STMicroelectronics P-NUCLEO-53L4A1-

Overview

P-NUCLEO-53L4A1 from STMicroelectronics is a complete evaluation kit comprising the X-NUCLEO-53L4A1 VL53L4CD Time-of-Flight proximity sensor expansion board and the NUCLEO-F401RE STM32 development board, enabling rapid prototyping of high-accuracy short-range distance sensing (1 mm to 1300 mm) at up to 100 Hz with Class 1 laser safety compliance.

For engineers reviewing the P-NUCLEO-53L4A1 datasheet, P-NUCLEO-53L4A1 pinout, P-NUCLEO-53L4A1 application, or P-NUCLEO-53L4A1 equivalent, this kit delivers ready-to-run firmware, GUI-based configuration (STSW-IMG027), Arduino UNO R3-compatible connectivity, and dual cover glass options for environmental robustness in proximity-sensing development.

Technical Context

The kit integrates the VL53L4CD sensor - a FlightSense™ ToF device using a 940 nm VCSEL emitter with 18° FoV - and the STM32F401RE MCU (ARM Cortex-M4, 84 MHz, 512 KB Flash, 96 KB RAM) on a Nucleo-64 form factor board. Communication occurs via I²C over Arduino R3 headers (CN5/CN6/CN8/CN9).

The X-NUCLEO-53L4A1 provides onboard 3.3 V regulation for the VL53L4CD, supports autonomous threshold-triggered operation, and includes mechanical spacers (0.25/0.5/1 mm) to simulate controlled air gaps during sensor characterization and system integration testing.

Key Specifications

Availability

P-NUCLEO-53L4A1 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for proximity-sensing prototyping, embedded gesture interface validation, and battery-powered short-range distance measurement applications requiring stable component supply and full software toolchain support.

Supply support for P-NUCLEO-53L4A1 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 ICs, and analog devices for industrial, automotive, and consumer markets.

This kit belongs to ST's Nucleo ecosystem and FlightSense™ evaluation platform, designed specifically to accelerate development of compact, low-power, high-accuracy time-of-flight sensing solutions for next-generation human-machine interfaces and smart proximity systems.

FAQ

Does P-NUCLEO-53L4A1 include source code and GUI tools?

Yes. The kit ships with STSW-IMG027 - a full graphical user interface and open-source firmware package supporting real-time distance visualization, register configuration, threshold programming, and ambient light compensation tuning. All source code is provided under ST's standard license for evaluation and development use.

Can the VL53L4CD operate autonomously without continuous MCU polling?

Yes. The VL53L4CD supports hardware interrupt-driven autonomous mode: it continuously measures distance and asserts an interrupt when the result crosses a programmable threshold, enabling ultra-low-power wake-up operation ideal for battery-powered wearables and IoT endpoints.

What mechanical accessories are included for sensor calibration?

The kit includes three precision-machined spacers (0.25 mm, 0.5 mm, and 1 mm thickness) to simulate defined air gaps between cover glass and sensor window, plus two interchangeable cover glasses - one standard and one anti-reflective - to evaluate optical path effects and environmental sealing impact on ranging accuracy.

Is the NUCLEO-F401RE board compatible with other X-NUCLEO expansion boards?

Yes. The NUCLEO-F401RE uses the standardized Arduino UNO R3 footprint and ST Morpho headers, allowing interoperability with any X-NUCLEO board that follows ST's expansion board specification - including those for motor control, environmental sensing, and power management - subject to shared resource constraints (e.g., I²C bus arbitration).