Dual Arm Cortex-M33 wireless SoC for low power applications
The nRF5340 introduces a flexible, dual-processor hardware architecture with advanced security features. The nRF5340 supports RF protocols including Bluetooth 5.1/Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth mesh, Thread, and Zigbee. It has been designed for operating temperature up to 105oC and to meet the demands of next-generation wearables with a high-performance application processor matched to 512 KB RAM. The QSPI interface can access external memory at 96 MHz, and a 32 MHz High-Speed SPI interface is available to connect with displays and complex sensors.
The nRF5340 integrates Arm CryptoCell-312, Arm TrustZone technology, and Secure Key Storage. Arm CryptoCell-312 brings hardware acceleration to common Internet encryption standards and Arm TrustZone gives creates secure and non-secure code execution areas on a single core. The combined security features allow advanced root-of-trust and secure firmware updates while protecting the SoC from malicious attack.
The nRF5340 is centred on dual Arm Cortex-M33 processors running at up to 128 MHz (510 CoreMark) with 1 MB Flash and 512 KB RAM, and a programmable ultra-low-power network processor at 64 MHz (238 CoreMark) with 256 KB Flash and 64 KB RAM. The application processor operates at 65 CoreMark/mA, has 8 KB 2-way associative cache, is DSP and floating-point capable and offers voltage and frequency scaling options. It integrates the Arm Cryptocell-312, Arm TrustZone, and Secure Key Storage and a wide range of interface peripherals including NFC, USB, QSPI, and High-Speed SPI. The network processor operates at 101 CoreMark/mA and is optimised for low power during radio operation and low duty-cycle sensor data collection. Programmable access to the network processor offers optimal implementation of proprietary 2.4 GHz protocols, ensuring portability from the nRF51 and nRF52 Series.
The nRF5340 features a new, power-optimised multiprotocol 2.4 GHz radio with a TX current of 3.2 mA (0 dBm TX power, 3 V, DC/DC) and RX current of 2.6 mA (3 V, DC/DC). Sleep current is as low as 1.1 µA. The SoC has enhanced dynamic multiprotocol support enabling concurrent Bluetooth LE and Bluetooth mesh/Thread/Zigbee operation. The radio supports all Bluetooth 5.1 Direction Finding features. The nRF5340 operates over a 1.7 to 5.5 V supply voltage range, allowing supply from rechargeable batteries and USB. The SoC also includes XTAL load capacitors for both 32 MHz and 32.762 kHz crystals.
The nRF5340’s SDK, nRF Connect SDK, integrates the Zephyr RTOS, a Bluetooth LE protocol stack, application examples, and hardware drivers. It is publicly hosted on GitHub, offers source code management with Git and comes with free SEGGER Embedded Studio IDE support. Nordic’s nRF5340 PDK is an affordable, single-board preview development kit for the nRF5340 that makes all nRF5340’s features and GPIOs available and comes with an on-board SEGGER J-Link debugger.
More information
https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Low-power-short-range-wireless/nRF5340
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