What is an NFC reader?
An NFC reader can communicate with NFC tags and cards (such as credit or access cards, consumables), another NFC reader, or an NFC-enabled device (for example, smartphones, tablets, or consumer goods) in short distance up to 10cm, and in special cases, over even longer distances.
As a leading provider of near field communication (NFC) technology, STMicroelectronics offers a versatile portfolio of NFC readers. The ST25R family includes a large choice of NFC front-end readers and NCI readers (NFC controller interface) designed for embedded applications, such as payment, consumer, industrial, and automotive-grade solutions.
The ST25R family provides multiprotocol support for 13.56 MHz communications such as ISO 14443 Type A or B, ISO 15693, ISO 18092, FeliCa, and NFC Forum protocols.
How to choose the right NFC reader?
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The ST25R NFC front-end readers offer design freedom by providing granular, low-level control for deep protocol management. When paired with an external MCU (for example, an STM32), these front-end readers allow developers to customize NFC behavior extensively and optimize power consumption, making them ideal for projects that demand maximum flexibility and interoperability.
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The ST25RN NCI readers (NFC controller interface) simplify the integration process. This turnkey solution includes an embedded microcontroller (MCU), integrated firmware, and a standardized NFC controller interface (NCI) compliant with NFC Forum standards, ensuring seamless interoperability. The NCI reader can be paired with any application processor or MCU. Pre-integrated on platforms such as Android, they accelerate project development.
Applications
ST25 readers are versatile and can be used across consumer goods, automotive environments, and industrial devices for power and data transfer. They help authenticate objects, enhance safety, and improve the overall user experience. Additionally, they provide valuable feedback on product usage. Fully compliant with the latest NFC Forum certification, the ST25R family guarantees seamless interoperability with mobile phones as well as all other NFC-enabled devices and cards.
CCC digital key car access & start, pairing, accessory detection, in-car payment, NFC card protection for Qi charging
Product types
Unique features such as best-in-class Active Wave Shaping, Dynamic Power Output and Automatic Antenna Tuning, ensure fast time-to-market and compliance with relevant NFC specifications, faster EMVCo® certification and reduced BOM.
ST25R NFC reader portfolio
Benefits
- Improved communication range in noisy environments (like antenna close to LCD screen) thanks to an enhanced noise suppression feature/algorithm
- Easy EMVCo qualification allowed by dynamic power output with active wave-shaping control on each power level
- Outstanding detection range at low power consumption preserving battery power
- Robust NFC solution, even in harsh environments (such as temperature drift or metal) thanks to automatic antenna tuning
- Advanced protection and diagnostic features for NFC card protection in Qi chargers
- Android developers benefit from the simplicity of the NCI interface
Give your products a new edge with an integrated NFC solution!
Improve user engagement, enhance product features, and gain valuable insights into user behavior with ST25 NFC readers and tags combined in a Reader+Tag solution. This solution allows you to easily add NFC connectivity to your existing products, thereby ensuring you can design new upgraded versions while keeping costs down.
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Useful information
WHAT IS ACTIVE WAVE SHAPING (AWS) The improved active wave shape (AWS) function allows reducing over- and undershoots in a simple way to ease EMVCo analog certification. 
WHAT IS AUTOMATIC ANTENNA TUNING (AAT) Automatic antenna tuning (AAT) helps maximize performance in harsh or varying environments and compensate lifetime drifts. 
WHAT IS DYNAMIC POWER OUTPUT (DPO) The Dynamic Power Output (DPO) adjusts the output power automatically to stay within certification limits and optimizes efficiency and read range. 
WHAT IS NOISE SUPPRESSION RECEIVER (NSR) The noise suppression receiver (NSR) allows robust communication in noisy environments—e.g., LCD displays in payment terminals. 
WHAT IS INDUCTIVE WAKE-UP (IWU) The inductive wake-up mode enables the NFC reader to enter a low power mode to conserve energy and go to full operation when a card or tag is detected.