nRF21540 RF Front End Module (FEM)

The nRF21540 is an RF FEM that improves range and connection robustness for Nordic Semiconductor's short-range wireless portfolio. The nRF21540 complementary device is a plug-and-play range extender that can be used with the nRF52 and nRF53 series advanced multi-protocol wireless SoCs with minimal external components required.

The nRF21540's +13 dB RX gain and low noise figure (2.5 dB), coupled with up to +21 dBm TX output power, ensure a superior link budget for up to 16x longer range. When combined with an nRF52840 SoC running Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) at 1 Mbps, for example, the nRF21540 improves the RX sensitivity by 5 dBm to -100 dBm. Coupled with the increased output power, the connection link budget is raised by 18 dBm. For nRF52 and nRF53 series devices with less than +8 dBm TX power on-chip, the improvements are even larger, reaching 16x longer range.

The nRF21540’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 than taking a hit on throughput due to continuous retransmissions. The device can also operate across a -40°C to +105°C temperature range, allowing it to complement Nordic’s high-temperature qualified nRF52833 and nRF5340 SoCs in industrial applications such as professional lighting. Other example applications are asset tracking, remote-controlled toys, audio, and smart home use cases.