AVR® Microcontroller Hardware Design Considerations

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AVR® Microcontroller Hardware Design Considerations
Introduction
®
This application note provides basic guidelines to be followed while designing hardware using AVR
microcontrollers. Some known problems faced in typical designs have been addressed by providing
possible solutions and workarounds to resolve them.
The scope of this application note is to provide an introduction to potential design problems rather than
being an exhaustive document on designing applications using AVR microcontrollers.
Note: Read application note AVR040 - “EMC Design Considerations” before starting a new design,
especially if the design is expected to meet the requirements of the EMC directive or other similar
directives in countries outside Europe.
Features
• Guidelines for Providing Robust Analog and Digital Power Supply
• Connection of Reset Line
• Interfacing Programmers/Debuggers to AVR Devices
• Using External Crystal or Ceramic Resonator Oscillators
© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 1

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................1
Features.......................................................................................................................... 1
1. Abbreviations.............................................................................................................4
2. Power Supply............................................................................................................ 5
2.1. Digital Supply............................................................................................................................... 5
2.2. Analog Supply.............................................................................................................................. 6
3. Connection of RESET Pin on AVR Devices.............................................................. 7

3.1. External RESET Switch................................................................................................................8
4. Connecting Programmer/Debugger Lines................................................................. 9

4.1. SPI Programming Interface.......................................................................................................... 9
4.2. JTAG Interface........................................................................................................................... 10
4.3. PDI Interface...............................................................................................................................11
4.4. TPI Interface...............................................................................................................................12
4.5. UPDI Interface............................................................................................................................12
5. Using Crystal and Ceramic Resonators.................................................................. 14

5.1. Selecting the Clock Source in the AVR MCU............................................................................. 14
5.2. About Crystals and Ceramic Resonators................................................................................... 14
5.3. Recommended Capacitor Values...............................................................................................16
5.4. Unbalanced External Capacitors................................................................................................17
5.5. RTC Crystals.............................................................................................................................. 17
5.6. PCB Layout................................................................................................................................ 17
6. Unused XTAL Pins...................................................................................................18
7. Example Layout of ATxmega32A4 and ATmega324PB Devices............................ 19
8. Revision History.......................................................................................................22
The Microchip Web Site................................................................................................ 23
Customer Change Notification Service..........................................................................23
Customer Support......................................................................................................... 23
Microchip Devices Code Protection Feature................................................................. 23
Legal Notice...................................................................................................................24
Trademarks................................................................................................................... 24

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Quality Management System Certified by DNV.............................................................25
Worldwide Sales and Service........................................................................................26

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Abbreviations
1. Abbreviations
ADC Analog-to-Digital Converter
AREF Analog Reference Voltage
CPU Central Processing Unit
DC Direct Current
DIP Dual In-line Package
EEPROM or E2PROM Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory
EMC Electromagnetic Compatibility
ESD Electrostatic Discharge
GND Ground
HVPP High-Voltage/Parallel Programming
Hz Hertz
I/O Input and Output
IDE Integrated Development Environment
ISP In-System Programming
kHz KiloHertz
LED Light Emitting Diode
MCU Microcontroller Unit
MHz MegaHertz
MISO Master In Slave Out
MOSI Master Out Slave In
PCB Printed Circuit Board
PDI Program and Debug Interface
RC Filter Resistor-Capacitor Filter
RST Reset
SPI Serial Peripheral Interface
TPI Tiny Programming Interface
UPDI Unified Program and Debug Interface
VCC Supply Voltage
XTAL Crystal Oscillator

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Power Supply
2. Power Supply
The power supply is a critical part of any hardware design and affects directly the performance of the
system. Two important aspects to be considered while designing a power supply for the discrete/digital
elements of an AVR device are ESD Protection and Noise Emission. These aspects are detailed in the
AVR040 application note, hence only a short summary is included in this document.
2.1 Digital Supply

