Texas Instruments Chipcon Products CC2400DK User manual

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User Manual
Rev. 1.1
CC2400DK Development Kit

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Table of contents
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................... 3
EVALUATION MODULE........................................................................................................... 4
CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................. 4
PCB LAYOUT ........................................................................................................................... 4
SCHEMATIC ............................................................................................................................ 10
EVALUATION BOARD........................................................................................................... 12
POWER SUPPLY SECTION ........................................................................................................ 12
USB INTERFACE..................................................................................................................... 14
RS-232 INTERFACE................................................................................................................ 14
JUMPERS ............................................................................................................................... 14
MICROCONTROLLER AND FPGA.............................................................................................. 15
CONNECTORS ........................................................................................................................ 16
PCB LAYOUT ......................................................................................................................... 17
SCHEMATICS,CC2400EB...................................................................................................... 20
BILL OF MATERIALS,CC2400EB ............................................................................................ 25
USING THE DEVELOPMENT KIT.......................................................................................... 31
CC2400 RF EVALUATION USING SMARTRF®STUDIO............................................................... 31
USING THE CC2400DK FOR PROTOTYPING ............................................................................. 32
TROUBLESHOOTING............................................................................................................ 33
IT DOES NOT WORK................................................................................................................. 33
SMARTRF®STUDIO DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE CC2400EB .................................................... 33

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Introduction
The CC2400 single-chip RF transceiver provides a highly integrated, flexible low-cost solution
for applications using the worldwide unlicensed 2.4 GHz frequency band. The CC2400DK
development kit is a powerful and flexible tool specifically designed to make it easy for the
user to evaluate the RF performance of the CC2400 and to minimize the time spent on
evaluation.
The Development Kit includes two Evaluation Boards and two Evaluation Modules. The
Evaluation Modules contain the CC2400 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 CC2400 with the SmartRF®Studio
software and various test equipment.
This User Manual describes how to use the Development Kit. SmartRF®Studio is
documented in its own user manual.
Your SmartRF®CC2400DK Development Kit should contain the following items:
Kit contents
Item Number of articles
Evaluation Board (CC2400EB) 2
Evaluation Module (CC2400EM) 2
Quick Start instructions 1
Antenna, 50Ωquarter-wave monopole, SMA male connector 2
SMA to BNC adapters 4
USB cable 2
CC2400 sample kit 1

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Evaluation Module
The Evaluation Module contains the CC2400 chip together with the needed external circuitry
for operation. Not all components are needed in an actual application. Please see the
datasheet for a typical application circuit.
The CC2400 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. Please refer to application note AN001 for more information about applicable
regulations.
Important: Contact your local telecommunication authorities before transmitting an RF signal.
Circuit description
The CC2400 RF section includes all the necessary components for correct operation.
The CC2400 is connected to a 16 MHz crystal.
The Evaluation Module can be plugged into the Evaluation Board. Two 2x10 pin pin row
connectors with 0.050-inch pitch are used for this purpose.
Figure 1: CC2400EM Evaluation Module
PCB layout
RF circuits operating at high frequencies are sensitive to the physical layout of the PCB.
Chipcon has carefully optimized the layout of the CC2400EM 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, while layer 2 is a ground plane 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: CC2400EM PCB layout, layer 1

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Figure 3: CC2400EM PCB layout, layer 2

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Figure 4: CC2400 PCB layout, layer 3

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Figure 5: CC2400EM PCB layout, layer 4

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Figure 6: CC2400EM component placement, top side (left) and bottom side (right)

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Schematic