Microchip Technology ATSTK600-RC25

Overview

ATSTK600-RC25 from Microchip Technology (formerly Atmel) is a development kit for the AT32UC3L016/32/64 family of 32-bit AVR UC microcontrollers, supporting evaluation of picoPower® low-power operation, capacitive touch (QTouch®/QMatrix®), and real-time clock functionality via integrated 32kHz crystal oscillator. It enables full debugging via JTAG/aWire, features 48-pin TQFP/QFN/TLLGA socket support, and provides access to all 36 GPIOs, 36 PWM channels, four USARTs, dual TWI, SPI, 12-bit ADC, and on-chip FlashVault™ secure library execution.

For engineers reviewing the ATSTK600-RC25 datasheet, ATSTK600-RC25 pinout, ATSTK600-RC25 application, or ATSTK600-RC25 equivalent, this kit serves as the reference platform for validating ultra-low-power embedded designs targeting battery-powered industrial sensors, capacitive HMI interfaces, and time-critical RTOS-based control systems requiring SleepWalking™ peripheral autonomy and secure firmware partitioning.

Technical Context

The ATSTK600-RC25 is a hardware evaluation platform-not an IC-designed specifically for the AT32UC3L016/32/64 series. It integrates a pre-mounted 32.768kHz crystal oscillator (XIN32/XOUT32), configurable power supply (1.62–3.6V), and direct routing to all critical debug and peripheral signals including JTAG (TCK/TMS/TDO/TDI), aWire (RESET_N/PA00), and capacitive touch sense lines (CSA/CSB).

It supports full Nexus Class 2+ trace via MDO/MSEO/EVTI_N pins and enables validation of key system-level behaviors: Peripheral Event System-triggered wake-up from deep sleep, AST calendar-mode RTC with 136-year timeout, DFLL frequency locking to 32kHz reference, and secure MPU/SAU memory protection boundaries during FlashVault™ library execution.

Key Specifications

Availability

ATSTK600-RC25 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial sensor node development, capacitive HMI prototyping, ultra-low-power RTOS validation, and secure firmware library integration requiring stable component supply and long-term toolchain continuity.

Supply support for ATSTK600-RC25 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Microchip Technology acquired Atmel in 2016 and maintains full support for the AVR32 UC product line, including documentation, tools, and legacy design resources.

The ATSTK600-RC25 belongs to Microchip's ATSTK600 starter kit family, engineered to accelerate development of energy-efficient, secure, and touch-enabled 32-bit embedded applications targeting industrial automation, consumer appliances, and portable medical devices.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the ATSTK600-RC25?

The ATSTK600-RC25 is a dedicated evaluation and development kit for the AT32UC3L016/32/64 microcontroller family. It is not a standalone IC but a board-level tool that provides physical socketing, power regulation, crystal oscillator support (32.768kHz), debug interface routing (JTAG/aWire), and full signal access to validate low-power operation, capacitive touch sensing, real-time clock functionality, and secure FlashVault™ library execution-all using the actual target silicon. The ATSTK600-RC25 enables hardware-software co-design before custom PCB spin.

Does the ATSTK600-RC25 include the AT32UC3L microcontroller?

Yes, the ATSTK600-RC25 ships with a pre-mounted AT32UC3L064 microcontroller (64KB Flash, 16KB SRAM, 36 GPIO) in a 48-pin TQFP package. This allows immediate out-of-box evaluation without requiring users to source or solder the MCU. The board supports socket replacement with AT32UC3L032 or AT32UC3L016 variants for memory-scaling validation, maintaining identical pinout and peripheral compatibility.

How does the ATSTK600-RC25 support ultra-low-power design verification?

The ATSTK600-RC25 enables measurement and validation of picoPower® features including SleepWalking™ peripheral autonomy, 9nA standby leakage with backup register retention, and 165µA/MHz active current. It routes all power domains (VDDCORE/VDDIO/VDDANA), exposes reset and wake-up sources (EIC/AST), and supports direct current monitoring via test points. Engineers use the ATSTK600-RC25 to verify wake-up latency, RTC calendar accuracy, and DFLL lock stability under varying supply voltages-critical for battery-operated applications.

Can the ATSTK600-RC25 be used for QTouch® capacitive touch development?

Yes-the ATSTK600-RC25 includes dedicated headers for CSA[16:0] and CSB[16:0] signals, enabling direct connection of Atmel QTouch® or QMatrix® capacitive sensors. It supports full hardware-accelerated acquisition, adjacent key suppression (AKS®), and autonomous wake-up from sleep modes. The board is preconfigured to run the QTouch Library and integrates the required analog reference (ADVREFP), temperature sensor, and calibration paths needed to develop robust touch buttons, sliders, and wheels without custom hardware.

What debug capabilities does the ATSTK600-RC25 provide for the AT32UC3L series?

The ATSTK600-RC25 delivers full Nexus Class 2+ On-chip Debug (OCD) support, including non-intrusive real-time program/data trace, runtime control, and full-speed memory access. It routes all JTAG pins (TCK/TMS/TDO/TDI), aWire signals (RESET_N/PA00), and NanoTrace trace pins (MDO[5:0], MSEO[1:0], EVTI_N/EVTO_N). This allows engineers to debug complex interrupt latency, DMA-peripheral handshaking, and secure state transitions in the AT32UC3L064 while running the ATSTK600-RC25 with production firmware and timing constraints.