MKL15Z128VLH4 - 48MHz Cortex-M0+ 128KB Flash MCU | NXP | Kinetis
MPN: MKL15Z128VLH4 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.42 | $5.42 |
| 10 | $4.89 | $48.90 |
| 100 | $4.05 | $405.00 |
| 500 | $3.51 | $1,755.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.96 | $2,960.00 |
| 3,000 | $2.42 | $7,260.00 |
MKL15Z128VLH4 Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program and data memory, peripherals, and I/O. The Cortex-M0+ is ARM's smallest and most energy-efficient application processor core, optimized for deterministic interrupt response and ultra-low active power. MCUs sit within the hierarchy of embedded computing devices, beneath microprocessors and above simple digital signal controllers; the Kinetis L family specifically targets battery-powered and energy-harvesting designs where milliamp budgets dominate BOM decisions.
Key features include an integrated 12-bit SAR ADC with up to 16 channels, a 16-bit ADC option, multiple low-power modes (Wait, Very-Low-Power Wait, Stop, VLLS0/1/3), and NXP's low-power touch sensor interface (TSI). Communications peripherals include I²C, UART, SPI, I²S, and USB 2.0 full-speed OTG with on-chip transceiver. The KL15 sub-family extends the KL0x with additional SRAM, communications options, and analog integration while retaining the same Cortex-M0+ instruction set.
Architecturally the MKL15Z128VLH4 uses a 2-bit dual-core implementation with a single-cycle 32x32 hardware multiplier, a 4-channel DMA controller, and a low-leakage wake-up unit. The Flash is organized as 128K x 8 with ECC-style reliability, and the SRAM is 16 KB with parity. The part operates from internal or external references and supports a 4-bit GPIO port configuration across 53 usable I/O pins on the 64-LQFP.
Typical applications include portable medical devices, wearable fitness trackers, home automation sensor hubs, automotive body controllers, smart-metering endpoints, USB-capable accessories (HID, game controllers, data loggers), and low-power industrial sensor nodes. The wide voltage range and on-chip USB OTG transceiver make it a common drop-in for legacy Freescale (now NXP) designs migrating to the Cortex-M0+ ecosystem.
When designing with the MKL15Z128VLH4, ensure that the supply decoupling follows the KL15 reference manual (one 100 nF per VDD pin, one bulk 4.7 µF) and that the USB VBUS pin sees a regulated 5 V-tolerant rail per the USB OTG specification. For best low-power performance, enter VLLS0 with the low-leakage wake-up unit enabled and avoid leaving floating digital inputs.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for MKL15Z128VLH4 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with MKL15Z128VLH4 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core Architecture, Operating Temperature Range, USB.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MKL15Z128VLK4
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MKL16Z128VLH4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →MKE15Z128VLH7
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MKL15Z128VLH4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | ARM Cortex-M0+ |
| Core Architecture | ARM 32-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 48 MHz |
| Program Memory | 128 KB Flash (128K x 8) |
| RAM | 16 KB SRAM |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.71 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 °C to +105 °C |
| Package | 64-LQFP (10x10 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| I/O Pins | 53 GPIO |
| ADC | 12-bit / 16-bit SAR, up to 16 channels |
| Communication Interfaces | I²C, UART, SPI, I²S, USB 2.0 FS OTG |
| USB | USB 2.0 Full-Speed OTG with on-chip transceiver |
| Low-Power Modes | Wait, VLPR Wait, Stop, VLLS0/1/3 |
| Touch Sensing | TSI (Touch Sensor Interface) |
| DMA | 4-channel |
| MSL Level | 3 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| AEC-Q100 | Qualified |
MKL15Z128VLH4 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD — Supply voltage |
| Pin 2 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 3 | PTA0 — JTAG_TCLK / SWD_CLK / GPIO |
| Pin 4 | PTA1 — JTAG_TDI / GPIO |
| Pin 5 | PTA2 — JTAG_TDO / GPIO |
| Pin 6 | PTA3 — JTAG_TMS / SWD_DIO / GPIO |
| Pin 7 | PTA4 — NMI_b / GPIO |
| Pin 8 | PTA5 — GPIO |
| Pin 9 | PTA6 — GPIO |