Most AVR microcontrollers operate over a wide voltage range and draw only a few mA of supply current.
This may give the impression that the power supply is not critical but, as with any digital circuit, the supply
current is an average value. The current is drawn in very short spikes on the clock edges. If I/O lines are
switching, the spikes will be even higher. If all eight I/O lines of an I/O port change value simultaneously,
the current pulses on the power supply lines can be several hundred mA. If the I/O lines are not loaded,
the pulse may last for only a few nanoseconds.
Such a current spike cannot be delivered over long power supply lines; the main source should be the
decoupling capacitor.
Figure 2-1. Incorrect Decoupling
VCC
Power Plane
MCU
I=
VCC
V=
C
High Current
Out
Loop
GND
Ground Plane
The figure above shows an example of insufficient decoupling. The capacitor is placed too far away from
the microcontroller, creating a larger high-current loop. The power and ground planes are part of the high-
current loop. As a result, noise is spread more easily to other devices on the board and radiated emission
from the board is increased even further. The whole ground plane will act as an antenna for the noise,
instead of only the high-current loop. This will be the case when the power and ground pins are
connected directly to the planes (typical for hole-mounted components) and the decoupling capacitor is
connected to the planes some distance away. This is sometimes observed in boards with surface-mount
components where the integrated circuits are placed on one side of the board and the decoupling
capacitors are placed on the other side.
The figure below shows a better placement of the capacitor. The lines that are part of the high-current
loop are not part of the power or ground planes. This is important, as the power and ground planes
otherwise will spread a lot of noise. The figure also shows another method of improving decoupling; a
series ferrite bead is inserted to reduce the switching noise on the power plane. The series impedance of
the ferrite bead should be low enough to ensure that there is no significant drop in the DC voltage. The
ferrite bead may not be necessary, especially if the power supply itself is sufficiently filtered.

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Power Supply
Figure 2-2. Decoupling with Series Inductor

VCC
Power Plane
MCU
I= L I=
VCC
Ferrite Bead V=
C
High Current
Out
Loop
GND
Ground Plane
Another decoupling alternative is to connect the device power and ground pins directly to the planes and
connect the decoupling capacitor(s) to the planes as close as possible to the power and ground pins. For
large packages, placing decoupling capacitors on the opposite side of the board may be the best way of
getting them as close as possible to the power and ground pins. Also, in this approach, it is critical to
minimize the loop area formed between the decoupling capacitor and device power and ground pin. The
downside of this approach is that power plane noise can more easily be coupled to the device power
supply - thus making sure that the power plane is properly filtered in general becomes more important.
In AVR devices, where power and ground pins are placed close together, there will be better decoupling
than in devices with industry standard pinout. In industry standard pinout, the power and ground pins are
placed in opposite corners of the DIP package. For devices with multiple pairs of power and ground pins,
it is essential that there is a decoupling capacitor for every pair of pins.
The main power supply should also have a tantalum or ceramic capacitor to stabilize it.
2.2 Analog Supply

AVR devices that have a built-in ADC may have a separate analog supply voltage pin, AVCC. This
separate voltage supply ensures that the analog circuits are less prone to the digital noise that originates
from the switching of the digital circuits.
To improve the accuracy of the ADC, the analog supply voltage must be decoupled separately, similar to
the digital supply voltage. AREF must also be decoupled. The typical value of the capacitor is 100 nF. If a
separate analog ground (AGND) is present, the analog ground should be separated from the digital
ground so that the analog and digital grounds are connected only at a single point (at the power supply
GND).

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Connection of RESET Pin on AVR Devices
3. Connection of RESET Pin on AVR Devices

