X-NUCLEO-NFC08A1: NFC Card Reader Expansion Board

Product Summary

The X-NUCLEO-NFC08A1 is an NFC card reader expansion board designed for STM32 and STM8 Nucleo development platforms. It features the ST25R3916B high-performance HF reader/NFC initiator IC, enabling applications such as NFC, proximity, and vicinity HF RFID. The board is compatible with the X-CUBE-NFC6 software expansion for STM32Cube, providing a comprehensive solution for NFC development.

Key Features

• On-board NFC card reader IC: ST25R3916B
• Integrated 13.56 MHz inductive antenna (47 mm x 34 mm, four turns) with tuning circuit
• Six general-purpose LEDs for status indication
• Supports ISO 18092 passive and active initiator, and target modes
• NFC-A and NFC-F card emulation capabilities
• Compliance with ISO 14443A, ISO 14443B, and ISO 15693 standards
• FeliCa™ support
• Up to 1.7 W output power with differential antenna configuration
• Option to drive two antennas in single-ended mode
• Inductive wake-up functionality
• Automatic Antenna Tuning (AAT) system for optimal performance in various environments
• Transparent and stream modes for custom protocols like MIFARE™ classic
• Compatible with Arduino UNO R3 connector
• Includes a free, comprehensive development firmware library and samples for STM32Cube
• Scalable architecture for cascading multiple boards
• FCC certified
• RoHS and WEEE compliant

Detailed Description

The X-NUCLEO-NFC08A1 expansion board is built around the ST25R3916B device, offering robust support for ISO14443A/B, ISO15693, FeliCa™, and AP2P communication protocols. In reader mode, the ST25R3916B efficiently manages frame coding and decoding for standard NFC, proximity, and vicinity HF RFID applications. It adheres to ISO/IEC 18092, ISO/IEC 14443 types A and B, ISO/IEC 15693 (single subcarrier only), and ISO/IEC 18092 communication standards. The board facilitates the detection, reading, and writing of NFC Forum types 1 through 5 tags. It incorporates a low-power capacitive sensor for ultra-low power wake-up operations without activating the reader field, alongside traditional inductive wake-up for selecting amplitude or phase measurements. The Automatic Antenna Tuning (AAT) technology is a key feature, enabling reliable operation even when placed near metallic objects or in environments with fluctuating conditions.

Schematic Diagram Descriptions

Figure 1: Arduino Connector and Extension Connectors

This schematic details the board's interface connectors, primarily the Arduino UNO R3 connector and various extension headers. It maps microcontroller (MCU) signals such as Serial Data (SDA_MCU), Serial Clock (SCL_MCU), SPI Clock (SCLK_MCU), Master In Slave Out (MISO_MCU), Master Out Slave In (MOSI_MCU), and Slave Select (/SS_MCU) to specific pins on the Arduino interface. It also illustrates the connections for six general-purpose LEDs (MCU_LED1 to MCU_LED6) and the interrupt request signal (IRQ_MCU). Essential power (VBUS, 3V3) and ground (GND) connections are also depicted.

Figure 2: ST25R3916 NFC Initiator / HF Reader IC

This diagram focuses on the central ST25R3916B NFC/HF Reader Integrated Circuit. It outlines the IC's primary connections, including the Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) pins (SCLK_16, MISO_16, MOSI_16, SEN_16), the interrupt output (INTR_16), and the antenna interface ports (RFI1, RFI2, RFO1, RFO2). Power supply pins, such as VDD_D, VDD_TX, VDD_RF, VDD_IO, and VDD_A, along with their corresponding ground connections, are specified. Antenna connections are facilitated via U.FL connectors (P200, P202). The schematic also highlights the signals related to the Automatic Antenna Tuning (AAT) system, namely AAT_A and AAT_B.

Figure 3: Antenna Circuit with EMI Filter and Matching Network

This schematic provides a detailed view of the antenna circuit, incorporating components for electromagnetic interference (EMI) filtering and impedance matching. It illustrates the connections for two antenna configurations, ANT1 and ANT2, which can be used in single-ended or differential modes. Key passive components include inductors (L300, L301) and various capacitors (e.g., C300, C302, C305, C308, C310, C311, C312, C313, C314, C315, C316, C317) for filtering and tuning. Resistors (R300, R301, R302, R303, R304) are also present. The Automatic Antenna Tuning (AAT) system is implemented using series and parallel tuning components (AAT_series, AAT_parallel). An external low-power mode (Ext_LM) connection is also shown.

Revision History

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