| Pin 10 | PTA7 — GPIO |
| Pin 11 | PTB0 — ADC0_SE4 / GPIO |
| Pin 12 | PTB1 — ADC0_SE5 / GPIO |
| Pin 13 | PTB2 — ADC0_SE6 / GPIO |
| Pin 14 | PTB3 — ADC0_SE7 / GPIO |
| Pin 15 | PTB4 — GPIO |
| Pin 16 | PTB5 — GPIO |
| Pin 17 | PTB6 — GPIO |
| Pin 18 | PTB7 — GPIO |
| Pin 19 | PTC0 — GPIO |
| Pin 20 | PTC1 — GPIO |
| Pin 21 | PTC2 — GPIO |
| Pin 22 | PTC3 — GPIO |
| Pin 23 | PTC4 — GPIO |
| Pin 24 | PTC5 — GPIO |
| Pin 25 | PTC6 — GPIO |
| Pin 26 | PTC7 — GPIO |
| Pin 27 | USB0_DM — USB Data Minus |
| Pin 28 | VDD — Supply voltage |
| Pin 29 | VOUT33 — USB Voltage Regulator Output (3.3 V) |
| Pin 30 | VREGIN — USB Voltage Regulator Input |
| Pin 31 | USB0_DP — USB Data Plus |
| Pin 32 | USB0_VBUS — USB VBUS Detect |
| Pin 33 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 34 | PTE0 — GPIO |
| Pin 35 | PTE1 — GPIO |
| Pin 36 | PTE2 — GPIO |
| Pin 37 | PTE3 — GPIO |
| Pin 38 | PTE4 — GPIO |
| Pin 39 | PTE5 — GPIO |
| Pin 40 | PTE6 — GPIO |
| Pin 41 | PTE7 — GPIO |
| Pin 42 | PTF0 — GPIO |
| Pin 43 | PTF1 — GPIO |
| Pin 44 | PTF2 — GPIO |
| Pin 45 | PTF3 — GPIO |
| Pin 46 | PTF4 — GPIO |
| Pin 47 | VDD — Supply voltage |
| Pin 48 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 49 | PTF5 — GPIO |
| Pin 50 | PTF6 — GPIO |
| Pin 51 | PTF7 — GPIO |
| Pin 52 | PTG0 — GPIO |
| Pin 53 | PTG1 — GPIO |
| Pin 54 | PTG2 — GPIO |
| Pin 55 | PTG3 — GPIO |
| Pin 56 | PTG4 — GPIO |
| Pin 57 | PTG5 — GPIO |
| Pin 58 | PTG6 — GPIO |
| Pin 59 | PTG7 — GPIO |
| Pin 60 | VDD — Supply voltage |
| Pin 61 | PTH0 — GPIO |
| Pin 62 | PTH1 — GPIO |
| Pin 63 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 64 | RESET_b — Reset input (active low) |
Typical Applications
MKL15Z128VLH4 is suitable for 6 applications: Automotive Body Controller, USB HID Peripheral (Mouse, Keyboard, Game Controller), Portable Medical Sensor Hub, Industrial Sensor Node, Smart Home / IoT Edge Device, Wearable Fitness Tracker.
Automotive Body Controller
The MKL15Z128VLH4's AEC-Q100 qualification, -40 °C to +105 °C operating window, and 53 GPIO make it well suited for body controllers that aggregate door, lighting, and seat-switch inputs. The 48 MHz Cortex-M0+ core provides deterministic response for LIN-bus message timing, while the 12-bit SAR ADC reads thermistor and rheostat sensors directly. Designers place the MCU on a 64-LQFP land pattern with a single 4.7 µF bulk cap plus four 100 nF ceramics per VDD pin. The wide 1.71-3.6 V input lets the part ride the cranking transient of a 12 V automotive rail after a pre-regulator.
Recommended
USB HID Peripheral (Mouse, Keyboard, Game Controller)
On-chip USB 2.0 full-speed OTG with integrated transceiver lets the MKL15Z128VLH4 implement HID class devices without an external PHY, reducing BOM cost and PCB area in wired peripherals. The 48 MHz core runs USB polling at 1 kHz with margin for HID report aggregation, and the 16 KB SRAM comfortably holds HID report descriptors plus a small parser. Connect USB0_DP/DM directly to the connector with the 22 Ω series resistors and 1 nF to GND per the USB 2.0 specification. This configuration is common for wired gaming controllers, presentation clickers, and industrial data loggers.
Recommended
Portable Medical Sensor Hub
Battery-powered medical and wellness devices benefit from the MKL15Z128VLH4's Kinetis L low-power modes (VLLS0 current is single-digit microamps), 12-bit ADC for sensor front-ends, and TSI for capacitive button replacement. The 64-LQFP package fits hand-held form factors while exposing enough GPIO for multiple sensor I²C/SPI buses. Use the internal FLL at 48 MHz for active measurements, then drop into VLLS1 between samples to extend coin-cell runtime. The 128 KB Flash supports Bluetooth Low Energy host stacks via an external module on UART.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Node
The MKL15Z128VLH4 handles Modbus RTU over UART, IO-Link-style point-to-point on UART/SPI, and 4-20 mA loop sensor conditioning through the on-chip 12-bit ADC. With 48 MHz headroom and 16 KB SRAM, the part can run a small RTOS such as FreeRTOS while servicing two UART channels and a SPI sensor. The 1.71-3.6 V range tolerates industrial 24 V rails after a buck regulator. The 64-LQFP exposed-pad variant gives 31 °C/W theta-JA, sufficient for sealed IP65 enclosures without a dedicated heatsink.
