ATSAME51G18A-MFT - 120MHz Cortex-M4F MCU, 256KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAME51G18A-MFT β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6.2 | $6.20 |
| 10 | $5.58 | $55.80 |
| 100 | $4.95 | $495.00 |
| 500 | $4.42 | $2,210.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.95 | $3,950.00 |
ATSAME51G18A-MFT Overview
What is a Cortex-M4F microcontroller? An ARM Cortex-M4F MCU is a 32-bit RISC processor core with single-precision floating-point unit and DSP extensions, designed for deterministic real-time control with low power consumption. Within the broader taxonomy it sits as MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor, and the SAM E51 line specifically targets motor control, IoT edge nodes, and automotive body applications where high CPU throughput, hardware crypto, and certified AEC-Q100 reliability are required.
Key features of the ATSAME51G18A-MFT include 120 MHz core with FPU and DSP instructions, 256 KB Flash with Error Correction Code, 128 KB SRAM, a 12-bit 1 MSPS ADC with up to 16 channels, multiple SERCOM interfaces configurable as USART/SPI/I2C, Full-Speed USB 2.0 device/host, and CAN-FD support. The integrated Event System, configurable Custom Logic (CCL), and hardware AES accelerator reduce external component count and software overhead.
Architecturally, the SAM E51 uses a Cortex-M4F core with a 4-level memory pipeline, dual-panel Flash supporting live updates without downtime, and a low-power SleepWalking peripheral controller that wakes selected peripherals autonomously. This combination delivers deterministic interrupt latency and minimal active-mode current, suitable for sensor-fusion and closed-loop motor-control loops running at multi-kHz rates.
Typical applications include industrial motor control (BLDC and stepper drives), automotive body and lighting controllers, IoT edge sensor nodes with USB or CAN connectivity, building automation HVAC controllers, and portable medical instrumentation. The combination of AEC-Q100 grade 1 qualification, integrated USB and CAN, and a small 7x7 mm QFN footprint makes the device especially attractive when PCB real estate is constrained.
When designing with this MCU, allocate the 48-QFN exposed pad to a continuous ground copper pour of at least 1 square inch for thermal dissipation and signal return. Decouple VDDIN and VDDANA separately with 100 nF X7R capacitors placed within 2 mm of the respective pins, and reserve a 32.768 kHz crystal footprint for accurate RTC operation. For automotive deployments, follow the hardware checklist in Microchip application note AN3298 to ensure EMC/ESD compliance.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAME51G18A-MFT 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 ATSAME51G18A-MFT (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, SRAM, ADC, DAC, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAME51G18A-MF
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAME51G19A-MFT
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$3.95 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAME51G18A-MUT
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAMD51G18A-MFT
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$3.55 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMD51G18A-MF
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$5.11 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAMD51G19A-MFT
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$4.02 / Unit
View Datasheet βATSAME51G18A-MFT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4F with FPU and DSP |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 256 KB (dual-panel with ECC) |
| SRAM | 128 KB (with ECC) |
| Operating Voltage | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 16 channels, 1 MSPS |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed device/host |
| CAN | CAN-FD |
| SERCOM | Up to 6 configurable (USART/SPI/I2C) |
| Timers | 16-bit TCC, 24-bit TC, RTC |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (industrial) |
| Package | 48-pin VQFN (7x7 mm) with exposed pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Automotive Qualification | AEC-Q100 Grade 1 (MFT suffix industrial/automotive reel) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
ATSAME51G18A-MFT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PA00 β I/O / XIN32 (32 kHz crystal in) |
| Pin 2 | PA01 β I/O / XOUT32 (32 kHz crystal out) |
| Pin 3 | VDDANA β Analog supply voltage |
| Pin 4 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 5 | PA02 β I/O / ADC AIN0 |
| Pin 6 | PA03 β I/O / ADC AIN1 / VREFA |
| Pin 7 | PB00 β I/O |
| Pin 8 | PB01 β I/O |
