Texas Instruments Chipcon CC2420DK User manual

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User Manual
Rev. 1.0
CC2420DK Development Kit
This datasheet has been downloaded fromhttp://www.digchip.com at this page

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Table of contents
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 3
CC2420 EVALUATION MODULE ............................................................................................ 4
CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................. 4
PCB LAYOUT,CC2420EM....................................................................................................... 4
SCHEMATIC,CC2420EM ......................................................................................................... 8
BILL OF MATERIALS,CC2420EM .............................................................................................. 9
CC2400 EVALUATION BOARD............................................................................................. 10
POWER SUPPLY SECTION ........................................................................................................ 10
USB INTERFACE..................................................................................................................... 12
RS-232 INTERFACE................................................................................................................ 12
JUMPERS ............................................................................................................................... 12
MICROCONTROLLER AND FPGA.............................................................................................. 13
CONNECTORS ........................................................................................................................ 14
PCB LAYOUT,CC2400EB...................................................................................................... 15
SCHEMATICS,CC2400EB...................................................................................................... 18
BILL OF MATERIALS,CC2400EB ............................................................................................ 23
USING THE DEVELOPMENT KIT.......................................................................................... 29
CC2420 RF EVALUATION USING SMARTRF®STUDIO OR PACKET SNIFFER ............................... 29
USING THE CC2420DK FOR PROTOTYPING ............................................................................. 30
TROUBLESHOOTING ............................................................................................................ 31
IT DOES NOT WORK................................................................................................................. 31
SMARTRF®STUDIO DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE CC2400EB .................................................... 31

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Introduction
The CC2420 is a true single-chip 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 compliant RF transceiver designed
for low-power and low-voltage wireless applications. The CC2420DK development kit is a
powerful and flexible tool specifically designed to make it easy for the user to evaluate the RF
performance of the CC2420 and to minimize the time spent on evaluation.
The Development Kit includes two CC2400EB Evaluation Boards and two CC2420EM
Evaluation Modules. The Evaluation Modules contain the CC2420 chip and required external
components.
The Evaluation Board serves as a motherboard for the Evaluation Modules. The Evaluation
Board provides a USB port, a serial port, buttons, LEDs, voltage regulator, configuration
jumpers and connectors to make it easy to interface the CC2420 with the SmartRF®Studio
software and various test equipment. The CC2400EB Evaluation Board is the same as for the
CC2400DK.
This User Manual describes how to use the Development Kit. SmartRF®Studio is
documented in its own user manual.
Your SmartRF®CC2420DK Development Kit should contain the following items:
Kit contents
Item Number of articles
Evaluation Board (CC2400EB) 2
Evaluation Module (CC2420EM) 2
Quick Start instructions 1
Antenna, 50Ωquarter-wave monopole, SMA male connector 2
SMA to BNC adapters 4
USB cable 2
CC2420 sample kit 1

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CC2420 Evaluation Module
The CC2420EM Evaluation Module contains the CC2420 chip together with the external
circuitry needed for proper operation. Not all components are needed in an actual application.
Please see the data sheet for a typical application circuit.
The CC2420 operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. Although this frequency band is
usually described as “world-wide”, some countries do not allow unlicensed operation in this
band.
Important: Contact your local telecommunication authorities before transmitting an RF signal.
Circuit description
The CC2420 RF section includes all the necessary components for correct operation.
The CC2420 is connected to a 16 MHz crystal.
The user can select between using the CC2420 on chip voltage regulator, or the regulator on
the CC2400EB. This is controlled by the jumper on CC2420EM. The default setting is to use
the CC2400EB regulator. If the internal regulator is selected, you must also change the
CC2400EB P12 jumper setting as given in figure 9.
The CC2420EM Evaluation Module can be plugged into the CC2400B Evaluation Board. Two
2x10 pin pin row connectors with 0.050-inch pitch are used for this purpose.
Figure 1: CC2420EM Evaluation Module
PCB layout, CC2420EM
RF circuits operating at high frequencies are sensitive to the physical layout of the PCB.
Chipcon has carefully optimized the layout of the CC2420EM Evaluation Module and we
therefore recommend that the user copies it when making own PCB designs.
The PCB is of a 4-layer type in order to provide a well-defined ground plane as well as
adequate routing space. The laminate used is standard FR-4 board material. The PCB is
1.0mm thick, with layer 1 on the top side, layers 2 and 3 are internal layers and layer 4 is on
the bottom side. Layers 1 and 4 are used for routing, and layer 3 is used for power routing. All
areas not utilized for routing are filled with copper connected to ground to provide RF
shielding. The ground planes on all layers are stitched together with closely spaced vias.