The RESET pin on the AVR device is active-low, and setting the pin low externally will reset the device.
The Reset has two purposes:
1. To release all the lines by tri-stating all pins (except XTAL pins), initialize all I/O registers and set
the Program Counter (PC) to zero.
2. To enter Programming mode (for some parts, the PEN line is also used to enter Programming
mode). It is also possible to enter High-Voltage/Parallel Programming (HVPP) mode by drawing the
RESET pin very high (11.5V – 12.5V). Refer to the respective device data sheet for more specific
information about the RESET pin and its functionality.
The Reset line has an internal pull-up resistor. If the environment is noisy, it can be insufficient and Reset
may occur sporadically. Refer to the device data sheet for the value of the pull-up resistor that must be
used for specific devices.
Connecting the Reset so that it is possible to enter both high-voltage programming and ordinary low-level
Reset can be achieved by using a pull-up resistor to the Reset line. This pull-up resistor avoids any
unintended low signal that will trigger a Reset. Theoretically, the pull-up resistor can be of any value, but if
the AVR device should be programmed using an external programmer, the pull-up should not be in such a
high state that the programmer is not able to activate Reset by drawing the Reset line low. The
®
recommended pull-up resistor value is 4.7 kΩ or larger when using STK 600 for programming. For
DebugWIRE to function properly, the pull-up must not be less than 10 kΩ.
To protect the Reset line from further noise, connect a capacitor from the RESET pin to ground. This is
not directly required since AVR devices internally have a low-pass filter to eliminate spikes and noise that
could cause reset. Using an extra capacitor is an additional protection. However, such extra capacitor
cannot be used when DebugWIRE or PDI is used.
ESD protection diode is not provided internally from Reset to VCC in order to allow HVPP. If HVPP is not
used, it is recommended to add an ESD protection diode externally from Reset to VCC. Alternatively, a
Zener diode can be used to limit the Reset voltage relative to GND. A Zener diode is highly
recommended in noisy environments. The components should be located physically close to the RESET
pin of the AVR device. A recommended circuit of a Reset line is shown in the following circuit diagram.
Figure 3-1. Recommended Reset Pin Connection
VCC
R D MCU
4.7kΩ
Reset Reset
External Reset Module
C
100nF
GND
Note: The values of resistor R and capacitor C are typical values used for the RESET pin. For specific
design requirements of an application, these values must be changed accordingly.

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Connection of RESET Pin on AVR Devices
3.1 External RESET Switch

If an external switch is connected to the RESET pin, it is important to add a series resistance. Whenever
the switch is pressed it will short the capacitor, and the current (I) through the switch can have high peak
values. This causes the switch to bounce and generate steep spikes in 2 ms - 10 ms (t) periods until the
capacitor is discharged. The PCB tracks and the switch metal introduces a small inductance (L) and the
high current through these tracks can generate high voltages up to VL = L * dI/dt.
This spike voltage, VL, is most likely outside the specification of the RESET pin. By adding a series
resistor between the switch and the capacitor, the peak currents generated will be significantly low and it
will not be large enough to generate high voltages at the RESET pin. An example connection is shown in
the following diagram.
Figure 3-2. Switch Connection for Reset Pin

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Connecting Programmer/Debugger Lines
4. Connecting Programmer/Debugger Lines

AVR microcontrollers feature one or more interfaces for programming or debugging. In-System
Programming (ISP) is a programming interface used for programming the Flash, EEPROM, Lock bits, and
Fuse bits in almost all AVR devices. This feature makes it possible to program the AVR microcontroller in
the last stage of production of a target application board, reprogram if SW bugs are identified late in the
process, or update the AVR device in the field, if required. Some ISP interfaces may also be used for on-
chip debugging. It is therefore recommended to design the target application board so that the ISP
connectors are easily accessible.
Note: Refer to the device-specific data sheet for information on the programming/debugging interfaces
supported by the device.
4.1 SPI Programming Interface

On devices that use a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) for ISP, these lines are usually located on the
same pins as a regular SPI, or on pins that can be used for other purposes. Refer to the device data
sheet to determine the pins used for the ISP.
Two standard SPI connectors are provided by the ISP programmers; a 6-pin and a 10-pin connector. In
addition to the data lines (MOSI and MISO) and the bus clock (SCK), the target voltage VTG, GND, and
Reset (RST) are also provided through these connectors.
Figure 4-1. Connections for the 6- and 10-pin ISP Headers
A few ISP programmers are powered by the target power supply. In this way they easily adapt to the
correct voltage level of the target board. Other ISP programmers, such as STK600, can alternatively
power the target board via the VTG line. In such a case, it is important that the power supply on the target
is not switched on.
Note: Refer to the respective programmer user guide for more information on the capabilities and
physical interface.
4.1.1 Shared Use of SPI Programming Lines

If additional devices are connected to the ISP lines, the programmer must be protected from any device,
other than the AVR device, that may try to drive the lines. This is important with the SPI bus, as it is
similar to the ISP interface. Applying series resistors on the SPI lines, as depicted in Connecting the SPI
Lines to the ISP Interface, is the easiest way to achieve this. Typically, the resistor value R can be of
330Ω(1).

