PCA9421UK-EVM - PCA9421 PMIC Evaluation Board | NXP
MPN: PCA9421UK-EVM β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
PCA9421UK-EVM Overview
A PMIC (Power Management IC) is a class of power management semiconductor that integrates multiple voltage regulators, load switches, and control logic into a single device. In the power-management hierarchy, a PMIC sits above individual LDOs and buck converters, combining them with I2C-configurable sequencing to serve an entire low-power system from one battery input. The PCA9420/PCA9421 family is specifically aimed at battery-powered microcontroller systems.
Key features of the evaluation platform include direct access to the PCA9421 regulator outputs, configuration of the device through its serial control interface, and test points for measuring regulator performance. According to NXP, the board is designed to help users evaluate the features and performance of both the PCA9420 and PCA9421 devices, since the two PMICs share the same evaluation platform and differ mainly in their configuration options.
Technical depth: the PCA9421 integrates multiple regulated outputs intended to power MCU cores, peripherals, and RF or sensor rails from a single-cell Li-ion source. The EVM routes these outputs to headers and measurement points so that ripple, startup sequencing, and quiescent current can be characterized with standard bench instrumentation. NXP user manual UM11987 documents the Getting Started tab, downloadable assets, and quick-reference setup information for the board.
Typical applications include low-power microcontroller systems, battery-powered IoT sensor nodes, portable devices running from a Li-ion cell, and any design evaluating the PCA9420/PCA9421 PMIC family for production use.
Design consideration: the board is intended for engineering development or evaluation purposes only, per the NXP user manual; it is not a reference design for direct production copy, so production layouts should follow the PCA9421 datasheet layout guidelines.
This page synthesizes distributor availability data, the NXP product page, and the evaluation board user manual, plus practical evaluation guidance not found in the datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PCA9421UK-EVM 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:
PCA9420UK-EVM
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PCA9421UK-EVM Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | Evaluation Board |
| Evaluated Device | PCA9421 PMIC |
| Compatible Evaluated Devices | PCA9420, PCA9421 |
| Target Application | Low-power microcontroller applications powered by Li-ion battery |
| Core PMIC Type | Highly integrated Power Management IC (PMIC) |
| Manufacturer | NXP Semiconductors |
| Supported Software | MCUXpresso Expansion Board Hub assets |
| User Manual | UM11987 |
| Intended Use | Engineering development or evaluation purposes only |
| Mounting Type | Bench evaluation (standalone board) |
PCA9421UK-EVM Interfaces & Connectors
No manufacturer-published interface list is available for PCA9421UK-EVM. Refer to the manufacturer documentation for connector and header details.
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
PCA9421UK-EVM is suitable for 6 applications: Low-Power Microcontroller Power Evaluation, Li-ion Battery-Powered Portable Devices, IoT Sensor Node Power Architecture, PMIC Family Comparative Evaluation, MCUXpresso-Based System Prototyping, Bench Characterization and Test Engineering.
Low-Power Microcontroller Power Evaluation
The PCA9421UK-EVM is purpose-built for evaluating power management in low-power microcontroller applications. Because the on-board PCA9421 PMIC is explicitly targeted by NXP at MCU systems powered from a Li-ion battery, the board lets engineers exercise every regulated output while measuring startup sequencing, load-transient response, and regulator ripple at the bench. This matters because MCU rails often have tight sequencing and accuracy requirements: characterizing them on the EVM before layout prevents costly respins. Use the exposed test points with an oscilloscope and current probe to validate that each rail meets the target MCU's supply specifications, then configure the PCA9421 through its control interface to reproduce the intended power-up and power-down ordering under realistic firmware-controlled loads.
Recommended
Li-ion Battery-Powered Portable Devices
Battery-life optimization is the central design task for portable Li-ion-powered products, and the PCA9421UK-EVM provides the measurement platform to quantify it. The PCA9421 PMIC family is described by NXP as a full power management solution for applications powered by a Li-ion cell, meaning the EVM reproduces the real input-voltage range a single Li-ion cell presents as it discharges. Engineers can sweep the input across the discharge curve while recording quiescent consumption and regulator efficiency, converting those measurements directly into runtime estimates. Because the board is for evaluation only, findings transfer to production by adopting the PCA9421 in the product PCB with the validated configuration, using datasheet layout rules rather than copying the EVM board itself.
