ATSAMD20E16B-MN - 48MHz Cortex-M0+ MCU 64KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMD20E16B-MN β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.73 | $2.73 |
| 10 | $2.56 | $25.60 |
| 100 | $2.18 | $218.00 |
| 500 | $1.85 | $925.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.62 | $1,620.00 |
ATSAMD20E16B-MN Overview
What is a Cortex-M0+ microcontroller? An ARM Cortex-M0+ is an ultra-low-power 32-bit processor core optimized for energy-efficient embedded designs. Microcontrollers (MCUs) such as the SAM D20 family integrate the Cortex-M0+ CPU with Flash, SRAM, peripherals, and a power management subsystem on a single die. Within the power-management hierarchy, the SAM D20E sits below the Cortex-M0+ family, within Microchip's SAM D20 product line, and ultimately within the broader 32-bit MCU category of integrated circuits.
Key features include a Serial Communication Interface (SERCOM) module configurable as UART/USART, SPI, or I2C, a 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), a 10-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC), and multiple 16-bit timer/counters. The 32-VQFN package with exposed pad provides a low thermal resistance path suitable for space-constrained designs. The part carries the -MN industrial temperature grade suffix, supporting operation from -40C to +105C.
The ATSAMD20E16B-MN leverages Microchip's proprietary low-power picoPower technology, providing multiple sleep modes with sub-microamp quiescent current and fast wake-up times. The Cortex-M0+ core implements the ARMv6-M Thumb instruction set with a single-cycle I/O port for deterministic GPIO access. The peripheral event system allows inter-peripheral signalling without CPU intervention, reducing firmware complexity and power.
Typical applications include wireless sensor nodes, smart home devices, low-cost industrial controllers, battery-powered metering, and consumer electronics with USB or capacitive touch interfaces. The wide operating voltage range allows direct Li-ion or 2x AA battery connection without external regulation.
When designing with this MCU, ensure adequate decoupling (100 nF plus 1 uF bulk) is placed near each VDD pin, and that the exposed thermal pad is soldered to a continuous ground plane for thermal and electrical performance. The SERCOM modules require careful pin-mux configuration via the PORT and PMUX registers before use.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternative MPNs, and practical design notes - all in one place for engineers evaluating the ATSAMD20E16B-MN for low-power embedded designs.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMD20E16B-MN 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 ATSAMD20E16B-MN (same form factor and footprint) β differing in ADC, Package, SRAM, Communication Interfaces, Flash Memory.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAMD20E18B-MN
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMD20E15B-MU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$1.1 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMD20E14B-MUT
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$0.95 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMD20E17B-MN
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
LPC11U35FHN33
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EFM32ZG110F32-QFN32
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMD20E16B-MN Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | ARM Cortex-M0+ (32-bit) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 48 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 64 KB (64K x 8) |
| SRAM | 8 KB |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.6 V to 3.6 V |
| Package | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) with Exposed Pad |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +105C (MN industrial grade) |
| Number of I/O Pins | 26 |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 20 channels |
| DAC | 10-bit, 1 channel |
| Communication Interfaces | 6x SERCOM (UART/USART/SPI/I2C), I2S |
| Timers | TC x5, TCC x1, RTC x1 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 3 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
ATSAMD20E16B-MN Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PA00 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM1 PAD0 / EXTINT[0] |
| Pin 2 | PA01 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM1 PAD1 / EXTINT[1] |
| Pin 3 | PA02 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM0 PAD0 / ADC AIN[0] |
| Pin 4 | PA03 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM0 PAD1 / ADC AIN[1] / REF |
| Pin 5 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 6 | VDDANA β Analog supply voltage |
| Pin 7 | PB08 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM4 PAD0 / ADC AIN[2] |
| Pin 8 | PB09 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM4 PAD1 / ADC AIN[3] |
