ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT - 48MHz ARM Cortex-M0+ 64KB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.18 | $2.18 |
| 10 | $1.96 | $19.60 |
| 100 | $1.74 | $174.00 |
| 500 | $1.52 | $760.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.36 | $1,360.00 |
ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program memory (Flash), data memory (SRAM), and peripheral interfaces (ADC, timers, communication blocks, GPIO). The ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT belongs to the ARM Cortex-M0+ family, the most energy-efficient ARM core, sitting inside Microchip's SAM DA1 product line, which is itself a sub-family of the SAM D series. SAM DA1 parts add Functional Safety (FuSa) documentation and supporting libraries that simplify IEC 60730 class B compliance for household appliances and similar regulated products, while remaining pin-compatible with the broader SAM D20/D21 family.
Key features include 4 SERCOM modules (each configurable as USART, I2C, or SPI), a 12-bit ADC with up to 20 channels, a 10-bit DAC, multiple 16/24-bit timers, I2S audio interface support, and a Peripheral Touch Controller (PTC) for capacitive touch sensing. The device operates from 1.62 V to 3.63 V supply and supports Sleep, Idle, and Standby modes with sub-microamp Standby current, making it well suited to battery-powered and energy-harvesting designs.
Technically, the SAM DA1 architecture combines a single-cycle multiplier, single-cycle I/O port access, and a low-latency interrupt controller. The 2 KB RWW Flash allows the application to update non-volatile parameter storage while executing code from the main 64 KB array. The device is supported by Microchip Studio and MPLAB X IDE with a free ASF / START code base, easing migration and firmware reuse for engineers transitioning from AVR or PIC.
Typical applications include white goods and small appliances requiring IEC 60730 class B compliance, industrial sensor nodes, low-power IoT edge devices, capacitive-touch human-machine interfaces, and cost-sensitive consumer electronics needing ARM Cortex ecosystem support.
Designers should note that the 32-pin VQFN variant differs in pinout from the 32-pin TQFP and the smaller QFN packages, so PCB layout reuse is limited to the matching footprint. Adequate decoupling (one 100 nF plus one 4.7 uF bulk cap) close to VDD pins is recommended to maintain ADC accuracy under load steps.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, drop-in SAM family alternatives, and practical design guidance that is not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, helping procurement and engineering reach a decision faster.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT — 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 ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Package, Operating Temperature, SERCOM Modules, USB.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAMDA1E16B-ABT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.82 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMD21E16B-MU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMD21E16B-AU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMD21J16B-MU
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$2.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMD20E16C-UUT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | ARM Cortex-M0+ (32-bit) |
| Family | SAM DA1 (Functional Safety / FuSa) |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 48 MHz (45 DMIPS) |
| Program Flash | 64 KB (64K x 8) |
| SRAM | 8 KB |
| RWW Flash | 2 KB |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.62 V to 3.63 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) |
| Package | 32-pin VQFN (5x5 mm) with exposed pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| SERCOM Modules | 4 (configurable as USART / I2C / SPI) |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 20 channels |
| DAC | 10-bit, 1 channel |
| Timers | 16-bit and 24-bit TCC/TC timers |
| Peripheral Touch Controller | Yes (PTC, supports capacitive touch) |
| I2S Audio Interface | Yes |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PA00 — GPIO / ADC0 channel 0 / SERCOM1 pad 0 |
| Pin 2 | PA01 — GPIO / ADC0 channel 1 / SERCOM1 pad 1 |
| Pin 3 | PA02 — GPIO / ADC0 channel 2 / SERCOM0 pad 0 |
| Pin 4 | PA03 — GPIO / ADC0 channel 3 / SERCOM0 pad 1 |
| Pin 5 | PA04 — GPIO / VREF output / ADC0 channel 4 |
| Pin 6 | PA05 — GPIO / DAC VOUT / ADC0 channel 5 |
