Atmel Introduces Three New Product Families, Expanding Its Low-power SAM D Cortex M0+-Based MCU Portfolio

SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Atmel Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML), a global leader in microcontroller (MCU) and touch solutions, today announced the company has expanded its low-power ARM^® Cortex^® M0+-based MCU portfolio with three new families. These entry-level, low-power MCUs are packed with high-end features including Atmel's patented Event System, SERCOM module, peripheral touch controller, along with a full-speed USB interface, allowing designers to bring their products to market faster.

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As more devices are becoming smarter and connected in this era of the Internet of Things, designers are looking for MCUs with additional connectivity and communication options to scale their applications in the consumer, industrial and medical markets. Atmel's new SAM D21, D10 and D11 families of Cortex M0+-based MCUs deliver low-power consumption, connectivity and small footprint, providing designers just the right price-to-performance ratio. These new families expand the company's growing line of Atmel Smart microcontrollers with new pin and memory combinations, along with new features such as DMA and crystal-less USB.

The SAM D portfolio is architected beyond the core, using over two decades of Atmel's MCU experience to create unique, connected peripherals that work flawlessly with the ARM Cortex-M0+ CPU, are easy-to-use, and provide scalability and performance. To help simplify the design process and eliminate the need for additional components, Atmel's new families also integrate additional functionality including full-speed crystal-less USB, DMA, I2S, timers/counters for control applications, and several other new features. Atmel's SAM D devices are code- and pin-compatible making it easy for designers to migrate up and down the family.

The SAM D families are ideal for applications that require low-power consumption, connectivity and small footprint for the Internet of Things (IoT), consumer and industrial markets. Atmel's SAM D devices are code- and pin-compatible making it easy for designers to migrate up and down the family.

"Atmel's expanded portfolio of low-power SAM D family ARM Cortex-M0+-based devices enables more designers to deliver smart devices in this increasingly connected world," said Noel Hurley, Deputy General Manager, CPU Group, ARM. "The ARM Cortex-M0+ processor is a highly area- and energy-efficient core which enables partners, such as Atmel, to provide the right peripheral set, intelligence, communication and memory for their customers' needs. We are pleased Atmel has expanded their SAM D families with the ARM Cortex-M0+ processor."

"Atmel is constantly looking to differentiate its product portfolio to meet the rapidly changing market," said Patrick Sullivan, Vice President of Marketing, Microcontroller Business Unit, Atmel Corporation. "With the addition of the SAM D21, D10 and D11 families, we offer our customers a comprehensive portfolio of microcontrollers that include all the right features for a variety of applications. These new families highlight Atmel's differentiation through its core IP including the Event System, peripheral touch controller and SERCOM module." 

Key Features of the SAM D21

High performance

• ARM Cortex-M0+-based MCU
• 48MHz operation
• 2.14 Coremark/MHz
• Single-cycle IO access
• 6- to 12-channel Event System
• 6- to 12-channel DMA

Robust peripheral set

• Up to six SERCOM modules which are configurable as UART/USART, SPI, I2C
• 12Mbps USB 2.0 device with an embedded host and device
• Two-channel I2S with 96MHz fractional PLL for audio streaming
• Up to five 16-bit timers
• Up to three 16-bit times optimized for control applications
• Peripheral touch controller that supports up to 256 touch channels to support capacitive touch buttons, sliders, wheels and proximity sensing

Low power

• Down to 70uA/MHz in active mode
• 4uA RAM retention and real-time Clock and Calendar
• Options to choose between an internal and external oscillators and on-the-fly clock switching
• Sleepwalking

Evaluation Kit 
To help accelerate a designer's development, the SAM D21 Xplained Pro is available for USD $39. The Xplained Pro boards include an embedded debugger and programmer and have a wide range of compatible extensions boards. Standalone programmer debugger solutions supporting the SAM D family are also available from both Atmel and third parties. The Atmel SAM D MCUs are fully supported by Atmel Studio and Atmel Software Framework.

Availability  
The SAM D21 is the first family in this expanded portfolio, and samples and tools are available today with volume production in May 2014. Atmel is currently working with alpha customers. The SAM D21 is offered in 32KB to 256KB of Flash and in 32-, 48- and 64-pin packages

The SAM D10 and D11 families will be available in 14- and 20-pin SOIC and 24-pin QFN packages with up to 16KB of Flash. Both memory options will feature 4KB of SRAM. All package options minimize the number of power pins to maximize the amount of IO available for the application. Engineering samples and tools will be available in Q2 2014.

More Information 
Atmel's SAM D20 Cortex-M0+ MCU Family: http://www.atmel.com/Microsite/samd/default.aspx  
Atmel ARM-based products: http://www.atmel.com/arm/default.aspx 
Atmel YouTube Channel: www.atmel.com/youtube    
Embedded Design Blog: www.atmelcorporation.wordpress.com     
Twitter: www.atmel.com/twitter    
LinkedIn: www.atmel.com/linkedin     
Facebook: www.atmel.com/facebook

About Atmel 
Atmel Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML) is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, capacitive touch solutions, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry with complete system solutions focused on industrial, consumer, communications, computing and automotive markets.

© 2014 Atmel Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Atmel®, Atmel logo and combinations thereof and others are registered trademarks or trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. ARM^® and Cortex® are registered trademarks of ARM Ltd. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of others.

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Press Contact: 
Agnes Toan, PR Manager 
Tel: (+1) 408-487-2963, Email: [email protected] 

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SOURCE Atmel Corporation