Nordic Semiconductor has expanded its nRF54L Series with the nRF54LC10A, an entry-level multiprotocol SoC aimed at compact, cost-sensitive IoT devices. The chip integrates a 128MHz Arm Cortex-M33, a 128MHz RISC-V coprocessor, 1MB of non-volatile memory, 192KB of RAM, and a 2.4GHz radio supporting Bluetooth LE, Thread, Zigbee, Matter, and proprietary protocols.

The Cortex-M33 includes an FPU, DSP instructions, MPU support, and Arm TrustZone, while the RISC-V coprocessor is intended for software-defined peripherals and time-critical tasks that can be offloaded from the main processor.

Wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth LE with Channel Sounding, IEEE 802.15.4 for Thread, Zigbee, and Matter, along with a proprietary 2.4GHz mode supporting data rates up to 4Mbps.

Nordic lists a maximum transmit power of +4dBm, with sensitivity figures of -97dBm for Bluetooth LE 1Mbps and -101dBm for IEEE 802.15.4. Estimated current consumption is 4.0mA in Bluetooth LE receive mode and 5.8mA when transmitting at 0dBm.

nRF54LC10A main features

The nRF54LC10A also includes a hibernation mode intended for products with long storage or shelf-life requirements. Nordic lists hibernation current at about 30nA, while System OFF consumption is estimated at 0.5µA.

Peripheral support includes three serial interfaces supporting SPI, TWI/I2C, and UART, along with an eight-channel SAADC, seven 32-bit timers, Global RTC, watchdog timers, temperature sensing, and comparator functions.

nRF54LC10A package option

Security features include Arm TrustZone, secure boot, secure storage, tamper detection, key management, and a cryptographic engine with side-channel leakage protection. The device also supports authenticated debug access and protections against several forms of physical attack.

The nRF54LC10A is available in three package variants. The CSP29 and CSP39 versions measure about 1.93 x 2.29mm, while the QFN48 package measures 6 x 6mm. The CSP29 provides 12 GPIOs, CSP39 provides 20 GPIOs, and QFN48 provides up to 31 GPIOs.

nRF54LC10A block diagram

Nordic has also announced the nRF54LC10 DK for evaluating the wireless SoC. The development board exposes the device’s I/O through headers and includes a 2.4GHz PCB antenna, an SWF RF connector for direct RF measurements, and current-measurement pins for power profiling.

The board integrates a SEGGER J-Link OB programmer/debugger with USB-C connectivity, along with debug-in and debug-out interfaces. Four user-programmable LEDs and four buttons are also provided, while two UART interfaces are available through virtual serial ports. Power management on the development kit includes Nordic’s nPM1300 PMIC, along with a power switch and reset button.

nRF54LC10 DK overview

For software development, the nRF54LC10 DK is supported by the nRF Connect SDK, nRF Connect for Desktop, and nRF Connect for VS Code. Nordic also lists nRF Cloud support for functions including FOTA updates, remote debugging, and performance monitoring.

Specifications listed for the nRF54LC10A SoC include:

• Processor:
  • 128MHz Arm Cortex-M33
  • FPU, DSP, MPU, and TrustZone support
  • 128MHz RISC-V coprocessor
• Memory:
  • 1MB NVM
  • 192KB RAM
• Wireless:
  • Bluetooth LE
  • Bluetooth Channel Sounding
  • IEEE 802.15.4 for Thread, Zigbee, and Matter
  • Proprietary 2.4GHz modes up to 4Mbps
• Radio:
  • Up to +4dBm TX power
  • -97dBm Bluetooth LE 1M sensitivity
  • -101dBm IEEE 802.15.4 sensitivity
• I/O:
  • 3x SPI/TWI/UART
  • 8-channel SAADC
  • Global RTC
  • 7x 32-bit timers
  • Watchdog timers
  • Temperature sensor
  • Comparator and low-power comparator
• Security:
  • Arm TrustZone
  • Secure boot and secure storage
  • Tamper detection
  • Cryptographic engine with side-channel protection
• Power:
  • 1.7V to 3.6V supply and GPIO voltage
• Operating temperature:
  • -40°C to +85°C
• Packages:
  • CSP29: 1.93 x 2.29mm, 12 GPIOs
  • CSP39: 1.93 x 2.29mm, 20 GPIOs
  • QFN48: 6 x 6mm, up to 31 GPIOs

Further Information

The nRF54LC10A is currently available through project-based early sampling, with production expected by Q2 2027. Nordic says the nRF54LC10 DK is also available through early sampling, with general availability expected by Q1 2027. Pricing for the SoC and development kit was not listed at the time of publication.