STMicroelectronics’ newest NFC readers accelerate payment and consumer application designs

STMicroelectronics’ ST25R3916B-AQWT and ST25R3917B-AQWT NFC Forum Reader devices combine high output power and energy efficiency at a competitive price. Supporting NFC initiator, target, reader and card-emulation modes, they can be used in contactless payment, device pairing, wireless charging, brand protection, and other industrial and consumer applications.

The new devices introduce improved active wave shaping (AWS) with increased flexibility that simplifies adjustment of the RF output to optimise overshoot and undershoot. The setup can be done easily by register settings supported by a graphical tool and quickly validated with an oscilloscope. This eases certification according to EMVCo 3.1a and NFC Forum CR13 specifications without the need to touch the matching of the antenna.

The ST25R3916B and the ST25R3917B deliver up to 1.6W RF output power and can drive antennas directly at high efficiency. Dynamic power-output (DPO) adjustment enables designers to keep the radiated power between the upper and lower limits defined by EMVCo and the NFC Forum specifications.

Free samples of the ST25R3916B-AQWT and the ST25R3917B-AQWT are available now on ST eStore in 32-lead VFQFPN 5mmx5mmx1mm package and 36-bump wafer-level chip-scale package (WLCSP) options.