Item specifics
Description
The STM32C031K4U6 is a mainstream Arm Cortex-M0+ 32-bit MCU from STMicroelectronics, based on a high-performance 32-bit Arm Cortex-M0+ RISC core operating up to 48 MHz with a built-in Memory Protection Unit (MPU). It integrates 16 KB Flash with protection, 12 KB SRAM with hardware parity check, and CRC calculation unit. On-chip peripherals include a 12-bit ADC (2.5 MSps, up to 18 channels), low-power RTC with alarm, up to 8 timers (including one 16-bit advanced motor control PWM timer, four 16-bit general-purpose timers, two watchdogs, and SysTick timer), and I2C (Fast-mode Plus 1 Mbit/s, SMBus/PMBus), SPI (24 Mbit/s, multiplexed with I²S), and two USARTs (master/slave synchronous SPI, one with ISO7816/LIN/IrDA/auto baud rate detection). Housed in an ultra-compact UFQFPN-32 package (5×5×0.55 mm) with up to 30 fast I/Os (all 5 V-tolerant and mappable on external interrupt vectors), it operates from 2.0 V to 3.6 V over -40 °C to 85 °C. Ideal for consumer electronics, industrial control, home appliances, IoT, and cost-sensitive embedded applications.[reference:17]
Arm Cortex-M0+ Core: 32-bit Arm Cortex-M0+ RISC core, up to 48 MHz, with built-in Nested Vectored Interrupt Controller (NVIC) and Memory Protection Unit (MPU) Memory: 16 KB Flash with protection, 12 KB SRAM with hardware parity check, CRC calculation unit 12-bit ADC: 2.5 MSps, up to 18 channels, 0 to 3.6 V conversion range DMA Controller: Flexible mapping for memory-to-memory, peripheral-to-memory, and memory-to-peripheral transfers Rich Timers: 1x 16-bit advanced motor control PWM timer, 4x 16-bit general-purpose timers, 2x watchdogs (independent + window), SysTick timer — 8 total Low-Power RTC: With alarm, supports wakeup from Stop/Standby mode Communication Interfaces: I2C (Fast-mode Plus 1 Mbit/s, SMBus/PMBus, wakeup from Stop), SPI (24 Mbit/s, multiplexed with I²S), 2x USART (master/slave synchronous SPI, one with ISO7816/LIN/IrDA/auto baud rate detection and wakeup) Low-Power Modes: Sleep, Stop, Standby, Shutdown — optimized dynamic consumption Clock Management: 4–48 MHz crystal oscillator, 32 kHz crystal oscillator with calibration, internal 48 MHz RC oscillator (±1%), internal 32 kHz RC oscillator (±5%) UFQFPN-32 Package: 32-pin ultra-compact QFN (5×5×0.55 mm), up to 30 fast I/Os, all 5 V-tolerant, all mappable on external interrupt vectors High Reliability: Power-on/power-down reset (POR/PDR), programmable brownout reset (BOR), temperature sensor Wide Operating Range: 2.0 V to 3.6 V, -40 °C to 85 °C (105 °C/125 °C optional) Development Support: Serial wire debug (SWD), SESIP3 and PSA Level 3 target certification
Consumer Electronics: Smart wearables, electric toothbrushes, electronic toys, remote controls, power banks Industrial Control: Sensor transmitters, RS-485 communication nodes, small actuators, process monitoring Home Appliances: Induction/microwave oven panels, coffee machines, small appliance controllers IoT Nodes: Wireless sensor terminals, environmental monitoring modules, edge acquisition nodes LED Lighting: Dimming control, RGB strip drivers, switching power supply management Motor Control: Fans, pumps, small motor drives — advanced timer supports motor control Battery Management: Battery protection boards, fuel gauges, charge management