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Figure 4-2. Connecting the SPI Lines to the ISP Interface

SCK MOSI
MISO RST
SPI Bus
R
SCK SCK
R
MISO MOSI
R
MOSI MISO
Reset
®
AVR MCU
Note:
1. These typical values are used to limit the input current to 10 mA for a supply voltage (VCC) of 3.3V.
It may vary depending on the programmer/debugger used and the requirements of specific
hardware design.
2. The AVR device will never drive the SPI lines in a programming situation. The AVR device is held in
Reset to enter Programming mode, which puts all AVR device pins to tri-states.
In a single application, multiple AVR devices can share the same ISP interface. This enables
programming of all the devices through a minimal interface. However, if there are no special design
considerations, then all the AVR devices will respond to the ISP instructions. The SPI clock lines should
be separately provided (can be gated using jumpers or DIP switches) so that only one AVR device at a
time receives SPI clock. Other SPI lines (MOSI and MISO) can be shared. This method ensures that AVR
devices are separated from the programmer by the same protection resistors since they are all held in
Reset while the ISP Reset line is activated. The ISP clock can be gated using jumpers or DIP switches.
An alternate solution is to use multiple ISP interfaces, one for each device, all protected separately with
series resistors.
4.2 JTAG Interface

Few devices have a JTAG interface that can be used for both programming and debugging. The JTAG
lines are shared with analog input and must be connected so that the JTAG programmer can control the
lines. JTAG programming tools can drive a resistive load, however, it is better to avoid capacitive load.
The following figure shows the standard JTAG connector supplied with ISP programmers. For the SPI
programming connector, the target’s voltage supply allows power to the device or ensures correct signal
levels when programming.
Figure 4-3. Pinout of the Standard JTAG Connector
Note: Refer to the specific user guide of programmers/debuggers for more information about the JTAG
interfacing with AVR devices.

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4.2.1 Shared Use of JTAG Lines

By creating a JTAG daisy-chain, a single JTAG connector can serve as an ISP interface for several
®
devices. Typical connection for a daisy-chain using JTAG for AVR Dragon is shown in the following
schematic. The daisy-chain configuration can be used for any programmer/debugger that uses JTAG
interface. The GND and VTREF of JTAG, which is not shown in the figure, must be connected to the target
board.
Figure 4-4. JTAG Daisy-Chain
TCK
TMS
AVR® Dragon TDI AVR target AVR target AVR target

device device device
TDO
The protection resistors shown in Figure 4-2 are required if the JTAG lines are used in the application. For
example, ADC input pins often have analog filters on the lines. In such cases, the filter capacitor must be
removed while programming, to ensure that the load is resistive. The following figure illustrates the steps.
Figure 4-5. JTAG Interface Connections – Correct and Incorrect Ways
Connect to Vcc during programming
JTAG probe
R R
JTAG PIN Analog input signal
C
OK!
JTAG probe
R
Fails! C
JTAG probe
R R
Likely to fail C
4.3 PDI Interface

The Program and Debug Interface (PDI) is a Microchip proprietary two-line interface that was introduced
®
with the AVR XMEGA microcontroller family. As the name implies, this interface can be used for both In-
System Programming and on-chip debugging of devices.

