CLRC66303HNK - Multi-Protocol NFC Frontend IC | NXP Semiconductors
MPN: CLRC66303HNK β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6.87 | $6.87 |
| 10 | $6.53 | $65.30 |
| 100 | $6.18 | $618.00 |
| 500 | $5.84 | $2,920.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.5 | $5,500.00 |
CLRC66303HNK Overview
An NFC frontend, also called an NFC reader IC or contactless reader frontend, is a radio-frequency integrated circuit that generates the 13.56 MHz carrier, modulates and demodulates the contactless signal, and communicates with a host microcontroller that runs the higher protocol layers. In the system hierarchy it sits between the antenna matching network and the host MCU, making it a key element of wireless RF ICs for NFC/RFID reader designs.
Key features highlighted by NXP include high performance with flexible antenna design options, remarkably low power consumption with Low Power Card Detection (LPCD) support, and multi-protocol operation covering mainstream contactless standards. The CLRC663 plus family provides extended temperature range operation, which widens its use beyond consumer devices into industrial and infrastructure reader equipment.
Technically, the device integrates the analog front end: low-noise receivers, programmable gain, transmit drivers for antenna configurations, and a digital host interface controlled via register access. The host microcontroller executes NXP protocol software such as the NFC Reader Library (NFCRDLib), which the NXP community confirms is the standard software stack for CLRC663-family parts.
Typical applications include contactless payment and ticketing terminals, access-control readers, industrial handheld scanners, and embedded NFC modules for smart-home and IoT devices that must read tags such as NTAG Type 2A parts.
Design consideration: the HNK (HVQFN-32) variant is the standard packaged option; NXP also offers alternative packaging (such as the HNE option), so verify the exact suffix against your supply plan, and note that Mouser currently lists this part as non-stocked with a 30-week lead time.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in family alternatives, lead-time data, and practical design guidance not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for CLRC66303HNK β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
CLRC66301HNK
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
CLRC66302HNK
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
CLRC66304HNK
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
CLRC66303HNE
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
CLRC66303HNY
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
CLRC66303HNK Specifications
| Product Type | High-performance multi-protocol NFC frontend (reader IC) |
| Product Family | CLRC663 plus |
| Carrier Frequency | 13.56 MHz |
| Package | HVQFN-32 (HNK) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Temperature Range | Extended temperature range (per NXP CLRC663 plus family) |
| Family Compatibility | Pin-to-pin compatible within the CLRC663 plus family |
| Host Interface | Digital host interface (register-controlled, per datasheet) |
| Low Power Feature | Low Power Card Detection (LPCD) support |
| Antenna Design | High performance and more flexible antenna design |
| Datasheet Length | 177 pages (1 Mbyte, per Alldatasheet) |
CLRC66303HNK hvqfn-32 (hnk) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for CLRC66303HNK (hvqfn-32 (hnk) package). Pin numbering, functions, and connection diagrams are defined in the manufacturer datasheet. Refer to it for the exact footprint and soldering guidelines.
No detailed pinout data available for CLRC66303HNK.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
CLRC66303HNK is suitable for 6 applications: Contactless Payment and Ticketing Terminals, Access Control Readers, Industrial Handheld Scanners, Smart Home and IoT NFC Modules, Point-of-Sale Peripheral Add-ons, PC/SC Desktop NFC Readers.
Contactless Payment and Ticketing Terminals
The CLRC66303HNK fits payment and ticketing readers because its high-performance multi-protocol 13.56 MHz frontend can address the broad range of contactless cards and tags found in transit and retail environments, while NXP's flexible antenna design supports the compact, cost-optimized antennas typical of countertop terminals. In these designs the frontend drives the antenna through its transmit drivers and demodulates card responses, with the host MCU executing the payment-grade protocol stack via the NFC Reader Library. LPCD low-power detection keeps idle current low for battery-backed portable terminals, and the extended temperature range covers unattended outdoor kiosks.
Recommended
Access Control Readers
Door and gate access readers benefit from the CLRC66303HNK's multi-protocol operation, which lets a single reader serve multiple credential card technologies at 13.56 MHz. The extended temperature range of the CLRC663 plus family suits outdoor reader heads exposed to weather, and the flexible antenna design accommodates the long-format antennas used in wall-mount reader housings. The frontend performs field generation and tag communication while a host MCU manages Wiegand/OSDP interfaces; LPCD enables wake-on-card operation that reduces power draw in continuously installed readers. Non-stocked distributor lead times of 30 weeks (as seen at Mouser) argue for designing in pin-compatible family alternatives from the start.
Recommended
Industrial Handheld Scanners
Battery-powered industrial handheld RFID/NFC scanners use the CLRC66303HNK for its combination of high read performance and lowest-in-class power consumption, both of which NXP calls out for the CLRC663 plus family. LPCD allows the scanner to poll for tags only when needed, extending battery life between charges. The extended temperature range tolerates warehouse and field environments, and the HVQFN-32 package keeps the PCB area small enough for pistol-grip form factors. The host MCU runs the NFC Reader Library, so scanner firmware can prioritize tag types per use case. Flexible antenna design lets engineers tune read range for inventory scanning versus close-coupled tag programming.
