nrf5 reference layouts and EDA files

[Moritz]

Hello,

I am looking for reference circuits for the nrf52832 in form of EDA files. I suppose that NordicSemi used to provide Altium examples, but the link in the Infocenter is dead:

"Documentation for the different package reference circuits, including Altium Designer files, PCB layout files, and PCB production files can be downloaded from Reference layout nRF52 Series."

Does NordicSemi still provide such files, and if yes where? Are any of those for open-source software (preferably KiCad)? Or has somebody gone through the trouble of creating such files themselves?

Also can you help me out with some detailled information on how to design a PCB antenna for the nrf52832?

Thank you,

smo

[Andreas]

Hi,

 

You can find HW file download in the product gave of each respective IC. See this link for nRF52832. We only supply the official reference designs in Altium format, this is what we use and verify internally, though you can find an unverified reference design replicate as a part of our Eagle library offering on Nordic Semiconductor Playground.

 

We do not provide any other formats, if you are not able to convert from Altium you need to make it yourself, it is a standard QNF48 package. There should be some KiCAD libraries available, but as mentioned we have no idea how any of them perform. Ruuvi though should be fairly well verified.

 

You can see this whitepaper on how to design an antenna for nRF52832. A more compact alternative is the one in the nRF52840 Dongle (HW files here), but you need to replicate that one exactly for it to work properly, the monopole you can bend and tuck away a little more as you like.

 

Best regards,

Andreas

[Moritz]

Thanks for the extensive and fast reply. Much appreciated