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The following figure shows the standard PDI connector supplied with Microchip programmers. Only two
pins on the device are required for using this interface; RESET, also called PDI_CLK, and the dedicated
PDI_DATA pin. The target’s voltage supply allows power to the device or ensures correct signal levels
during programming.
Figure 4-6. Standard PDI Header
Note: Refer to the respective programmer user guide for more information about the capabilities and
physical interface of PDI.
4.3.1 External Reset Circuitry

Since the Reset line is used for clocking the PDI, it is important to bypass or avoid any circuitry that can
distort the clock signal during programming or debugging, such as capacitors and external reset sources.
During normal operation, the RESET pin has an internal filter to prevent unintentional resets such as
those caused by short spikes on the Reset line. Despite the fact that the clock signal is deformed,
capacitive loads up to 1 nF have been tested to work with the STK600 and AVR Dragon during
programming. Pull-up resistors should be at least 10 kΩ or removed from the Reset line if a Microchip
programmer is used.
4.4 TPI Interface

®
The Tiny Programming Interface is featured on the tinyAVR devices with the lowest pin count.
The following figure shows the standard TPI connector supplied along with the Microchip programmer
device. Only three pins on the device are required for use of this interface; RESET, TPICLK, and
TPIDATA. The latter two pins are multiplexed with regular I/O pins.
Figure 4-7. Standard TPI Header
The RESET pin can be reconfigured as an I/O pin by programming the RSTDISBL fuse of the device.
This disables the reset functionality and requires +12V to be applied to Reset for programming to work.
Only a few programming tools are capable of generating this voltage.
physical interface of TPI.
4.5 UPDI Interface

The Unified Program and Debug Interface (UPDI) is a Microchip proprietary interface for external
programming and on-chip debugging of a device.

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Programming and debugging are performed using the UPDI Physical interface (UPDI PHY), which is a
UART-based half-duplex 1-wire interface for data reception and transmission. It uses the Reset line to
detect the debugger probe.
Figure 4-8. Standard UPDI Header
Single-wire interface can be enabled by setting a fuse or by 12V programming, which disables the reset
functionality. Not all programming tools are capable of generating this voltage.
physical interface of UPDI.

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Using Crystal and Ceramic Resonators
5. Using Crystal and Ceramic Resonators

Most AVR MCUs can use different clock sources. The optional external clock sources are external clock,
RC oscillator, crystal, or ceramic resonator. The use of crystals and ceramic resonators cause problems
in some designs due to the fact that the use of these clock sources is not well understood. This section
addresses the topic of using crystals and ceramic resonators in relation to the AVR MCUs. The
description focuses on features and parameters relevant for designing applications where crystals or
ceramic resonators are used rather than trying to be a complete description of the theory related to the
topic. For more information and theory regarding crystals, refer to application note “AVR4100: Selecting
and Testing 32kHz Crystal Oscillators for AVR Microcontrollers”.
5.1 Selecting the Clock Source in the AVR MCU

The clock source used by the AVR devices are selected by setting the appropriate fuses. However, for the
AVR XMEGA family, the clock source is configured using software. Most ISP and parallel programmers
can program the fuses for selecting a clock source. The fuses are not erased when the AVR device
memory is erased and the fuses must only be programmed if the fuse settings should be altered.
Programming the fuses each time the device is erased and reprogrammed is thus not necessary. The
clock options that are relevant for this document are:
• External low-frequency crystal
• External crystal oscillator
• External ceramic resonator
Several sub-settings related to the start-up time of the AVR device can be selected, but the three clock
options mentioned are the fundamental settings that should be focused on. The clock options can vary
across different AVR devices, as not all devices support external oscillators. Refer to the device-specific
data sheet to determine the available clock options.
The AVR device may not run if a different clock source other than the clock source actually configured is
selected. The oscillator circuits are activated internally in the AVR device, based on the configured clock
option. The fuses are not cleared by a memory erase. Hence, it can cause problems if incorrect settings
are selected.
5.2 About Crystals and Ceramic Resonators

The typical crystal used for the AVR device is the AT-cut parallel resonant crystal. The ceramic resonator
is very similar to the AT-cut parallel resonant crystal but is a low-cost, low-quality version of the crystal.
The ceramic resonator has a lower Q-value, which is both an advantage and disadvantage. Due to the
lower Q-value, the oscillator frequency of the ceramic resonator can more easily be tuned to the desired
frequency. But, it is also more sensitive to temperature and load changes, causing undesired frequency
variations. The advantage of the ceramic resonator is that it has a faster start-up than crystals.
In this section, the term resonator refers to both Quartz Crystals and Ceramic Resonator.
Ceramic Resonator Quartz Crystal