Recommended
IoT Sensor Node Power Architecture
IoT sensor nodes typically combine an MCU, a radio, and sensors that each require different supply rails from one small battery. The PCA9421UK-EVM allows designers of such nodes to validate that a single PCA9421 PMIC can supply all required rails with correct sequencing between the radio and the MCU, which is a common integration risk in these designs. Using the EVM, engineers can measure how rail noise couples into sensitive analog sensor front ends and confirm that sleep-mode current draw meets multi-year battery-life targets. NXP supports the board through the MCUXpresso Expansion Board Hub with software assets, so configuration experiments can be scripted. The validated settings then carry into the production node design directly.
Recommended
PMIC Family Comparative Evaluation
NXP documents that the PCA9421UK-EVM is designed to help users evaluate the features and performance of both the PCA9420 and the PCA9421. This makes the board a comparative evaluation platform: engineers choosing between the two family members can test identical loads and input conditions and record differences in regulator configuration, behavior, and performance on the same hardware. This removes board-to-board variance from the comparison, which is the dominant error source when comparing parts on separate custom boards. For procurement and design teams deciding which PMIC variant to stock and design in, this single-board coverage shortens the selection cycle and reduces evaluation cost, since one purchase covers both candidate devices in the family.
Recommended
MCUXpresso-Based System Prototyping
The PCA9421UK-EVM is listed on NXP's MCUXpresso Expansion Board Hub, which showcases expansion boards compatible with NXP microcontrollers and links to software support. In a prototyping workflow, the EVM sits alongside an NXP MCU development board so that firmware can control and sequence the PMIC rails exactly as it will in the final product. This allows developers to test power-mode transitions, fault handling, and battery-backed reset behavior with real hardware before the custom PCB exists. User manual UM11987 references downloadable assets through the board's Getting Started tab, giving teams configuration examples and quick-reference material that accelerate bring-up. The result is a power subsystem validated in software and hardware context simultaneously.
Recommended
Bench Characterization and Test Engineering
Test and characterization engineers can use the PCA9421UK-EVM as a reusable fixture for qualifying the PCA9420/PCA9421 PMIC family across production lots and temperature ranges. Instead of building custom characterization hardware, the EVM's exposed regulator outputs and control interface support automated measurements of dropout, line and load regulation, startup delay, and shutdown current using standard bench instrumentation or an automated test setup. Because NXP states the board is for engineering development or evaluation purposes only, characterization results should be confirmed on production-representative layouts, but the EVM dramatically lowers the cost of first-pass data collection and of screening alternative operating configurations before committing test hardware budget to a custom fixture design.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PCA9421UK-EVM β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PCA9420UK-EVM |
|---|---|---|
| Package | Evaluation Board (bench platform) | Evaluation Board (same platform class) |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Evaluated PMIC | PCA9421 (and PCA9420) | PCA9420 |
| Target Application | Low-power MCU applications, Li-ion powered | Low-power MCU applications, Li-ion powered |
| Intended Use | Engineering development / evaluation only | Engineering development / evaluation only |
Key Differentiators
- Single board evaluates two PMIC devices (vs PCA9420UK-EVM)
- Native MCUXpresso ecosystem integration (vs Third-party PMIC evaluation boards)
- Official documented setup path (vs Generic PMIC eval platforms)
Design Notes
Per NXP user manual UM11987, the PCA9421UK-EVM is intended for engineering development or evaluation purposes only. Do not copy the EVM layout into a production product; the PCA9421 datasheet layout and thermal guidelines govern the production PCB. Treating the EVM as a reference design is the most common mistake with NXP evaluation platforms.
When measuring on the EVM, use short, low-inductance probe-ground connections at the regulator output test points; long ground leads will add artificial ripple to your measurements of the PCA9421 rails. Sweep the Li-ion input source across its discharge range (roughly 3.0 V to 4.2 V per cell) to capture worst-case dropout and efficiency behavior at low battery, which is where designs most often fail in the field.
Use the Getting Started tab assets referenced in UM11987 before applying power, and configure the PCA9421 through its control interface with conservative sequencing first. Verify each rail's startup order against your target MCU's power-sequencing requirements while monitoring inrush with a current probe; adjusting sequencing on the EVM is free, whereas changing it after production layout means a respin.
Compliance Information
Compliance data was not present in the verified web data for this evaluation board; consult the NXP product page for current environmental compliance declarations.
