Based on a microprocessor with the embedded SAM9X60D1G-SOM ARM926EJS™ CPU-based microprocessor that operates at up to 600 MHz. Software for the SAM9X60D1G-SOM is available without an operating system or with RTOS support via MPLAB® Harmony3 or full Linux® distributions.
The SOM, based on the SAM9X60D1G System-in-Package (SiP), is a small, hand-soldered 28mm x 28mm module that integrates the microprocessor and DDR memory into a single package, along with power supplies, clocks, and storage memory. The SAM9X60D1G-SOM is Microchip's first SOM to incorporate 4Gb of SLC NAND flash memory for maximum data storage capacity in application devices, while the DDR memory mitigates supply and price risks associated with memory chips. The small SAM9X60D1G-SOM also incorporates an MCP16501 power management circuit (PMIC) that simplifies power design efforts to a single 5V voltage, enabling lower-power systems.
To provide the functions a system connected to Ethernet might need, the SAM9X60D1G-SOM contains a KSZ8081 10/100 Ethernet physical layer (PHY) and a 1Kb serial EEPROM with a pre-programmed MAC address (EUI-48). Customers can further customize their design depending on the required level of security protection, such as secure boot with integrated secure key storage (OTP), a hardware encryption engine (TDES, AES, and SHA), and a true random number generator (TRNG).
“With the SAM9X60D1G-SOM, designers can take advantage of a mid-range microprocessor and significantly reduce design complexity,” said Rod Drake, vice president of Microchip’s 32-bit microprocessor business unit.
“This new SOM offers customers a small-size solution supplied directly by Microchip and simplifies the logistical problems involved in acquiring each of the six active components and numerous passive components in the SOM separately.”.
The SAM9X60D1G-SOM is the latest addition to Microchip's existing portfolio of microprocessor-based SOMs, featuring a common set of proven Microchip components to reduce design complexity and overall PCB costs. For example, because complex devices are already integrated into the SOM, customers can design their products using a low-cost, 4-layer PCB.
The SOM and its components are supported by the customer's obsolescence policy, which consists of continuing to supply a product for as long as possible and as long as there is demand for it. This is especially important in the current semiconductor environment, characterized by high demand and limited supply.
The SAM9X60D1G-SOM is the ideal microprocessor-based solution for numerous end-user applications across various sectors, including medical equipment, automotive telematics and infotainment systems, electric vehicle chargers, industrial control and automation, and more. It is also an ideal solution for products designed to provide computing capabilities with multiple qualified communication interfaces initially, which can then be customized for various projects.
Development tools
Microchip offers hardware and software development support for the SAM9X60D1G-SOM, including the SAM9X60D1G Curiosity Evaluation Kit (CPN: EV40E67A) with three Linux distributions: BuildRoot, Yocto, and OpenWRT. Systems without an operating system or based on RTOS are supported by MPLAB Harmony 3, the MPLAB X IDE development environment, and the XC32 compiler.
