Discover the many advantages of the i.MX 6SoloX SCM, the latest from NXP’s Single Chip System Module line. With this 13mm x 13mm SCM available in both commercial and temperature ranges, you can develop more quickly thanks to intelligent design and the integrated memory and power sub-system, and you can also take advantage of both an ARM Cortex-A9 core and a Cortex-M4 core.
Welcome to Inside the Lab with Arrow Electronics, the web series dedicated to exploring the latest in technology and electronics. Today, we’re introducing NXP’s i.MX 6SoloX SCM, the newest member of their Single Chip System Module line. These SCMs, as they’re called, are based on advanced SiP technology and contain the applications processor, power management IC, system passive components, and are enabled for low-power package-on-package DRAM.
With the 6SoloX SCM, you get a dual core processor, with both an ARM Cortex-A9 core as well as a Cortex-M4 core. The dual-core architecture enables a feature rich operating system to be run on the Cortex-A9 and a real-time operating system that can run on the Cortex-M4. A variety of interfaces for connectivity and multimedia and a hardware graphics processing unit provide plenty of features to use in your design. Like other members of the SCM line-up, this has a built in PMIC, the PF0100 SMARTMOS which has three buck converters, three linear regulators, an RTC supply, and can provide power for not only the 6SoloX but your entire system. The 6SoloX SCM ships with pre-integrated LPDDR2 and optional eMMC flash via package-on-package technology and is available in commercial and industrial temperature ranges. This is all available in a single 13 millimeter by 13 millimeter BGA chip right here.
The 6SoloX is mounted on this evaluation board, which you can order from either Arrow or directly from NXP. Besides the evaluation board, you can order this display separately, which connects to the eval board with this ribbon cable using LVDS. Included with the kit is an SD card that fits right here, and contains an embedded, Linux based operating system. An Android release is also available for the 6SoloX SCM device, downloadable from the NXP website. Also important to note that the operating system runs off the A9 core, while the M4 core is supported by NXP's MQX RTOS and FreeRTOS. Here, there’s a single barrel jack power connector to power both the board and the display, and the power adapter is included with the kit. As it’s booting up, you can see all the other peripherals that are broken out and all being ran by the 6SoloX, including this second SD card slot. After that quick boot, we're dropped into the operating system, which can be controlled via the touchscreen, or you can connect peripherals through the USB port. Where this part shines is in its graphics performance which is optimized for devices requiring a mid-level graphical user interface and exceptional low-power.
The expert design and integration of the memory and power sub-system in the 6SoloX SCM provides you with a rapid start to your system design. And the ultra-compact footprint can provide as much as 50% space savings in your board design. Qualified for use in commercial and harsh industrial environments, NXP SCMs can be used in a variety of industrial, medical and consumer applications. For additional information, visit NXP manufacturer page or view NXP's SCM comparison table.