ATSAMD21E17A-MFT - 48MHz Cortex-M0+ MCU 128KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMD21E17A-MFT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.5 | $4.50 |
| 10 | $4.05 | $40.50 |
| 100 | $3.6 | $360.00 |
| 500 | $3.24 | $1,620.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.88 | $2,880.00 |
| 3,000 | $2.55 | $7,650.00 |
ATSAMD21E17A-MFT Overview
An ARM Cortex-M0+ microcontroller is a 32-bit RISC core optimised for energy efficiency, targeting embedded workloads that need deterministic real-time response at milliwatt power levels. The Cortex-M0+ sits inside the broader Arm Cortex-M family (M0/M0+/M3/M4/M7) and is widely used as the entry point for IoT, sensor, and human-machine-interface applications where cost and power are tighter constraints than raw compute. The ATSAMD21 family adds Microchip's SAM ecosystem around that core, including the Event System, SleepWalking peripherals, and the Atmel/Microchip Start (START) code-configurator.
Key features of the ATSAMD21E17A-MFT include its 2.46 CoreMark/MHz efficiency, low-power SleepWalking peripherals that allow event-driven wakeup without CPU intervention, 6 SERCOM (USART/SPI/I2C/LIN) channels, full-speed USB with on-chip transceiver, and a hardware Cryptographic Accelerator (AES). The integrated Peripheral Touch Controller supports up to 256 buttons in self-capacitance and mutual-capacitance modes, enabling touch user interfaces without external components. The device is supported by the Atmel Studio 7 / MPLAB X IDE toolchain, ASF drivers, and the START code generator.
Technically, the ATSAMD21E17A-MFT uses a single-cycle hardware multiplier, a Nested Vectored Interrupt Controller (NVIC) with 32 IRQs and 4 priority levels, and a Memory Protection Unit. The 1.6 V to 3.6 V supply range is tightly regulated by an integrated buck/linear converter and supports both battery and USB-bus-powered topologies. The 32-VQFN 5x5 mm footprint maps all analog and digital I/O to peripheral functions via the PORT mux, easing PCB routing in dense IoT designs.
Typical applications include home automation gateways, smart metering, IoT sensor nodes, USB peripherals, consumer wearables, and industrial Human-Machine Interface (HMI) modules where its touch controller, USB, and low-power peripherals are most exploited. The device's automotive-grade temperature variant (suffix -MFT, -40 °C to +125 °C) also fits instrument clusters, motor-control user interfaces, and building-automation controllers.
When designing with this part, take particular care with the VQFN thermal pad: it must be soldered to a sufficiently large ground copper pour for heat dissipation and electrical ground reference. Use the integrated DC-DC converter bypass schematic from the datasheet as a reference; deviating from the recommended inductor and capacitor values can drop conversion efficiency below the 1.6 V minimum core rail and cause brown-out resets.