| Pin 9 | PB02 β I/O / ADC AIN10 |
| Pin 10 | PB03 β I/O / ADC AIN11 |
| Pin 11 | PA04 β I/O / VREFB |
| Pin 12 | PA05 β I/O |
| Pin 13 | PA06 β I/O |
| Pin 14 | PA07 β I/O |
| Pin 15 | VDDIO β Digital I/O supply |
| Pin 16 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 17 | PA08 β I/O / SERCOM0 PAD0 |
| Pin 18 | PA09 β I/O / SERCOM0 PAD1 |
| Pin 19 | PA10 β I/O / SERCOM0 PAD2 |
| Pin 20 | PA11 β I/O / SERCOM0 PAD3 |
| Pin 21 | PA12 β I/O / USB DM |
| Pin 22 | PA13 β I/O / USB DP |
| Pin 23 | PA14 β I/O |
| Pin 24 | PA15 β I/O |
| Pin 25 | PA16 β I/O / SERCOM1 PAD0 |
| Pin 26 | PA17 β I/O / SERCOM1 PAD1 |
| Pin 27 | PA18 β I/O |
| Pin 28 | PA19 β I/O |
| Pin 29 | PA20 β I/O |
| Pin 30 | PA21 β I/O |
| Pin 31 | PA22 β I/O |
| Pin 32 | PA23 β I/O |
| Pin 33 | PA24 β I/O / CAN0 TX |
| Pin 34 | PA25 β I/O / CAN0 RX |
| Pin 35 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 36 | VDDIN β Main voltage regulator input |
| Pin 37 | VDDCORE β Internal core voltage output (decouple only) |
| Pin 38 | nRESET β Reset input, active low |
| Pin 39 | PB04 β I/O |
| Pin 40 | PB05 β I/O |
| Pin 41 | PB06 β I/O |
| Pin 42 | PB07 β I/O |
| Pin 43 | PB08 β I/O |
| Pin 44 | PB09 β I/O |
| Pin 45 | PB10 β I/O |
| Pin 46 | PB11 β I/O |
| Pin 47 | PB12 β I/O |
| Pin 48 | PB13 β I/O |
| Pin 49 | EP β Exposed pad (must be soldered to GND) |
Typical Applications
ATSAME51G18A-MFT is suitable for 7 applications: Automotive Body and Lighting Controller, BLDC and PMSM Motor Control, IoT Edge Sensor Node with USB-CAN Bridge, Building Automation HVAC Controller, Portable Medical Instrumentation, USB-CAN Adapter for Diagnostic Tools, Industrial Sensor Hub with Display.
Automotive Body and Lighting Controller
The ATSAME51G18A-MFT's AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualification and -40C to +125C temperature range suit it for automotive body controllers driving LED matrix headlights, ambient lighting, and HVAC flaps. Its 120 MHz Cortex-M4F core runs CAN-FD stacks for body-domain communication, while the 12-bit 1 MSPS ADC reads light-sensor and thermistor inputs simultaneously. The 256 KB Flash stores light-show animation libraries, and the six SERCOM channels drive daisy-chained LED drivers via SPI. Compared to a discrete MCU + CAN-ASIC solution, the integrated CAN-FD and USB reduce BOM and PCB area.
Recommended
BLDC and PMSM Motor Control
The ATSAME51G18A-MFT executes field-oriented control (FOC) loops for brushless DC and permanent-magnet synchronous motors at switching frequencies up to 50 kHz. Its Cortex-M4F DSP extensions accelerate Park/Clarke transforms and space-vector modulation, while the 16-bit TCC timers generate center-aligned PWM with sub-microsecond dead-time insertion. The 1 MSPS 12-bit ADC samples phase currents synchronously with PWM, and 128 KB SRAM holds lookup-table-based motor models. The 48-VQFN's exposed pad dissipates thermal loss in compact fan-cooled enclosures.
Recommended
IoT Edge Sensor Node with USB-CAN Bridge
Pair the ATSAME51G18A-MFT with a CAN-FD transceiver to build an industrial IoT gateway that bridges legacy CAN machinery to USB-tethered SCADA hosts. The integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed controller enumerates as CDC-ACM or vendor-class, while the CAN-FD peripheral streams frames at up to 5 Mbps. The Cortex-M4F runs lightweight TLS stacks in 128 KB SRAM, and 256 KB Flash holds Modbus, CANopen, or J1939 protocol libraries. Low-power SleepWalking mode drops quiescent current for battery-backed edge nodes.
Recommended
Building Automation HVAC Controller
The ATSAME51G18A-MFT serves as the central controller for rooftop HVAC units and variable-air-volume boxes, managing analog sensor inputs, modulating damper actuators, and BACnet or Modbus communication. Its 12-bit ADC reads temperature and pressure transducers simultaneously, while SERCOM channels drive I2C temperature/humidity sensors and SPI displays. AEC-Q100 qualification provides headroom for outdoor equipment enclosures subject to thermal cycling. The 120 MHz CPU runs proportional-integral control loops at 1 kHz without timing jitter.
Recommended
Portable Medical Instrumentation
Battery-powered medical devices such as handheld pulse oximeters and point-of-care diagnostics use the ATSAME51G18A-MFT for its low-power SleepWalking peripherals, 12-bit ADC for biometric signal acquisition, and Cortex-M4F DSP for FFT-based heart-rate-variability analysis. The 256 KB Flash stores firmware with embedded calibration tables, and the 48-VQFN 7x7 mm package fits inside thin handheld enclosures. AEC-Q100 qualification provides reliability margin for medical-grade designs requiring long field life.
