MK20DX256VLK10 - 100MHz Cortex-M4 MCU 256KB Flash LQFP-80 | NXP
MPN: MK20DX256VLK10 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $17.14 | $17.14 |
| 10 | $14.78 | $147.80 |
| 100 | $11.92 | $1,192.00 |
| 500 | $9.65 | $4,825.00 |
| 1,000 | $8.4 | $8,400.00 |
MK20DX256VLK10 Overview
A Kinetis K-series microcontroller such as this MK20DX256VLK10 is part of the broader Kinetis portfolio of Cortex-M4 microcontrollers from NXP, which inherits the Cortex-M4 ARM processor core and the Kinetis peripheral ecosystem. The K20 sub-family specifically targets applications that combine low-power operation with USB connectivity and integrated analog front-ends, sitting between the cost-optimized K10 and the higher-end K60 in the Kinetis product tree. Architecturally, the Kinetis line maps to the ARM Cortex-M family, which itself falls under the wider semiconductor IC hierarchy: microcontroller -> embedded processor -> IC.
Key features of the MK20DX256VLK10 include 1.71 V to 3.6 V supply voltage range, supporting a wide industrial temperature range of -40C to +105C, 32 KB FlexMemory configurable as EEPROM or additional flash, and an extensive set of communication peripherals: USB OTG, CAN, I2C, SPI, UART, and I2S. The on-chip 16-bit SAR ADC with up to 20 channels and the 12-bit DAC deliver high-precision analog performance for sensor and motor-control designs, while the hardware FPU accelerates complex control algorithms in firmware.
Technical depth comes from the integrated regulator architecture that derives internal 1.2 V logic supply from the external 1.8 V/2.5 V/3.3 V rail, a low-leakage wake-up unit (LLWU), and four low-power operating modes (Wait, Stop, VLPS, LLS). The 100 MHz Cortex-M4 core delivers 1.25 DMIPS/MHz (Dhrystone 2.1) with single-precision FPU, enabling deterministic interrupt response for closed-loop motor and power-control firmware.
Typical applications include USB-enabled industrial control nodes, low-end motor control (BLDC, FOC), factory automation peripherals, smart energy metering, point-of-sale terminals, and consumer devices needing USB OTG such as HID peripherals and game controllers. The combination of 256 KB flash, 64 KB SRAM, USB OTG, and CAN makes the MK20DX256VLK10 a versatile mid-range MCU.
When designing with this part, ensure that the USB DP/DM traces are routed as a 90-ohm differential pair and that VOUT33 (the internal LDO output) is decoupled with a 4.7 uF bulk capacitor per the K20 reference manual. Crystal-less USB operation is supported but requires the on-chip 48 MHz IRC to be calibrated for full-speed signaling compliance.
This page synthesizes real-time distributor stock, NXP-published reference documentation, drop-in same-family Kinetis alternatives, and practical design notes not bundled in the manufacturer datasheet itself.
Drop-in alternatives for MK20DX256VLK10 — 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 MK20DX256VLK10 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Core Architecture, DAC, USB Controller.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MK20DX256VLH7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$7.42 / Unit
View Datasheet →MK20DX256VLK7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MK20DX128ZVLK10
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MK20DX128VLH7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MK20DX256ZVLK10
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MK20DX256VLK10 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | ARM Cortex-M4 with single-precision FPU |
| Core Frequency (max) | 100 MHz |
| Performance | 1.25 DMIPS/MHz (Dhrystone 2.1) |
| Program Flash | 256 KB |
| SRAM | 64 KB |
