Renesas launches its first 22-nm microcontroller

Renesas Electronics Corp. has produced its first microcontroller (MCU) based on advanced 22-nm process technology. By employing state-of-the-art process technology, Renesas provides MCUs with higher performance at lower power consumption based on reduced core voltages. The process technology enables the integration of a feature set that includes functions such as RF. The advanced process node also uses a smaller die area, resulting in smaller chips with improved peripheral and memory integration.

(Source: Renesas Electronics Corp.)

The company’s first chip based on the 22-nm process expands its RA family of 32-bit Arm Cortex-M MCUs and delivers Bluetooth 5.3 Low Energy (LE) with the integration of a software-defined radio (SDR). The combination targets products expected to have a long lifetime. Even post-deployment, devices can be upgraded with new application software or new Bluetooth capabilities for latest specification compliance.

Renesas will combine the new 22-nm wireless MCUs with a variety of compatible devices from its portfolio. The winning combinations are technically-vetted system architectures from mutually compatible devices that work together seamlessly for an optimized, faster and low-risk design.

End-product manufacturers can leverage the full feature set of previous Bluetooth LE specification releases for direction-finding applications using the Bluetooth 5.1 angle of arrival (AoA)/angle of departure (AoD) features or to add low power stereo audio transmission to products by using Bluetooth 5.2 isochronous channels, enabling developers to use one device to support all the features.

Renesas is currently sampling the new 22-nm microcontroller to select customers. A full market launch is expected in the fourth quarter of 2023.