Microchip Technology ATSTK600-RC89

Overview

ATSTK600-RC89 from Microchip Technology (formerly Atmel) is a development kit designed to evaluate the AT32UC3L064, AT32UC3L032, and AT32UC3L016 32-bit AVR UC microcontrollers - featuring picoPower® ultra-low-power operation, up to 50MHz CPU frequency, 64KB Flash/16KB SRAM, 36 GPIO, 36 PWM channels, and integrated capacitive touch (QTouch®/QMatrix®) support. It enables rapid prototyping of battery-powered embedded control, human-machine interface (HMI), and sensor-edge applications.

For engineers reviewing the ATSTK600-RC89 datasheet, ATSTK600-RC89 pinout, ATSTK600-RC89 application, or ATSTK600-RC89 equivalent, this kit provides full access to all I/O signals (including JTAG, aWire, TWI, USART, SPI, ADC, and CAT pins), on-board debug via JTAG/aWire, configurable power domains (VDDIO/VDDANA/VDDCORE), and direct socketed support for 48-pin TQFP/QFN/TLLGA packages of the AT32UC3L family.

Technical Context

The ATSTK600-RC89 is a hardware evaluation platform-not an IC-built around the AT32UC3L series MCU socket. It implements full signal routing from the MCU's 48-pin footprint to headers, switches, LEDs, and connectors, with dedicated traces for high-speed peripherals (USART, SPI, TWI), analog domain isolation (VDDANA/GNDANA), and capacitive touch sensor pads. Power is regulated and selectable between 1.8V and 3.3V for VDDIO, with independent VDDCORE and VDDANA supplies.

It integrates a JTAGICE3-compatible debug interface, supports both JTAG and single-pin aWire programming/debugging, and includes onboard reset, wake-up, and oscillator configuration options (32kHz crystal, DFLL, RC oscillators). The board provides direct access to all 36 GPIO, 8 ADC inputs, 36 PWM outputs, 4 USARTs, 2 TWIs, 1 SPI, and the full CAT module interface (CSA/CSB/SMP/VDIVEN/DIS/SYNC).

Key Specifications

Availability

ATSTK600-RC89 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for HMI development, low-power sensor node validation, capacitive touch UI prototyping, and real-time embedded control system design requiring stable component supply and full-spectrum peripheral access.

Supply support for ATSTK600-RC89 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 firmware libraries. The company specializes in microcontrollers, analog, FPGA, and security solutions for industrial, automotive, and IoT markets.

The ATSTK600-RC89 belongs to Microchip's ATSTK600 family of modular evaluation platforms - engineered specifically to accelerate development of ultra-low-power 32-bit AVR UC-based systems with emphasis on capacitive touch, real-time control, and energy-constrained edge applications.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the ATSTK600-RC89 development kit?

The ATSTK600-RC89 is a hardware evaluation platform designed exclusively for the AT32UC3L016/032/064 32-bit AVR UC microcontrollers. It provides full electrical access to all MCU pins, on-board debug (JTAG/aWire), configurable power domains, and direct support for capacitive touch sensor interfacing - enabling rapid validation of low-power HMI, sensor fusion, and real-time control designs before PCB layout.

Which microcontroller variants are supported by the ATSTK600-RC89?

The ATSTK600-RC89 supports all three members of the AT32UC3L family in 48-pin TQFP/QFN/TLLGA packages: AT32UC3L016 (16KB Flash), AT32UC3L032 (32KB Flash), and AT32UC3L064 (64KB Flash). All share identical pinouts, peripheral sets, and power architecture - allowing seamless migration across memory densities using the same ATSTK600-RC89 board.

Does the ATSTK600-RC89 support capacitive touch development out of the box?

Yes. The ATSTK600-RC89 includes dedicated PCB pads and routed connections for the full CAT module interface - CSA0–16, CSB0–16, SMP, SYNC, VDIVEN, DIS - enabling immediate connection of QTouch® or QMatrix® sensors. It also ships with example firmware and is fully compatible with Atmel Studio and the QTouch Library for button/slider/wheel implementation without hardware modification.

Can the ATSTK600-RC89 be used for low-power current measurement and optimization?

Yes. The ATSTK600-RC89 provides test points and jumper-selectable power domains (VDDIO, VDDCORE, VDDANA) with on-board shunt resistors, enabling precise µA-level current measurement per supply rail. Its support for SleepWalking, autonomous AST wakeup, and picoPower® modes allows engineers to validate ultra-low-power states - down to 9nA standby with backup registers retained - directly on the board.

Is the ATSTK600-RC89 compatible with modern debug tools like MPLAB® ICD4 or JTAGICE3?

Yes. The ATSTK600-RC89 features a standard 10-pin JTAG connector and is fully compatible with Microchip's JTAGICE3 debugger. It also supports the single-pin aWire interface (muxed with RESET_N), enabling debugging and programming even when all JTAG pins are repurposed as GPIO - a key advantage for space-constrained or production-ready firmware validation using the ATSTK600-RC89.