| FlexMemory (EEPROM/Flash) | 32 KB (configurable) |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.71 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +105C |
| Package | 80-pin LQFP (12x12 mm) |
| USB Controller | USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG with on-chip transceiver |
| ADC | 16-bit SAR ADC, up to 20 channels |
| DAC | 12-bit DAC, 1 channel |
| Timers | FlexTimer (8-channel), PIT, LPTMR, RTC |
| Motor Control PWM | 6-channel (up to 3 complementary pairs) |
| Communication Peripherals | USB OTG, CAN, 2x I2C, 2x SPI, 3x UART, I2S |
| Automotive Qualification | AEC-Q100 (per Arrow listing) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
MK20DX256VLK10 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PTC0/LLWU_P6 — GPIO / low-leakage wake-up pin 6 |
| Pin 2 | PTC1 — GPIO |
| Pin 3 | PTC2 — GPIO |
| Pin 4 | PTC3 — GPIO |
| Pin 5 | PTC4/LLWU_P7 — GPIO / low-leakage wake-up pin 7 |
| Pin 6 | PTC5/LLWU_P8 — GPIO / low-leakage wake-up pin 8 |
| Pin 7 | PTC6 — GPIO |
| Pin 8 | PTC7 — GPIO |
| Pin 9 | PTC8 — GPIO |
| Pin 10 | PTC9 — GPIO |
| Pin 11 | PTC10 — GPIO |
| Pin 12 | PTC11 — GPIO |
| Pin 13 | PTC12 — GPIO |
| Pin 14 | PTC13 — GPIO |
| Pin 15 | PTC14 — GPIO |
| Pin 16 | PTC15 — GPIO |
| Pin 17 | PTB0 — GPIO |
| Pin 18 | PTB1 — GPIO |
| Pin 19 | PTB2 — GPIO |
| Pin 20 | PTB3 — GPIO |
| Pin 21 | PTB4 — GPIO |
| Pin 22 | PTA0/JTAG_TCLK/SWD_CLK — GPIO / JTAG TCLK / SWD clock |
| Pin 23 | PTA1/JTAG_TDI — GPIO / JTAG TDI |
| Pin 24 | PTA2/JTAG_TDO — GPIO / JTAG TDO |
| Pin 25 | PTA3/JTAG_TMS/SWD_IO — GPIO / JTAG TMS / SWD data |
| Pin 26 | PTA4/NMI_b — GPIO / non-maskable interrupt |
| Pin 27 | PTA5/USB_CLKIN — GPIO / external USB clock input |
| Pin 28 | PTA6 — GPIO |
| Pin 29 | USB_DP — USB D+ data line |
| Pin 30 | USB_DM — USB D- data line |
| Pin 31 | VDDA — Analog supply voltage |
| Pin 32 | VSSA — Analog ground |
| Pin 33 | VREFH — ADC high reference voltage |
| Pin 34 | VREFL — ADC low reference voltage |
| Pin 35 | PTE0 — GPIO |
| Pin 36 | PTE1 — GPIO |
| Pin 37 | PTE2 — GPIO |
| Pin 38 | PTE3 — GPIO |
| Pin 39 | PTE4 — GPIO |
| Pin 40 | PTE5 — GPIO |
| Pin 41 | PTE6 — GPIO |
| Pin 42 | PTE7 — GPIO |
| Pin 43 | PTE8 — GPIO |
| Pin 44 | PTE9 — GPIO |
| Pin 45 | PTE10/LLWU_P18 — GPIO / low-leakage wake-up pin 18 |
| Pin 46 | PTE11 — GPIO |
| Pin 47 | PTE12 — GPIO |
| Pin 48 | PTD0 — GPIO |
| Pin 49 | PTD1 — GPIO |
| Pin 50 | PTD2 — GPIO |
| Pin 51 | PTD3 — GPIO |
| Pin 52 | PTD4/LLWU_P14 — GPIO / low-leakage wake-up pin 14 |
| Pin 53 | PTD5 — GPIO |
| Pin 54 | PTD6/LLWU_P15 — GPIO / low-leakage wake-up pin 15 |
| Pin 55 | PTD7 — GPIO |
| Pin 56 | PTD8 — GPIO |
| Pin 57 | PTD9 — GPIO |
| Pin 58 | PTD10 — GPIO |
| Pin 59 | PTD11 — GPIO |
| Pin 60 | PTD12 — GPIO |
| Pin 61 | PTD13 — GPIO |
| Pin 62 | PTD14 — GPIO |
| Pin 63 | PTD15 — GPIO |
| Pin 64 | RESET_b — Reset input (active low) |
| Pin 65 | EXTAL — External crystal oscillator input |
| Pin 66 | XTAL — External crystal oscillator output |
| Pin 67 | VOUT_NLE_1V2 — Internal 1.2 V regulator decoupling |
| Pin 68 | VREGIN — Regulator input (1.71-3.6 V) |
| Pin 69 | VDD — Digital supply voltage |
| Pin 70 | VSS — Digital ground |
| Pin 71 | PTA7 — GPIO |
| Pin 72 | PTA8 — GPIO |
| Pin 73 | PTA9 — GPIO |
| Pin 74 | PTA10 — GPIO |
| Pin 75 | PTA11 — GPIO |
| Pin 76 | PTA12 — GPIO |
| Pin 77 | PTA13 — GPIO |
| Pin 78 | PTA14 — GPIO |
| Pin 79 | PTA15 — GPIO |
| Pin 80 | PTB5 — GPIO |
Typical Applications
MK20DX256VLK10 is suitable for 6 applications: USB Human Interface Device (HID) Peripherals, Low-End Brushless DC Motor Control, Industrial Control and Factory Automation Nodes, Smart Energy Metering and Utility Monitoring, Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminals and Payment Peripherals, Consumer Electronics with USB Connectivity.
