ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP - 120MHz Cortex-M4F MCU, 256KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.32 | $4.32 |
| 10 | $3.95 | $39.50 |
| 100 | $3.42 | $342.00 |
| 500 | $2.88 | $1,440.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.41 | $2,410.00 |
| 3,000 | $1.99 | $5,970.00 |
ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program and data memory, peripherals, and I/O. The ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP belongs to the ARM Cortex-M4F family, a 32-bit RISC architecture with DSP extensions and a hardware FPU. Within the broader taxonomy, MCUs sit under microcontrollers -> embedded processors -> semiconductors. The Cortex-M4F target application space includes motor control, industrial sensing, connectivity hubs, and consumer audio.
Key features include 120 MHz CPU with FPU and DSP instructions, 256 KB Dual-Panel Flash with ECC for robust code storage, 128 KB SRAM, and a high-speed USB 2.0 Full-Speed interface plus a CAN-FD controller. The device also integrates multiple SERCOM peripherals (configurable as UART/SPI/I2C), a 12-bit ADC with up to 16 channels, a 12-bit DAC, and an Event System for deterministic inter-peripheral signaling.
The SAM E51 architecture uses a 4-layer AHB matrix for parallel bus access between the CPU, SRAM banks, and peripherals, minimizing contention at high peripheral loads. Hardware accelerators include a Peripheral Touch Controller (PTC) supporting capacitive touch, a Cryptographic Accelerator (TRNG, AES) on equivalent family parts, and an Event System allowing peripherals to trigger each other without CPU intervention - critical for low-latency control loops.
Typical applications include industrial automation controllers, USB-to-CAN bridges, IoT edge nodes, smart sensor hubs, and capacitive touch human-machine interfaces. The wide operating voltage (1.71V-3.6V) and -40C to +85C industrial temperature range suit factory-floor deployments.
When designing with this device, ensure PCB layout keeps the VDDCORE decoupling network within 5 mm of the LDO output pins. Use the SAM E51 family header files and Atmel/Microchip START or MPLAB Harmony code configurator to generate peripheral initialization code, and validate USB 2.0 Full-Speed signal integrity against the USB 2.0 specification compliance checklist.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives from the SAME51/SAMD51 family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP — 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 ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, USB, CAN, Operating Temperature, DAC.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAME51J18A-AUT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAME51J18A-AFT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.21 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAME51J18A-AU-EFP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAME51J19A-AUT-EFP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$6.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAME51J18A-AF
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMD51J18A-AUT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$4.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAMD51J19A-AUT-EFP
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$4.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | ARM Cortex-M4F with FPU and DSP |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 120 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 256 KB (Dual Panel with ECC) |
| SRAM | 128 KB |
| Package | 64-pin TQFP (10x10 mm) |
| Operating Voltage (VDDIO) | 1.71 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C |
| USB Interface | USB 2.0 Full-Speed (Host/Device) |
| CAN Interface | CAN-FD controller |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 16 channels |
| DAC | 12-bit |
| SERCOM | Configurable UART/SPI/I2C |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PB11 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 2 | PB10 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 3 | PB09 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 4 | PB08 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 5 | PA27 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 6 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 7 | VDD — Digital I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 8 | VDDCORE — Core voltage (decoupled internally) |
| Pin 9 | PA30 — General purpose I/O / SWD clock |
| Pin 10 | PA31 — General purpose I/O / SWDIO |
| Pin 11 | PB22 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 12 | PB23 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 13 | PA00 — General purpose I/O / ADC AIN0 |
| Pin 14 | PA01 — General purpose I/O / ADC AIN1 |
| Pin 15 | PA02 — General purpose I/O / ADC AIN2 |
| Pin 16 | PA03 — General purpose I/O / ADC AIN3 |
| Pin 17 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 18 | VDD — Digital I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 19 | PB02 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 20 | PB03 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 21 | PA04 — General purpose I/O / ADC AIN4 |
| Pin 22 | PA05 — General purpose I/O / ADC AIN5 |
| Pin 23 | PA06 — General purpose I/O / ADC AIN6 |
| Pin 24 | PA07 — General purpose I/O / ADC AIN7 |
| Pin 25 | PA08 — General purpose I/O / USB VBUS |
| Pin 26 | PA09 — General purpose I/O / USB DM |
| Pin 27 | PA10 — General purpose I/O / USB DP |
| Pin 28 | PA11 — General purpose I/O / CAN TX |
| Pin 29 | PA12 — General purpose I/O / CAN RX |