Recommended
USB-CAN Adapter for Diagnostic Tools
The ATSAME51G18A-MFT powers compact USB-to-CAN-FD diagnostic adapters used by automotive service technicians. USB 2.0 Full-Speed connects to a host PC running diagnostic software, while the on-chip CAN-FD controller interfaces to the vehicle's OBD-II port through an external transceiver. The Cortex-M4F handles protocol translation, timestamping, and hardware flow control without host intervention. The 48-VQFN 7x7 mm footprint allows the adapter PCB to fit inside an OBD-II dongle enclosure.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Hub with Display
The ATSAME51G18A-MFT aggregates multiple industrial sensor inputs (analog, I2C, SPI, UART) and drives a TFT display for local visualization. Its six SERCOM interfaces connect to sensor front-ends, while the 12-bit ADC digitizes 4-20 mA loop-powered transducers. The 256 KB Flash stores graphical assets and configuration menus, and the Cortex-M4F runs a lightweight LVGL UI in 128 KB SRAM. AEC-Q100 qualification supports harsh factory environments with electrical noise and temperature swings.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAME51G18A-MFT β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAME51G18A-MF | ATSAME51G19A-MFT | ATSAME51G18A-MUT | ATSAMD51G18A-MFT | ATSAMD51G18A-MF | ATSAMD51G19A-MFT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 48-VQFN (7x7 mm) | 48-VQFN (7x7 mm) - same | 48-VQFN (7x7 mm) - same | 48-VQFN (7x7 mm) - same | 48-VQFN (7x7 mm) - same | 48-VQFN (7x7 mm) - same | 48-VQFN (7x7 mm) - same |
| Core | Cortex-M4F 120 MHz | Cortex-M4F 120 MHz | Cortex-M4F 120 MHz | Cortex-M4F 120 MHz | Cortex-M4F 120 MHz | Cortex-M4F 120 MHz | Cortex-M4F 120 MHz |
| Flash | 256 KB | 256 KB | 512 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 512 KB |
| SRAM | 128 KB | 128 KB | 192 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 192 KB |
| Temperature Range | -40C to +125C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +125C |
| AEC-Q100 Grade | Grade 1 (automotive) | Grade 1 | Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Industrial only | Industrial only | Industrial only |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel | Tray | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tray | Tape & Reel |
| Operating Voltage | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V | 1.62 V to 3.6 V |
Key Differentiators
- AEC-Q100 Grade 1 automotive qualification with -40C to +125C (vs ATSAMD51G18A-MFT)
- 256 KB Flash / 128 KB SRAM in compact 48-VQFN footprint (vs ATSAME51G19A-MFT)
- Dual-panel Flash with ECC for read-while-write firmware updates (vs ATSAME51G18A-MUT)
Design Notes
Solder the exposed pad (EP, pin 49) of the 48-VQFN ATSAME51G18A-MFT to a continuous ground copper pour of at least 25 mm^2 on the top layer. The EP is the primary thermal path for the 120 MHz Cortex-M4F core; omitting it or using thermal vias only on the bottom layer raises junction temperature by 20-30 C and may trigger thermal shutdown in enclosed automotive enclosures. Connect EP directly to the ground plane with at least 9 thermal vias in a 3x3 array.
Place a 100 nF X7R decoupling capacitor within 2 mm of each VDDIN and VDDANA pin, and a bulk 4.7 uF ceramic capacitor within 5 mm. VDDIO supports up to 16 GPIO and should also have its own 100 nF cap. Keep the 32.768 kHz crystal traces short (less than 5 mm) and symmetric to avoid duty-cycle distortion in RTC timing. Reserve a footprint for an optional 12 MHz external crystal if USB Full-Speed operation requires tighter clock accuracy.
Do not exceed the 3.6 V absolute maximum on any VDD or I/O pin; transients above 4 V will damage the MCU. Ensure nRESET has a 10 kohm pull-up to VDDIO and a 1 nF capacitor to ground for clean reset behavior. When using USB, place the 22 ohm source-series resistors on DP and DM within 4 mm of the MCU pins. For CAN-FD, verify the MCP2562FD transceiver TXD/RXD logic levels match the PA24/PA25 SERCOM configuration in the MHC code generator.
When routing USB DP/DM as a differential pair, maintain 90-ohm differential impedance and keep trace length matching within 2 mm. Place a common-mode choke on DP/DM near the connector for EMI suppression. For CAN-FD bus lengths above 5 m, add a 120-ohm termination resistor at each end of the bus, and use twisted-pair wiring with 120-ohm characteristic impedance.
Estimated: at 120 MHz CPU and 1 MSPS ADC sampling, switching currents on VDDIN can reach 50 mA peak. Use a 4-layer PCB with continuous ground and power planes; route sensitive analog traces (ADC inputs, VREFA) on the top layer above a clean ground plane, away from SERCOM switching traces. Ground return paths for switching currents should not share segments with sensitive analog return paths.
Compliance Information
AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualified per Microchip product documentation. RoHS and REACH compliant. Lead-free and halogen-free packaging. Conflict-minerals declaration available from Microchip upon request.
