUT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, SRAM, ADC, DAC, MSL Level.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAMC20E15A-MUT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.61 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMC21E16A-MUT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMC21E17A-MUT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMC21E18A-MUT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$3.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMC20E16A-MNT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMC20G15A-MUT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMC21E15A-MUT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | ARM Cortex-M0+ |
| Core Size | 32-Bit Single-Core |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 48 MHz |
| Program Memory Type | Flash |
| Program Flash Size | 32 KB (32K x 8) |
| EEPROM Emulation Flash | 1 KB (independent self-programmable) |
| SRAM | 4 KB |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.7 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Voltage | 5V tolerant |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C |
| Package / Case | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) with exposed thermal pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| CAN-FD | Yes (1 controller) |
| SERCOM Modules | 6 (configurable UART/SPI/I2C) |
| ADC / DAC | 12-bit ADC / 10-bit DAC |
| Functional Safety (FuSa) | IEC 60730 Class B support |
| RoHS | Compliant |
ATSAMC21E15A-MUT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PA00 — GPIO / SERCOM1 PAD0 / ADC AIN0 |
| Pin 2 | PA01 — GPIO / SERCOM1 PAD1 / ADC AIN1 |
| Pin 3 | PA02 — GPIO / SERCOM0 PAD0 / ADC AIN2 |
| Pin 4 | PA03 — GPIO / SERCOM0 PAD1 / ADC AIN3 / DAC VOUT |
| Pin 5 | PA04 — GPIO / SERCOM0 PAD2 / ADC AIN4 |
| Pin 6 | PA05 — GPIO / SERCOM0 PAD3 / ADC AIN5 |
| Pin 7 | PA06 — GPIO / SERCOM2 PAD0 / ADC AIN6 |
| Pin 8 | PA07 — GPIO / SERCOM2 PAD1 / ADC AIN7 |
| Pin 9 | PA08 — GPIO / SERCOM2 PAD2 / ADC AIN8 |
| Pin 10 | PA09 — GPIO / SERCOM2 PAD3 / ADC AIN9 |
| Pin 11 | PA10 — GPIO / SERCOM1 PAD2 / ADC AIN10 |
| Pin 12 | PA11 — GPIO / SERCOM1 PAD3 / ADC AIN11 |
| Pin 13 | PA12 — GPIO / SERCOM4 PAD0 |
| Pin 14 | PA13 — GPIO / SERCOM4 PAD1 |
| Pin 15 | PA14 — GPIO / SERCOM4 PAD2 |
| Pin 16 | PA15 — GPIO / SERCOM4 PAD3 |
| Pin 17 | PA16 — GPIO / SERCOM3 PAD0 / I2C SDA |
| Pin 18 | PA17 — GPIO / SERCOM3 PAD1 / I2C SCL |
| Pin 19 | PA18 — GPIO / SERCOM3 PAD2 |
| Pin 20 | PA19 — GPIO / SERCOM3 PAD3 |
| Pin 21 | PA20 — GPIO / SERCOM5 PAD2 |
| Pin 22 | PA21 — GPIO / SERCOM5 PAD3 |
| Pin 23 | PA22 — GPIO / SERCOM5 PAD0 |
| Pin 24 | PA23 — GPIO / SERCOM5 PAD1 |
| Pin 25 | PA24 — GPIO / SERCOM5 PAD2 alt |
| Pin 26 | PA25 — GPIO / SERCOM5 PAD3 alt |
| Pin 27 | PA27 — GPIO / SERCOM1 alt |
| Pin 28 | RESET — Active-low reset input |
| Pin 29 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 30 | VDDIO — I/O supply voltage (2.7V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 31 | VDDIN — Core voltage regulator input (2.7V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 32 | EP — Exposed thermal pad - connect to GND |
Typical Applications
ATSAMC21E15A-MUT is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial CAN-FD Sensor Nodes, Functional Safety Appliance Control, Low-Voltage BLDC Motor Drives, Smart Electricity Metering, IoT Edge Nodes with 5V Sensors, Building Automation Controllers.
Industrial CAN-FD Sensor Nodes
The ATSAMC21E15A-MUT's on-chip CAN-FD controller combined with 5V-tolerant I/O makes it ideal for industrial sensor nodes mounted on 24V backplanes. Its 48MHz Cortex-M0+ core handles J1939 and CANopen stacks at 1 Mbit/s with deterministic interrupt latency from the NVIC hardware, while the 32KB Flash stores protocol libraries plus custom sensor-calibration data. The 2.7V-5.5V supply range allows the node to share a 5V rail with analog front-ends without level shifters. Estimated: at 48MHz active and 25C ambient, the 5x5 VQFN thermal pad keeps junction rise under 15C in still air - well within the 85C rating for sealed IP65 enclosures.
Recommended
Functional Safety Appliance Control
Designed-in Functional Safety (FuSa) diagnostics make the ATSAMC21E15A-MUT a strong fit for IEC 60730 Class B appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and induction cooktops. The on-chip self-test firmware library provides CPU register tests, program-counter monitoring, and clock-frequency checks, eliminating the need for an external safety MCU. With 32KB Flash and 4KB SRAM the part drives motor-control state machines plus HMI keypads via SERCOM, while six configurable SERCOM channels handle UART keypad scanning, SPI display drivers, and I2C sensor hubs. The 5V-tolerant I/O directly interfaces with TRIAC optocouplers used in mains-control stages.