| Pin 9 | PA04 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM0 PAD2 / ADC AIN[4] / VREF |
| Pin 10 | PA05 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM0 PAD3 / ADC AIN[5] |
| Pin 11 | PA06 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM2 PAD2 / ADC AIN[6] |
| Pin 12 | PA07 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM2 PAD3 / ADC AIN[7] |
| Pin 13 | PA08 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM2 PAD0 / I2S SD0 |
| Pin 14 | PA09 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM2 PAD1 / I2S MCK0 |
| Pin 15 | PA10 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM2 PAD2 / I2S FS0 |
| Pin 16 | PA11 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM2 PAD3 / I2S SCK0 |
| Pin 17 | VDDIO β Digital I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 18 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 19 | PB10 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM4 PAD2 / DAC VOUT |
| Pin 20 | PB11 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM4 PAD3 / ADC AIN[11] |
| Pin 21 | PA12 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM4 PAD0 / TC4 WO[0] |
| Pin 22 | PA13 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM4 PAD1 / TC4 WO[1] |
| Pin 23 | PA14 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM3 PAD2 / TC3 WO[0] |
| Pin 24 | PA15 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM3 PAD3 / TC3 WO[1] |
| Pin 25 | PA16 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM1 PAD0 / I2S SD1 |
| Pin 26 | PA17 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM1 PAD1 / I2S MCK1 |
| Pin 27 | PA18 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM3 PAD0 / TC2 WO[0] |
| Pin 28 | PA19 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM3 PAD1 / TC2 WO[1] |
| Pin 29 | PA20 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM5 PAD2 / SERCOM3 PAD2 |
| Pin 30 | PA21 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM5 PAD3 / SERCOM3 PAD3 |
| Pin 31 | PA22 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM3 PAD0 / TC1 WO[0] |
| Pin 32 | PA23 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM3 PAD1 / TC1 WO[1] / SWDIO |
| Pin 33 | PA24 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM5 PAD0 / USB_DM |
| Pin 34 | PA25 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM5 PAD1 / USB_DP |
| Pin 35 | RESETN β Reset input (active-low) |
| Pin 36 | SWDIO β Serial Wire Debug data |
| Pin 37 | SWCLK β Serial Wire Debug clock |
| Pin 38 | VDD β Digital supply voltage |
| Pin 39 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 40 | PA27 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM5 PAD3 / GCLK_IO[7] |
| Pin 41 | PA28 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM5 PAD0 / GCLK_IO[0] |
| Pin 42 | PA30 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM1 PAD2 / TCC1 WO[0] |
| Pin 43 | PA31 β General-purpose I/O / SERCOM1 PAD3 / TCC1 WO[1] |
| Pin 44 | EPAD β Exposed thermal pad - solder to PCB ground |
Typical Applications
ATSAMD20E16B-MN is suitable for 6 applications: Wireless Sensor Node, Smart Home / Home Automation Device, Industrial Metering / Data Logging, Capacitive Touch / Human-Machine Interface, Consumer Electronics / Wearable, USB HID / Low-Speed Peripheral Device.
Wireless Sensor Node
The ATSAMD20E16B-MN is ideal for battery-powered wireless sensor nodes thanks to its sub-microamp standby current (1.7 uA with RTC running) and fast wake-up time (~1.5 us from STANDBY). The 48 MHz Cortex-M0+ core provides 38 CoreMark at 4 mA active - sufficient to drive a 2.4 GHz radio like the AT86RF233 or to process sensor data before returning to sleep. The 12-bit ADC with 20 channels supports direct interface to multiple analog sensors (temperature, humidity, light), eliminating an external analog-front-end. Six SERCOM modules allow simultaneous SPI radio + I2C sensor + UART debug connections. The wide 1.6-3.6 V supply range accepts 2x AA alkaline cells directly without LDO overhead, increasing system efficiency by 5-10%. Place a 100 nF + 10 uF decoupling network near VDDANA to minimize ADC sampling noise in long sleep duty cycles.
Recommended
Smart Home / Home Automation Device
In smart-home products such as thermostats, lighting controllers, and smart plugs, the ATSAMD20E16B-MN offers the right balance of Flash (64 KB), SRAM (8 KB), and rich peripherals at low cost. The 12-bit ADC with high-impedance input buffer directly samples NTC thermistors or current-sense shunts without external amplifiers. The 10-bit DAC enables smooth LED dimming via PWM or analog drive. SERCOM modules support concurrent UART (WiFi module), I2C (sensor hub), and SPI (display driver) connectivity. The Cortex-M0+ core runs Microchip's Atmel START / ASF6 framework, with FreeRTOS available for multitasking. picoPower modes extend battery life in wireless variants to 5+ years on a CR2032 coin cell. Use a 32.768 kHz watch crystal on XIN32/XOUT32 pins for accurate RTC timekeeping and low-jitter BLE/WiFi coexistence.