This page synthesises distributor pricing, automotive-grade drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, helping engineers decide between ATSAMD21E17A-MFT and its near-pin-compatible variants for connected-embedded designs.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMD21E17A-MFT — 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 ATSAMD21E17A-MFT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, DAC, Core, USB.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAMD21E17A-MF
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.49 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMD21E17A-MFT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | ARM Cortex-M0+ |
| Bit Width | 32-bit |
| Max CPU Frequency | 48 MHz |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 128 KB (128K x 8) |
| SRAM | 16 KB |
| Supply Voltage (Vdd) | 1.6 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C |
| Package | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) |
| I/O Pins | Up to 26 GPIO |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 12 channels |
| DAC | 10-bit, 2 channels |
| Timers/Counters | TCC 16-bit, TC 16-/32-bit |
| Communication | 6x SERCOM (USART/SPI/I2C/LIN), 1x I2S |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed Device/Host |
| Touch Channels | Peripheral Touch Controller, up to 256 buttons |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
ATSAMD21E17A-MFT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PA02 — General I/O, ADC AIN0, PTC Y0 |
| Pin 2 | PA03 — General I/O, ADC AIN1, PTC Y1 |
| Pin 3 | PA04 — General I/O, ADC AIN2, PTC Y2 |
| Pin 4 | PA05 — General I/O, ADC AIN3, PTC Y3 |
| Pin 5 | PA06 — General I/O, ADC AIN4, PTC Y4 |
| Pin 6 | PA07 — General I/O, ADC AIN5, PTC Y5 |
| Pin 7 | VDD — Core and I/O supply voltage (1.6–3.6 V) |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference for VDDIO |
| Pin 9 | PA08 — General I/O, NMI, PTC Y6 |
| Pin 10 | PA09 — General I/O, USB VBUS sense |
| Pin 11 | PA10 — General I/O, USB DM minus |
| Pin 12 | PA11 — General I/O, USB DP plus |
| Pin 13 | PA14 — General I/O, XIN crystal oscillator input |
| Pin 14 | PA15 — General I/O, XOUT crystal oscillator output |
| Pin 15 | PA16 — General I/O, SERCOM1 PAD0, TCC0/WO[0] |
| Pin 16 | PA17 — General I/O, SERCOM1 PAD1, TCC0/WO[1] |
| Pin 17 | PA18 — General I/O, SERCOM1 PAD2, TCC0/WO[2] |
| Pin 18 | PA19 — General I/O, SERCOM1 PAD3, TCC0/WO[3] |
| Pin 19 | PA20 — General I/O, SERCOM3 PAD0, GCLK/IO[0] |
| Pin 20 | PA21 — General I/O, SERCOM3 PAD1, GCLK/IO[1] |
| Pin 21 | PA22 — General I/O, SERCOM3 PAD2, TCC0/WO[4] |
| Pin 22 | PA23 — General I/O, SERCOM3 PAD3, TCC0/WO[5] |
| Pin 23 | PA24 — General I/O, USB SOF output |
| Pin 24 | PA25 — General I/O, USB/enable pull-up control |
| Pin 25 | PB02 — General I/O, SERCOM5 PAD0, ADC AIN10 |
| Pin 26 | PB03 — General I/O, SERCOM5 PAD1, ADC AIN11 |
| Pin 27 | PB08 — General I/O, SERCOM4 PAD0, ADC AIN2 alt |
| Pin 28 | PB09 — General I/O, SERCOM4 PAD1, ADC AIN3 alt |
| Pin 29 | PB10 — General I/O, SERCOM4 PAD2, TC0/WO[0] |
| Pin 30 | PB11 — General I/O, SERCOM4 PAD3, TC0/WO[1] |
| Pin 31 | VDD — Core and I/O supply voltage (1.6–3.6 V) |
| Pin 32 | EPAD — Exposed thermal pad — must be soldered to ground |
Typical Applications
ATSAMD21E17A-MFT is suitable for 6 applications: USB HID / CDC Peripherals, Home Automation Gateways, Capacitive Touch HMI Modules, Smart Metering Modules, Industrial Sensor Nodes (IoT), Consumer Wearables.
USB HID / CDC Peripherals
The ATSAMD21E17A-MFT integrates a USB 2.0 Full-Speed device/host controller with on-chip transceiver, so a keyboard, mouse, gamepad, or USB-to-UART bridge can be built using only a USB connector, ESD protection diodes, and a few decoupling capacitors. Its 48 MHz Cortex-M0+ core, 16 KB SRAM, and 12-channel SERCOM handle full-speed HID class drivers without offloading to external bridges. Compared with a UART-only PIC MCU, the part eliminates the costly USB-to-UART chip, and the Microchip START / ASF USB stack includes HID, CDC, MSD and DFU ready-to-run examples.
