ATmega328P-AU device package

ATMega328P-AU schematic symbol

Microcontrollers are perhaps the most versatile and widely used ICs in electronic circuits. A microcontroller is a programmable integrated circuit (IC) which can be considered as a miniature computer system. A microcontroller IC typically combines processor core, RAM, ROM, and input/output peripherals into a single IC package. Due to their versatility and functionality, microcontrollers can virtually be found in almost all digital electronic circuits and embedded systems. From home appliances, office machines, entertainment systems, modems, and vending machines to satellite systems, industrial robots, military hardware, automotives and aircrafts, microcontrollers are found everywhere. The greatest feature of microcontrollers is their ability to be programmed which allows the engineers to customize their functionality according to their requirements. Today thousands of different microcontrollers with varying bit sizes, package sizes, clock speeds, RAMs, ROMs, I/Os and other technical specifications are available in the market to choose from. The latest technology paradigms of Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things have increased the utility and importance of microcontrollers manifold.

Table of Contents

What is ATMEGA328P-AU？

The ATMEGA328P-AU is an AVR 8-bit high-performance low-power microcontroller from ATMEL Corporation. The ATMEGA328P-AU is a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture microcontroller with 32kB of flash memory. The microcontroller IC also houses 1kB of EEPROM, 2kB of SRAM and 23 GPIO lines. The device also features three flexible timers/counter, serial USART, SPI port, 10-bit ADC and five programmable power saving modes. The operating voltage range is 2.7V to 5.5V. The AU suffix in the name signifies that the microcontroller comes in a TQFP package and has an “industrial” temperature range.

Pin Configuration

The pin description of the ATMEGA328P microcontroller is given in the following table:

Pin name	Pin description
Vcc	Digital supply voltage
GND	Ground
PB7:0	Port B pins. Bi-directional I/O port with internal pull up resistors.
PC5:0	Port C pins. Bi-directional I/O port with internal pull up resistors.
PD7:0	Port D pins. Bi-directional I/O port with internal pull up resistors.
AVcc	Supply voltage for ADC.
Aref	Analog reference pin for ADC.

Features

8-bit microcontroller
RISC architecture
Powerful instruction set
Single clock cycle execution
Fully static operation
16 MIPS throughput at 16MHz
On-chip 2 cycle multiplier
1kB EEPROM
2kB built-in SRAM
Optional boot code section
Firmware lock security feature
Real time counter with separate oscillator
Six PWM channels
8-channel 10-bit ADC
Programmable serial USART
SPI interface
On-chip analog comparator
Internal calibrated oscillator
Six sleep modes

Applications

Since microcontrollers are general-purpose programmable ICs, so there are literally hundreds of applications in which they are used. Some of the popular applications of microcontrollers are listed down below:

Camera systems
Security alarms
Washing machines
Temperature control systems
Building automation systems
Motor control circuits
Instrumentation devices
Industrial control systems
Robot systems
IC testing equipment
GPS tracking applications
GSM based automation systems
RFID based identification systems
Kitchen appliances

Specifications

The salient technical specifications of the ATMEGA328P-AU are listed as following:

Architecture: 8-bit RISC
Instruction set length; 131
General purpose registers: 32 x 8-bit
Flash memory: 32kB
EEPROM: 1kB
SRAM: 2kB
Timer/counter: 2 x 8-bit
ADC: 8-channel 10-bit
GPIOs: 23
Package: 32 lead TQFP
Throughput: 1 MIPS per MHz
Low power modes: 6
Max oscillator frequency: 16MHz

Alternatives

ATmega328P-AUR, ATMEGA328P-AU SL044, ATMEGA328P-AUR SL044;

How ATMEGA328P-AU work?

There is a plethora of applications and circuits in which microcontrollers are used. One of the most common applications of the microcontrollers is the control of DC motors. H-bridges or motor driver ICs are used in conjunction with microcontroller to control the DC motors because microcontrollers cannot provide sufficient power for the motors to run. The ATMEGA328P microcontroller also features PWM channels therefore the PWM based control of motors is also possible.

Following is a DC motor control application circuit based on ATMEGA328P microcontroller.

ATMEGA328P-AU application circuit

ATMEGA328P-AU Related Products Prices

Parts	Mfr.	Description	Stock	Prices
ATMEGA328P-AU	Microchip Technology	IC MCU 8BIT 32KB FLASH 32TQFP	65,047	$1.384 Lowest
ATMEGA328P-AUR	Atmel	8-bit Microcontroller with Programmable Flash	5000	$1.255 Lowest
ATMEGA3250-16AU	Atmel	8-bit Microcontroller with Programmable Flash	40	$1.231