ATMEGA2560-16AU device package

ATMEGA2560-16AU 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 ATMEGA2560-16AU？

The ATMEGA2560-16AU is an AVR 8-bit high-performance low-power microcontroller from ATMEL Corporation. The ATMEGA2560-16AU is a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture microcontroller with 256kB of flash memory. The microcontroller IC also houses 4kB of EEPROM, 8kB of internal SRAM and 86 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 1.8V to 5.5V. The A in the suffix signifies that the microcontroller comes in a TQFP package and the U signifies that the device has an “industrial” temperature range.

Pin Configuration

The pin description of the ATMEGA2560-16AU microcontroller is given in the following table:

Pin name	Pin description
Vcc, GND	Digital supply voltage and ground pins
PA7:0	Port A pins. Bi-directional I/O port with internal pull up resistors.
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.
PE7:0	Port E pins. Bi-directional I/O port with internal pull up resistors.
PF7:0	Analog input port for the ADC.
PH/J/K/L7:0	Port H/J/K/L 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
Fully static operation
16 MIPS throughput at 16MHz
On-chip 2 cycle multiplier
4kB EEPROM
8kB built-in SRAM
256kB flash memory
Optional boot code section
Firmware lock security feature
Real time counter with separate oscillator
12 x PWM channels
16-channel 10-bit ADC
4 x Programmable serial USART
SPI interface
On-chip analog comparator
Internal calibrated oscillator
Support for power down 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 ATMEGA2560-16AU are listed as following:

Architecture: 8-bit RISC
Instruction set length; 135
General purpose registers: 32 x 8-bit
Flash memory: 256kB
EEPROM: 4kB
SRAM: 8kB
Timer/counter: 2 x 8-bit
ADC: 16-channel 10-bit
GPIOs: 86
Package: 100 lead TQFP
Throughput: 1 MIPS per MHz
Max oscillator frequency: 16MHz

Alternatives

CY8C3446AXI-115, CY8C3246AXI-138T, CY8C3246AXI-138;

How ATMEGA2560-16AU 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 ATMEGA2560 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 ATMEGA2560 microcontroller.

ATMEGA2560 application circuit

Parts	Mfr.	Description	Stock	Prices
ATMEGA2560-16AU	Microchip Technology	IC MCU 8BIT 256KB FLASH 100TQFP	6500	$5.041 Lowest
ATMEGA1284P-AUR	Microchip Technology	IC MCU 8BIT 128KB FLASH 44TQFP	7500	$3.187 Lowest
ATMEGA1284P-MU	Microchip Technology	IC MCU 8BIT 128KB FLASH 44VQFN	5000	$3.539 Lowest
ATMEGA1284P-PU	Microchip Technology	IC MCU 8BIT 128KB FLASH 40DIP	3128	$5.377 Lowest
ATMEGA328P-MMHR	Microchip Technology	IC MCU 8BIT 32KB FLASH 28VQFN	5136	$1.893 Lowest