Recommended
Home Automation Gateways
The SAM D21E's mix of low-power SleepWalking peripherals, six SERCOM (USART/SPI/I2C/LIN) channels, and on-chip AES hardware-accelerator makes it a natural fit for home automation hubs and bridge devices. With 128 KB Flash and 16 KB SRAM it can host both a Thread/Zigbee transceiver driver stack and a WiFi-managed SPI link, while 1.6–3.6 V operation simplifies battery-backed designs. The Industrial -40 °C to +125 °C temperature grade also handles outdoor and HVAC-cabinet environments.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch HMI Modules
The Peripheral Touch Controller (PTC) on the ATSAMD21E17A-MFT supports up to 256 buttons in self-capacitance and mutual-capacitance modes, enabling robust glass-overlay touch interfaces without a dedicated touch IC. Combined with the 16-channel TCC PWM, designers can build a complete HMI: touch-key sliders, RGB LED backlight, and a TFT display via a single SPI master. The -40 °C to +125 °C temperature range suits white-goods and industrial control panels.
Recommended
Smart Metering Modules
The ATSAMD21E17A-MFT's 12-bit, 12-channel ADC paired with the AES-128 hardware engine is well suited to smart energy metering: it can sample load current/voltage at kHz rates while AES-encrypting the communication payload to the gateway. The 1.6–3.6 V supply drops cleanly to 3.3 V from common Lithium thionyl chloride battery stacks. Its -40 °C to +125 °C temperature grade handles basement or outdoor installations.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Nodes (IoT)
SleepWalking peripherals let the ATSAMD21E17A-MFT wake only on a pre-qualified SERCOM or ADC event, so 4–20 mA industrial transmitters, vibration sensors, and LoRaWAN endpoints can run for years on a single battery. The 16 KB SRAM supports ring-buffered vibration capture, while the on-chip AES accelerator authenticates TLS 1.2 packets when paired with an external SPI radio. The wide 1.6–3.6 V supply tolerates voltage drops on long loops.
Recommended
Consumer Wearables
Compact 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) footprint, low-power SleepWalking, and full-speed USB charging interface suit compact wearables such as fitness bands and smart watches. The 10-bit DAC drives a haptic driver with a smooth feel, while the 16-channel TCC PWM controls RGB indicators. The 1.6–3.6 V supply efficiently supports direct coin-cell and Li-ion chemistries.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMD21E17A-MFT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAMD21E17A-MF | ATSAMD21E17A-AU | ATSAMD21E17A-AF | ATSAMD21E16C-UUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) - same | TQFP-32 - NOT drop-in | TQFP-32 - NOT drop-in | 32-VQFN but different thermal pad |
| Flash Memory | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 64 KB |
| SRAM | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 8 KB |
| Max CPU Frequency | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz |
| Supply 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 |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C |
| USB | FS device + host | FS device + host | FS device + host | FS device + host | FS device + host |
Key Differentiators
- Tape-and-reel ordering code -MFT aligns with high-volume automated lines (vs ATSAMD21E17A-MF (tray))
- Higher max temperature grade (125 °C vs 85 °C) (vs ATSAMD21E16C-UUT)
- Same die and footprint as ATSAMD21E17A-MF (vs ATSAMD21E17A-AU (TQFP-32))
Design Notes
The 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) exposed thermal pad MUST be soldered to a properly sized ground pour — at least four ground vias stitching the pad to the inner ground plane. Skipping this connection causes thermal overheating, ADC readings to drift by tens of millivolts, and the internal DC-DC converter to mis-regulate the 1.2 V core rail at heavy CPU loads.
Use the on-chip buck/linear reference circuit in Microchip datasheet 40001882A. Replace the suggested inductor and output capacitors only with the exact part numbers in the BOM notes; substituting a smaller 1 µH inductor or low-ESR ceramic on the switching node drops conversion efficiency below 80 % and creates 50 mVpp ripple on the 1.2 V rail — enough to trigger BOD33 resets.
Route USB DP and DM as a 90-Ω differential pair with length matching within 150 mil. Place ESD/EMI protection diodes within 4 mm of the connector, and keep their bias trace isolated from the digital ground. Provide a 5 V-tolerant supply on the VBUS pin through a resistive divider, otherwise the USB pad absolute-maximum rating is exceeded when an upstream VBUS is hot-plugged in.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Microchip product page. AEC-Q100 qualification status not explicitly published - the part is rated -40 °C to +125 °C but is not listed in a discrete automotive datasheet.