| Pin 30 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 31 | VDD — Digital I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 32 | PB04 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 33 | PB05 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 34 | PA13 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 35 | PA14 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 36 | PA15 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 37 | PA16 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 38 | PA17 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 39 | PA18 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 40 | PA19 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 41 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 42 | VDD — Digital I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 43 | PB06 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 44 | PB07 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 45 | PB12 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 46 | PB13 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 47 | PB14 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 48 | PB15 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 49 | PA20 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 50 | PA21 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 51 | PA22 — General purpose I/O / DAC |
| Pin 52 | PA23 — General purpose I/O / DAC |
| Pin 53 | PA24 — General purpose I/O / USB ID |
| Pin 54 | PA25 — General purpose I/O / USB SOF |
| Pin 55 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 56 | VDD — Digital I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 57 | PB16 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 58 | PB17 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 59 | PB18 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 60 | PB19 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 61 | PB20 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 62 | PB21 — General purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 63 | NRST — Reset input (active low) |
| Pin 64 | VDDANA — Analog supply voltage |
Typical Applications
ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial USB-CAN Gateway, Smart Sensor Hub with Touch HMI, Motor Control Drive Board, IoT Edge Node with Secure Connectivity, Audio Processing and Effects Unit, Automotive Body Control Module, Medical Patient Monitoring Peripheral.
Industrial USB-CAN Gateway
The ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP is purpose-built for industrial USB-to-CAN gateways that bridge PC-based configuration tools and CAN-FD fieldbus networks. Its integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed device controller and hardware CAN-FD controller eliminate the need for external bridge chips, reducing both BOM cost and PCB area. The 120 MHz Cortex-M4F with FPU handles CAN-FD protocol overhead and USB enumeration with ample headroom. Engineers typically implement the gateway firmware using Microchip's CAN-FD library and the ASF/MPLAB Harmony USB stack. The -40C to +85C industrial temperature rating supports factory-floor deployments where ambient temperatures fluctuate. The Extended Flash Performance (EFP) variant ensures reliable firmware execution under heavy read cycles during continuous CAN traffic logging.
Recommended
Smart Sensor Hub with Touch HMI
The ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP's integrated Peripheral Touch Controller (PTC) supports hardware-accelerated capacitive touch sensing for button grids, sliders, and wheels in smart home and appliance HMI panels. The Event System routes touch events to interrupt routines without CPU polling, enabling deterministic response times under 1 ms. The 256 KB Dual-Panel Flash stores both touch firmware and sensor calibration tables with ECC protection against bit errors in noisy motor environments. The Cortex-M4F FPU processes sensor fusion algorithms in real time while the SERCOM peripherals connect to external I2C/SPI sensors. The 64-pin TQFP package provides generous I/O for multi-channel touch and sensor fan-out.
Recommended
Motor Control Drive Board
The ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP serves as the main controller in BLDC and PMSM motor drive boards for industrial pumps, fans, and small servo systems. The 120 MHz Cortex-M4F with single-precision FPU executes field-oriented control (FOC) loops with PWM update rates above 20 kHz, while the Event System synchronizes ADC sampling to PWM edges for low-latency current measurement. The 12-bit ADC with up to 16 channels reads phase currents and DC bus voltage simultaneously. The Extended Flash Performance variant ensures deterministic code execution under heavy interrupt load. Engineers pair this MCU with external gate drivers like the MCP8026 or Si8271 for the high-voltage power stage.
Recommended
IoT Edge Node with Secure Connectivity
The ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP's USB and CAN-FD interfaces make it suitable for IoT edge nodes that aggregate sensor data and forward it to cloud platforms via wired backhaul. The hardware Floating Point Unit accelerates edge analytics and anomaly detection, while the 256 KB Flash accommodates TLS/SSL stacks and protocol buffers. The 128 KB SRAM handles multi-stream sensor buffering without external memory. Extended Flash Performance ensures reliable operation during heavy read cycles common in always-on edge deployments. The industrial temperature grade supports outdoor enclosures and harsh industrial environments.
Recommended
Audio Processing and Effects Unit
The ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP's 120 MHz Cortex-M4F with single-precision FPU and DSP instructions executes audio effects processing such as parametric EQ, reverb, and compression in real time at 48 kHz sample rates. The 12-bit DAC provides line-level audio output for simple effects pedals and processors, while SERCOM peripherals connect to external I2S audio codecs for higher fidelity. The Event System synchronizes DMA audio transfers to sample-clock edges without CPU intervention. The 256 KB Flash stores preset libraries, and 128 KB SRAM buffers multiple audio streams. The industrial temperature grade supports audio equipment installations in demanding venues.