Recommended
Smart Home / IoT Edge Device
Wi-Fi or BLE IoT endpoints that need an application processor to host a user interface, motor-control loop, or local ML inference choose the MKL15Z128VLH4 for its Cortex-M0+ determinism, low BOM cost, and USB-host support for firmware update sticks. The 128 KB Flash fits MQTT-SN or Matter-over-Thread bootstrap code, while the 12-bit ADC monitors battery voltage and a PIR sensor input. Using VLLS3 stop mode between wake events keeps idle current in the microamp range, which is critical for battery-backed door sensors and HVAC peripherals.
Recommended
Wearable Fitness Tracker
Wearable designs favor the MKL15Z128VLH4 because the Kinetis L family delivers the lowest active current per MHz in NXP's lineup and the VLLS0 deep-sleep state extends coin-cell runtime. The TSI hardware peripheral implements touch buttons without external capacitance-to-digital converters, saving PCB area on the wristband flex. The 64-LQFP 10x10 package fits inside a watch movement housing, and the 12-bit ADC samples PPG photodiode signals with a hardware DMA path. Optional USB OTG enables charging and firmware upgrade via a standard micro-B cable.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MKL15Z128VLH4 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MKL15Z128VLK4 | MKL16Z128VLH4 | MKE15Z128VLH7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 64-LQFP (10x10 mm) | 64-LQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 64-LQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 64-LQFP - same |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Core | ARM Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz | ARM Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz | ARM Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz | ARM Cortex-M0+ 48 MHz |
| Flash | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB | 128 KB |
| SRAM | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB |
| USB | USB 2.0 FS OTG | USB 2.0 FS OTG | No USB | USB 2.0 FS OTG (KEA family) |
| Segment LCD | No | No | Yes | No |
| AEC-Q100 | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified |
| Supply Voltage | 1.71 V to 3.6 V | 1.71 V to 3.6 V | 1.71 V to 3.6 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V |
| Lifecycle | Active | Active | Active | Active (newer KEA roadmap) |
Key Differentiators
- On-chip USB 2.0 FS OTG with internal transceiver (vs MKL16Z128VLH4)
- AEC-Q100 qualification in LQFP-64 (vs MKL15Z128VLK4)
- Cortex-M0+ at 48 MHz with 16 KB SRAM (vs MKL02Z16VFG4)
Design Notes
Place a 4.7 µF X7R bulk capacitor within 10 mm of the VDD/VOUT33 pins, plus one 100 nF 0402 ceramic on each of the four VDD pins (1, 28, 47, 60). USB VREGIN must be supplied from VBUS or the 5 V rail through a ferrite bead; never tie VREGIN directly to VDD. For deep low-power, transition through VLLS0 only after disabling all peripherals and configuring the low-leakage wake-up unit (LLWU).
The 64-LQFP exposed pad (where present on the -EP variant) must be soldered to a 5x5 mm copper island with at least 8 thermal vias to the inner ground plane to keep theta-JA within the datasheet 31 °C/W budget. USB trace impedance must be 90 Ω differential per USB 2.0; keep DP/DM matched within 0.5 mm length mismatch and route them over a continuous ground pour with no signal crossovers.
Do not leave JTAG/SWD pins (PTA0-PTA3) floating in production firmware; either disable them via SIM_COPC and SIM_PIN_CTRL or add external 10 kΩ pull-ups. Floating debug pins can cause spurious wake-ups from VLLS modes. Also ensure the RESET_b pin has a 10 kΩ pull-up and 100 nF cap to ground; missing reset hardware can lead to unreliable power-up on noisy automotive rails.
For USB-OTG full-speed, place the 22 Ω series resistors on DP and DM within 4 mm of the connector, with a 1 nF to GND on each line if the host requires EMI suppression. The internal 3.3 V regulator (VOUT33) must have a 4.7 µF low-ESR ceramic; insufficient capacitance causes USB enumeration failures under hot-plug events.
Compliance Information
AEC-Q100 qualified per Arrow.com and NXP product page. RoHS and REACH compliant. Lead-free and halogen-free per NXP environmental policy.