Datasheet SHT21

Humidity and Temperature Sensor

Fully calibrated
Digital output, I2C interface
Low power consumption
Excellent long term stability
DFN type package reflow solderable

Product Summary
SHT21, the new humidity and temperature sensor of
Sensirion is about to set new standards in terms of size
and intelligence: Embedded in a reflow solderable Dual
Flat No leads (DFN) package of 3 x 3mm foot print and
1.1mm height it provides calibrated, linearized signals in
digital, true I2C format.
With a completely new designed CMOSens chip, a
reworked capacitive type humidity sensor and an
improved band gap temperature sensor the performance
has been lifted even beyond the outstanding level of the
previous sensor generation (SHT1x and SHT7x). For
example, measures have been taken to stabilize the
behavior at high humidity levels.
Dimensions

Every sensor is individually calibrated and tested. Lot

identification is printed on the sensor and an electronic
identification code is stored on the chip which can be
read out by command. Furthermore, the resolution of
SHT21 can be changed by command (8/12bit up to
12/14bit for RH/T), low battery can be detected and a
checksum helps to improve communication reliability.
With made improvements and the miniaturization of the
sensor the performance-to-price ratio has been improved
and eventually, any device should benefit from the
cutting edge energy saving operation mode. For testing
SHT21 a new evaluation Kit EK-H4 is available.

Sensor Chip
3.0

SHT21 features a generation 4C CMOSens chip.

Besides the capacitive relative humidity sensor and the
band gap temperature sensor, the chip contains an
amplifier, A/D converter, OTP memory and a digital
processing unit.

2.0 typ
1.4 typ

3.0

SHT21
D0AC4

0.3 typ

0.8 typ

0.2

0.3

Bottom View
NC

VDD

SCL

0.75

0.4

Material Contents

1.1

2.2

While the sensor itself is made of Silicon the sensors

housing consists of a plated Cu lead-frame and green
epoxy-based mold compound. The device is fully RoHS
and WEEE compliant, e.g. free of Pb, Cd and Hg.

1.5

0.4

2.4

1.0

Additional Information and Evaluation Kits

1.0

NC

VSS

SDA

Figure 1: Drawing of SHT21 sensor package, dimensions are

given in mm (1mm = 0.039inch), tolerances are 0.1mm. NC
and die pad (center pad) are internally connected to VSS. They
may be left floating. VSS = GND, SDA = DATA. Numbering of
E/O pads starts at lower right corner (indicated by notch in die
pad) and goes clockwise (compare Table 2).
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Additional information such as Application Notes is

available from the web page www.sensirion.com/sht21.
For more information please contact Sensirion via
[email protected].
For SHT21 two Evaluation Kits are available: EK-H4, a
four-channel device with Viewer Software, that also serves
for data-logging, and a simple EK-H5 directly connecting
one sensor via USB port to a computer.

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Sensor Performance
Relative Humidity1234
Parameter

Temperature567

Condition
12 bit
8 bit
typ

Resolution 1
Accuracy
tolerance 2

min

typ
0.04
0.7

max

2.0
see Figure 2

max

Repeatability

0.1

Hysteresis
63%
Operating Range extended 4
Long Term Drift 5
normal

%RH
s
100

< 0.5

%RH
%RH
%RH

1
<0.1
8

Nonlinearity
Response time 3

Units
%RH
%RH
%RH

%RH
%RH/yr

Parameter

Condition
14 bit
12 bit
typ

Resolution 1
Accuracy
tolerance 2

min

typ
0.01
0.04

max

0.3
see Figure 3

max

Repeatability

Units
C
C
C
C
C

0.1

Operating Range extended 4

Response Time 7
Long Term Drift

63%

-40
-40

125
257

C
F

30

s
C/yr

< 0.04

T (C)
3.0

RH (%RH)
10
maximal tolerance
8

typical tolerance

maximal tolerance

2.5

typical tolerance

2.0

1.5
4

1.0

0.5

0.0
0

10

20

30

40

50

-40

60 70 80 90 100
Relative Humidity (%RH)

-20

20

40

60

80
100 120
Temperature (C)

Figure 2 Typical and maximal tolerance at 25C for relative

humidity. For extensive information see Users Guide, Sect. 1.2.

Figure 3 Maximal tolerance for temperature sensor in C.