Arm Cortex-M0+ 32-bit Performance: 48 MHz high-performance 32-bit ARM core with built-in MPU, far exceeding 8/16-bit MCU processing capability for complex algorithms 16 KB Flash + 12 KB SRAM Balanced Configuration: 12 KB SRAM is large for an entry-level MCU, ideal for applications requiring data buffering High-Speed ADC: 12-bit ADC at 2.5 MSps with 18 channels, ideal for multi-channel high-speed data acquisition High-Speed SPI Communication: 24 Mbit/s SPI interface (multiplexed with I²S), several times faster than traditional 8-bit MCUs for high-speed peripheral communication I2C Fast-mode Plus: 1 Mbit/s I2C with extra current sink, supporting SMBus/PMBus — ideal for power management and sensor applications DMA Offloads CPU: DMA controller enables direct data transfer between peripherals and memory, significantly reducing CPU load 5V-Tolerant I/Os: All 30 I/Os are 5 V-tolerant, connecting 5 V peripherals without level shifters, reducing BOM cost Ultra-Compact High Integration: 5×5 mm UFQFPN-32 package with 30 I/Os, delivering rich peripherals and I/O resources in a tiny footprint Flexible Low-Power Management: Four low-power modes including Shutdown for demanding battery-powered applications Low-Power RTC: Built-in hardware RTC with alarm, supporting auto wakeup from low-power modes — ideal for scheduled sensing Mature STM32 Ecosystem: Compatible with STM32CubeIDE, STM32CubeMX, HAL libraries, abundant development boards and reference designs Cost-Effective Entry-Level MCU: 32-bit ARM performance at a competitive price — the ideal upgrade path from 8/16-bit MCUs
Years of experience in the electronics industry. Trusted by global customers.
Massive In-Stock Inventory – Ready to ship promptly
BOM Matching Service – One-stop solution, save time
PCBA Customization – Professional engineering team creates tailor-made solutions based on your needs
Cost-Effective & Efficient – Better channel, better cost
A dedicated team makes your procurement smoother.
Contact us for BOM quotes or PCBA inquiries
FAQ:
What is the STM32C031K4U6 and what are its key specifications?
The STM32C031K4U6 is a 32‑bit microcontroller from STMicroelectronics, built around an ARM Cortex‑M0+ core running at up to 48 MHz. It provides 16 KB of Flash memory and a generous 12 KB of SRAM. On‑chip peripherals include a 12‑bit 1 Msps ADC, a TIM1 timer with one complementary PWM pair, plus general‑purpose timers (TIM3, TIM14, TIM16, TIM17), and standard serial interfaces — USART, SPI, and I2C. It is housed in a compact UFQFPN32 package (5 mm × 5 mm) and operates from ‑40 °C to +85 °C. Part of the STM32C0 series, this MCU targets cost‑sensitive, memory‑efficient applications that need ample RAM in a very small footprint.
What are the package dimensions and I/O count of the STM32C031K4U6?
The device uses a UFQFPN32 package measuring 5 mm × 5 mm with a lead pitch of 0.5 mm. It provides up to 30 general‑purpose I/O pins, a very high count for such a small form factor. The package features an exposed pad for grounding and heat dissipation. Since it is a QFN‑type package, reflow soldering is the recommended assembly method, though it can also be soldered with a hot‑air station during prototyping.
How does the STM32C031K4U6 differ from the STM32C031K6U6? Which one should I choose?
Both chips share exactly the same core, 12 KB SRAM, peripherals, and UFQFPN32 package with 30 I/O pins. The only difference is the Flash size: the K4U6 offers 16 KB of Flash, while the K6U6 doubles that to 32 KB. If your firmware fits comfortably in 16 KB, the K4U6 is a perfectly cost‑optimized choice. If you anticipate needing more code space — for example, for additional communication stacks or future feature updates — then the K6U6 gives you that headroom with no change to your PCB layout.
How does the STM32C031K4U6 compare with the STM32F031K4U6? What are the main improvements?
