NXP Semiconductors MPL115A2T2

Overview

MPL115A2T2 from NXP Semiconductors is a miniature I²C digital barometric pressure sensor in an LGA-8 package, delivering absolute pressure measurements from 50 kPa to 115 kPa with ±1 kPa accuracy across –40 °C to +105 °C. It integrates a MEMS pressure transducer and signal-conditioning IC with factory-stored calibration coefficients, requiring host-side compensation to compute compensated barometric pressure. Its 5 × 3 × 1.2 mm footprint and 5 μA active current make it suitable for space- and power-constrained portable electronics.

For engineers reviewing the MPL115A2T2 datasheet, MPL115A2T2 pinout, MPL115A2T2 application, or MPL115A2T2 equivalent, this page provides verified technical context, validated pin functions, confirmed I²C interface behavior (7-bit address 0x60, 400 kHz max), real-world compensation algorithm dependencies, and documented alternative options for barometric sensing in portable, industrial, and environmental monitoring systems.

Technical Context

The MPL115A2T2 implements a two-stage signal chain: a MEMS-based absolute pressure sensor coupled with an integrated 10-bit ADC for simultaneous pressure and temperature digitization. Calibration data-including a0, b1, b2, and c12 coefficients stored in on-chip ROM-is read via I²C and used by the host microcontroller to execute a fixed-point polynomial compensation algorithm yielding compensated pressure output.

Its I²C interface operates at up to 400 kHz with standard 7-bit addressing (0x60), supports START CONVERSION command (0x12), and exposes register-mapped access to raw ADC outputs (0x00–0x03) and calibration coefficients (0x04–0x0B). Power management includes SHDN pin control enabling <1 μA shutdown current and wake-up time of 3–5 ms.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

LGA-8 package (SOT1769-1), 3.0 mm × 5.0 mm × 1.2 mm height, with exposed cavity for pressure port access. Requires vented PCB cutout aligned to die cavity.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar absolute pressure sensing applications.

Compared with BMP280 and MS5637, the MPL115A2T2 offers the smallest LGA footprint (3×5 mm), lowest active current (5 μA), and simplest I²C-only integration-making it optimal for size- and power-constrained portable barometers where host MCU resources are available for compensation math.

Availability

MPL115A2T2 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for barometric altimetry, portable weather monitoring, and industrial environmental sensing requiring stable component supply and long-term lifecycle support.

Supply support for MPL115A2T2 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 MPL115A2 product line delivers miniature, low-power absolute pressure sensors targeting portable electronics and embedded environmental monitoring-designed to simplify integration of accurate barometric sensing without external calibration.

FAQ

What is the I²C address of the MPL115A2T2 and how is it configured?

The MPL115A2T2 uses a fixed 7-bit I²C address of 0x60 (1100000b), with write address 0xC0 and read address 0xC1. This address is hard-coded and cannot be changed via pins or registers. External 4.7 kΩ pull-up resistors are required on both SDA and SCL lines, and the device does not acknowledge the general call address (0x00). The MPL115A2T2 responds only to its assigned address and supports standard/fast-mode I²C up to 400 kHz.

Does the MPL115A2T2 perform on-chip pressure compensation, or is host processing required?

The MPL115A2T2 does not perform on-chip compensation. It outputs raw 10-bit pressure (Padc) and temperature (Tadc) ADC values along with factory-stored calibration coefficients (a0, b1, b2, c12) stored in ROM. Host microcontroller firmware must implement the documented fixed-point polynomial equation to compute compensated absolute pressure. This architecture minimizes sensor die complexity and power consumption while ensuring unit-specific accuracy.

What is the purpose of the CAP pin on the MPL115A2T2, and how should it be connected?

On the MPL115A2T2, the CAP pin connects to a 1 µF capacitor tied to GND. This capacitor stabilizes the internal voltage reference used by the ADC and signal conditioning circuitry, directly improving measurement repeatability and reducing noise-induced errors. The capacitor must be placed as close as possible to the CAP and GND pins, using a low-ESR ceramic type. Omitting or undersizing this capacitor results in increased pressure reading variance and degraded long-term stability.

How does the SHDN pin affect power consumption and communication readiness of the MPL115A2T2?

Driving the SHDN pin low places the MPL115A2T2 into shutdown mode, reducing supply current to ≤1 μA and placing all I²C pins (SDA, SCL, RST) in high-impedance state. To resume operation, SHDN must be pulled high, followed by a wake-up delay of 3–5 ms before issuing any I²C commands. During shutdown, all internal registers reset-requiring re-initialization and coefficient reload upon wake-up. This feature enables aggressive power cycling in battery-powered applications.

Is the MPL115A2T2 pin-compatible with other variants like MPL115A2T1, and what distinguishes them?

Yes, the MPL115A2T2 is pin-compatible with MPL115A2T1-the same LGA-8 (SOT1769-1) package, identical pinout, and identical electrical specifications. The suffix "T2" denotes tape-and-reel packaging (1000 pcs/reel), whereas "T1" also indicates tape-and-reel but may reflect earlier revision or minor handling differences. Both share identical functionality, timing, and register map. No PCB layout changes are needed when substituting between T1 and T2 variants.