Aging ±3000 ppm ±10 ppm
Frequency tolerance ±5000 ppm* ±20 ppm
Frequency temperature characteristics ±50 ppm/˚C* ±0.5 ppm/˚C

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Ceramic Resonator Quartz Crystal

Frequency pull-ability ±350 ppm/pF* ±15 ppm/pF
Oscillator rise time 0.01 ms - 0.5 ms 1 ms - 10 ms
Quality factor (Qm) 100 - 5000 103 – 5 x 105
Note: The information provided in the table is to showcase the differences. For more details about the
oscillator, refer to the device-specific data sheet.
Note: * The ppm variation in the ceramic resonator depends on the quality of the ceramic resonator.
The parallel resonator is used in circuits which contain reactive components such as capacitors. Such
circuits depend on the combination of the reactive components and the resonator to accomplish the
phase shift required to start and maintain the oscillation at a specific frequency. Basic oscillator circuits
used for parallel resonators are illustrated in the following diagram. The part of the circuit above the
dashed line represents the oscillator circuit present internally in the AVR device. Simply, the AVR device
built-in oscillator circuits can be understood as an inverter-based oscillator circuit, as shown in the
following figure.
Figure 5-1. Basic Inverter Circuits Equivalent to the Oscillator Circuits in AVR Devices
Ci1 Ci2
Internal
XTAL1/ XTAL2/ External
TOSC1 TOSC2
Ce1 Cs1 Cs2 Ce2
The circuit depicted in Figure 5-1 includes internal capacitive load (Ci), the stray capacitance (Cs) of a
circuit, and the optional external capacitance (Ce) to match the capacitive load (CL) of the resonator.
Note: Some AVR devices may not include internal capacitors, or may have a fuse setting to enable/
disable the internal capacitors. Always check the device data sheet before choosing the resonator.
When using resonators with the AVR device, it may be necessary to apply (external) capacitors according
to the requirements of the resonator used. A parallel resonator will not be able to provide stable
oscillation if an insufficient capacitive load is applied. When the capacitive load is too high, the oscillation
may not start as expected due to drive level dependency of the load. The capacitive load of the crystal
(CL), found in the data sheet of the resonator, is the recommended capacitive load of the resonator
(viewed from the terminals of the resonator). To match the capacitive load (CL) the engineer must

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calculate the external capacitors (Ce) using Equation - 1. The closer the total capacitance of Ci, Cs, and
Ce are to CL, the more exact the frequency one should get.
Equation - 1
��1 + ��1 + ��1 ��2 + ��2 + ��2
Σ�� =
��1 + ��2 + ��1 + ��2 + ��1 + ��2
Where Ce1 and Ce2 refer to the external capacitors seen in the figure above, and Cs1 and Cs2 are stray
capacitances at the XTAL/TOSC pins of the AVR device, and Ci1 and Ci2 are the internal capacitances.
Assuming symmetric layout, so that Ci1 and Ci2 = Ci and Cs1 and Cs2 = CS (CS can be estimated to be
2 pF - 5 pF), and then the external capacitors can be determined by the following equation, with CL given
by resonator data sheet.
Equation - 2
�� + �� = 2�� − ��
• Ce - is optional external capacitors as shown in Figure 5-1.