Electrical Specification

Packaging Information

Parameter
Conditions min typ max Units
Supply Voltage, VDD
2.1 3.0 3.6
V
sleep mode
0.15 0.4 A
Supply Current, IDD 6
measuring
270 300 330 A
sleep mode
0.5 1.2 W
6
Power Dissipation
measuring
0.8 0.9 1.0 mW
average 8bit
3.2
W
VDD = 3.0 V 5.5mW, T = + 0.5-1.5C
Heater
Communication
digital 2-wire interface, true I2C protocol

Sensor Type

Table 1 Electrical specification. For absolute maximum

values see Section 4.1 of Users Guide.

This datasheet is subject to change and may be amended

without prior notice.

SHT21

Packaging
Tape & Reel
Tape & Reel
Tape & Reel

Quantity
400
1500
5000

Order Number
1-100707-01
1-100645-01
1-100694-01

Default measurement resolution is 14bit (temperature) / 12bit (humidity). It can

be reduced to 12/8bit, 11/11bit or 13/10bit by command to user register.
2 Accuracies are tested at Outgoing Quality Control at 25C (77F) and 3.0V.
Values exclude hysteresis and long term drift and are applicable to noncondensing environments only.
3 Time for achieving 63% of a step function, valid at 25C and 1m/s airflow.
4 Normal operating range: 0-80%RH, beyond this limit sensor may read a
reversible offset with slow kinetics (<3%RH after 200hours at 90%RH). For more
details please see Section 1.1 of the Users Guide.

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Value may be higher in environments with vaporized solvents, out-gassing

tapes, adhesives, packaging materials, etc. For more details please refer to
Handling Instructions.
6 Min and max values of Supply Current and Power Dissipation are based on
fixed VDD = 3.0V and T<60C. The average value is based on one 8bit
measurement per second.
7 Response time depends on heat conductivity of sensor substrate.

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Datasheet SHT21

Users Guide SHT2x

For details on how Sensirion is specifying and testing
accuracy performance please consult Application Note
Statement on Sensor Specification.

Relative Humidity (%)

1.1 Operating Range

The sensor works stable within recommended Normal
Range see Figure 4. Long term exposure to conditions
outside Normal Range, especially at humidity >80%RH,
may temporarily offset the RH signal (+3%RH after 60h).
After return into the Normal Range it will slowly return
towards calibration state by itself. See Section 2.3
Reconditioning Procedure for eliminating the offset.
Prolonged exposure to extreme conditions may accelerate
ageing.
100
80
60

Normal
Range

40

Please note that above values are maximal tolerances (not

including hysteresis) against a high precision reference
such as a dew point mirror. Typical deviations are at
2%RH where maximal tolerance is 3%RH and about
half the maximal tolerance at other values.
1.3 Electrical Specification
Current consumption as given in Table 1 is dependent on
temperature and supply voltage VDD. For estimations on
energy consumption of the sensor Figures 6 and 7 may be
consulted. Please note that values given in these Figures
are of typical nature and the variance is considerable.
Supply Current IDD (A)

1 Extended Specification

Max.
Range

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0

20

20

40

60

80

100

120

Temperature (C)

0
-40

-20

20

40

60

80
100 120
Temperature (C)

Figure 6 Typical dependency of supply current (sleep mode)

versus temperature at VDD = 3.0V. Please note that the
variance of these data is about 25% of displayed value.

Relative Humidity (%RH)

1.2 RH accuracy at various temperatures

Maximal tolerance for RH accuracy at 25C is defined in
Figure 2. For other temperatures maximal tolerance has
been evaluated to be within limits displayed in Figure 5.
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

5
4

Supply Current IDD (nA)

Figure 4 Operating Conditions

20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
2.1
4

4
5

2.3

2.5

2.7

2.9

3.1

3.3

3.5

Supply Voltage (VDD)

Figure 7 Typical dependency of supply current (sleep mode)

versus supply voltage at 25C. Please note that deviations may
be up to 50% of displayed value. Values at 60C scale with a
factor of about 15 (compare Table 1).

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80

Temperature (C)
Figure 5 Maximal tolerance of relative humidity measurements
given in %RH for temperatures 0 80C.