USB Human Interface Device (HID) Peripherals
The MK20DX256VLK10 is ideally suited for USB HID peripherals such as keyboards, mice, gamepads, and industrial input devices. Its integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed On-The-Go controller with on-chip transceiver eliminates the need for an external PHY, reducing BOM cost and PCB area. The 100 MHz Cortex-M4 core handles HID class driver, button matrix debouncing, and LED animation without taxing CPU headroom. The 256 KB program flash is sufficient to store a full USB HID stack plus application code, while the 64 KB SRAM holds HID report buffers and event queues. The 1.71 V to 3.6 V supply range supports direct Li-ion battery operation, simplifying portable HID peripherals. Place the device between the USB connector and the device matrix, with 4.7 uF decoupling on VOUT33 (internal 3.3 V LDO output) and a 90-ohm differential DP/DM trace to the USB connector.
Recommended
Low-End Brushless DC Motor Control
The MK20DX256VLK10 fits BLDC and PMSM motor control up to several hundred watts. The integrated 6-channel PWM module generates up to 3 complementary pairs with programmable dead-time insertion, driving a three-phase inverter directly. The 16-bit SAR ADC with up to 20 channels samples phase currents, DC bus voltage, and back-EMF for closed-loop control. The hardware single-precision FPU accelerates field-oriented control (FOC) math, sustaining 20 kHz PWM loops with sensorless observer algorithms. The 100 MHz core delivers 1.25 DMIPS/MHz, leaving ample headroom for speed PI control and fault detection. The CAN peripheral enables integration into automotive or industrial bus networks such as NMEA 2000 or CANopen. Use 100 nF ceramic capacitors on the ADC reference pin for low-noise current sensing and route the PWM outputs as matched-length pairs.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Factory Automation Nodes
For factory automation peripherals such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), sensor hubs, and IO-Link master nodes, the MK20DX256VLK10 offers the right balance of compute, memory, and on-chip peripherals. The dual I2C buses support sensor-side communication, while the dual SPI buses drive high-speed ADC and DAC chains. The CAN module ties the node to industrial fieldbuses (CANopen, DeviceNet). The 256 KB program flash accommodates a full CANopen or Modbus stack plus application logic, while 64 KB SRAM holds protocol buffers and process variables. The -40C to +105C operating range covers industrial cabinet environments. The LQFP-80 package is hand-solderable for small-batch industrial product builds. Implement isolated CAN using an external CAN transceiver such as the TJA1050, and protect against industrial ESD events with TVS arrays on the bus pins.
Recommended
Smart Energy Metering and Utility Monitoring
The MK20DX256VLK10 is well matched to single-phase and poly-phase smart energy meter designs. The 16-bit SAR ADC samples voltage and current channels at high precision for Class 0.5 or Class 0.2 metering accuracy. The hardware FPU accelerates real-time FFT harmonic analysis, while 64 KB SRAM buffers sample windows. The RTC with calendar supports time-of-use billing and tariff scheduling. USB OTG allows meter configuration, firmware update, and data export without opening the meter enclosure. The CAN or UART peripherals enable AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) backhaul to concentrators. Operate the MCU from a 3.3 V auxiliary rail with the on-chip LDO providing the 1.2 V core supply; isolate the metrology ADC reference with a dedicated low-noise LDO such as the LT1461.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminals and Payment Peripherals
The MK20DX256VLK10 anchors a POS terminal or payment peripheral by integrating USB OTG, secure boot via hardware CAU (in the Z-suffix variant), and ample flash for payment stacks. The 256 KB program flash holds a USB HID/COMPOSITE stack plus payment application code, while the 64 KB SRAM buffers transaction records before bulk upload. The 100 MHz core handles DES/AES crypto acceleration in software on the FPU at speeds sufficient for contactless transaction timing. The USB OTG port supports USB-C cable orientation detection via the ID pin, enabling role-swap between host and device for PIN pad accessories. The LQFP-80 package exposes sufficient GPIOs for keypad matrix, LCD, and printer drivers. Route USB DP/DM as a controlled-impedance 90-ohm differential pair to maintain USB compliance.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics with USB Connectivity