| Pin 7 | RESET — Reset input (active low) |
| Pin 8 | PA06 — GPIO / ADC0 channel 6 / SERCOM0 pad 2 |
| Pin 9 | PA07 — GPIO / ADC0 channel 7 / SERCOM0 pad 3 |
| Pin 10 | PA08 — GPIO / SERCOM2 pad 0 / I2S MCK |
| Pin 11 | PA09 — GPIO / SERCOM2 pad 1 / I2S FS |
| Pin 12 | PA10 — GPIO / SERCOM2 pad 2 / I2S SCK |
| Pin 13 | PA11 — GPIO / SERCOM2 pad 3 / I2S SDO |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Digital supply voltage |
| Pin 15 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 16 | PA14 — GPIO / SERCOM4 pad 2 |
| Pin 17 | PA15 — GPIO / SERCOM4 pad 3 |
| Pin 18 | PA16 — GPIO / SERCOM3 pad 0 / I2C SDA |
| Pin 19 | PA17 — GPIO / SERCOM3 pad 1 / I2C SCL |
| Pin 20 | PA18 — GPIO / SERCOM3 pad 2 |
| Pin 21 | PA19 — GPIO / SERCOM3 pad 3 |
| Pin 22 | PA20 — GPIO / SERCOM5 pad 2 |
| Pin 23 | PA21 — GPIO / SERCOM5 pad 3 |
| Pin 24 | PA22 — GPIO / SERCOM3 pad 0 |
| Pin 25 | PA23 — GPIO / SERCOM3 pad 1 |
| Pin 26 | PA24 — GPIO / SERCOM5 pad 0 / USB D- |
| Pin 27 | PA25 — GPIO / SERCOM5 pad 1 / USB D+ |
| Pin 28 | PA27 — GPIO |
| Pin 29 | PA28 — GPIO |
| Pin 30 | VDD — Digital supply voltage (second pin) |
| Pin 31 | GND — Ground (second pin) |
| Pin 32 | PA30 — GPIO / SWCLK (programming clock) |
| Pin EP | GND (Exposed Pad) — Thermal pad, must be soldered to ground |
Typical Applications
ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT is suitable for 6 applications: IEC 60730 Class B White Goods Appliances, Industrial Sensor Hubs and IoT Edge Nodes, Capacitive Touch Human-Machine Interfaces, Battery-Powered Wearable and Portable Devices, Audio Playback and I2S Digital Sound, Small Motor Control and BLDC Drivers.
IEC 60730 Class B White Goods Appliances
The ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT is targeted at household appliances that must meet IEC 60730 class B functional-safety requirements, such as washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, and refrigerators. The 48 MHz Cortex-M0+ core, 64 KB Flash, and 8 KB SRAM are sufficient to run the main control loop plus self-test routines for motor, temperature, and door-lock monitoring. The SAM DA1 FuSa firmware libraries provide pre-validated CPU register tests, ADC plausibility checks, and watchdog windowing, cutting IEC 60730 certification effort from months to weeks. Drop the MCU between the mains-isolated 3.3 V rail and the user interface, adding PTC capacitive touch for button replacement.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Hubs and IoT Edge Nodes
In industrial sensor hubs the ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT provides ARM Cortex ecosystem support at a low BOM cost, while its 12-bit ADC with up to 20 channels can directly sample multiple sensors without an external mux. The four SERCOM modules support concurrent I2C, SPI, and UART connections to sensors, displays, and radios. Deep Standby mode with sub-microamp current suits battery or energy-harvesting installations such as wireless HVAC transmitters or factory-floor condition monitors. Use the device as the master controller on a 3.3 V rail with one 100 nF decoupling cap per VDD pin.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch Human-Machine Interfaces
The integrated Peripheral Touch Controller (PTC) lets the ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT drive capacitive buttons, sliders, and wheels directly, with hardware acquisition that offloads the CPU and provides superior moisture rejection. The 32-pin VQFN footprint keeps the touch PCB compact enough for kitchen-appliance control panels and consumer-electronics front panels. Designers can combine PTC touch events with I2C-driven LED drivers or an OLED display through one SERCOM. Compared with discrete touch ICs, integrating touch into the MCU reduces part count and BOM cost significantly.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Wearable and Portable Devices
Battery-powered wearables benefit from the ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT's low-power Sleep and Standby modes with sub-microamp quiescent current, plus its ability to operate down to 1.62 V on a single coin cell or Li-ion supply. The Cortex-M0+ core wakes quickly from RTC or PTC interrupts to capture sensor data, update a display, and return to sleep, extending battery life. Designers typically pair the MCU with a small OLED, a low-power BLE module, and a Li-ion charger. Compared with higher-end Cortex-M4 parts, the M0+ cuts active current roughly in half while still supporting FreeRTOS tasks.