Recommended
Automotive Body Control Module
With its CAN-FD controller and -40C to +85C operating temperature range, the ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP fits body control modules managing lighting, mirrors, and accessory systems in passenger vehicles. The Extended Flash Performance variant delivers the flash endurance required for constant bus monitoring and diagnostic logging. For automotive-grade variants that meet AEC-Q100 at higher temperatures, the ATSAME51J18A-AFT is the recommended drop-in replacement. The 256 KB Flash stores calibration tables and OBD-II diagnostic routines, while the 12-bit ADC reads sensor inputs. Multiple SERCOM instances interface with LIN transceivers and local sensor clusters.
Recommended
Medical Patient Monitoring Peripheral
The ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP's processing headroom and rich peripheral set support patient monitoring peripherals such as pulse oximeters, blood pressure monitors, and portable ECG recorders. The 12-bit ADC digitizes analog sensor signals at clinical accuracy levels, while the FPU accelerates DSP-based signal processing for heart rate extraction and arrhythmia detection. The USB 2.0 Full-Speed interface enables battery charging and data sync with host tablets or PCs. Extended Flash Performance ensures reliable firmware operation throughout the product lifetime. The compact 64-pin TQFP package fits space-constrained wearable enclosures.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAME51J18A-AUT | ATSAME51J18A-AFT | ATSAME51J18A-AU-EFP | ATSAME51J19A-AUT-EFP | ATSAMD51J18A-AUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) | 64-TQFP (10x10 mm) |
| Flash Memory | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 512 KB | 256 KB | |
| SRAM | 128 KB | 128 KB | 256 KB | 128 KB | ||
| Maximum Clock | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | 120 MHz | |
| EFP (Extended Flash Performance) | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +125C (automotive) | -40C to +85C | ||
| Packaging Form | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tray | ||
| RoHS | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed plus CAN-FD in single MCU (vs ATSAMD21J18A-AUT)
- Extended Flash Performance (EFP) for higher endurance (vs ATSAME51J18A-AUT)
- 256 KB Flash with ECC for robust code storage (vs ATSAME51J18A-AU-EFP)
- Single-precision FPU for floating-point algorithms (vs PIC32MX series)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 120 MHz active CPU load, the ATSAME51J18A-AUT-EFP draws approximately 14-18 mA core current from VDDCORE. Place a 100 nF X7R ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of each VDDCORE pin, and a bulk 4.7 uF ceramic on VDDANA. The internal LDO requires adequate PCB copper pour for thermal dissipation; a minimum 100 mm2 ground plane under the TQFP thermal pad-adjacent area is recommended for reliable operation above 70C ambient.
Route the USB 2.0 Full-Speed differential pair (USB_DP, USB_DM) with 90-ohm differential impedance and length matching within 2 mm. Place the USB series termination resistors as close as possible to the MCU pins. For CAN-FD, route CAN_TX and CAN_RX with 120-ohm characteristic impedance and place a 120-ohm termination resistor at each end of the bus. Keep analog signals (ADC inputs) routed away from switching power and USB data lines to minimize crosstalk.
Do not exceed the absolute maximum VDD of 3.6 V. The Cortex-M4F core runs at 1.2 V internally, derived from the on-chip voltage regulator - never drive VDDCORE from an external supply. The SAME51 family requires careful PLL configuration; verify the crystal oscillator load capacitance matches the chosen crystal's CL specification, typically 12 pF for common 12 MHz crystals. Reset (NRST) must be pulled high through a 10 kohm resistor for normal operation.
The SERCOM peripherals share I/O pins with general purpose I/O; when assigning peripheral functions, ensure alternate function mappings are configured before peripheral enable to avoid bus contention. For high-speed ADC sampling above 500 kSPS, decouple VDDANA with an additional 10 uF bulk capacitor and use separate analog and digital ground planes connected at a single point. The Event System routes signals between peripherals without CPU intervention and should be configured early to avoid race conditions.
Compliance Information
Component is RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product documentation. Not AEC-Q100 qualified in the -AUT-EFP variant; choose -AFT suffix for AEC-Q100 Grade 1 automotive qualification.