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Datasheet SHT21

2.1 Soldering Instructions

The DFNs die pad (centre pad) and perimeter I/O pads
are fabricated from a planar copper lead-frame by overmolding leaving the die pad and I/O pads exposed for
mechanical and electrical connection. Both the I/O pads
and die pad should be soldered to the PCB. In order to
prevent oxidation and optimize soldering, the bottom side
of the sensor pads is plated with Ni/Pd/Au.
On the PCB the I/O lands8 should be 0.2mm longer than
the package I/O pads. Inward corners may be rounded to
match the I/O pad shape. The I/O land width should match
the DFN-package I/O-pads width 1:1 and the land for the
die pad should match 1:1 with the DFN package see
Figure 8.
The solder mask9 design for the land pattern preferably is
of type Non-Solder Mask Defined (NSMD) with solder
mask openings larger than metal pads. For NSMD pads,
the solder mask opening should be about 120m to
150m larger than the pad size, providing a 60m to 75m
design clearance between the copper pad and solder
mask. Rounded portions of package pads should have a
matching rounded solder mask-opening shape to minimize
the risk of solder bridging. For the actual pad dimensions,
each pad on the PCB should have its own solder mask
opening with a web of solder mask between adjacent
pads.
0.3
0.2

0.4

0.4

0.7
1.5

Due to the low mounted height of the DFN, no clean

type 3 solder paste10 is recommended as well as Nitrogen
purge during reflow.
tP

TP
TL

tL

TS (max)

preheating

critical zone

Time

Figure 9 Soldering profile according to JEDEC standard. TP <=

260C and tP < 40sec for Pb-free assembly. TL < 220C and tL <
150sec. Ramp-up/down speeds shall be < 5C/sec.

It is important to note that the diced edge or side faces of

the I/O pads may oxidise over time, therefore a solder fillet
may or may not form. Hence there is no guarantee for
solder joint fillet heights of any kind.
For soldering SHT2x, standard reflow soldering ovens may
be used. The sensor is qualified to withstand soldering
profile according to IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020D with peak
temperatures at 260C during up to 40sec for Pb-free
assembly in IR/Convection reflow ovens (see Figure 9).
For manual soldering contact time must be limited to 5
seconds at up to 350C11.
IMPORTANT: After soldering, the devices should be
stored at >75%RH for at least 12h to allow the sensor
element to re-hydrate. Otherwise the sensor may read an
offset that slowly disappears if exposed to ambient
conditions. Alternatively the re-hydration process may be
performed at ambient conditions (>40%RH) during more
than 5 days.

0.2

2.4

1.0

centered on the thermal land area. It can also be split in

two openings.

Temperature

2 Application Information

1.0

Figure 8 Recommended metal land pattern for SHT2x. Values

in mm. Die pad (centre pad) and NC pads may be left floating or
be connected to ground. The outer dotted line represents the
outer dimension of the DFN package.

For solder paste printing a laser-cut, stainless steel stencil

with electro-polished trapezoidal walls and with 0.125mm
stencil thickness is recommended. For the I/O pads the
stencil apertures should be 0.1mm longer than PCB pads
and positioned with 0.1mm offset away from the centre of
the package. The die pad aperture should cover about 70
90% of the pad area say up to 1.4mm x 2.3mm

In no case, neither after manual nor reflow soldering, a

board wash shall be applied. Therefore, and as mentioned
above, it is strongly recommended to use no-clean solder
paste. In case of applications with exposure of the sensor
to corrosive gases or condensed water (i.e. environments
with high relative humidity) the soldering pads shall be
sealed (e.g. conformal coating) to prevent loose contacts
or short cuts.

The land pattern is understood to be the metal layer on the PCB, onto which
the DFN pads are soldered to.
9 The solder mask is understood to be the insulating layer on top of the PCB
covering the connecting lines.

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10

Solder types are related to the solder particle size in the paste: Type 3 covers
the size range of 25 45 m (powder type 42).
11 260C = 500F, 350C = 662F

