Dear All

Why micro controller is limited to certain frequency range ( 200MHz ) than microprocessor. Why not micro controller can't achieve the same frequency level ( 3000MHz) like a microprocessor. Is there any particular reason for that.

 

You are aware that power in a CMOS circuit depends on Vcc and frequency. The chip makers make a set of design choices that allow their devices to meet a range of requirements. In the microcontroller arena, having multiple power supplies and massive cooling fans would be a definite buzz kill, not to mention the loud sucking sound as the life was drained out of your battery.

To add insult to injury -- it is the case that most hardware design engineers do not have the foggiest idea of how to design things that run at those speeds, let alone have the test equipment to debug and verify such things.

 

As has been mentioned, the hurdle of dealing with the printed circuit board layout issues for clocks with sub-nanosecond rise and fall times is too great to make it practical for general applications. It is the designer friendly nature of the recent generation of microcontrollers such as the PIC and AVR that have made them so popular with designers.

Microcontrollers offer the convenience of simple interfacing to the external world through sensors, switches, and displays. They provide low power and reasonable execution speeds. Most are provided with a significant array of internal functions that add greatly to their flexibility. When it comes to these jewel, the most significant obstacle faced by the first timers is the daunting task of learning to write clean and maintainable code.

In summary, there are substantial rewards waiting for those who take on the challenges of familiarizing themselves with microcontroller technology. No one I know who has taken them on has expressed sorrow at the decision.

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