Recommended
Smart Home and IoT NFC Modules
Embedded NFC modules for smart-home devices, pairing buttons, and IoT gateways leverage the CLRC66303HNK as a compact HVQFN-32 frontend that adds tap-to-pair and tag-reading to connected products. Its register-based host interface integrates cleanly with low-cost microcontrollers, and NXP's software stack shortens time-to-market for NTAG and other Type 2 tag reading, a pattern documented in the NXP community CLRC663 design thread. Low power consumption matters for always-on wall nodes, where LPCD keeps standby current minimal. The flexible antenna layout permits embedding the antenna in a plastic enclosure, and the family's pin-to-pin compatibility offers supply-chain flexibility for high-volume consumer builds.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale Peripheral Add-ons
POS peripherals such as external contactless dongles and PIN-pad add-ons use the CLRC66303HNK because payment ecosystems demand multi-protocol 13.56 MHz coverage and consistent read reliability. The high-performance analog front end maintains sensitivity across card orientations and antenna tolerance spread, reducing transaction retries at the counter. Its HVQFN-32 footprint fits compact dongle PCBs, while the extended temperature range covers equipment stored in vehicles or outdoor kiosks. The host processor implements EMV contactless kernels over the NFC Reader Library, leaving the frontend to handle RF timing and modulation. Family pin-to-pin alternatives mitigate the 30-week lead times observed for this part at major distributors.
Recommended
PC/SC Desktop NFC Readers
Desktop USB NFC readers for PC login, e-government ID cards, and tag programming stations employ the CLRC66303HNK as the RF frontend behind a USB bridge MCU. The multi-protocol capability lets one desktop reader support the widest variety of 13.56 MHz cards, a key purchasing criterion for enterprise deployments. Flexible antenna design supports the large-area antennas of desktop readers for maximum positioning freedom, and high receiver performance yields reliable reads of low-margin cards. The frontend's register interface and NXP's NFC Reader Library map naturally onto PC/SC driver architectures, while LPCD allows the reader to sleep until a card is presented, cutting idle power in fleets of installed USB readers.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for CLRC66303HNK β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | CLRC66301HNK | CLRC66302HNK | CLRC66304HNK | CLRC66303HNE | CLRC66303HNY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | HVQFN-32 (HNK) | HVQFN-32 - same | HVQFN-32 - same | HVQFN-32 - same | HVQFN-32 - same (HNE packaging suffix) | HVQFN-32 - same (HNY suffix) |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Product Family | CLRC663 plus | CLRC663 plus | CLRC663 plus | CLRC663 plus | CLRC663 plus | CLRC663 plus |
| Carrier Frequency | 13.56 MHz | 13.56 MHz | 13.56 MHz | 13.56 MHz | 13.56 MHz | 13.56 MHz |
| Family Pin Compatibility | Yes (pin-to-pin within CLRC663 plus family) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Extended Temperature Range | Yes (per NXP family overview) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Full high-performance multi-protocol tier (vs CLRC66301HNK)
- Identical silicon in alternative packaging (vs CLRC66303HNE)
- Extended temperature range with flexible antenna design (vs CLRC66302HNK)
Design Notes
Layout the 13.56 MHz antenna matching network exactly as specified in the CLRC663 plus datasheet antenna design chapter, keeping TX1/TX2 and RX traces short, symmetric, and away from switching regulators. Use the online NXP NFC Antenna Tool to size the series/parallel matching capacitors for your antenna inductance. Ground the HVQFN-32 exposed pad solidly with an array of vias to the ground plane - it is the main RF ground return. Keep the crystal as close to the frontend as possible with short ground-guarded traces.
Decouple all supply pins of the CLRC66303HNK with local ceramic capacitors (typical practice: 100 nF per pin plus bulk capacitance per the datasheet reference design). The transmit stage draws pulsed currents at 13.56 MHz, so place the TVDD decoupling directly at the pin and route TVDD as a star branch from the supply. Verify the exact supply voltage and current figures in the 177-page NXP datasheet before finalizing the regulator sizing, since values were not captured in the retrieved distributor data.
Supply-chain planning is a real pitfall here: Mouser lists the CLRC66303HNK as non-stocked with a 30-week lead time and a 2,450-piece minimum (as of 2026-09-14). Design the PCB so any pin-compatible CLRC663 plus family member (e.g., CLRC66303HNE or family siblings) can be fitted, and verify suffix-level differences before releasing the BOM. Also remember the frontend requires host firmware (NFC Reader Library) - it will not read tags without the MCU-side protocol stack.
Compliance Information
Compliance status was not stated in the retrieved web data; verify on the official NXP product page for CLRC66303HN.