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Datasheet SHT21

2.2 Storage Conditions and Handling Instructions

Moisture Sensitivity Level (MSL) is 2, according to
IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020D.1; hence storage time is limited
to one year after date of delivery.
It is of great importance to understand that a humidity
sensor is not a normal electronic component and needs to
be handled with care. Chemical vapors at high
concentration in combination with long exposure times
may offset the sensor reading.
For this reason it is recommended to store the sensors in
original packaging including the sealed ESD bag at
following conditions: Temperature shall be in the range of
10C 50C and humidity at 20 60%RH (sensors that
are not stored in ESD bags). For sensors that have been
removed from the original packaging we recommend to
store them in ESD bags made of metal-in PE-HD12.
In manufacturing and transport the sensors shall be
prevented of high concentration of chemical solvents and
long exposure times. Out-gassing of glues, adhesive tapes
and stickers or out-gassing packaging material such as
bubble foils, foams, etc. shall be avoided. Manufacturing
area shall be well ventilated.
For more detailed information please consult the
document Handling Instructions or contact Sensirion.
2.3 Reconditioning Procedure
As stated above extreme conditions or exposure to solvent
vapors may offset the sensor. The following reconditioning
procedure may bring the sensor back to calibration state:
Baking:
Re-Hydration:

100 105C at < 5%RH for 10h

20 30C at ~ 75%RH for 12h 13.

2.4 Temperature Effects

Relative humidity reading strongly depends on
temperature. Therefore, it is essential to keep humidity
sensors at the same temperature as the air of which the
relative humidity is to be measured. In case of testing or
qualification the reference sensor and test sensor must
show equal temperature to allow for comparing humidity
readings.
If the sensor shares a PCB with electronic components
that produce heat it should be mounted in a way that
prevents heat transfer or keeps it as low as possible.
Measures to reduce heat transfer can be ventilation,
reduction of copper layers between the sensor and the
rest of the PCB or milling a slit into the PCB around the
sensor see Figure 10.

12
13

Furthermore, there are self-heating effects in case the

measurement frequency is too high. To keep self heating
below 0.1C, SHT2x should not be active for more than
10% of the time e.g. maximum two measurements per
second at 12bit accuracy shall be made.

Figure 10 Top view of example of mounted SHT2x with slits

milled into PCB to minimize heat transfer.

2.5 Light
The SHT2x is not light sensitive. Prolonged direct
exposure to sunshine or strong UV radiation may age the
sensor.
2.6 Materials Used for Sealing / Mounting
Many materials absorb humidity and will act as a buffer
increasing response times and hysteresis. Materials in the
vicinity of the sensor must therefore be carefully chosen.
Recommended materials are: Any metals, LCP, POM
(Delrin), PTFE (Teflon), PEEK, PP, PB, PPS, PSU, PVDF,
PVF.
For sealing and gluing (use sparingly): Use high filled
epoxy for electronic packaging (e.g. glob top, underfill),
and Silicone. Out-gassing of these materials may also
contaminate the sensor (see Section 2.2). Therefore try to
add the sensor as a last manufacturing step to the
assembly, store the assembly well ventilated after
manufacturing or bake at >50C for 24h to outgas
contaminants before packing.
2.7 Wiring Considerations and Signal Integrity
Carrying the SCL and SDA signal parallel and in close
proximity (e.g. in wires) for more than 10cm may result in
cross talk and loss of communication. This may be
resolved by routing VDD and/or VSS between the two
SDA signals and/or using shielded cables. Furthermore,
slowing down SCL frequency will possibly improve signal
integrity. Power supply pins (VDD, VSS) must be
decoupled with a 100nF capacitor see next Section.

For example, 3M antistatic bag, product 1910 with zipper.

75%RH can conveniently be generated with saturated NaCl solution.
100 105C correspond to 212 221F, 20 30C correspond to 68 86F

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Datasheet SHT21

of MCUs. See Table 4 and Table 5 for detailed I/O

characteristic of the sensor.

3 Interface Specifications
Pin Name
Comment
1 SDA Serial Data, bidirectional
2 VSS Ground
5 VDD Supply Voltage
6 SCL Serial Clock, bidirectional
3,4 NC Not Connected

Table 2 SHT2x pin assignment, NC remain floating (top view)

3.1 Power Pins (VDD, VSS)

The supply voltage of SHT2x must be in the range of 2.1
3.6V, recommended supply voltage is 3.0V. Power supply
pins Supply Voltage (VDD) and Ground (VSS) must be
decoupled with a 100nF capacitor, that shall be placed as
close to the sensor as possible see Figure 11.
3.2 Serial clock (SCL)
SCL is used to synchronize the communication between
microcontroller (MCU) and the sensor. Since the interface
consists of fully static logic there is no minimum SCL
frequency.
3.3 Serial SDA (SDA)
The SDA pin is used to transfer data in and out of the
sensor. For sending a command to the sensor, SDA is
valid on the rising edge of SCL and must remain stable
while SCL is high. After the falling edge of SCL the SDA
value may be changed. For safe communication SDA shall
be valid tSU and tHD before the rising and after the falling
edge of SCL, respectively see Figure 12. For reading
data from the sensor, SDA is valid tVD after SCL has gone
low and remains valid until the next falling edge of SCL.
VDD
MCU (master)
SCL IN

RP

SHT2x
(slave)
SDA

C = 100nF

SCL

SDA OUT
GND

Figure 11 Typical application circuit, including pull-up resistors

RP and decoupling of VDD and VSS by a capacitor.

