-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 ArsXgmow0ibHMGVanmHxiGdOBihTBkG/LLTFpl3vpTYytxl4ySVWBkDnHQPk9xKf
 63Dt5G64Te36YLNRNm9HRg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000872448-05-000010.txt : 20050611
<SEC-HEADER>0000872448-05-000010.hdr.sgml : 20050611
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20050531175949
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000872448-05-000010
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20050527
FILED AS OF DATE:		20050531
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20050531

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ATMEL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000872448
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SEMICONDUCTORS & RELATED DEVICES [3674]
		IRS NUMBER:				770051991
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2325 ORCHARD PKWY
		CITY:			SAN JOSE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95131
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4084410311

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2325 ORCHARD PKWY
		CITY:			SAN JOSE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95131

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PRUNIAUX BERNARD
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001235771

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-19032
		FILM NUMBER:		05868588

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		2325 ORCHARD PKWY
		CITY:			SAN JOSE
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95131
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4084872731

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		149 LES MICHELS
		CITY:			PEYNIER
		STATE:			I0
		ZIP:			13790
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-05-27</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000872448</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ATMEL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>atml</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001235771</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PRUNIAUX BERNARD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2325 ORCHARD PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN JOSE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>95131</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP &amp; GM ASIC Business Unit</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Opton</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-05-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2005-05-27</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>200000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.9844</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-05-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2005-05-27</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>200000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.8681</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.9844</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-05-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2005-05-27</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>200000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.8681</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-05-27</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2005-05-30</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock Option</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>200000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The exercised was from a repriced on October 9, 1998.  The options repriced were subject to a one year blackout period from October 9, 1998 to October 9, 1999 and were due to expire on May 30, 2005</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Grant was issued on May 30, 1995 and was set to expire on May 30, 2005.  The last business day to exercise the grant was May 27, 2005</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The total number of exercisable shares were exercised and sold before the experation date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The shares were exercised at $1.9844 which was the reprice value of the Option.  The FMV on May 27, 2005 was $2.8681 before the market closed.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Elena Farias for Mr. Bernard Pruniaux</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-05-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----