Both are 16 KB Flash MCUs in a UFQFPN32 package. The C031K4U6 upgrades the core to the more efficient ARM Cortex‑M0+ (the F031 uses Cortex‑M0) and triples the SRAM from 4 KB to 12 KB. This extra RAM is a massive advantage for buffering, communication protocols, and lightweight RTOS tasks. The timer set differs: the F031K4U6 has a full TIM1 with four complementary PWM pairs, while the C031K4U6 has TIM1 with just one complementary pair. If you need three‑phase motor control, the F031 remains the better choice; for most other applications, the C031’s larger SRAM and modern core offer a clear upgrade.
Does the STM32C031K4U6 have a motor‑control timer? Can it drive a brushless motor directly?
It includes a TIM1 timer, but with one complementary PWM pair, programmable dead‑time, and a break input. This single complementary channel is perfect for directly driving a single half‑bridge or an H‑bridge, making it suitable for DC motor control, single‑phase inverters, or PFC stages. A three‑phase brushless motor requires three complementary pairs, so the C031K4U6 cannot drive one alone. You would need external gate drivers that handle complementary generation and dead‑time, or switch to a microcontroller with a full four‑pair TIM1 such as the STM32F031K4U6 or the STM32G431 series.
What are the ADC specifications of the STM32C031K4U6? How many analog channels can I use?
It integrates a 12‑bit successive‑approximation ADC that samples at up to 1 Msps. On the 32‑pin UFQFPN package, up to 14 external analog input channels are available. The ADC can also read the internal temperature sensor and voltage reference without using any external pins. The chip does not contain a DAC, so any analog output must be generated with an external DAC or by low‑pass filtering a PWM signal.
Can the STM32C031K4U6 be powered directly from 5 V? Are its GPIOs 5‑volt tolerant?
The supply voltage must be kept within 2.0 V to 3.6 V; applying 5 V to the VDD pin is not allowed. However, most I/O pins (ports A, B, and C) are marked as FT (5‑volt tolerant) and can safely accept input voltages up to 5 V. This allows you to directly interface with 5 V logic — reading their outputs or using open‑drain outputs with external pull‑ups — without any external level shifters, which greatly simplifies mixed‑voltage designs.
How low is the power consumption of the STM32C031K4U6? Is it suitable for battery‑operated devices?
The Cortex‑M0+ core delivers very good energy efficiency. In Run mode at 48 MHz with all peripherals active, the typical current is around 10–12 mA. Sleep mode reduces this to roughly 2–3 mA. In Stop mode, with 12 KB SRAM and registers retained, the current drops to about 3–5 µA; Standby mode further lowers it to approximately 0.6 µA. Fast wake‑up from Stop mode makes the chip ideal for battery‑powered products that sleep most of the time and wake only briefly to measure, process, and transmit data.
How do I program and debug the STM32C031K4U6? What development tools are needed?
Programming and debugging use the SWD (Serial Wire Debug) interface, requiring only SWDIO, SWCLK, VCC, and GND connections. A low‑cost ST‑LINK/V2 or STLINK‑V3 debugger is the only essential hardware. The free STM32CubeIDE is fully supported, and the chip also works with Keil MDK and IAR EWARM. Use STM32CubeMX for quick graphical pinout, clock, and peripheral configuration. ST provides comprehensive HAL and LL libraries along with many example projects, so you can move from concept to prototype very quickly.
What are the most typical applications for the STM32C031K4U6?
With its 12 KB SRAM, 16 KB Flash, 30 I/O pins, and tiny UFQFPN32 package, the C031K4U6 is perfect for compact, cost‑sensitive designs that need generous RAM but only a modest amount of code storage. Typical uses include smart sensors, simple IoT edge nodes, battery chargers, small home appliances, power tools, and basic industrial controllers. It is especially attractive when you can keep the firmware under 16 KB but need the 12 KB SRAM for communication buffers, sensor data processing, or a lightweight RTOS.