To avoid signal contention the micro-controller unit (MCU)

must only drive SDA and SCL low. External pull-up
resistors (e.g. 10k), are required to pull the signal high.
For the choice of resistor size please take bus capacity
requirements into account (compare Table 5). It should be
noted that pull-up resistors may be included in I/O circuits

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4.1 Absolute Maximum Ratings

The electrical characteristics of SHT2x are defined in
Table 1. The absolute maximum ratings as given in Table
3 are stress ratings only and give additional information.
Functional operation of the device at these conditions is
not implied. Exposure to absolute maximum rating
conditions for extended periods may affect the sensor
reliability (e.g. hot carrier degradation, oxide breakdown).
Parameter
VDD to VSS
Digital I/O Pins (SDA, SCL)
to VSS
Input Current on any Pin

min
-0.3

max
5

Units
V

-0.3

VDD + 0.3

-100

100

mA

Table 3 Electrical absolute maximum ratings

ESD immunity is qualified according to JEDEC JESD22A114E method (Human Body Model at 4kV), JEDEC
JESD22-A115A method (Machine Model 200V) and
ESDA ESD-STM5.3.1-1999
and
AEC-Q100-011
(Charged Device Model, 750V corner pins, 500V other
pins). Latch-up immunity is provided at a force current of
100mA with Tamb = 125C according to JEDEC JESD78.
For exposure beyond named limits the sensor needs
additional protection circuit.
4.2 Input / Output Characteristics
The electrical characteristics such as power consumption,
low and high level input and output voltages depend on
the supply voltage. For proper communication with the
sensor it is essential to make sure that signal design is
strictly within the limits given in Table 4 & 5 and Figure 12.

RP

SCL OUT
SDA IN

4 Electrical Characteristics

Parameter
Output Low
Voltage, VOL
Output High
Voltage, VOH
Output Sink
Current, IOL
Input Low
Voltage, VIL
Input High
Voltage, VIH
Input Current

Conditions

min

typ

VDD = 3.0 V,
-4 mA < IOL < 0mA

0.4

70%
VDD

VDD

-4

mA

30%
VDD

70%
VDD

VDD

uA

VDD = 3.6 V,
VIN = 0 V to 3.6 V

max Units

Table 4 DC characteristics of digital input/output pads. VDD =

2.1V to 3.6V, T = -40C to 125C, unless otherwise noted.

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Datasheet SHT21
1/fSCL
tSCLH

tR

tSCLL

commands from the master (MCU). Current consumption

during start up is 350A maximum.

tF
70%

SCL

30%
tSU

SDA valid write

tHD

DATA IN

70%

SDA

30%
SDA valid read
tVD

tF

DATA OUT

70%

SCL

30%

tR
70%

SDA

30%

Figure 12 Timing Diagram for Digital Input/Output Pads,

abbreviations are explained in Table 5. SDA directions are seen
from the sensor. Bold SDA line is controlled by the sensor, plain
SDA line is controlled by the micro-controller. Note that SDA
valid read time is triggered by falling edge of anterior toggle.
Parameter
SCL frequency, fSCL
SCL High Time, tSCLH
SCL Low Time, tSCLL
SDA Set-Up Time, tSU
SDA Hold Time, tHD
SDA Valid Time, tVD
SCL/SDA Fall Time, tF
SCL/SDA Rise Time, tR
Capacitive Load on Bus Line, CB

5.2 Start / Stop Sequence

Each transmission sequence begins with Start condition
(S) and ends with Stop condition (P) as displayed in Figure
13 and Figure 14.

min
0
0.6
1.3
100
0
0
0
0
0

typ
-

max Units
0.4 MHz
s
s
ns
900
ns
400
ns
100
ns
300
ns
400
pF

Table 5 Timing specifications of digital input/output pads for I2C

fast mode. Entities are displayed in Figure 12. VDD = 2.1V to
3.6V, T = -40C to 125C, unless otherwise noted.

