Microchip ATSAMR35J18BT-I/7JX: A Secure LoRaWAN-Enabled System-on-Chip Solution for Sub-GHz IoT Applications

The rapid expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) demands highly integrated, power-efficient, and secure connectivity solutions, particularly for long-range applications. Addressing this need, Microchip Technology's ATSAMR35J18BT-I/7JX emerges as a premier System-on-Chip (SoC) solution, expertly engineered to serve as the core of robust, low-power, and secure sub-GHz IoT end-node devices.

At the heart of this SoC lies a powerful 32-bit Arm® Cortex®-M4F processor, which provides the computational muscle necessary for complex application tasks and real-time processing. This is complemented by a dedicated ultra-low-power Cortex-M0+ core that manages the radio subsystem. This asymmetric multiprocessing architecture is a key innovation, allowing the main application processor to enter low-power sleep modes while the M0+ efficiently handles radio protocols, dramatically extending battery life in field deployments that are expected to last for years.

The integrated radio transceiver is a cornerstone of its functionality. It supports continuous frequency coverage from 287 MHz to 930 MHz, making it a truly global solution adaptable to regional sub-GHz ISM band regulations. More importantly, it is specifically designed for LoRaWAN® protocol support, enabling direct connection to public or private LoRaWAN networks. This provides developers with a seamless, certified path to implementing long-range, low-data-rate communication for use cases like smart agriculture, asset tracking, smart city metering, and industrial monitoring.

Beyond connectivity, the ATSAMR35J18BT-I/7JX places a paramount emphasis on security. It incorporates a comprehensive suite of hardware-based security features, including a True Random Number Generator (TRNG), AES-256 and SHA-256 cryptographic accelerators, and secure boot capabilities. These elements are critical for protecting device integrity, ensuring data confidentiality, and enabling secure authentication and onboarding into LoRaWAN networks, thereby guarding against cyber threats throughout the device's lifecycle.

Housed in a compact 64-pin VQFN package, the SoC combines the microcontroller, radio, and security elements into a single chip. This high level of integration significantly reduces the Bill of Materials (BOM) and overall PCB footprint, simplifying design complexity and accelerating time-to-market for IoT product developers.

ICGOODFIND: The Microchip ATSAMR35J18BT-I/7JX stands out as a highly integrated and secure SoC platform that effectively consolidates a high-performance microcontroller, a global sub-GHz LoRa radio, and robust hardware security into a single, low-power device. It is an optimal choice for developers building next-generation IoT end-nodes that require long-range connectivity, years of battery life, and uncompromising security.

Keywords: LoRaWAN, System-on-Chip (SoC), Sub-GHz IoT, Secure Hardware, Low-Power.