ST is preparing some major new families using the Cortex-M3 for release in 2010. Based on publicly available information*, there will be a STMF200 family, a STMF150 family and a STM32F100 family. Top of the line the STM32F200 STM32 Plus! with 120MHz devices, featuring USB OTG and Ethernet, most likely with 1 MB of on-chip flash.
As ST has a 90nm flash process available for production, these new devices will probably use this new technology. Why is this so significant? To my best knowledge, there is no other player in the Cortex-M arena that is using flash technology with geometries smaller than 120nm. Using 90 nm versus 120 nm in an all digital design can put the smaller geometry at a 43% size advantage. If you compare 130 nm to 90 nm it is even more striking with 52% advantage. Assuming volume production, this provides a huge cost advantage to ST over their competitors or alternatively the option to include double the on-chip memory and penetrate new applications with larger OSs.
Another really smart thing to do to cover all bases. The high end, the low price and the low power. The high end is covered with the STM32 F200 family and the low end of the Cortex-M3 spectrum with the STM32 Value Line. The memory range for the value line is expected to cover a wider range from probably 8 KB up to 512 KB. One limit ST puts on the value line is the max. frequency with 24 MHz according to the roadmap printed in the Future Guide*. I would not be surprised at all if ST marketing decides to increase this frequency to values similar to NXP LPC1100 devices, the "Value Line" offered by NXP and already on the market.
The last base to cover is the low power range. The STM32L family including the STM32L151 and STM32L152 will hit the market soon. With LCD interface the target is obviously hand-held devices. The roadmap shows a frequency limit of 32 MHz. It is possible to optimize a process for low power. If done so, the max. frequency goes down but the mA/MHz is better. Transistors in the design are smaller, slower and need less power. As a nice side effect, power optimized processes usually provide better emission characteristics in a sensitive environment.
As soon as more information about the STM32F200 or the STM32L150 family become available I will update this article.
Contributed article by Robert Teufel, the #1 consultant to help you with strategic microcontroller decisions.
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