The industry's most popular Cortex processor-based MCU platform,
Facilitating the expansion and upgrade of end-consumer products
Provides over 250 types of compatible components

Korea, October 13, 2011 – STMicroelectronics ( www.st.com ), a world-leading integrated semiconductor company and a leader in the microcontroller field, has launched the new STM32 F4 microcontroller series. Expanding on the STM32® platform, the new STM32 F4 series is based on the latest ARM® Cortex-M4 core, adds DSP capabilities, and operates faster than the existing STM32 microcontroller portfolio. The new products are currently in mass production, strengthening ST's leadership and boasting the world's best technology[1] in the field of Cortex-M processor-based microcontrollers.

The STM32 family is the most successful product in the industry among 32-bit ARM Cortex-M processor-based MCUs, with one out of every two ARM Cortex-M-based MCUs shipped worldwide being an STM32 product [2]. ST supports a wide range of applications, including metering, medical services, POS (point of sales), building security and automation, and home audio, through its existing STM32 portfolio, and has further expanded its target applications with the STM32 F4 series. The STM32 F4 can enter the digital signal controller (DSC) market, which requires high computational performance and DSP instructions for demanding applications such as advanced motor control, medical devices, and security, through single-cycle DSP instructions. The F4 series offers increased SRAM capacity, improved performance, and a powerful peripheral set. Furthermore, because it is fully pin-to-pin and software compatible with the STM32 F2 series, customers using STM32 F2 series microcontrollers can easily upgrade to the F4 series if they require more memory, performance, or features. In addition, customers currently using an MCU and a DSP in a single system can now implement the system with a single STM32 F4 MCU that includes this high-performance digital signal controller.

Claude Dardanne, Senior Vice President and General Manager of ST’s Microcontroller, Memory, and Security MCU business unit, said, “The STM32 F4 series is not only the highest-performing Cortex M processor-based MCU currently in the industry, but also possesses numerous advantages. With over 250 compatible MCUs already in mass production, the F4 family represents the culmination of the STM32 Cortex-M processor-based MCU family, which consists of four families—the STM32 F1 series, STM32 F2 series, STM32 L1 series (all based on Cortex™-M3 processors), and the new F4 series based on Cortex-M4 processors—ranging from the industry’s best development environment and superior power consumption characteristics to overall feature enhancement.”

Lance Howarth, Senior Vice President of Marketing at ARM, stated, “By ST’s decision to add ARM Cortex-M4 processors to its extensive MCU portfolio, it has demonstrated the Cortex-M4 processor’s low power consumption, advanced design, and high-performance DSP capabilities. ST is currently the MCU vendor with the largest portfolio based on ARM Cortex-M series processors.” “The Cortex-M series represents a rapidly growing MCU architecture, and it is clear that the STM32 F4 microcontroller will accelerate the adoption of ARM architecture in microcontroller applications,” he said.

The F4 series is not only pin-to-pin and software compatible with the high-performance F2 series, but also operates at a higher frequency (168 MHz instead of 120 MHz), and provides support for single-cycle DSP instructions and a Floating Point Unit, increased SRAM capacity (192 KB instead of 128 KB), embedded flash memory from 512 KB up to 1 KB, and advanced peripherals for imaging, various connectivity interfaces, encryption, etc. ST’s 90 nm CMOS process technology and the integrated ST Adaptive Real Time “ART Accelerator” provide the best dynamic power characteristics while delivering maximum performance with zero-wait-state program execution up to 168 MHz [3].

Editor's Note:

The key features of the F4 series are as follows:

• Ultra-high-speed data transfer capabilities through a 7-layer multi-AHB bus matrix and multi-DMA controller support simultaneous execution and data transfer.
• The integrated single-precision floating-point operator accelerates the execution of control algorithms, adds more features to applications, improves code efficiency, shortens time-to-market, minimizes computational error, and supports the use of meta-language tools.
• It supports high integration including up to 1 Mbyte of on-chip flash memory, 192 Kbyte of SRAM, reset circuit, internal RC, PLL, and an RTC of less than 1 mA that provides sub-second accuracy.
• Provides additional flexibility to reduce power consumption when operating under low voltage conditions or on rechargeable batteries in applications requiring both high processing performance and low power performance. These include a 4Kbyte backup SRAM capable of storing data in standby or battery backup mode, a typical RTC consumption characteristic of less than 1µA in Vbat mode, and an internal voltage regulator providing power extension performance, which allows for the selection of performance or low power consumption characteristics.
• The best tools and software environment providing a wide variety of integrated development environments, meta-language tools, DSP libraries, affordable starter kits, software libraries, stacks, and more.
• The Ultimate Innovation Peripheral:
- Various connection interfaces: Camera interface, Crypto/Hash HW processor, Ethernet MAC10/100 providing IEEE 1588 v2 support, 2 USB OTGs (1 supports HS);
- Audio: Dedicated audio PLL and two full-duplex I2S;
- Up to 15 communication interfaces (6 USARTs operating at up to 10.5 Mbit/s, 3 SPIs operating at up to 42 Mbit/s, 3 I2Cs, 2 CANs, SDIO);
- Analog: Two 12-bit DACs and three 12-bit ADCs supporting performance of 2.4 MSPS or 7.2 MSPS in interleaving mode
- Up to 17 timers: 16-bit and 32-bit timers operating at up to 168 MHz
- Currently in Yangsan

The STM32 F4 series is available in four products:

STM32F405x: The STM32F40 product provides a complete set of advanced peripherals, including a timer, three ADCs, two DACs, a serial interface, an external memory interface, an RTC, a CRC calculator, a true analog random number generator, as well as a USB OTG (On-The-Go) full-speed/high-speed interface. It is available in four packages (WLCSP64, LQFP64, LQFP100, LQFP144) with 1 Mbyte flash.

The STM32F407 adds several advanced peripherals to the peripherals provided in the STM32F405, as follows: a second USB OTG interface (full-speed only), an integrated Ethernet MAC 10/100 supporting both MII and RMII via IEEE1588 Precise Time Protocol v2 hardware support, and 8-bit and 14-bit parallel camera interfaces providing CMOS camera sensor connectivity while supporting up to 67.2 Mbyte/s. The STM32F407 is available in four packages (LQFP100, LQFP144, LQFP/BGA176) with flash memory ranging from 512 Kbytes to 1 Mbyte.

The STM32F415 and STM32F417 products are the STM32F405 and STM32F407 with the addition of a Crypto/Hash processor. This Crypto/Hash processor includes hardware acceleration capabilities for AES 128, 192, 256, Triple DES, and HASH (MD5, SHA-1). As an example of the performance achieved through the Crypto/Hash processor, it provides AES-256 encryption processing performance of up to 149.33 Mbytes/s.

All products are currently in mass production, and the price starts at $5.74 for the STM32F407VET6 with 512 Kbytes of flash and 192 Kbytes of RAM, available in an LQFP100 package, based on a quantity of 1,000 units.