5 Communication with Sensor

SHT21 communicates with true I2C protocol. For
information on I2C beyond the information in the following
Sections please refer to the following website:
http://www.standardics.nxp.com/support/i2c/.
Please note that all sensors are set to the same I2C
address, as defined in Section 5.3. 14
Furthermore, please note, that Sensirion provides an
exemplary sample code on its home page compare
www.sensirion.com/sht21.
5.1 Start Up Sensor
As a first step, the sensor is powered up to the chosen
supply voltage VDD (between 2.1V and 3.6V). After
power-up, the sensor needs at most 15ms, while SCL is
high, for reaching idle state, i.e. to be ready accepting
14 For sensors with alternative I2C address please contact Sensirion via

70%

SDA

30%

Figure 13 Transmission Start condition (S) - a high to low

transition on the SDA line while SCL is high. The Start condition
is a unique state on the bus created by the master, indicating to
the slaves the beginning of a transmission sequence (bus is
considered busy after a Start).
70%

SCL

30%

70%

SDA

30%

Figure 14 Transmission Stop condition (P) - a low to high

transition on the SDA line while SCL is high. The Stop condition
is a unique state on the bus created by the master, indicating to
the slaves the end of a transmission sequence (bus is
considered free after a Stop).

5.3 Sending a Command

After sending the Start condition, the subsequent I2C
header consists of the 7-bit I2C device address 1000000
and an SDA direction bit (Read R: 1, Write W: 0). The
sensor indicates the proper reception of a byte by pulling
the SDA pin low (ACK bit) after the falling edge of the 8th
SCL clock. After the issue of a measurement command
(11100011 for temperature, 11100101 for relative
humidity), the MCU must wait for the measurement to
complete. The basic commands are summarized in Table
6. Hold master or no hold master modes are explained in
next Section.
Command
Trigger T measurement
Trigger RH measurement
Trigger T measurement
Trigger RH measurement
Write user register
Read user register
Soft reset

Comment
hold master
hold master
no hold master
no hold master

Code
11100011
11100101
11110011
11110101
11100110
11100111
11111110

Table 6 Basic command set, RH stands for relative humidity,

and T stands for temperature

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Datasheet SHT21

S 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
I2C

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1

address + write

Command (see Table 6)

Measurement

S 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

measuring

I2C address + read

Measurement

S 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

continue measuring

S 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

ACK

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

I2C address + read

28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

45

0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1

0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0
Data (LSB) Stat.

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1

I2C address + write

Command (see Table 6)

46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1

NACK

ACK

ACK

NACK

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Data (MSB)
1

ACK

ACK

ACK

In the hold master mode, the SHT2x pulls down the SCL
line while measuring to force the master into a wait state.
By releasing the SCL line the sensor indicates that internal
processing is terminated and that transmission may be
continued.

ACK

5.4 Hold / No Hold Master Mode

There are two different operation modes to communicate
with the sensor: Hold Master mode or No Hold Master
mode. In the first case the SCL line is blocked (controlled
by sensor) during measurement process while in the latter
case the SCL line remains open for other communication
while the sensor is processing the measurement. No hold
master mode allows for processing other I2C
communication tasks on a bus while the sensor is
measuring. A communication sequence of the two modes
is displayed in Figure 15 and Figure 16, respectively.

Checksum

S 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

ACK

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1

ACK

28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Hold during measurement

0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0

Data (MSB)

45

ACK

I2C address + read

Measurement

Data (LSB) Stat.

In the examples given in Figure 15 and Figure 16 the

sensor output is SRH = 0110001101010000. For the
calculation of physical values Status Bits must be set to 0
see Chapter 6.

NACK

46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1

Figure 16 No Hold master communication sequence grey

blocks are controlled by SHT2x. If measurement is not
completed upon read command, sensor does not provide ACK
on bit 27 (more of these iterations are possible). If bit 45 is
changed to NACK followed by Stop condition (P) checksum
transmission is omitted.

Checksum

Figure 15 Hold master communication sequence grey blocks

are controlled by SHT2x. Bit 45 may be changed to NACK
followed by Stop condition (P) to omit checksum transmission.