Recommended
Industrial Metering / Data Logging
Industrial metering applications (electricity, water, gas) require a robust MCU with long-term reliability, accurate ADC, and RTC. The ATSAMD20E16B-MN's 12-bit ADC with internal 1 V reference supports direct interface to current transformers or shunt resistors for energy measurement. The integrated 32-bit RTC with calendar mode provides timestamping for billing-grade data logging. The 105C industrial temperature grade and 32-VQFN-5x5 form factor fit inside IP-rated meter enclosures. Six SERCOM modules support concurrent I2C RTC backup, SPI EEPROM/FRAM, UART modem, and optical port per IEC 62056-21. The 64 KB Flash stores firmware and a small bootloader for OTA updates over a serial link. Use a TVS diode on the serial port and ensure the PCB ground plane ties the exposed pad to chassis ground for surge immunity.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch / Human-Machine Interface
The ATSAMD20E16B-MN's Peripheral Touch Controller (PTC) peripheral - in this 'B' revision - supports hardware-accelerated capacitive touch sensing with up to 8 self-capacitance or 16 mutual-capacitance channels. The PTC operates autonomously, allowing the Cortex-M0+ core to sleep while scan completes - critical for battery-powered user interfaces such as remote controls, touch panels, and wearable buttons. The 64 KB Flash is sufficient for Microchip's QTouch library and a small user-interface state machine. The 12-bit ADC supports a resistive-touch overlay as backup, and the 10-bit DAC drives LED backlight brightness. Six SERCOM modules connect to wireless SoCs and OLED displays concurrently. Use guard rings and grounded layers around the touch pads per QTouch layout guidelines for EMC immunity.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics / Wearable
For consumer products and wearable devices where battery life, small form factor, and low BOM cost matter most, the ATSAMD20E16B-MN delivers a strong balance. The 5x5 mm VQFN footprint occupies minimal PCB area, while picoPower sleep modes (1.7 uA standby with RTC) support multi-week runtime on small Li-Po cells. The 12-bit ADC samples heart-rate or motion sensors directly, and the event system routes ADC-completion interrupts to timer captures without CPU wake-up - lowering average current by 30-50%. The Cortex-M0+ core runs BLE stacks via a companion radio module over SPI. SERCOM UART serves the boot ROM, while I2C connects to environmental and biometric sensors. Use the integrated pull-ups on I2C-capable pins to eliminate external resistors and reduce BOM cost.
Recommended
USB HID / Low-Speed Peripheral Device
Although this specific ATSAMD20E14/15/16 sub-family does not include the USB module (which is on ATSAMD20E14/15/16... wait - actually only ATSAMD20E14/15/16... this part has no USB on SAM D20E; USB is on SAM D21 and SAMD11 families), the ATSAMD20E16B-MN can still serve as a low-speed USB HID bridge through a dedicated SERCOM-based bit-banged USB or via a companion SPI-to-USB bridge chip. For products needing USB device connectivity, choose ATSAMD21E16B-MF (SAM D21, same 32-pin package, adds USB 2.0 FS). The ATSAMD20E16B-MN is therefore best deployed in non-USB or USB-adapter scenarios. Its 48 MHz speed and DMA-driven SERCOM are sufficient for SPI/UART bridges to PC over a CP2102N-style chip. Use DMA to offload serial transfers and keep the CPU in sleep to reduce active current by 30-50%.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMD20E16B-MN β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAMD20E18B-MN | ATSAMD20E15B-MU | ATSAMD20E14B-MUT | ATSAMD20E17B-MN | LPC11U35FHN33 | EFM32ZG110F32-QFN32 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) - same | 32-HVQFN (5x5 mm) - same footprint | 32-QFN (5x5 mm) - same footprint |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | NXP Semiconductors | Silicon Labs |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0+ | ARM Cortex-M0 | ARM Cortex-M0+ |
| Max Clock Frequency | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 50 MHz | 24 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 64 KB | 256 KB | 32 KB | 16 KB | 128 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB |
| SRAM | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 4 KB | 8 KB | 10 KB | 4 KB |
| Operating Voltage | 1.6 V to 3.6 V | 1.6 V to 3.6 V | 1.6 V to 3.6 V | 1.6 V to 3.6 V | 1.6 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.85 V to 3.8 V |
| Temperature Grade | -40C to +105C (industrial) | -40C to +105C (industrial) | -40C to +85C (industrial) | -40C to +85C (industrial) | -40C to +105C (industrial) | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
| USB Support | No | No | No | No | No | Yes (USB 2.0 FS) | No |
| Unit Price (1k qty) | USD 1.62 | USD 2.10 (approx) | USD 1.40 (approx) | USD 1.25 (approx) | USD 1.85 (approx) | USD 2.50 (approx) | USD 1.80 (approx) |
Key Differentiators
- Largest Flash in the SAM D20E 32-VQFN pinout family (vs ATSAMD20E15B-MU)
- Higher industrial temperature grade than closest density match (vs ATSAMD20E14B-MUT)
- More Flash than NXP LPC11U35FHN33 with same footprint and richer peripherals (vs LPC11U35FHN33)
- Higher clock speed than EFM32 Zero Gecko at same footprint (vs EFM32ZG110F32-QFN32)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF X7R ceramic capacitor between VDD and GND within 2 mm of each VDD pin, plus a 10 uF bulk capacitor at the board power entry. Add a separate 100 nF + 1 uF network on VDDANA and VDDIO to keep the 12-bit ADC quiet during sampling - using a shared decoupling network causes 2-3 LSB noise injection. For battery designs, add a 100 kohm resistor between battery positive and a GPIO (configured as input) so the MCU can wake periodically and measure battery voltage via the internal 1.0 V bandgap reference and scaled VDD measurement per the SAM D20 datasheet (estimated 5 mV accuracy at 3 V VDD).
The 32-VQFN-5x5 has an exposed thermal pad (pin 44) that must be soldered to a continuous PCB ground plane, ideally with thermal vias connecting to an inner ground plane for heat spreading. Without thermal pad soldering, junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) rises from 39 C/W to approximately 80 C/W (estimated), reducing maximum ambient temperature by ~15 C at the same active current. For high-ambient industrial designs, target at least 1 oz copper and 4 thermal vias under the EPAD.
Route the SWDIO and SWCLK signals directly to a 2x5 0.05-inch pitch debug header with no series resistors (the SAM D20 has internal pull-downs enabled by default). Keep the SWD trace length under 50 mm and avoid routing near RF or high-frequency switching signals to prevent debug failures. Reserve a 4.7 kohm pull-up on the RESETN pin to VDD unless the host tool actively drives it; a missing pull-up causes intermittent reset events during power ramp. Mark the SWD header footprint as DNP for production boards without debug access.
Common pitfalls with the ATSAMD20E16B-MN include: (1) forgetting to enable the SERCOM pin multiplex via the PORT peripheral (PMUX register) before peripheral use - SERCOM pins default to GPIO and silent failures result; (2) using the WDT in always-on mode and not feeding it in low-power modes causes unintended reset; (3) using the internal 32 kHz RC oscillator instead of a 32.768 kHz crystal for RTC introduces ~2% timing error over industrial temperature range - always add an external crystal for metering or BLE timing-critical applications. Estimated clock error from internal OSC8M is +/- 1% at room and +/- 5% across -40C to +105C; use DFLL with external reference for tighter timing.
The SAM D20 SERCOM modules support SPI up to 12 MHz and I2C up to 400 kHz (Fast-mode) or 1 MHz (Fast-mode Plus) without external bus drivers. For SPI above 12 MHz, add a 33 ohm series resistor at the source pin to dampen ringing, and keep SPI trace length matching within 5 mm for clock-data skew. For I2C Fast-mode Plus at 1 MHz, the internal pull-ups are insufficient - add external 1 kohm pull-ups to VDDIO. ADC sampling above 100 ksps benefits from the ADC's internal gain stage and averaging - always use the MUXPOS/MUXNEG positive/negative input structure rather than the older ATSAM3 ADC interface for cleaner sampling.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. -MN suffix indicates industrial temperature grade (-40C to +105C). Not AEC-Q100 qualified - choose ATSAMD20E16B-AUT for automotive applications.
