8-bit microcontroller CC2541

for wireless transmissioncommunicationwith radio transmitter

Overview
The CC2541 is a power‑optimized wireless MCU system‑on‑chip (SoC) for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and proprietary 2.4‑GHz applications. It integrates an RF transceiver, an enhanced 8051 MCU core, in‑system programmable flash (128 KB or 256 KB), 8 KB RAM and multiple peripherals to enable compact, low‑BOM wireless nodes with ultralow power consumption.

Key features

• 2.4‑GHz RF SoC supporting Bluetooth Low Energy and proprietary modes
• Data rates: 250 kbps, 500 kbps, 1 Mbps and 2 Mbps
• Programmable TX up to 0 dBm and receiver sensitivity down to −94 dBm (1 Mbps)
• Pin‑compatible with CC2540 in 6 mm × 6 mm QFN‑40 when certain USB / I2C extra I/O are not used
• Available in CC2541F128 (128 KB) and CC2541F256 (256 KB) flash variants

RF and regulatory

• Designed for worldwide radio regulations (ETSI EN 300 328 / EN 300 440 Class 2; FCC CFR47 Part 15; ARIB STD‑T66)
• Excellent link budget for extended range without external RF front‑end in many applications
• Programmable output power and good selectivity / blocking performance

Layout & packaging

• Minimal external components required; reference designs available
• 6 mm × 6 mm QFN‑40 (VQFN RHA) package
• Pin compatibility considerations with CC2540 when USB or extra I2C/I/O are not used

Low power operation

• Active RX down to 17.9 mA; Active TX (0 dBm) ~18.2 mA
• Power Mode 1 (4 µs wake‑up): 270 µA
• Power Mode 2 (sleep timer on): 1 µA
• Power Mode 3 (external interrupts): 0.5 µA
• Wide supply range: 2.0 V – 3.6 V

Microcontroller & memory

• Enhanced 8051 MCU core with code prefetch for improved code throughput
• In‑system programmable flash: 128 KB or 256 KB
• 8 KB RAM with retention across power modes
• Hardware debug support and baseband automation (auto‑ack, address decoding)

Peripherals

• 12‑bit ADC, 8 channels (configurable resolution)
• 2 × SPI, 2 × UART (USART), 4 timers, I2C interface
• Five‑channel DMA, IR generation, 32‑kHz sleep timer with capture
• Accurate digital RSSI, battery monitor, temperature sensor
• 23 GPIOs (21 × 4 mA, 2 × 20 mA), 2 I/O with LED drive capability
• AES security coprocessor, watchdog timer, high‑performance comparator

Security

• Cryptographic acceleration and AES‑128 support
• Device attestation & anti‑counterfeit features
• Secure debug and software IP protection

Development tools & software

• Evaluation kits: CC2541EMK, CC2541DK‑MINI
• SmartRF tools, BTool, IAR Embedded Workbench support and CC‑Debugger
• Sample applications and BLE v4.0 single‑mode stack (GAP/GATT/SMP/L2CAP)
• Flexible configuration: single‑chip application or network‑processor interface

Product parameters (summary)

• CPU core: Enhanced 8051
• Technology: 2.4 GHz Bluetooth Low Energy
• Flash memory: 128 KB (CC2541F128) or 256 KB (CC2541F256)
• RAM: 8 KB
• GPIOs: 23
• Sensitivity (best): −94 dBm (1 Mbps)
• Operating temp.: −40 °C to 85 °C
• Package: 6 × 6 mm QFN‑40
• Supply voltage: 2.0 V – 3.6 V

Technical specifications

• Type: Wireless MCU (SoC)
• Peripherals: 12‑bit ADC (8 ch), 2 SPI, 2 UART, 4 timers, I2C, 5‑channel DMA
• Max TX power: programmable up to 0 dBm
• Low‑power modes with sleep currents down to 0.5 µA
• Regulatory targets: ETSI / FCC / ARIB compliance guidance