Date: 13/09/2011

99 cents priced 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 based MCUs for multiple low power apps

Freescale Semiconductor has expanded its portfolio of 32-bit Kinetis microcontrollers (MCUs), based on the ARM Cortex-M4 processor. The 60 new entry-level devices that are expected to begin sampling in early 2012. These MCUs consume only 630uA at a CPU speed of 4MHz in low power run mode, which is equivalent to 160uA/MHz. The lowest power mode consumes 40 nA.

"Starting at under $1 (USD), Freescale's Kinetis K10 and K20 families provide a new level of low power, integration and affordability," said Geoff Lees, vice president of Freescale's Industrial & Multi-Market MCU business. "Our latest devices offer full scalability and compatibility with our rapidly growing Kinetis portfolio."

The new ARM Cortex-M4 core K10 and K20 family members offer from 32 KB to 128 KB of flash memory in 32-pin QFN (5mm x 5mm) to 64-pin LQFP packages. Freescale says these are built using its innovative 90nm thin film storage (TFS) low-leakage flash technology with up to 32 KB of optional FlexMemory (2 KB EEPROM), very low power run and stop mode currents and fast wake-up times, and also peripheral options include a 16-bit ADC, full-speed USB On-The-Go controller with complimentary software stack, low-power touch sensing interface and several general timing, communication and control peripherals.

These devices are targeted to a broad range of applications, such as I/O modules for factory automation, portable healthcare instruments, USB microphones and gaming headsets, as well as smart grid applications that demand solid processing power with aggressive low-power profiles.

Price: 99 cents for 10K units
Available: Samples in Q4 2011, production quantities in Q1 of 2012

For more information visit: www.freescale.com