New Kinetis MCUs Fortify EMC/ESD Protection
Freescale Semiconductor added three new families to its Kinetis E microcontroller (MCU) series, which are built around the ARM Cortex-M0+ architecture. The KE02 (running up to 40 MHz), KE04 (up to 48 MHz), and KE06 (up to 48 MHz) MCUs feature electromagnetic noise immunity for systems that traditionally use 8- and 16-bit MCUs (e.g., white goods and industrial applications), and boost efficiency and code density. Electromagnetic-compatibility (EMC) and electrostatic-discharge (ESD) protection comply with industrial-grade reliability and temperature requirement. They operate from 2.7 to 5.5 V and across ‒40 to +105°C. Also incorporated are a single-cycle 32- by 32-bit multiplier and single-cycle I/O access port. Memory includes up to 128 kbytes of flash, up to 16 kbytes of RAM, and up to 256 bytes of EEPROM. Thanks to large-pitch packaging options and ESD protection, designers can opt for single-layer board designs and eschew added circuit-protection components. Built-in hardware safety features and pre-certified, fault-tolerant software routines help meet the IEC 60730 Class B safety standard for household appliances.