NXP Semiconductors MCF5372LCVM240J

Overview

MCF5372LCVM240J from NXP Semiconductors (formerly Freescale) is a ColdFire V3 RISC microprocessor with a 240 MHz core clock, 32-Kbyte dual-ported SRAM, SDR/DDR SDRAM controller, Fast Ethernet Controller (FEC), USB 2.0 Host and On-the-Go controllers, and integrated cryptography accelerators - deployed in industrial VoIP gateways requiring real-time packet processing, deterministic I/O, and secure communications.

For engineers reviewing the MCF5372LCVM240J datasheet, MCF5372LCVM240J pinout, MCF5372LCVM240J application, or MCF5372LCVM240J equivalent, key selection criteria include its 196-pin MAPBGA package, 240 MHz core frequency, dual-bus SRAM accessibility, FEC MII interface timing, and USB OTG PHY voltage domain isolation.

Technical Context

The MCF5372LCVM240J implements a ColdFire Version 3 core with EMAC unit and operates at up to 240 MHz core clock and 80 MHz peripheral bus clock (core ÷ 3). Its on-chip memory subsystem includes 16-Kbyte unified write-back cache and 32-Kbyte dual-ported SRAM accessible simultaneously by CPU and DMA-capable peripherals including FEC, USB host/OTG, and QSPI.

It integrates a full FlexBus external interface, SDR/DDR SDRAM controller with dynamic mode switching via DRAMSEL, two interrupt controllers (INTC0/INTC1), 16-channel DMA, and hardware cryptographic modules (RNGA, SKHA, MDHA) supporting AES, SHA, and RSA acceleration - all coordinated through a Chip Configuration Module (CCM) and Reset Controller.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

The MCF5372LCVM240J is housed in a 196-ball MAPBGA package (15 mm × 15 mm, 0.8 mm pitch), with power domains segregated across EVDD (3.0–3.6 V I/O), IVDD (1.4–1.6 V core), SDVDD (1.7–3.6 V SDRAM/FlexBus), PLLVDD (1.4–1.6 V), and USBVDD (3.0–3.6 V).

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar microprocessor applications.

Compared with MCF5372LCVM240J, MCF5373LCVM240 adds verified cryptographic acceleration essential for secure protocols, while i.MX27 offers higher ARM performance but requires full hardware/software redesign due to incompatible peripheral mapping and timing models.

Availability

MCF5372LCVM240J is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial VoIP gateways, secure network appliances, Ethernet I/O controllers, and multi-protocol field gateways requiring stable component supply, long-term lifecycle support, and traceable sourcing.

Supply support for MCF5372LCVM240J 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

NXP Semiconductors is a global semiconductor leader delivering secure, scalable solutions for automotive, industrial, IoT, and communication infrastructure markets.

The MCF537x family was designed as high-performance ColdFire microprocessors targeting real-time embedded networking applications - specifically VoIP, industrial Ethernet, and secure communications where deterministic latency, integrated peripherals, and cryptographic acceleration are critical.

FAQ

What is the maximum operating frequency of the MCF5372LCVM240J core?

The MCF5372LCVM240J core operates at up to 240 MHz, achieving 211 Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS performance. This frequency is enabled by the internal PLL driven from a 25 MHz crystal (25 MHz × 9.6 = 240 MHz), with strict power filtering requirements on PLLVDD per Section 3.1 of the datasheet. The 240 MHz rating applies only to the MCF5372L variant in 196 MAPBGA packaging - the base MCF5372 is limited to 180 MHz.

Does the MCF5372LCVM240J include hardware cryptography acceleration?

No, the MCF5372LCVM240J does not include RNGA, SKHA, or MDHA cryptographic modules. These accelerators are exclusive to the MCF5373 and MCF5373L variants per Table 1 of the datasheet. The MCF5372LCVM240J supports software-based crypto libraries only, making it suitable for applications where security requirements do not mandate hardware-accelerated AES or SHA operations.

What package type and pin count does the MCF5372LCVM240J use?

The MCF5372LCVM240J uses a 196-ball MAPBGA package (15 mm × 15 mm, 0.8 mm pitch) with ball map defined in Figure 4 of the datasheet. It is pin-compatible with MCF5373LCVM240 and MCF53721CVM240 in the same package, but functional differences exist - notably the absence of FlexCAN in MCF5372LCVM240J and missing crypto engines versus MCF5373L.

Which SDRAM standards are supported by the MCF5372LCVM240J controller?

The MCF5372LCVM240J SDRAM controller supports both SDR SDRAM (PC100/PC133) and DDR SDRAM (DDR1, 200/266 MT/s) with automatic mode switching controlled by the DRAMSEL pin. Timing parameters are fully programmable per JEDEC specifications, and AC characteristics for both modes are detailed in Sections 5.7.1 and 5.7.2 of the datasheet.

How many UART interfaces does the MCF5372LCVM240J provide, and are they all independently usable?

The MCF5372LCVM240J provides three UARTs (U0, U1, and U2), with U0 and U1 having dedicated pins and U2 multiplexed onto QSPI/DMA timer pins. All three are independently configurable and usable, though U2 requires GPIO remapping and careful conflict avoidance with QSPI or timer functions - confirmed by signal muxing table entries for U2TXD/U2RXD in Table 3.