Embedded - Microprocessors

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
P80862 Intel	MPU, 16-BIT, 8MHZ, NMOS	1326
MC9328MXLVP15 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors)	RISC MICROPROCESSOR, DRAGONBALL,	80
LS1043ASE7QQA NXP Semiconductors	LS1043A - QORIQ LAYERSCAPE, ARM	17
AM4372BZDN60 Texas Instruments	SITARA CORTEX-A9 PROCESSOR	0
ATSAMA5D225C-D1M-CUR Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	BGA GREEN, IND TEMP,MRLC,128MBIT	1247
MPC8358ECZQAGDGA Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors)	POWERQUICC RISC MICROPROCESSOR,	33
MPC8308ZQAFDA NXP Semiconductors	IC MPU MPC83XX 333MHZ 473MAPBGA	0
MCIMX6D6AVT10AD NXP Semiconductors	I.MX 6 SERIES 32-BIT MPU, DUAL A	55
MC9SDG256BCFUR2 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors)	16-BIT, FLASH, 25MHZ PQFP80	3000
Z8401506FEC00TR Zilog / Littelfuse	IC MPU Z80 6MHZ 100QFP	0
MC68HSC705J1ACP Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors)	8-BIT, OTPROM, 6805 CPU, 4MHZ	3046
MCIMX355AVM4B Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors)	I.MX35 32-BIT MPU, ARM1136JF-S C	90
HD64180S2CP10 Renesas Electronics America	8-BIT MICROPROCESSOR	94
P2020NXE2MHC NXP Semiconductors	IC MPU Q OR IQ 1.2GHZ 689TEBGA	0
R9A06G032VGBA#AC1 Renesas Electronics America	SOC ARM CORTEX RZ/N1D 324PIN	50
MPC8541EPXAJD Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors)	POWERQUICC RISC MICROPROCESSORS,	684
MC68SEC000AA20R2 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors)	MICROPROCESSOR, 32 BIT, MC68000	750
T1020NSE7PQB NXP Semiconductors	QORIQ T1020 MULTICORE COMMUNICAT	60
AT91SAM9X35-CU Roving Networks / Microchip Technology	IC MCU 32BIT 64KB ROM 217BGA	719
MPC8260AVVPJDB Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NXP Semiconductors)	POWERQUICC RISC MICROPROCESSOR,	0

Embedded - Microprocessors

1. Overview

Embedded microprocessors are specialized computing units designed for dedicated control, monitoring, or processing tasks within electronic systems. Unlike general-purpose CPUs, they integrate processing cores, memory interfaces, and peripheral controllers into a single chip (SoC) to optimize performance, power efficiency, and cost for specific applications. These devices form the backbone of modern IoT, automotive systems, industrial automation, and consumer electronics.

2. Main Types and Functional Classification

Type	Functional Characteristics	Application Examples
ARM Cortex-M Series	Low-power 32-bit cores with real-time capabilities, optional DSP extensions	Smart sensors, wearables, motor control
PowerPC	High reliability, floating-point units, automotive/Aerospace focused	Vehicle ECUs, avionics systems
MIPS	Efficient pipelining, 32/64-bit variants for multimedia processing	Networking equipment, set-top boxes
RISC-V	Open instruction set, modular architecture for customization	AI accelerators, edge computing devices
x86 (Embedded)	PC compatibility, high processing power with integrated GPUs	Industrial PCs, medical imaging equipment

3. Architecture and Components

A typical embedded microprocessor contains:

Processing Core(s): RISC/Complex Instruction Set architectures with 1-8 cores
Memory Subsystem: Integrated SRAM, ROM, and external DRAM controllers
Peripheral Interfaces: UART, SPI, I2C, USB, CAN, PCIe, Ethernet MAC
Real-Time Components: Watchdog timers, PWM generators, ADC/DAC modules
Power Management: Multiple sleep modes, DVFS (Dynamic Voltage/Frequency Scaling)

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Description	Importance
Clock Frequency	Operating speed (10MHz-6GHz)	Determines processing throughput
Instruction Set	RISC vs CISC architecture	Affects code density and power consumption
TDP (Thermal Design Power)	Power consumption under load (100mW-50W)	Dictates thermal management requirements
Process Node	Manufacturing technology (28nm-5nm)	Impacts performance and energy efficiency
Memory Bandwidth	Data transfer rate between core and memory	Limits performance in data-intensive tasks

5. Application Domains

Consumer Electronics: Smartphones (application processors), home appliances
Automotive: ADAS controllers, engine management systems
Industrial: PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), robotics
Healthcare: MRI scanners, portable diagnostic devices
Communications: 5G base stations, optical network transceivers

6. Leading Manufacturers and Products

Manufacturer	Representative Product	Key Features
ARM Holdings	Cortex-A78	128-bit NEON engine, 4nm process, 3.0GHz
Intel	Atom x6425E	Quad-core, 12W TDP, integrated Intel HD Graphics
NXP Semiconductors	i.MX 8M Plus	1.8GHz Cortex-A53, NPU for ML acceleration
Microchip	SAM9X60	32-bit ARM926EJ-S, 120MHz, ECC memory support
Qualcomm	QCS610	Hexagon DSP, Adreno GPU, AI Engine for computer vision

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations include:

Performance requirements vs power budget (e.g., Cortex-M55 for ultra-low-power AI)
Real-time constraints (deterministic latency for motor control applications)
Peripheral integration (CAN FD for automotive networks)
Software ecosystem (RTOS support, middleware availability)
Longevity and supply chain stability (automotive-grade qualification)

Case Study: A smart thermostat design selected NXP's MCIMX7U5 (Cortex-M4 + Cortex-A7) for its combination of real-time sensor processing and application-layer connectivity.

8. Industry Trends

Emerging directions include:

AI integration: On-chip neural processing units (NPUs) for edge ML inference
Heterogeneous computing: Multi-architecture SoCs (RISC-V + GPU + NPU)
Advanced packaging: 3D-stacked memory integration for bandwidth-intensive applications
Functional safety: ISO 26262 compliance for autonomous vehicle systems
Open ecosystems: Growth of RISC-V adoption in custom ASIC designs