The 78K0/Kx2 series consists of 8-bit microcontrollers with embedded flash memory. With 48 products in the series offering memory capacities ranging from 8 to 128 KB and 30- to 80-pin packages, this new line of MCUs is one of the industry’s most comprehensive. The 78K0/Kx2 series is targeted for use in a wide range of home appliances, consumer electronic products, industrial equipment, automotive systems, lighting systems, and sensors.

The MCUs in the 78K0/Kx2 series employ SuperFlash technology licensed from Silicon Storage Technology. They are manufactured using a 0.15-µm process technology. The 78K0/Kx2 series offers operating speeds up to 20 MHz and power supply voltages ranging from 1.8 to 5.5 V, while reducing operating current to 2.5 mA, which is less than one-third of similar mask ROM MCUs. Features such as these make the series ideal for industrial devices that have high-performance needs and mobile devices that require low-power consumption. Additionally, all of these features are available without a cost premium, because products in the 78K0/Kx2 Series have price points comparable to previous mask ROM products from NEC Electronics manufactured in 0.35-µm process technology.

The 78K0/Kx2 series marks the latest step in the evolution of NEC Electronics’s 78K series of 8-bit MCUs. Launched in 2003 with the announcement of the 78K0/Kx1 series, the MCUs have been adopted successfully in consumer electronic products, industrial equipment, and other applications. In May 2004, the company unveiled the 78K0S/Kx1+ series of low pin count MCUs with flash memory. With the Kx1+ and now the Kx2, NEC Electronics boasts an industry-leading lineup of 58 8-bit microcontrollers with flash memory.

Pricing for the controllers varies based on the configuration. The high-end 78K0/KF2 with 60 KB of flash memory costs $5.

NEC Electronics Corp.
www.necel.com