Recommended
Audio Playback and I2S Digital Sound
The integrated I2S audio interface on the ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT enables direct connection to external DACs and Class-D amplifier stages for simple audio playback applications such as doorbells, alarm panels, and industrial annunciators. The 10-bit DAC also supports low-fidelity tone generation for buzzer or beep functions without extra hardware. For higher-fidelity playback, use the I2S interface with an external 24-bit DAC like the TI PCM5102A. The 45 DMIPS core comfortably handles audio sample buffering while leaving cycles for sensor and UI processing.
Recommended
Small Motor Control and BLDC Drivers
The ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT integrates PWM timers, fast ADC triggering, and a 48 MHz core that together can drive small brushless DC (BLDC) or stepper motor control loops in fans, pumps, and small appliances. Up to 20 ADC channels enable simultaneous current, voltage, and back-EMF sensing, while the TCC peripherals support complementary PWM with dead-time insertion for safe half-bridge driving. Pair the MCU with a gate driver such as the MCP8024 and a small three-phase inverter. The SAM DA1 FuSa libraries add motor-stall detection safety routines suited to IEC 60730 class B appliances.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAMDA1E16B-MBT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAMDA1E16B-ABT | ATSAMD21E16B-MU | ATSAMD21E16B-AU | ATSAMD21J16B-MU | ATSAMD20E16C-UUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | VQFN-32 (5x5 mm) | TQFP-32 | VQFN-32 (5x5 mm) | TQFP-32 | VQFN-32 | VQFN-32 (WLCSP-like) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core / Family | ARM Cortex-M0+ / SAM DA1 (FuSa) | ARM Cortex-M0+ / SAM DA1 (FuSa) | ARM Cortex-M0+ / SAM D21 | ARM Cortex-M0+ / SAM D21 | ARM Cortex-M0+ / SAM D21 J-class | ARM Cortex-M0+ / SAM D20 |
| Max Clock Frequency | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz |
| Flash | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB |
| SRAM | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB |
| Functional Safety (FuSa) | Yes (IEC 60730 class B libraries) | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Approx. Unit Price (1 pc) | $2.18 | $2.20 | $1.95 | $2.00 | $2.10 | $1.80 |
Key Differentiators
- Functional Safety (FuSa) firmware libraries included (vs ATSAMD21E16B-MU)
- VQFN-32 footprint option with exposed pad (vs ATSAMDA1E16B-ABT (TQFP-32))
- Higher-pin-count migration path within same family (vs ATSAMD20E16C-UUT)
Design Notes
Place one 100 nF X7R ceramic capacitor within 2 mm of each VDD pin (pin 14 and pin 30), plus one shared 4.7 uF bulk capacitor on the 3.3 V rail. The exposed pad must be soldered to a continuous ground copper pour to keep digital switching noise from coupling into the analog supply. ADC accuracy degrades measurably if VDD decoupling is omitted; always verify with a 12-bit ADC self-calibration after layout.
Route SWCLK (PA30) and SWDIO (PA31) as short, impedance-controlled traces to the programming/debug connector. Avoid running ADC analog traces parallel to high-frequency SERCOM or PWM signals; cross them at 90 degrees if needed. The PTC touch sensing lines should be guarded by a driven shield (ground trace) routed parallel to the touch pad to improve moisture rejection, per Microchip AN2804.
Estimated: at 48 MHz active mode, VDD 3.3 V, ambient 25 C, the device draws approximately 7 mA active, dissipating roughly 23 mW. Junction-to-ambient thermal resistance for the VQFN-32 is approximately 40 C/W, giving a temperature rise of ~1 C - well within the -40 C to +85 C industrial range. No heatsink is required for normal MCU operation.
Do not leave the exposed pad floating; an unconnected EP causes severe thermal and electrical noise problems. Avoid applying voltage to any GPIO before VDD is powered, as this can latch-up the ESD diodes. When migrating from SAM D21 to SAM DA1 firmware, verify Peripheral Touch Controller and DAC register offsets because Microchip introduced minor revisions; always rebuild against the latest ASF/START version.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial grade only). Functional Safety documentation supports IEC 60730 class B but does not include AEC-Q100 automotive qualification.
