NXP Semiconductors MF3DH9300DA8/01J

Overview

MF3DH9300DA8/01J from NXP Semiconductors is a contactless multi-application smart card IC compliant with ISO/IEC 14443A, featuring 16 kB non-volatile memory, 70 pF input capacitance, Common Criteria EAL5+ security certification, and support for AES-128 and 3DES cryptographic engines. It enables secure public transport ticketing, micro-payment, and multi-service smart city cards.

For engineers reviewing the MF3DH9300DA8/01J datasheet, MF3DH9300DA8/01J pinout, MF3DH9300DA8/01J application, or MF3DH9300DA8/01J equivalent, key selection criteria include memory size (16 kB), high-input-capacitance variant (70 pF) for compact antenna designs, EV3-specific features like Transaction Timer and Proximity Check, and backward compatibility with MIFARE DESFire EV2/EV1 infrastructure.

Technical Context

The MF3DH9300DA8/01J implements a dedicated ISO/IEC 14443-4 contactless interface with configurable FSCI up to 256 bytes, supporting data rates of 106–848 kbit/s and low Hmin operation enabling up to 100 mm read range. Its on-chip analog front-end includes rectifier, voltage regulator, and RF sensors (glitch, light, temperature, rail).

It executes a real-time OS with hardware-accelerated AES-128 and 3-key TDEA engines, integrated TRNG, CRC-16/32, and CMAC authentication. Memory management uses a flexible file system with up to 32 files per application across six types-including Transaction MAC-and supports mutual three-pass authentication at application level.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

MF3DH9300DA8/01J is supplied in MOA8 plastic leadless module carrier package (SOT500-4), designed for embedding into smart cards, wearables, or thin-form-factor credentials. It has no external pins - RF coupling occurs via integrated antenna connection pads compatible with standard ISO/IEC 14443A coil layouts.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar contactless multi-application IC applications.

Compared with MF3DH9300DA8/01J, MF3DH8300DA8/01 trades memory headroom for lower unit cost in constrained-use deployments, while MF3D9300DA8/01 sacrifices compact antenna compatibility for broader interoperability with existing 17 pF-optimized reader ecosystems.

Availability

MF3DH9300DA8/01J is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for secure public transport ticketing, smart city credentialing, and student ID systems requiring stable component supply, long-term lifecycle assurance, and certified security compliance.

Supply support for MF3DH9300DA8/01J 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 specializing in secure connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, and IoT markets, with leadership in contactless technology since the introduction of MIFARE.

The MF3DH9300DA8/01J belongs to the MIFARE DESFire EV3 product line, engineered specifically for high-assurance, multi-application contactless systems in transportation, government ID, and financial services where EAL5+ certification and field-proven interoperability are mandatory.

FAQ

What security certifications does MF3DH9300DA8/01J hold?

MF3DH9300DA8/01J is certified to Common Criteria EAL5+ for both hardware and software components, meeting the same assurance level required for banking cards and electronic passports. This certification validates its resistance to side-channel, fault injection, and logical attacks - a requirement explicitly confirmed in the Rev. 3.1 short data sheet dated 11 January 2024. The MF3DH9300DA8/01J implements hardware-accelerated AES-128 and 3TDEA engines, mutual three-pass authentication, and on-chip sensors to fulfill EAL5+ evaluation criteria.

How does the 70 pF input capacitance of MF3DH9300DA8/01J affect antenna design?

The 70 pF input capacitance of MF3DH9300DA8/01J enables smaller antenna geometries and relaxed tuning tolerances in space-constrained applications such as wearables, thin smart cards, or embedded modules. Unlike standard 17 pF variants, it reduces required external matching capacitance, allowing direct integration with compact loop antennas without additional PCB area. This specification is explicitly defined in Table 2 of the MF3D(H)x3 short data sheet and confirmed in the ordering information for MF3DHx3 variants.

Is MF3DH9300DA8/01J backward compatible with older MIFARE DESFire infrastructure?

Yes, MF3DH9300DA8/01J operates in default delivery configuration as a MIFARE DESFire EV2 device, ensuring full interoperability with existing readers and backends deployed for EV2 and EV1. New EV3 features - including Transaction Timer, Proximity Check, and Virtual Card Architecture - require explicit activation via dedicated commands and do not interfere with legacy operation. This functional backward compatibility is documented in Section 1.2 and Figure 1 of the Rev. 3.1 short data sheet.

What file types does MF3DH9300DA8/01J support, and how do they differ in use?

MF3DH9300DA8/01J supports six file types: Standard Data, Backup Data, Value, Linear Record, Cyclic Record, and Transaction MAC. Standard Data files store unstructured binary; Value files enable atomic increment/decrement with rollback; Linear and Cyclic Records manage sequential logs; Backup Data files mirror critical content; Transaction MAC files generate cryptographically signed proofs per transaction. These distinctions are defined in Sections 7.6 and 2.1.3 of the official short data sheet and directly impact data integrity architecture in payment and audit applications.

Does MF3DH9300DA8/01J support NFC Forum Type 4 Tag functionality?

Yes, MF3DH9300DA8/01J is NFC Forum Type 4 Tag certified (Certificate ID 58652), enabling seamless interaction with standard NFC smartphones and readers using NDEF message exchange. It supports Secure Dynamic Messaging (SDM), which mirrors authenticated data as plain text in the NDEF message - a capability verified in Section 2.1.6 and confirmed in the certification listing. This allows smartphone-based service provisioning and dynamic content updates without proprietary middleware.