Silicon Labs boosts analog integration in MCUs

Silicon Laboratories Inc. has kicked up the analog integration level in its latest 8-bit microcontrollers, which include an on-chip temperature sensor in a small 4mm x 4mm package for communication and industrial applications.

The temperature sensor provides ±2°C accuracy through an extended temperature range up to 105ºC without the need for calibration. In addition to the temperature sensor, the C8051F39x/7x 8-bit MCUs also integrate several other analog components, including a crystal, differential A/D converter, voltage reference and two D/A converters. These on-chip analog peripherals enable developers to minimize discrete components and reduce the BOM cost by more than $0.30 (USD), according to the company.

The C8051F39x/7x MCU family is aimed at optical transceiver modules, sensor interfaces and brushless dc motor applications for fans, dryers, vacuum cleaners and remote control toy vehicles.

The C8051F39x/7x MCUs are based on a patented, pipeline 8051 core that provides 2.5x faster CPU performance (up to 50 MIPS) than competing devices, according to Silicon Labs. Finer resolution pulse-width modulation (PWM) offers the ability to execute more complex algorithms, enabling a greater range of motor speeds and higher efficiency in motor control applications. Support for four interrupt priorities allows fast interrupt handling for real-time applications.

Addressing the industry need for low-power operation and green energy compliance, the C8051F39x/7x MCUs are designed to consume an ultra-low 160 µA/MHz in active mode.

The C8051F37x devices are the first Silicon Labs MCUs with 512B of EEPROM, supporting ten times more write/erase cycles (1M vs. 100k typical) and faster programming times (3.5 ms vs. 112 ms) compared to standard flash implementations. These increased write/erase cycles are useful for applications such as wireless sensor nodes and data loggers that must constantly write to memory. The faster programming times often are needed for applications such as industrial controls and optical modules that require tight calibration loops.   

Production quantities are available now in 4 mm x 4 mm 20-pin and 24-pin QFN packages with 4 to 16 kB flash sizes, as well as 1 kB RAM. The F39x/7x devices are footprint and code compatible with Silicon Labs’ C8051F33x MCUs. Product pricing for the C8051F39x/7x family in 10,000-unit quantities begins at $0.98 (USD). The C8051F390-A-DK and C8051F370-A-DK development kits are available for $69.00 (USD MSRP). The TOOLSTICK370-A-DC is available for $9.90 (USD MSRP).

For additional C8051F39x/7x MCU product information, click here.