The ATSAME51J20A-AU: A Comprehensive Guide to Microchip's Advanced Microcontroller

Introduction

The ATSAME51J20A-AU is a powerful and versatile microcontroller from Microchip Technology Incorporated. This device is based on the ARM Cortex-M4 core and features a wide range of peripherals and interfaces, making it suitable for a variety of embedded applications.

Features and Benefits

The ATSAME51J20A-AU offers an impressive array of features and benefits, including:

• High-performance ARM Cortex-M4 core: Running at up to 120 MHz, the Cortex-M4 core provides ample processing power for demanding applications.
• Extensive memory resources: With 512 KB of flash memory and 128 KB of RAM, the ATSAME51J20A-AU provides ample storage for code and data.
• Rich peripheral set: The device includes a wide range of peripherals, such as GPIOs, timers, analog-to-digital converters, and a secure crypto engine.
• Advanced communication interfaces: The ATSAME51J20A-AU supports various communication protocols, including USART, SPI, I2C, and CAN.
• Low power consumption: The microcontroller features several power-saving modes to extend battery life in portable applications.

Architectural Overview

The ATSAME51J20A-AU is built on a proven architectural design that emphasizes efficiency and flexibility. The device consists of the following key components:

• ARM Cortex-M4 core: The heart of the microcontroller, responsible for executing code and controlling peripherals.
• Memory system: Includes both flash memory for program storage and RAM for data storage.
• Peripheral interconnect matrix (PIM): Provides a flexible way to connect peripherals to the Cortex-M4 core.
• Power management unit (PMU): Monitors and controls the power supply to the device.

Applications

The ATSAME51J20A-AU is well-suited for a variety of embedded applications, including:

• Industrial automation: Monitoring and controlling industrial processes, such as machinery and robotics.
• Consumer electronics: Powering smart home devices, wearables, and other consumer products.
• Medical devices: Designing portable medical devices, such as blood glucose monitors and heart rate monitors.
• Automotive systems: Developing advanced automotive applications, such as engine control and driver assistance.
• IoT devices: Creating connected devices for smart cities, smart buildings, and other IoT applications.

Pinout Diagram

                        _______
                     _.-' ______ '-._
                   .-'   /      \   `-.
                 .'     /        \    `.
                /      (          )      \
               |       \        /       |
               |        \  _  /        |
               |         |/\| |         |
  (VCC) 10 ----+---------\ > /---------+----- (VREFH) 17
               |         | | |         |
               |        /  {  \        |
               |       /    |    \       |
               |      /     |     \      |
               |     /      |      \     |
       (VSS) 01 ----+-------|  | |-------+----- (DM) 18
               |     \     /     /     |
               |      \   /   /      |
               |       | / | \       |
               |        \/\|/        |
               |         \ /         |
               |          \/          |
                \                         /
                 `.                       .'
                   `-.                 .-'
                     `-.           .-'
                        `-.     .-'
                           `---'

Development Support

Microchip provides a comprehensive suite of development tools and resources for the ATSAME51J20A-AU, including:

• ATSAME5x Series Data Sheet: Provides detailed technical information about the device, including pinout details and register descriptions.
• ATSAME5x Series Family Reference Manual: Offers comprehensive documentation on the device's architecture, peripherals, and programming interface.
• SAMD21 development boards: Supports the evaluation and development of applications using the ATSAME5x Series microcontrollers.
• Microchip Studio (MPLAB X): Offers a powerful and free IDE for developing and debugging SAMD21 applications.

Performance Benchmarks

Independent benchmarks have demonstrated the impressive performance of the ATSAME51J20A-AU.

Peripheral Summary

The ATSAME51J20A-AU incorporates a wide range of peripherals, as summarized in the following table:

Communication Interfaces

The ATSAME51J20A-AU supports a variety of communication interfaces, providing connectivity to external devices and networks.

USART

The microcontroller includes three USART peripherals, supporting asynchronous, synchronous, and IrDA communication.

SPI

Three SPI peripherals are available, providing full-duplex, synchronous communication for various applications.

I2C

The ATSAME51J20A-AU features three I2C peripherals, offering a low-speed, two-wire communication interface.

CAN

Two CAN peripherals are included, enabling communication with automotive and industrial devices using the CAN protocol.

Security Features

The ATSAME51J20A-AU incorporates advanced security features to protect embedded applications from unauthorized access and malicious attacks.

• Secure crypto engine: Provides hardware-accelerated encryption and decryption, as well as key generation and storage.
• Tamper detection: Monitors the device's environment for unauthorized tampering or modifications.
• Secure boot: Prevents the execution of unauthorized code by verifying the authenticity of the boot loader.

Power Management

The microcontroller features several power-saving modes to optimize power consumption and extend battery life in portable applications.

Stories and Lessons Learned

Story 1: Industrial Automation

A manufacturing company used the ATSAME51J20A-AU to control a robotic arm in an industrial assembly line. The microcontroller's high performance and rich peripheral set enabled it to handle complex motion control and sensor data processing tasks efficiently.

Lesson learned: The ATSAME51J20A-AU's capabilities make it an ideal choice for demanding industrial automation applications.

Story 2: Consumer Electronics

A consumer electronics company adopted the ATSAME51J20A-AU for a new line of wearable devices. The microcontroller's low power consumption and compact form factor allowed the company to create small, energy-efficient devices with extended battery life.

Lesson learned: The ATSAME51J20A-AU's power optimization features are valuable for developing portable consumer electronics.

Story 3: IoT Development

A start-up company leveraged the ATSAME51J20A-AU for a new line of IoT sensors. The microcontroller's wireless communication capabilities and secure crypto engine enabled the company to build connected devices that collect and transmit data securely.

Lesson learned: The ATSAME51J20A-AU is a versatile platform for developing secure and connected IoT applications.

Tips and Tricks

• Utilize the PIM to optimize peripheral connections and reduce signal delays.
• Configure power-saving modes carefully to balance performance and power consumption.
• Use interrupts to enhance responsiveness and reduce polling overhead.
• Take advantage of the secure crypto engine to enhance data protection and prevent unauthorized access.
• Utilize hardware accelerators to improve performance in key areas, such as cryptography and floating-point operations.

Step-by-Step Approach to Application Development

1. Define requirements: Determine the specific requirements and features of the desired application.
2. Select peripherals: Choose the appropriate peripherals from the ATSAME51J20A-AU to meet the application's needs.
3. Configure peripherals: Initialize and configure the selected peripherals according to the application's specifications.
4. Write code: Develop the application code using the Microchip Studio (MPLAB X) IDE.
5. Debug and test: Debug the code using the emulator or debugger provided by the Microchip development tools.
6. Optimize performance: Analyze the application's performance and optimize it for speed and efficiency.

FAQs

1. What is the clock speed of the ATSAME51J20A-AU?
   - Up to 120 MHz

2. **How much memory