ATSAML10E16A-MU - 32MHz Cortex-M23 MCU, 64KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: ATSAML10E16A-MU ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.85 | $2.85 |
| 10 | $2.62 | $26.20 |
| 100 | $2.34 | $234.00 |
| 500 | $2.11 | $1,055.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.89 | $1,890.00 |
ATSAML10E16A-MU Overview
An ARM Cortex-M23 microcontroller is a 32-bit embedded processor core based on the Armv8-M architecture, designed as a successor to the Cortex-M0/M0+ for applications that need a balance of low power, deterministic interrupt response, and TrustZone-ready security. Cortex-M23 sits within the hierarchy: Cortex-M23 -> Cortex-M series -> ARMv8-M -> 32-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor. LDOs, BODs, and on-chip peripherals around the core form a complete mixed-signal MCU for battery-powered designs.
The ATSAML10E16A-MU features a 32 MHz Cortex-M23 core, 64KB Flash, 16KB SRAM, an enhanced peripheral touch controller (PTC), a 12-bit 1 MSPS ADC, a 10-bit DAC, multiple SERCOM interfaces, an ISO7816 smart card interface, and an Event System for inter-peripheral signaling. It also includes brown-out detection, a windowed watchdog timer, and an RTC with calendar mode. The wide 1.62V-3.63V supply range and integrated DC-DC buck converter support direct Li-ion battery operation.
Typical applications include IoT sensor nodes, wearables, smart-home devices, secure card readers, low-power wireless sensor hubs, and human-machine interface (HMI) controls using the touch controller. The 5x5 mm VQFN footprint makes it suitable for space-constrained designs. The PTC supports up to 256 buttons in self-capacitance mode and 32 buttons in mutual-capacitance mode, enabling robust touch surfaces without external ICs.
When designing with this part, take advantage of the Event System and SleepWalking peripherals to keep the CPU in deep sleep for maximum battery life. Use the on-chip buck converter for core domains and the LDO for analog domains to optimize efficiency across operating modes.
Drop-in alternatives for ATSAML10E16A-MU — 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 ATSAML10E16A-MU (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Core, GPIO Count, Sleep Mode Current.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATSAML10E16A-MUT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.42 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAML10E15A-MUT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.74 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAML10D16A-MFT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.7 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAML10E15A-AUT
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATSAML10D15A-MF
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.52 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATSAML10E16A-MU Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | ARM Cortex-M23 |
| Architecture | 32-bit RISC (Armv8-M) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 32 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 64 KB |
| SRAM | 16 KB |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.62 V to 3.63 V |
| Active Mode Current | <25 uA/MHz |
| Sleep Mode Current | <100 nA |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 1 MSPS |
| DAC | 10-bit |
| Peripheral Touch Controller (PTC) | Yes (up to 256 buttons) |
| SERCOM | Yes (configurable serial interfaces) |
| ISO7816 Smart Card Interface | Yes |
| Event System | Yes |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
| Package | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
ATSAML10E16A-MU Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PA02 — General-purpose I/O / ADC input |
| Pin 2 | PA03 — General-purpose I/O / ADC input |
| Pin 3 | PA04 — General-purpose I/O / VREF |
| Pin 4 | PA05 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 5 | PA06 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 6 | PA07 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 7 | VDD — Power supply input |
| Pin 8 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 9 | PA08 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 10 | PA09 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 11 | PA10 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 12 | PA11 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 13 | PA14 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 14 | PA15 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 15 | PA16 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 16 | PA17 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 17 | PA18 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 18 | PA19 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 19 | PA20 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 20 | PA21 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 21 | PA22 — General-purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 22 | PA23 — General-purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 23 | PA24 — General-purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 24 | PA25 — General-purpose I/O / SERCOM |
| Pin 25 | PA27 — General-purpose I/O / boot pin |
| Pin 26 | RESET — Reset input, active low |
| Pin 27 | PA28 — General-purpose I/O |
| Pin 28 | PA30 — General-purpose I/O / SWCLK |
| Pin 29 | PA31 — General-purpose I/O / SWDIO |
| Pin 30 | VDD — Power supply input |
| Pin 31 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 32 | EP — Exposed pad (thermal / GND) |
Typical Applications
ATSAML10E16A-MU is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node, Wearable Fitness / Health Device, Smart Home Touch Control Panel, Secure Smart Card Reader, Industrial Sensor Hub / Edge Node, Low-Power Wireless Remote Control.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node
The ATSAML10E16A-MU fits battery-powered IoT sensor nodes because its <25 uA/MHz active current and <100 nA sleep current (per Microchip SAM L10 datasheet) extend coin-cell life to multi-year operation. The 32 MHz Cortex-M23 core provides enough processing headroom for sensor-fusion loops and BLE control tasks via SERCOM, while the integrated 12-bit ADC reads analog sensor outputs directly. The 1.62V-3.63V supply range accepts a single Li-ion cell without external regulation. SleepWalking peripherals let the ADC and Event System wake the CPU only when a measurement crosses threshold, keeping the CPU in deep sleep most of the time. The 5x5 mm VQFN footprint is suitable for compact PCB layouts inside sensor housings. Use the on-chip DC-DC converter for core power to maximize efficiency at light load.
