STMicroelectronics (ST) has introduced a new generation of entry-level microcontrollers (MCUs) aimed at tiny smart devices, at low cost, small size and low power. The new STM32C5 series fits devices such as smart thermostats, electronic door locks, industrial smart sensors, robotic actuators, wearable electronics, and computer peripherals.
Thanks to an improved design based on ST’s proprietary 40nm manufacturing process, the STM32C5 MCUs can run tasks noticeably faster than many entry-level chips used today. This gives products more room to include modern features such as improved sensing, smoother control, and enhanced user experiences, whilst keeping dynamic power consumption low.
The STM32C5 MCUs integrate built-in protections that help safeguard products against tampering and cyber risks. These security features support safer connected devices, a growing priority across consumer and industrial markets. The MCUs target SESIP3 and PSA Level 3 security certifications, with memory protection, tamper protection, cryptographic engines (symmetrical encryption with AES and hashing algorithm), and temporal isolation (HDP) to protect processes such as secure boot and firmware update. The STM32C59x and STM32C5A3 variants have additional security including hardware unique key support (HUK), secure key storage and hardware cryptographic accelerators for symmetric and asymmetric operations with protection against side-channel attacks.
The new STM32C5 MCUs use the Arm Cortex-M33 embedded processor. The MCUs come with on-chip Flash from 128Kbyte, and a direct memory access (DMA), for saving power and simplified software, among other benefits.
