Atmel has announced an ARM9 microcontroller that dissipates 80mW at 400MHz.

Dubbed AT91SAM9G20, "it is pin-compatible with the 200 MHz AT91SAM9260, offers four times the cache and on-chip SRAM memory and features improved error correction for external NAND flash as well as an enlarged Ethernet FIFO that improves latency", said the firm. "It draws only 80mW in full-power mode with all peripherals turned on."

Four reduced power modes are available, including 'backup' where the main power supply is off and the device consumes 9mW "for an extended period of operation under battery supply", said the firm.

The chip has Atmel's DMA and distributed memory architecture that, together with the 6-layer bus matrix, enables multiple simultaneous data transfers between memories, peripherals and external interfaces without consuming CPU clock cycles. The external bus interface is clocked at 133MHz. "This architecture," claimed the firm, "gives the device the high internal and external data bandwidth required by many embedded networked applications."

Interfaces include a 12Mbit/s USB host, an Ethernet 10/100 Base T MAC, four USARTs, SPI, SSC and a two-wire interface.

The firm is aiming the controller at point-of-sale terminals, building automation, security cameras and bar code readers, and said: "The image sensing requirements of many of the target applications for the AT91SAM9G20 are met by an integrated image sensor interface."

Supported operating systems include: Windows CE, .NET MF and Linux, as well as RTOSs and middleware from Adeneo, IAR, Keil, Mentor Graphics, Micrium, Segger and TimeSys.

Samples are available now in a 217ball LFBGA RoHS-compliant package and the Atmel said the older AT91SAM9260 "will continue to be supplied and fully supported as long as demand continues".