Recommended
Wearable Fitness / Health Device
The ATSAML10E16A-MU is ideal for wearables due to its sub-100 nA sleep current and ARM Cortex-M23 efficiency, enabling multi-day battery life in fitness bands and patches. The integrated Peripheral Touch Controller (PTC) supports touch buttons and sliders without external ICs, reducing BOM size and PCB area. The 12-bit ADC captures heart-rate or SpO2 sensor signals with sufficient resolution, while the 10-bit DAC can drive LED bias or haptic feedback. Event System allows the ADC, RTC, and GPIO to interact without waking the CPU, saving power in sleep cycles. The 5x5 mm VQFN package enables small form-factor wearables. Use the SAM L10 SleepWalking mode to gate sensor reads by activity detection.
Recommended
Smart Home Touch Control Panel
The ATSAML10E16A-MU supports capacitive touch in smart-home control panels through its on-chip Peripheral Touch Controller, which handles up to 256 buttons in self-cap mode without an external touch IC. The Cortex-M23 core runs HMI logic and serial communications via SERCOM (UART/SPI/I2C) to host controllers or wireless modules. The 64KB Flash and 16KB SRAM fit moderate UI state machines and communication stacks, while <100 nA sleep current keeps standby power negligible. The 32-VQFN 5x5 mm package fits behind glass or in slim wall-mount enclosures. Brown-out detection and watchdog timer ensure reliable operation across brownouts common in mains-derived supply rails.
Recommended
Secure Smart Card Reader
The ATSAML10E16A-MU integrates an ISO7816 smart card interface, allowing direct connection to contact smart cards without an external transceiver IC. The Cortex-M23 core runs card-application software and crypto routines within 64KB Flash and 16KB SRAM. The wide 1.62V-3.63V supply matches standard 3V and 5V card interfaces when used with level shifters. Hardware AES and secure key storage (in flash lock bits) protect credentials. The 5x5 mm VQFN footprint enables compact reader form factors in POS terminals or access-control readers. If TrustZone-style hardware isolation is required, upgrade to ATSAML11E16A-MU in the same footprint.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Hub / Edge Node
The ATSAML10E16A-MU serves industrial edge nodes because the 32 MHz Cortex-M23 core handles Modbus, IO-Link, or proprietary field-bus protocols via SERCOM while consuming <25 uA/MHz. The 12-bit 1 MSPS ADC reads analog sensor outputs (temperature, pressure, flow) at high sample rates for diagnostic analytics. The wide -40C to +85C operating range supports factory-floor deployments, and the Event System routes sensor interrupts without CPU wake-ups. Brown-out detection and watchdog timers survive industrial electrical noise and brownouts. The 32-VQFN 5x5 mm package fits DIN-rail or sensor-head enclosures. The SAM L10 architecture is widely documented with reference designs from Microchip, accelerating design-in.
