STMicroelectronics P-NUCLEO-53L3A2

Overview

P-NUCLEO-53L3A2 from STMicroelectronics is a complete evaluation kit comprising the NUCLEO-F401RE STM32 microcontroller board and the X-NUCLEO-53L3A2 expansion board hosting two VL53L3CX Time-of-Flight (ToF) ranging sensors with multi-target detection, 2.8 V regulation, I²C interface, and Arduino Uno R3 connectivity. It supports rapid prototyping of proximity, gesture, and occupancy sensing in industrial automation, smart home devices, and robotics.

For engineers reviewing the P-NUCLEO-53L3A2 datasheet, P-NUCLEO-53L3A2 pinout, P-NUCLEO-53L3A2 application, or P-NUCLEO-53L3A2 equivalent, this kit delivers validated hardware-software integration for VL53L3CX sensor evaluation-including GUI-based configuration, smudge correction, Class 1 laser compliance, and breakout board flexibility for custom mechanical integration.

Technical Context

The kit integrates the STM32F401RE MCU (ARM Cortex-M4, 84 MHz, 512 KB Flash) as host controller and the X-NUCLEO-53L3A2 expansion board featuring dual VL53L3CX ToF sensors, each with 940 nm VCSEL emitter, SPAD array, and embedded smudge compensation algorithm. The expansion board provides level-shifted I²C (PB8/PB9), interrupt routing (PA4, PC1, PA5, PB5, etc.), and 2.8 V regulated supply for sensor operation.

Two optional VL53L3CX breakout boards connect via 10-pin headers or flying leads, enabling mechanical customization with 0.25/0.5/1 mm spacers and dual cover windows. Full firmware-including HAL drivers, X-CUBE-TOF1 middleware, and Windows/Linux GUI-is available from ST's official VL53L3CX tools page.

Key Specifications

Availability

P-NUCLEO-53L3A2 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial automation, smart home presence detection, robotics navigation, and consumer electronics prototyping requiring stable component supply and full software toolchain support.

Supply support for P-NUCLEO-53L3A2 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, designing and manufacturing microcontrollers, sensors, power management, and analog ICs for industrial, automotive, and consumer markets.

This kit belongs to ST's NUCLEO ecosystem and X-NUCLEO expansion series-designed to accelerate development of time-of-flight sensing applications using FlightSense™ technology, with emphasis on ease of evaluation, GUI-driven configuration, and mechanical adaptability for real-world optical integration.

FAQ

Does P-NUCLEO-53L3A2 include production-ready firmware?

Yes-it ships with fully functional firmware including X-CUBE-TOF1 middleware, HAL drivers for STM32F401RE, and a cross-platform GUI for real-time sensor configuration, data visualization, and smudge correction tuning. Source code is provided for customization and integration into end-product firmware.

Can both VL53L3CX sensors operate simultaneously?

Yes-the X-NUCLEO-53L3A2 expansion board supports concurrent operation of both onboard and breakout VL53L3CX sensors via independent I²C addresses and dedicated interrupt lines. The provided middleware abstracts multi-sensor synchronization and data aggregation.

What mechanical options are included for optical integration?

The kit includes two cover windows with different transmission profiles and three spacer heights (0.25 mm, 0.5 mm, 1 mm) to simulate air gaps between sensor and cover glass-enabling empirical optimization of ranging accuracy and crosstalk rejection in final enclosure designs.

Is laser safety documentation provided with the kit?

Yes-the DB4199 Data Brief explicitly confirms Class 1 laser compliance per IEC 60825-1:2014 under all specified operating conditions, with labeling guidance and usage constraints (e.g., no external optics, adherence to factory default settings) included in Section 2.