In no hold master mode, the MCU has to poll for the

termination of the internal processing of the sensor. This is
done by sending a Start condition followed by the I2C
header (10000001) as shown in Figure 16. If the internal
processing is finished, the sensor acknowledges the poll of
the MCU and data can be read by the MCU. If the
measurement processing is not finished the sensor
answers no ACK bit and the Start condition must be
issued once more.
For both modes, since the maximum resolution of a
measurement is 14 bit, the two last least significant bits
(LSBs, bits 43 and 44) are used for transmitting status
information. Bit 1 of the two LSBs indicates the
measurement type (0: temperature, 1 humidity). Bit 0 is
currently not assigned.

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The maximum duration for measurements depends on the

type of measurement and resolution chosen values are
displayed in Table 7. Maximum values shall be chosen for
the communication planning of the MCU.
Resolution RH typ RH max
14 bit
13 bit
12 Bit
22
29
11 bit
12
15
10 bit
7
9
8 bit
3
4

T typ
66
33
17
9

T max
85
43
22
11

Units
ms
ms
ms
ms
ms
ms

Table 7 Measurement times for RH and T measurements at

different resolutions. Typical values are recommended for
calculating energy consumption while maximum values shall be
applied for calculating waiting times in communication.

Please note: I2C communication allows for repeated Start

conditions (S) without closing prior sequence with Stop
condition (P) compare Figures 15, 16 and 18. Still, any
sequence with adjacent Start condition may alternatively
be closed with a Stop condition.

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Datasheet SHT21

S 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

I2C address + write

Soft Reset

Description / Coding
Measurement resolution
00
01
10
11

3, 4, 5
2
1

3
1
1

RH
12 bit
8 bit
10 bit
11 bit

Default
00

T
14 bit
12 bit
13 bit
11 bit

Status: End of battery15

0: VDD > 2.25V
1: VDD < 2.25V
Reserved
Enable on-chip heater
Disable OTP Reload

0
1

The end of battery alert is activated when the battery

power falls below 2.25V.
The heater is intended to be used for functionality
diagnosis relative humidity drops upon rising
temperature. The heater consumes about 5.5mW and
provides a temperature increase of about 0.5 1.5C.
OTP Reload is a safety feature and loads the entire OTP
settings to the register, with the exception of the heater bit,
This status bit is updated after each measurement

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10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1

ACK

Read Register

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

I2C address + read

Register content

37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

S 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0

I2C address + write

55 56 57 58 59 60 61

Write Register
62 63

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1

Register content to be written

Figure 18 Read and write register sequence grey blocks are

controlled by SHT2x. In this example, the resolution is set to 8bit
/ 12bit.

5.7 CRC Checksum

CRC8 is a well known standard checksum concept. For
implementation please refer to public sources such as
Wikipedia.
5.8 Serial Number
SHT21 provides an electronic identification code. For
instructions on how to read the identification code please
refer to the Application Note Electronic Identification
Code to be downloaded from the web page
www.sensirion.com/SHT21.

Table 8 User Register. Cut-off value for End of Battery signal

may vary by 0.05V. Reserved bits must not be changed. OTP
reload = 0 loads default settings after each time a
measurement command is issued.

15

S 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

5.6 User Register

The content of User Register is described in Table 8.
Please note that reserved bits must not be changed and
default values of respective reserved bits may change
over time without prior notice. Therefore, for any writing to
the User Register, default values of reserved bits must be
read first. Thereafter, the full User Register string is
composed of respective default values of reserved bits
and the remainder of accessible bits optionally with default
or non-default values.
# Bits
2

I2C address + write

Figure 17 Soft Reset grey blocks are controlled by SHT2x.

Bit
7, 0

S 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0

NACK

ACK

ACK

ACK

An example for I2C communication reading and writing the

User Register is given in Figure 18.

ACK

ACK

ACK

before every measurement. This feature is disabled per

default and is not recommended for use. Please use Soft
Reset instead it contains OTP Reload.

ACK

5.5 Soft Reset

This command (see Table 6) is used for rebooting the
sensor system without switching the power off and on
again. Upon reception of this command, the sensor
system reinitializes and starts operation according to the
default settings with the exception of the heater bit in the
user register (see Sect. 5.6). The soft reset takes less than
15ms.