Recommended
Low-Power Wireless Remote Control
The ATSAML10E16A-MU is a strong fit for battery-powered remote controls (TV, lighting, smart speakers) thanks to its <100 nA deep-sleep current that enables multi-year operation on AAA cells. The Peripheral Touch Controller supports modern touch-key remotes without mechanical buttons. The Cortex-M23 core runs IR, RF sub-GHz, or BLE protocol stacks via SERCOM, and the Event System wakes the CPU only on user input. The 5x5 mm VQFN package supports thin remote enclosures, and the 1.62V-3.63V supply handles battery droop without regulator dropouts. Using SAM L10's SleepWalking peripherals, polling-based remotes can be replaced with event-driven designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATSAML10E16A-MU — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATSAML10E16A-MUT | ATSAML10E15A-MUT | ATSAML10D16A-MFT | ATSAML10E15A-AUT | ATSAML10D15A-MF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M23 | ARM Cortex-M23 | ARM Cortex-M23 | ARM Cortex-M23 | ARM Cortex-M23 | ARM Cortex-M23 |
| Max Clock Frequency | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 64 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB |
| SRAM | 16 KB | 16 KB | 8 KB | 16 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.62 V to 3.63 V | 1.62 V to 3.63 V | 1.62 V to 3.63 V | 1.62 V to 3.63 V | 1.62 V to 3.63 V | 1.62 V to 3.63 V |
| Active Current | <25 uA/MHz | <25 uA/MHz | <25 uA/MHz | <25 uA/MHz | <25 uA/MHz | <25 uA/MHz |
| Sleep Current | <100 nA | <100 nA | <100 nA | <100 nA | <100 nA | <100 nA |
| Peripheral Touch Controller | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (variant dependent) | Yes | Yes (variant dependent) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +125C (automotive) | -40C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Industry's lowest-power Cortex-M23 MCU family (vs ATSAMD21E18A-MU (Cortex-M0+))
- Same-package automotive grade available (vs ATSAML10E15A-AUT (32KB Flash variant))
- Integrated Peripheral Touch Controller saves BOM cost (vs External touch IC approach (e.g. AT42QT1010))
Design Notes
Estimated: for a duty-cycled sensor node running at 32 MHz active for 1 ms every 100 ms with 64KB Flash execution, average current is approximately (25 uA/MHz * 32 MHz * 0.01) + (100 nA * 0.99) = 8.1 uA. On a 220 mAh CR2032 coin cell, this yields roughly 3.0 years of theoretical battery life. Use the SAM L10's DC-DC buck converter for core domains to maximize efficiency, and enable SleepWalking peripherals (ADC, RTC, Event System) so the CPU remains in deep sleep most of the time. Brown-out detection must be configured to reset at 1.62V to prevent Flash corruption at end-of-life battery voltage.
The 32-VQFN 5x5 mm package has an exposed pad (pin 32) that must be soldered to a ground copper pour for thermal dissipation and electrical ground return. Use a via array (typically 4-9 thermal vias, 0.3 mm drill, 0.5 mm pitch) under the EP to provide a low-impedance ground path. Decoupling capacitors should be placed as close as possible to the VDD pins (pins 7 and 30): use a 100 nF X7R ceramic for high-frequency noise and a 1 uF or 4.7 uF bulk ceramic for transient suppression. Keep SERCOM signal traces short and route them away from the PTC lines to prevent capacitive-coupling interference on touch readings.
Route the SWD signals (SWCLK on PA30, SWDIO on PA31) with short, parallel traces to the debug connector and add 50 ohm series termination near the MCU to suppress reflections. If your application uses the PTC, route the touch lines as short as possible and shield them with a ground hatch on the layer below, per the Microchip PTC layout guide. Maintain at least 5x the trace-width clearance between PTC lines and any high-frequency digital signals (SERCOM, ADC reference) to prevent false touch detection. Use a keep-out region around the PTC electrodes equal to the electrode spacing plus a guard ring of 3 mm minimum.
Common pitfalls when designing with the ATSAML10E16A-MU: (1) failing to connect the exposed pad - this causes thermal shutdown at moderate loads and unreliable Flash programming; (2) selecting boot sources in NVM fuses without considering PA27 as boot override - leave PA27 default if unsure; (3) over-driving PTC pins with external DC bias - the touch controller is sensitive to leakage currents and external resistor pull-ups > 100 kohm cause false touches; (4) configuring SERCOM pads without checking the pin multiplexing table in the SAM L10 datasheet - not every peripheral function is available on every pin.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - choose ATSAML10E15A-AUT for automotive applications.