• Ci - is the pin capacitance of the XTAL and/or TOSC pin of the desired device.
• CL - is the load capacitance of the desired crystal.
• CS - is the total stray capacitance for one pin.
Examples are given in chapter Example Layout of ATxmega32A4 and ATmega324PB Devices.
5.3 Recommended Capacitor Values
Important:
Recommendations given in this chapter are guiding values only. Always check the data sheet,
and calculate values accordingly.
When using the external crystal oscillator on non-PB AVR devices, crystals with a nominal frequency
range starting from 400 kHz can be used. For the standard high-frequency crystals, the recommended
capacitor value range is in the range of 22 pF - 33 pF. For the newer AVR PB, the recommended
capacitor value range is 12 pF - 22 pF, the total capacitance (Ce + Ci + Cs) for each pin must not exceed
22 pF.
The external low-frequency crystal is intended for 32.768 kHz crystals. When selecting this clock source,
the internal oscillator circuit might provide the required capacitive load. By programming the CKOPT Fuse
(1), the user can enable internal capacitors on XTAL1 and XTAL2. The value of the internal capacitor is
typical 20 pF but can vary. External capacitors are not required when using a 32.768 kHz crystal that
does not require more load. Then the value of the external capacitor can be determined using the
Equation - 2. The CKOPT Fuse should not be programmed when using external capacitors.
In other cases, an external capacitive load specified by the manufacturer of the crystal must be used.
When using the external ceramic resonator, refer to the device data sheet for determining the capacitors
values. Always use the recommended capacitive load, as the resonant frequency of the ceramic
resonator is very sensitive to capacitive load.
Note:

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1. Some AVR devices may not come with internal capacitors. Some AVR devices may not have the
CKOPT fuse, instead they have dedicated pins (TOSC1-TOSC2), to connect the 32.768 kHz
crystal.
2. Refer to the device data sheet for specific details related to oscillator connections.
5.4 Unbalanced External Capacitors

In noisy environments the oscillator can be crucially affected. If the noise is strong enough, the oscillator
can “lock up” and stop oscillating. To reduce the sensitivity of the oscillator to noise, the size of the
capacitor at the high-impedance input of the oscillator circuit, XTAL1, can be slightly increased.
Increasing only one of the capacitors does not affect the total capacitive load much, but unbalanced
capacitors can affect the resonant frequency to a higher degree than the change of the total capacitive
load. However, unbalanced capacitive loads will affect the duty cycle of the oscillation and should not be
used. This is especially critical if the AVR device is utilized close to its maximum speed limit.
5.5 RTC Crystals

Many AVR devices have the capability of using asynchronous clocking of the built-in timer/counter. Using
this feature, the counter can be used for real-time functions. A 32.768 kHz crystal should be connected to
the TOSCx pins of the AVR device.
In some AVR devices, the internal oscillator circuit used with the real-time counter provides a capacitive
load of approximately 20 pF, which should be appropriate for common 32.768 kHz crystals. Refer to the
device-specific data sheet for information about the capacitors. If the internal load is insufficient for the
applied crystal, external capacitors can be used.
5.6 PCB Layout

Finally, the physical location of the resonator, with respect to the AVR device, is important. Ensure that
the resonator is placed as close as possible to the AVR device and shield the resonator by surrounding it
with a ground plane.

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Unused XTAL Pins
6. Unused XTAL Pins

If XTAL pins are not in use, they should be tied to ground. This helps to prevent unintentional behavior
during device start-up.

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Example Layout of ATxmega32A4 and ATmega324PB ...
7. Example Layout of ATxmega32A4 and ATmega324PB Devices

The following schematic- and layout examples are recommended starting points for ATxmega32A and
ATmega324PB designs. Always check the respective data sheets to ensure the correct values are used
for all components. The key points to be considered are:
1. The connections for crystal oscillator and decoupling capacitors.
2. The number of layers on the PCB. It is recommended to have a multilayer design with supply and
ground plane on separate layers.
3. Decoupling of all digital supply pairs from VCC and isolating AVCC from VCC.
4. Short distance between the crystal/capacitors and the MCU.
5. Ground plane surrounding the crystal and the vias connected to the planes are close to the MCU
pins in the layout.
Note: For ATmega PB devices, the total amount of capacitance must not exceed 22 pF. This includes
PCN traces and pin capacitance.
Figure 7-1. ATxmega32A4 - Basic Schematic Example of Required/Recommended Connections

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Figure 7-2. ATxmega32A4 - Copper PCB Layout of Required/Recommended Connections
Figure 7-3. ATxmega32A4 - Top Silk Prints of Required/Recommended Connections
Figure 7-4. ATmega324PB - Basic Schematic Example of Required/Recommended Connections

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Figure 7-5. ATmega324PB - Copper PCB Layout of Required/Recommended Connections
Figure 7-6. ATmega324PB - Top Silk Prints of Required/Recommended Connections

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Revision History
8. Revision History
Doc Rev. Date Comments
B 02/2018 1. Explanations in the Digital Supply section were improved.
2. Obsolete section on Noise Implications was removed.
A 08/2017 1. Chapter “Unused XTAL Pins” is added.