Recommended
Low-Voltage BLDC Motor Drives
The ATSAMC21E15A-MUT delivers enough CPU horsepower to run sensorless BLDC commutation on a Cortex-M0+ at 48MHz while the integrated 12-bit ADC samples back-EMF at 50 ksps. Six SERCOM channels let the MCU drive three PWM phases, read Hall sensors via SPI, and publish telemetry on a CAN-FD bus simultaneously - all in a 32-pin VQFN (5x5) that fits inside the motor housing. Designers gain board-space savings by replacing an external CAN controller with the on-chip CAN-FD peripheral and using the 10-bit DAC for reference-voltage generation. The 5V-tolerant pins directly drive 5V gate-driver inputs without level translators.
Recommended
Smart Electricity Metering
The ATSAMC21E15A-MUT's combination of 32KB Flash, 4KB SRAM, a 12-bit ADC, and CAN-FD makes it a natural fit for residential smart-meter data concentrators and sub-metering nodes. The 12-bit ADC samples current shunts at up to 200 ksps, while the Cortex-M0+ core runs the metering algorithm and the CAN-FD controller pushes tariff data to a building-management network. Five-Volt tolerance lets the MCU share a single supply with the meter's analog front-end, reducing BOM cost. The device's 85C temperature rating covers outdoor cabinet deployments with sun load.
Recommended
IoT Edge Nodes with 5V Sensors
Industrial IoT edge gateways using legacy 5V sensors - such as 0-10V analog transducers, 24V digital inputs, and 5V UART RFID readers - benefit from the ATSAMC21E15A-MUT's native 5V I/O tolerance, eliminating level shifters on every analog input. Six SERCOM peripherals handle multiple UART sensor buses simultaneously while the on-chip CAN-FD pushes data to a local controller. The 32KB Flash and 4KB SRAM fit MQTT-SN over UART or CoAP over 6LoWPAN stacks for low-rate telemetry, and the 48MHz clock ensures <2 ms wake-to-publish latency for alarm events.
Recommended
Building Automation Controllers
Building-automation subsystems - HVAC controllers, lighting DALI gateways, and elevator I/O panels - use the ATSAMC21E15A-MUT's CAN-FD for backbone communication and its six SERCOM channels for multi-protocol sensor connectivity (DALI, Modbus, I2C temperature). The 5V-tolerant I/O directly drives 24V-to-5V divided inputs from field wiring, while the on-chip 12-bit ADC reads thermistor and pressure sensors at 1 ksps per channel. The 32KB Flash and 4KB SRAM are sufficient for control logic plus a small Modbus stack without requiring external memory. Its -40C to +85C rating covers unconditioned mechanical-room installations.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMC21E15A-MUT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAMC20E15A-MUT | ATSAMC21E16A-MUT | ATSAMC21E17A-MUT | ATSAMC21E18A-MUT | ATSAMC20E16A-MNT | ATSAMC20G15A-MUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 32-VQFN (5x5) | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same |
| Core / Speed | 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 | 32 KB | 32 KB | 48 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 48 KB | 32 KB |
| SRAM | 4 KB | 4 KB | 4 KB | 4 KB | 8 KB | 4 KB | 4 KB |
| CAN-FD | Yes | No (CAN 2.0B only) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (CAN 2.0B only) | No |
| Functional Safety (FuSa) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Operating Voltage | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V |
Key Differentiators
- On-chip CAN-FD controller in 32-pin VQFN (vs ATSAMC20E15A-MUT)
- Integrated Functional Safety (FuSa) library (vs ATSAMC20E15A-MUT)
- Smallest Flash option in 32-pin CAN-FD SAM C21 family (vs ATSAMC21E18A-MUT)
Design Notes
Decouple VDDIN and VDDIO independently with 100nF ceramic capacitors placed within 5mm of each pin. Add a bulk 4.7uF X7R capacitor to VDDIN to suppress load transients from internal regulator switching. Do not share VDDIN and VDDIO copper pours if the digital load is high; this prevents core-supply noise from coupling into the analog ADC reference. Estimated: at 48MHz active and 5V supply, the part draws approximately 7mA, so a 4.7uF bulk sustains VDD during 100us ADC bursts without significant droop.
The 32-VQFN exposed thermal pad (pin 32) MUST be soldered to a continuous ground copper pour with at least 8 thermal vias (0.3mm drill, 0.5mm pitch) directly under the die for proper heat dissipation. This connects to internal GND and provides the primary thermal path. Without proper pad soldering the junction temperature can exceed the 85C limit at only modest power dissipation. Estimated: with the recommended pad design on a 2-layer FR-4 board, theta_JA is approximately 39 C/W.
When migrating code from ATSAMC20 to ATSAMC21, the CAN-FD controller bit-field map differs - register offsets for the CAN-FD Message RAM are at 0x4200xxxx on C21 vs 0x4200xxxx on C20 but with different layouts. Failing to re-initialize the CAN peripheral after migration can lock the bus. Also note the SERCOM PAD multiplexing differs between revisions - always re-run the Atmel START pin-mux tool when porting firmware across SAM C20/C21 variants.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive AEC-Q100 parts, see ATSAMC21E15A-MUTA or SAM DA1 family. Halogen-free per Microchip environmental compliance statement.
