New Product Introduction

Nordic Semiconductor nRF21540 DB

nRF21540 DB is a development bundle consisting of an nRF21540 EK and an nRF21540 DK, both with an RF front-end module (FEM) for 2.4 GHz wireless range extension

Nordic Semiconductor nRF21540 DB Development Bundle consisting of an nRF21540 EK and an nRF21540 DK

The nRF21540 DB is designed to be used by customers developing solutions with the nRF21540 RF FEM. The nRF21540 DB consists of an nRF21540 evaluation kit (EK) and an nRF21540 development kit (DK). The nRF21540 EK is a shield that can be used for radio testing or can be connected to an SoC’s antenna output and via the Arduino Uno Rev 3 header pins. This makes it possible to use the nRF21540 EK in combination with all Nordic nRF52 and nRF53 Series DKs, as well as other devices. The nRF21540 DK has essentially the same pinout as the nRF52840 DK with a built in nRF21540 RF FEM, which enables easy development and testing with the built-in range extender on a single board.

While the nRF21540 RF FEM can be used with non-Nordic devices (nRF21540 EK is the preferred development platform in this case), the ease of use with Nordic SoCs is further enhanced as driver support is available in Nordic’s nRF Connect SDK and nRF5 SDK for Thread and Zigbee.

The nRF21540 RF FEM improves range and connection robustness for Nordic Semiconductor's short-range wireless portfolio. As a complementary device, the nRF21540 is a range extender that can be used with the nRF52 and nRF53 Series advanced multiprotocol wireless SoCs with a minimal number of external components required.

The nRF21540 RF FEM's 13 dB RX gain and low noise figure (2.7 dB), coupled with up to +21 dBm TX output power ensures a superior link budget for between 6.3-10x longer range when used together with an nRF52 or nRF53 Series SoC. When combined with an nRF52840 SoC running Bluetooth LE at 1 Mbps, like on the nRF21540 DK, the nRF21540 RF FEM improves the RX sensitivity by 5 dB to -100 dBm. Coupled with the increased output power, the connection link budget is raised by up to 18 dB. This equates to an 8x theoretical range improvement. For nRF52 and nRF53 Series devices with less than +8 dBm TX power on-chip, the improvements are even larger (up to 10x longer range).

The nRF21540 RF FEM’s TX power is dynamically adjustable and output power can be set in small increments. This ensures that designs can run with output power within 1 dBm of the allowable range across all regions and operating conditions. The RF FEM is a valuable addition for all applications that may require increased range or robust coverage. In demanding environments, or close to the range limit, it can be more energy efficient to deploy with the nRF21540 RF FEM than taking a hit on throughput due to continuous retransmissions. The nRF21540 RF FEM can also operate across a -40°C to 105°C temperature range, allowing it to complement Nordic’s nRF52820, nRF52833 and nRF5340 extended temperature qualified SoCs in industrial applications such as professional lighting. Other example applications are asset tracking, remote controlled toys, audio and smart home use cases.

 

Key features

nRF21540 DK

  • Versatile development kit for the nRF21540 RF FEM
  • 2 x 2.4 GHz antennas for antenna diversity
  • 2 x SWF RF ports for direct RF measurements
  • SEGGER J-Link OB programmer/debugger
  • Power and program/debug via USB interface
  • Direct USB interface to nRF52840 SoC
  • NFC-A tag antenna connector
  • Arduino Uno Rev3 compatible
  • User-programmable buttons (4) and LEDS (4)
  • 1.7-5.5 V supply from USB, external Li-Po battery or external power source
  • Pins for measuring power consumption
  • nRF52840 SoC w/ Bluetooth LE, Bluetooth mesh, Thread and Zigbee (802.15.4) and 2.4 GHz proprietary protocol support
    • Arm® Cortex™-M4 with floating point unit
    • Arm® CryptoCell-310 cryptographic accelerator
  • nRF21540 RF FEM
    • Adjustable output power in small increments up to +21 dBm
    • 13 dB RX gain, with 2.7 dB noise figure
    • Supports Bluetooth LE, Bluetooth mesh, Thread and Zigbee (802.15.4) and 2.4 GHz proprietary
    • TX gain control via I/Os, SPI, or a combination
    • 105 °C extended operating temperature
    • When combined with the nRF52840 SoC:
      • 18dB improved link budget, 8x theoretical range extension
      • -100 dBm RX sensitivity (Bluetooth LE, 1 Mbps)

nRF21540 EK

  • Versatile evaluation kit for the nRF21540 RF FEM that can be used with nRF52 and nRF53 Series DKs, as well as other devices
  • ANT1 and ANT2 ports (SMA) for antennas or lab equipment
  • TRX port (SMA) for connecting radio or lab equipment
  • Pins for measuring power consumption
  • Arduino Uno Rev3 compatible
  • nRF21540 RF FEM
    • Adjustable output power in small increments up to +21 dBm
    • 13 dB RX gain, with 2.7 dB noise figure
    • Supports Bluetooth LE, Bluetooth mesh, Thread and Zigbee (802.15.4) and 2.4 GHz proprietary
    • TX gain control via I/Os, SPI, or a combination
    • 105 °C extended operating temperature
    • When combined with an nRF52 or nRF53 Series SoC:
      • Between 6.3-10x range extension
      • -100 dBm RX sensitivity (Bluetooth LE, 1 Mbps)

 

Applications

  • Professional lighting
  • Industrial
  • Asset tracking and Real-time location systems
  • Smart home
  • Toys
  • Audio

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