2. A note for the Example Layout has been added.
3. New document template. Microchip DS00002519A replaces Atmel 2521S.
2521R 09/2016 1. The filename and the document number in part of this revision history have
been corrected.
2. Trademark corrections.
3. Some minor corrections in the text.
2521Q 06/2016 1. General improvement of descriptions.

2. Added example layout for ATmega324PB device.
2521P 10/2015 Updated the following sections:

1. About Crystals and Ceramic Resonators
2. Recommended Capacitor Values
2521O 09/2015 Corrected the figure Example Layout.

2521N 06/2015 Added Noise Implications.
2521M 09/2014 Fixed some typos in External RESET Switch.
2521L 07/2013 1. Updated Figure 4-5.
2. General improvements in regards of descriptions.

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• Microchip is willing to work with the customer who is concerned about the integrity of their code.

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• Neither Microchip nor any other semiconductor manufacturer can guarantee the security of their
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All other trademarks mentioned herein are property of their respective companies.

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© 2018, Microchip Technology Incorporated, Printed in the U.S.A., All Rights Reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5224-2611-0
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AVR® Microcontroller Hardware Design Considerations

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AN2519

AVR® Microcontroller Hardware Design Considerations

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 1

3. Connection of RESET Pin on AVR Devices.............................................................. 7

4. Connecting Programmer/Debugger Lines................................................................. 9

5. Using Crystal and Ceramic Resonators.................................................................. 14

6. Unused XTAL Pins...................................................................................................18

7. Example Layout of ATxmega32A4 and ATmega324PB Devices............................ 19

The Microchip Web Site................................................................................................ 23

Customer Change Notification Service..........................................................................23

Microchip Devices Code Protection Feature................................................................. 23

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 2

Quality Management System Certified by DNV.............................................................25

Worldwide Sales and Service........................................................................................26

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 3

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 4

2.1 Digital Supply

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 5

Figure 2-2. Decoupling with Series Inductor

2.2 Analog Supply

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 6

3. Connection of RESET Pin on AVR Devices

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 7

3.1 External RESET Switch

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 8

4. Connecting Programmer/Debugger Lines

4.1 SPI Programming Interface

4.1.1 Shared Use of SPI Programming Lines

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 9

Figure 4-2. Connecting the SPI Lines to the ISP Interface

4.2 JTAG Interface

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 10

4.2.1 Shared Use of JTAG Lines

AVR® Dragon TDI AVR target AVR target AVR target

4.3 PDI Interface

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 11

4.3.1 External Reset Circuitry

4.4 TPI Interface

4.5 UPDI Interface

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 12

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 13

5. Using Crystal and Ceramic Resonators

5.1 Selecting the Clock Source in the AVR MCU

5.2 About Crystals and Ceramic Resonators

Ceramic Resonator Quartz Crystal

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 14

Ceramic Resonator Quartz Crystal

Ce1 Cs1 Cs2 Ce2

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 15

• Ce - is optional external capacitors as shown in Figure 5-1.

5.3 Recommended Capacitor Values

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 16

5.4 Unbalanced External Capacitors

5.5 RTC Crystals

5.6 PCB Layout

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 17

6. Unused XTAL Pins

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 18

7. Example Layout of ATxmega32A4 and ATmega324PB Devices

© 2018 Microchip Technology Inc. Application Note DS00002519B-page 19

Figure 7-2. ATxmega32A4 - Copper PCB Layout of Required/Recommended Connections

Figure 7-3. ATxmega32A4 - Top Silk Prints of Required/Recommended Connections

Figure 7-4. ATmega324PB - Basic Schematic Example of Required/Recommended Connections