Requirements for increasing computing power and more integrated functions are driving a growing number of applications from 16-bit to 32-bit microcontrollers. This is equally true for battery powered applications, which benefit from the lower voltage supply, as well as the high performance and small die size achieved by 32-bit devices that are based on advanced CMOS process.
However, deep submicron technologies also have a very important drawback: their much higher leakage is a major issue, especially for the limited power resources of a battery powered application. To enable migration, new 32-bit microcontrollers, including general purpose devices, must provide very efficient ultra low power modes for long term standby.
In this article Jean-Michel Gril-Maffre describes how STMicroelectronics engineers enhanced its Cortex-M3 core-based STM32 microcontrollers with low power modes and features that mitigate the impacts of leakage on battery powered applications where static current may be a major contributor to consumption.
