NXP Semiconductors MK21DN512AVMC5R

Overview

MK21DN512AVMC5 from NXP Semiconductors (formerly Freescale) is a 50 MHz ARM® Cortex®-M4-based microcontroller with DSP extensions, 512 KB flash, 64 KB SRAM, and integrated DryIce tamper detection. It features USB LS/FS OTG 2.0 with embedded 3.3 V/120 mA LDO, 16-bit SAR ADC, 12-bit DAC, and operates from 1.71–3.6 V across –40 to 105°C - deployed in electronic point-of-sale terminals requiring secure, low-power, USB-connected processing.

For engineers reviewing the MK21DN512AVMC5 datasheet, MK21DN512AVMC5 pinout, MK21DN512AVMC5 application, or MK21DN512AVMC5 equivalent, key selection criteria include verified tamper-detection capability (DryIce), USB OTG regulator integration, static power down to 359 nA, 50 MHz real-time performance with DSP instructions, and 121-pin MAPBGA package compatibility with industrial temperature operation.

Technical Context

The MK21DN512AVMC5 implements an ARM Cortex-M4 core with hardware floating-point unit and DSP instruction set, delivering 1.25 Dhrystone MIPS per MHz at up to 50 MHz. Its clock system includes 32 kHz and 3–32 MHz crystal oscillators, multipurpose clock generator (MCG), and phase-locked loop (PLL) for precise frequency synthesis and USB timing compliance.

Security architecture integrates DryIce tamper detection with active/passive pin monitoring, temperature, clock, and supply voltage supervision; hardware encryption engines support AES, DES, 3DES, SHA-1/256, and MD5; plus 128-bit unique chip ID and hardware RNG. Memory subsystem includes FlexNVM (64 KB) and FlexRAM (4 KB) alongside main flash and SRAM.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Package: 121-pin MAPBGA (8 mm × 8 mm, 0.65 mm pitch, 1.4 mm height). Pinout validated per K21P121M50SF4V2 Rev 6 datasheet Section 5.2 (K21 Pinouts) and package drawing 98ASA00344D1.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar microcontroller applications.

Compared with MK21DN512AVMC5, MK22FN512VLH12 trades certified tamper protection for higher compute throughput and networking, while KL27Z128VLH4 sacrifices security and USB integration for minimal cost and ultra-low static power - neither matches MK21DN512AVMC5's balance of tamper resilience, USB self-sufficiency, and industrial temperature support.

Availability

MK21DN512AVMC5 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for electronic point-of-sale systems, secure access terminals, and industrial HMI panels requiring stable component supply, long-term lifecycle assurance, and traceable sourcing for safety-critical deployments.

Supply support for MK21DN512AVMC5 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 leader focused on secure connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, IoT, and mobile applications. Formerly Freescale Semiconductor, it acquired the Kinetis portfolio in 2015.

The Kinetis K21D family was designed specifically for cost-sensitive, security-critical embedded applications such as payment terminals and access control systems - emphasizing tamper resilience, USB integration, and low-power operation across extended temperature ranges.

FAQ

What is the maximum operating frequency of the MK21DN512AVMC5?

The MK21DN512AVMC5 operates at up to 50 MHz on its ARM Cortex-M4 core. This frequency is fully supported in normal run mode and remains stable during USB full-speed operation, where system clock is constrained to ≥20 MHz for USB timing compliance. The core delivers 1.25 Dhrystone MIPS per MHz, enabling deterministic real-time execution in POS and secure terminal applications.

Does the MK21DN512AVMC5 include hardware encryption acceleration?

Yes, the MK21DN512AVMC5 includes a dedicated hardware encryption module supporting AES-128/256, DES/3DES, SHA-1, SHA-256, and MD5 algorithms. This offloads cryptographic operations from the CPU, reducing latency and power consumption during secure boot, EMV transaction signing, and encrypted data logging - critical for PCI PTS and FIPS-aligned designs using MK21DN512AVMC5.

What package type and dimensions does the MK21DN512AVMC5 use?

The MK21DN512AVMC5 uses a 121-pin MAPBGA package measuring 8 mm × 8 mm with 0.65 mm pitch and 1.4 mm height. This compact, thermally efficient package is documented in Freescale package drawing 98ASA00344D1 and supports high-density PCB layouts typical in space-constrained POS terminals and access control panels using MK21DN512AVMC5.

How does the DryIce tamper detection work on the MK21DN512AVMC5?

DryIce on the MK21DN512AVMC5 monitors multiple physical channels - including dedicated TAMPER pins, die temperature, system clock frequency, and supply voltage - to detect intrusion attempts. Upon violation, it triggers immediate secure memory wipe and can assert a tamper interrupt. This feature is explicitly validated in the K21D datasheet (Rev 6, Section 3.5.1) and forms the foundation of MK21DN512AVMC5's PCI PTS v5.x qualification.

What is the lowest power consumption mode available on the MK21DN512AVMC5?

The MK21DN512AVMC5 achieves 359 nA in Very-Low-Leakage Stop Mode 0 (VLLS0) with POR detect circuit disabled - the lowest specified static current. In this mode, the RTC remains active with full register retention, enabling wake-up via tamper events, RTC alarms, or external interrupts. This value is measured at 3.0 V and –40 to 25°C, per Table 6 of the K21D datasheet Rev 6, confirming MK21DN512AVMC5's suitability for battery-backed security applications.