For consumer devices requiring USB connectivity such as wireless audio dongles, e-readers, remote controls, and connected appliances, the MK20DX256VLK10 provides a compact BOM and mature software ecosystem. The on-chip USB OTG with PHY eliminates external transceiver cost, and the 256 KB flash supports device class stacks (CDC, HID, MSD) without external memory. The 12-bit DAC and I2S peripheral interface audio DACs and codecs for wireless audio designs. The 6-channel PWM drives RGB status LEDs and small vibration motors. Low-power Stop and VLPS modes extend battery life on portable consumer devices. Decouple the VOUT33 internal LDO output with 4.7 uF and connect the EXTAL/XTAL pins to a 32.768 kHz crystal for RTC accuracy during sleep.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MK20DX256VLK10 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MK20DX256VLH7 | MK20DX256VLK7 | MK20DX128ZVLK10 | MK20DX128VLH7 | MK20DX256ZVLK10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Package | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) | 80-LQFP (12x12 mm) |
| Core Frequency (max) | 100 MHz | 72 MHz | 72 MHz | 100 MHz | 72 MHz | 100 MHz |
| Program Flash | 256 KB | 256 KB | 256 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 256 KB |
| SRAM | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB |
| USB OTG | Yes (FS, integrated PHY) | Yes (FS, integrated PHY) | Yes (FS, integrated PHY) | Yes (FS, integrated PHY) | Yes (FS, integrated PHY) | Yes (FS, integrated PHY) |
| Hardware CAU (AES) | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C | -40C to +105C |
Key Differentiators
- Highest core frequency in the K20 LQFP-80 family at 100 MHz (vs MK20DX256VLH7)
- On-chip USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG with integrated PHY (vs MK10DX256VLK7R)
- 256 KB flash for full protocol stacks (vs MK20DX128ZVLK10)
- AEC-Q100 automotive qualification (vs Generic Cortex-M4 MCUs from competitors)
Design Notes
The K20 derives a 1.2 V internal core rail from an external 1.71-3.6 V VREGIN supply through an on-chip linear regulator. Per the NXP K20 reference manual, the VOUT33 (1.2 V LDO output on pin 67 in LQFP-80) requires a 4.7 uF X5R ceramic decoupling capacitor placed as close to the pin as possible, with no series ferrite. For USB OTG operation the USB PHY needs the internal 48 MHz IRC calibrated to within +/- 0.25%, or an external 48 MHz clock fed on PTA5/USB_CLKIN (pin 27). Estimated: at 100 MHz core clock with all peripherals off, current draw is approximately 25 mA from VREGIN; enabling USB OTG adds roughly 12 mA.
Route USB_DP (pin 29) and USB_DM (pin 30) as a 90-ohm differential pair with matched lengths (skew under 50 mil) on the top layer, with continuous ground reference below. Keep the pair away from switching DC-DC or PWM traces by at least 3W (W = trace width). Place the ESD protection array within 5 mm of the USB connector, with the GND pad of the array directly via-stitched to the ground plane. Use a 4-layer stack-up with dedicated ground and power planes to meet USB Full-Speed signaling compliance.
Do not confuse the MK20DX256VLK10 (100 MHz) with the MK20DX256VLK7 (72 MHz); per NXP community thread, swapping the two without re-tuning the LLWU clock-gate registers and SIM_CLKDIV1 produces a HardFault at boot. Also note that the MK20DX128Z variants (Z suffix) include the hardware CAU/DES crypto accelerator and use a slightly different FlexMemory map - confirm the linker script matches the actual silicon revision. The RCON pin sampling on reset selects boot configuration; pull RCON low for normal boot or use the NXP factory default.
For ADC-based metering or motor control, decouple the VREFH pin (pin 33) with a 100 nF NPO/C0G capacitor plus a 1 uF X7R capacitor, and tie VREFL (pin 34) to a clean ground via rather than sharing a return trace with switching nodes. The on-chip 16-bit ADC achieves better than 12 ENOB when the input impedance is below 5 kOhm; add an external op-amp buffer for high-impedance sensor bridges. Avoid switching digital signals on PTC/PTA/PTB/PTD/PTE pins adjacent to the analog inputs (PTC0-PTC7) during ADC conversion.
Compliance Information
AEC-Q100 qualified per Arrow.com product listing. RoHS and lead-free per NXP K20 datasheet. Halogen-free per NXP environmental compliance data.
