Atmel's New AVRs Bring Low Power Consumption to the High-End 8-Bit Flash Microcontroller Market

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Atmel(R) Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML), a global leader in the development and fabrication of advanced semiconductor solutions, announced today the availability of five new high performance, low power AVR(R) Flash microcontrollers. These new devices target applications requiring a large code space and extensive interfacing capability, such as single-board computers.

The ATmega640, ATmega1280 and ATmega2560 come in a 100-pin housing, while the ATmega1281 and ATmega2561 has 64 pins. The devices feature 64 to 256 Kbytes of Flash program memory, and 8 Kbytes of on-chip RAM. With their linear address range, up to 8 Megabyte, the AVR devices handle this amount of memory with no paging.

The new device family significantly reduces complete system chip count requirements. The integrated 8 MHz RC oscillator can be calibrated to an accuracy of +/-2%, thus avoiding the need for an external crystal in many applications. A watchdog timer running from an independent RC oscillator, and a brown-out detector with programmable detection level is also included, ensuring safe operation at minimum cost.

"The 1.8-volt operation and variety of low power modes, such as the 100 nA power down mode, significantly increases battery life in applications requiring large amounts of code memory," said Odd Jostein Svendsli, Atmel's AVR Marketing Manager. "The high C-code density of the AVR microcontrollers further increases battery life by reducing the number of instructions, hence the time and energy needed to perform each control task of the MCU," he added.

The 100-pin versions include 4 UART channels, 16 Analog-to-Digital Converter channels and 16 Pulse Width Modulation channels, while the 64-pin devices integrate 2 UART channels, 8 Analog-to-Digital Converter channels and 10 PWM channels. The devices have a maximum performance of 16 MIPS at 16 MHz, delivering to the application a large potential of processing power when needed.

ATmega2561 and ATmega2560 samples are available now. Production will start in 3Q05.

ATmega640, ATmega1280 and ATmega1281 will be sampled in 2Q05 with volume production in 4Q05.

The ATmega640, ATmega1280 and ATmega2560 come in a 100-pin housing, while the ATmega1281 and ATmega2561 are available in a 64-pin package.

Pricing for 10,000 units starts at $4.75 for the ATmega640, $6.00 for the ATmega1281, $6.40 for the ATmega1280, $7.50 for the ATmega2561 and $7.80 for the ATmega2560.

A complete development package is also available to help designers develop their new applications. It includes evaluation and debug tools.

Combined with the STK(R)500 starter kit, the STK501 provide all the necessary hardware to evaluate program and test the capabilities of the ATmega1281 and ATmega2561; while for the ATmega640, ATmega1280 and ATmega2560, the STK500 is associated to the STK503.

The JTAGICE mkII emulator supports the integrated on-chip debugging module of these devices through the JTAG interface.

Pricing of the development tools is $79 for the STK500, $99 for the STK501, and $119 for the STK503. JTAGICE mkII is priced at $299. All tools are available now.

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, 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 consumer, industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets, Atmel ICs can be found Everywhere You Are(SM).

NOTE: Atmel(R), logo and combinations thereof, AVR, and others are registered trademarks, and Everywhere You Are(SM) and others are trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be the trademarks of others.

Information:

Further information about Atmel's Lighting Microcontroller family may be retrieved at:

   http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?PN=ATmega1280
   http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?PN=ATmega1281
   http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?PN=ATmega2560
   http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?PN=ATmega2561
   http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?PN=ATmega640

   Atmel's Press Contacts:

   Philippe Faure, Marketing Communications Manager,
   Te l: +33 2 40 18 18 87, Email: philippe.faure@nto.atmel.com
   Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe,
   Tel: +33 1 30 60 70 68, Fax: +49 71 31 67 24 23
   Email: veronique.sablereau@atmel.com
   Clive Over, Director of Press Relations - USA and Asia,
   Tel: +1 408 451 2855, Email: cliveover@atmel.com

CONTACT: Philippe Faure, Marketing Communications Manager,
+33 2 40 18 18 87, or philippe.faure@nto.atmel.com, or Veronique Sablereau,
Corporate Communications Manager - Europe, +33 1 30 60 70 68, or fax,
+49 71 31 67 24 23, or veronique.sablereau@atmel.com, or Clive Over, Director
of Press Relations - USA and Asia, +1-408-451-2855, or cliveover@atmel.com,
all of Atmel Corporation

Web site: http://www.atmel.com/