NXP Semiconductors KITMPL115A1SPI

Overview

KITMPL115A1SPI from NXP Semiconductors is an evaluation kit for the MPL115A1 miniature SPI digital barometric pressure sensor, enabling rapid prototyping of absolute pressure measurement systems. It supports 50 kPa to 115 kPa range, ±1 kPa accuracy, and operates from –40 °C to +105 °C with 2.375 V to 5.5 V supply. Designed for portable electronics, weather stations, and altimeters, it provides direct access to raw ADC outputs and factory calibration coefficients via SPI.

For engineers reviewing the KITMPL115A1SPI datasheet, KITMPL115A1SPI pinout, KITMPL115A1SPI application, or KITMPL115A1SPI equivalent, this kit delivers verified hardware interface, documented compensation algorithm implementation (per AN3785), real-world timing validation (8 MHz SPI, 1.6–3 ms conversion), and MEMS handling guidance - all critical for production-ready barometric sensing integration.

Technical Context

The KITMPL115A1SPI implements a complete host-controlled pressure measurement workflow: SPI-initiated CONVERT command triggers simultaneous pressure and temperature ADC sampling, followed by host-side execution of the four-coefficient polynomial compensation (a0, b1, b2, c12) using raw 10-bit Padc/Tadc values. All coefficient data resides in on-chip ROM and is read once at initialization.

Hardware-level interaction follows strict SPI timing: SCLK up to 8 MHz, CS enable lead/lag ≥125 ns, data setup/hold ≥30 ns, and DOUT valid ≤32 ns after SCLK low edge. The kit exposes all eight LGA pins (VDD, CAP, GND, SHDN, CS, DOUT, DIN, SCLK) with proper decoupling (1 µF CAP) and shutdown control (≤1 µA sleep current).

Key Specifications

Availability

KITMPL115A1SPI is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for barometric sensing, altitude estimation, and environmental monitoring applications requiring stable component supply, validated reference firmware, and production-grade MEMS handling guidance.

Supply support for KITMPL115A1SPI includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

NXP Semiconductors is a global semiconductor company headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands, specializing in secure connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, and IoT markets.

The MPL115A1 product line delivers miniature, low-power, digitally interfaced MEMS pressure sensors targeting space-constrained portable electronics - with design emphasis on barometric accuracy, wide temperature operation (–40 °C to +105 °C), and host-based compensation flexibility.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the KITMPL115A1SPI evaluation kit?

The KITMPL115A1SPI evaluation kit enables hardware and firmware validation of the MPL115A1 SPI digital barometer IC. It provides physical access to all eight LGA pins, preconfigured decoupling (1 µF on CAP), and documented SPI command sequences (e.g., 24h CONVERT, 80h/82h pressure read) to verify pressure acquisition, coefficient retrieval, and host-side compensation per Equation 1 in the datasheet. KITMPL115A1SPI does not include onboard processing - the host microcontroller executes the full compensation algorithm.

Does KITMPL115A1SPI include firmware or software libraries?

KITMPL115A1SPI is a hardware evaluation platform and does not ship with compiled firmware or drivers. However, NXP Application Note AN3785 provides complete C-language implementation of the four-coefficient compensation algorithm used with KITMPL115A1SPI, including floating-point and fixed-point examples, memory map addressing, and SPI timing constraints. Engineers must implement the host-side logic referencing the MPL115A1 memory map (Table 4) and coefficient bit-width definitions (Table 5).

How is pressure compensation calculated using KITMPL115A1SPI?

Compensation requires reading raw 10-bit pressure (Padc) and temperature (Tadc) ADC values plus four factory-stored coefficients (a0, b1, b2, c12) from KITMPL115A1SPI-connected MPL115A1. The host computes Pcomp = a0 + (b1 + c12 × Tadc) × Padc + b2 × Tadc. Example values from the datasheet show Pcomp = 733.29 counts (≈85.7 kPa) given Padc = 415, Tadc = 513, and coefficients a0 = 2107.875, b1 = –2.49512, b2 = –1.02069, c12 = 0.00086665 - all accessible via KITMPL115A1SPI SPI interface.

What are the critical PCB layout requirements for KITMPL115A1SPI hardware integration?

KITMPL115A1SPI references the MPL115A1's LGA package (SOT1769-1, 3 × 5 × 1.2 mm) and mandates strict adherence to NXP's landing pattern (Figure 12): 0.5 mm × 0.8 mm pads, 0.625 mm pitch, 1.25 mm center-to-center spacing for outer rows. A 1 µF ceramic capacitor must be placed between VDD and CAP pins, and the vent hole must remain unobstructed. Cleaning must avoid pressure spray or ultrasonics; if required, use Water Soluble flux with Kapton tape covering the cavity.

Can KITMPL115A1SPI operate across the full MPL115A1 temperature range?

Yes - KITMPL115A1SPI supports operation from –40 °C to +105 °C as specified for the MPL115A1 IC. The evaluation kit's passive components (capacitor, PCB traces) are rated for this range, and the documented SPI timing (tSCLK min 125 ns, tSET/tHOLD ≥30 ns) remains valid across temperature. Accuracy of ±1 kPa is guaranteed only from –20 °C to +85 °C per Table 11; outside this band, performance degrades per the sensor's native TCO and TCS coefficients applied in the host compensation routine.