STMicroelectronics NUCLEO-L4R5ZI

Overview

NUCLEO-L4R5ZI from STMicroelectronics is an STM32 Nucleo-144 development board built around the STM32L4R5ZIT6 ultra-low-power Arm® Cortex®-M4 MCU (100 MHz, 2 MB Flash, 640 KB SRAM), featuring LQFP144 packaging, USB OTG Full-Speed support via Micro-AB connector, and integrated ST-LINK/V2-1 debugger/programmer. It enables rapid prototyping for battery-powered IoT edge nodes, sensor hubs, and portable medical devices requiring high integration and energy efficiency.

For engineers reviewing the NUCLEO-L4R5ZI datasheet, NUCLEO-L4R5ZI pinout, NUCLEO-L4R5ZI application, or NUCLEO-L4R5ZI equivalent, this board delivers verified hardware compatibility with STM32Cube ecosystem tools, ARDUINO® Uno V3 and ST Zio expansion headers, on-board 32.768 kHz crystal, and seamless IDE support across STM32CubeIDE, IAR Embedded Workbench®, and Keil MDK-ARM.

Technical Context

The NUCLEO-L4R5ZI implements a complete evaluation platform for the STM32L4R5ZIT6 microcontroller, which integrates a Cortex-M4 core with FPU, ART Accelerator™, and Chrom-ART Accelerator™ for efficient GUI rendering. It supports multiple low-power modes (Stop 2, Standby with RTC) and includes hardware cryptographic accelerators (AES-128/256, SHA-256, PKA).

Board-level features include dual power options (USB VBUS or external supply), three user LEDs (LD1–LD3), two push-buttons (user and reset), SWD debugging interface, and morpho expansion headers exposing all MCU I/O pins. The ST Zio connector extends ARDUINO® Uno V3 functionality while maintaining full STM32 peripheral access.

Key Specifications

Availability

NUCLEO-L4R5ZI is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial sensor gateways, wearable health monitors, and smart building controllers requiring stable component supply, long-term toolchain continuity, and production-ready evaluation hardware.

Supply support for NUCLEO-L4R5ZI 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

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor leader headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, specializing in microcontrollers, power management, sensors, and automotive ICs with strong focus on energy efficiency and industrial reliability.

The STM32 Nucleo series was designed to accelerate embedded development by delivering standardized, open-hardware platforms tightly coupled with the STM32Cube software ecosystem - enabling rapid validation of MCU features before custom PCB design.

FAQ

Does NUCLEO-L4R5ZI support external SMPS?

No - the NUCLEO-L4R5ZI uses the standard STM32L4R5ZIT6 variant without external SMPS capability. For external SMPS support, use the NUCLEO-L4R5ZI-P variant (order code NUCLEO-L4R5ZI-P), which integrates dedicated SMPS control pins and circuitry for ultra-low-power system designs.

What IDEs are officially supported for NUCLEO-L4R5ZI?

STMicroelectronics officially supports STM32CubeIDE (cross-platform), IAR Embedded Workbench® (Windows only), and Keil MDK-ARM (Windows only). All provide full debugging, flash programming, and peripheral configuration via the onboard ST-LINK/V2-1 interface without additional hardware.

Can NUCLEO-L4R5ZI be used for USB host applications?

Yes - the board's USB OTG Full-Speed interface (via Micro-AB connector) supports both device and host roles. The STM32L4R5ZIT6 MCU includes dedicated USB OTG PHY and controller logic, enabling HID, MSC, or CDC host-class implementations using STM32Cube middleware libraries.

Is the 32.768 kHz crystal on NUCLEO-L4R5ZI mandatory for RTC operation?

Yes - the on-board 32.768 kHz crystal is directly connected to the LSE oscillator input of the STM32L4R5ZIT6 and is required for accurate RTC timekeeping, calendar functions, and low-power wake-up timers. No internal RC alternative meets RTC accuracy requirements per datasheet specifications.