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Figure 2: CC2420EM PCB layout, layer 1
Figure 3: CC2420EM PCB layout, layer 2

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Figure 4: CC2420 PCB layout, layer 3
Figure 5: CC2420EM PCB layout, layer 4

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Figure 6a: CC2420EM component placement, top side
Figure 6b: CC2420EM component placement, bottom side

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Schematic, CC2420EM
Figure 7: CC2420EM schematic

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Bill of materials, CC2420EM
Bill of materials, CC2420EM
Reference Description Value Part
C1 Capacitor 0603 2.2 µF, 10% C_2U2_0603_X5R_K_10
C11 Capacitor 0402 100 nF, 10% C_100N_0402_X5R_J_10
C61 Capacitor 0402 0.5 pF, ± 0.25 pF C_0P5_0402_NP0_C_50
C62 Capacitor 0402 5.6 pF, ± 0.25 pF C_5P6_0402_NP0_C_50
C71 Capacitor 0402 5.6 pF, ± 0.25 pF C_5P6_0402_NP0_C_50
C81 Capacitor 0402 0.5 pF, ± 0.25 pF C_0P5_0402_NP0_C_50
C101 Capacitor 0402 10 nF, 10% C_10N_0402_X7R_K_25
C171 Capacitor 0402 68 pF, 5% C_68P_0402_NP0_J_50
C251 Capacitor 0402 100 nF, 10% C_100N_0402_X5R_K_10
C261 Capacitor 0402 100 nF, 10% C_100N_0402_X5R_K_10
C351 Capacitor 0402 100 nF, 10% C_100N_0402_X5R_K_10
C371 Capacitor 0402 68 pF, 5% C_68P_0402_NP0_J_50
C381 Capacitor 0402 22 pF, 5% C_22P_0402_NP0_J_50
C391 Capacitor 0402 22 pF, 5% C_22P_0402_NP0_J_50
C421 Capasitor 0805 10 uF, 15% C_10U_0805_X5R_L_25
C431 Capasitor 0805 10 uF, 15% C_10U_0805_X5R_L_25
C441 Capacitor 0402 68 pF, 5% C_68P_0402_NP0_J_50
L61 Inductor 0402 7.5 nH, 5% L_7N5_0402_J
L62 Inductor 0402 5.6 nH, 5% L_5N6_0402_J
L81 Inductor 0402 7.5 nH, 5% L_7N5_0402_J
P1 SMD pinrow socket SMD_SOCKET_2x10 (Samtec
SFM-110-02-S-D-A-K-TR)
P2 SMD pinrow socket SMD_SOCKET_2x10 (Samtec
SFM-110-02-S-D-A-K-TR)
P3 3 pin jumper 3 pin connector, 0.9 mm pin
P4 Surface-mount
SMA, straight
SMA_SMD
R1 Resistor 0603 0 ΩR_0_0603
R2 Resistor 0603 0 ΩR_0_0603
R421 Resistor 0402 2 Ω, 1% R2R0_0402_F
R451 Resistor 0402 43 kΩ, 1% R_43K_0402_F
U1 Single-chip
transceiver
CC2420
X1 Crystal, ceramic
SMD 4x25mm
X_16.000/10/10/10/16 (Toyocom
TSX-10A 16M 16pF)

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Note: The crystal X1 mounted on the EM board is a 16.000 MHz crystal, with ±10 ppm initial
tolerance, ± 10 ppm drift over temperature and a temperature range of -10˚C to +60˚C. The
crystal is designed for 16 pF load capacitance. In an actual application, the tolerance, drift
and temperature range of the crystal must be considered with application requirements in
mind. Please consult the data sheet and SmartRF®Studio for more information. It is possible
to choose a larger crystal package to save cost. The crystal should have an ESR of 60 Ωor
less.
CC2400 Evaluation Board
The Evaluation Board is used as a motherboard for the Evaluation Modules and provides
power and external connections.
Figure 7: CC2400EB Evaluation Board
Power supply section
The power supply section is configured by moving the jumpers located on the board. There
are three voltage regulators on the board, one for use by the FPGA, a 3.3 V regulator for
general use and a 1.8 V regulator for powering the CC2420. The voltage regulator for the
USB port
Serial port
Power
connections
Sockets for EM
Buttons
LEDs
SMA connectors
Test port
Reset button
Jumpers
DC jack