6 Conversion of Signal Output

Default resolution is set to 12 bit relative humidity and 14
bit temperature reading. Measured data are transferred in
two byte packages, i.e. in frames of 8 bit length where the
most significant bit (MSB) is transferred first (left aligned).
Each byte is followed by an acknowledge bit. The two
status bits, the last bits of LSB, must be set to 0 before
calculating physical values. In the example of Figure 15
and Figure 16, the transferred 16 bit relative humidity data
is 0110001101010000 = 25424.
6.1 Relative Humidity Conversion
With the relative humidity signal output SRH the relative
humidity RH is obtained by the following formula (result in
%RH), no matter which resolution is chosen:

Version 1.1 May 2010

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Datasheet SHT21

RH 6 125

SRH
216

In the example given in Figure 15 and Figure 16 the

relative humidity results to be 42.5%RH.
The physical value RH given above corresponds to the
relative humidity above liquid water according to World
Meteorological Organization (WMO). For relative humidity
above ice RHi the values need to be transformed from
relative humidity above water RHw at temperature t. The
equation is given in the following, compare also
Application Note Introduction to Humidity:
t
RH i RH w exp w
w t

t
exp i
i t

Units are %RH for relative humidity and C for

temperature. The corresponding coefficients are defined
as follows: w = 17.62, w = 243.12C, i = 22.46, i =
272.62C.
6.2 Temperature Conversion
The temperature T is calculated by inserting temperature
signal output ST into the following formula (result in C), no
matter which resolution is chosen:

T 46.85 175.72

ST
216

7 Environmental Stability
The SHT2x sensor series were tested according to AECQ100 Rev. G qualification test method. Sensor
specifications are tested to prevail under the AEC-Q100
temperature grade 2 test conditions listed in Table 916.
Environment Standard
HTOL
125C, 408 hours

Results17
Within
specifications
TC
-50C - 125C, 1000 cycles
Within
specifications
UHST
130C / 85%RH / 2.3bar, 96h Within
specifications
THB
85C / 85%RH, 1000h
Within
specifications
ESD immunity HBM 4kV, MM 200V, CDM Qualified
750V/500V (corner/other pins)
Latch-up
force current of 100mA with Qualified
Tamb = 125C
Table 9: Performed qualification test series. HTOL = High
Temperature Operating Lifetime, TC = Temperature Cycles,
UHST = Unbiased Highly accelerated Stress Test, THB =
Temperature Humidity Biased. For details on ESD see Sect. 4.1.

16
17

Sensor performance under other test conditions cannot be

guaranteed and is not part of the sensor specifications.
Especially, no guarantee can be given for sensor
performance in the field or for customers specific
application.
If sensors are qualified for reliability and behavior in
extreme conditions, please make sure that they
experience same conditions as the reference sensor. It
should be taken into account that response times in
assemblies may be longer, hence enough dwell time for
the measurement shall be granted. For detailed
information please consult Application Note Testing
Guide.

8 Packaging
8.1

Packaging Type

SHT2x sensors are provided in DFN packaging (in

analogy with QFN packaging). DFN stands for Dual Flat
No leads.
The sensor chip is mounted to a lead frame made of Cu
and plated with Ni/Pd/Au. Chip and lead frame are over
molded by green epoxy-based mold compound. Please
note that side walls of sensors are diced and hence lead
frame at diced edge is not covered with respective
protective coating. The total weight of the sensor is 25mg.
8.2 Filter Cap and Sockets
For SHT2x a filter cap SF2 will be provided. It is designed
for fast response times and compact size. Please find the
datasheet on Sensirions web page.
For testing of SHT2x sensors sockets, such as from
Plastronics, part number 10LQ50S13030
are
recommended (see e.g. www.locknest.com).
8.3 Traceability Information
All SHT2x are laser marked with an alphanumeric, fivedigit code on the sensor see Figure 19.
The marking on the sensor consists of two lines with five
digits each. The first line denotes the sensor type
(SHT21). The first digit of the second line defines the
output mode (D = digital, Sensibus and I2C, P = PWM, S =
SDM). The second digit defines the manufacturing year (0
= 2010, 1 = 2011, etc.). The last three digits represent an
alphanumeric tracking code. That code can be decoded by
Sensirion only and allows for tracking on batch level
through production, calibration and testing and will be
provided upon justified request.

Temperature range is -40 to 105C (AEC-Q100 temperature grade 2).

According to accuracy and long term drift specification given on Page 2.

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Version 1.1 May 2010

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8.0
2.0
4.0

0.3

0.15 MIN

5.5

R0.3 MAX
3.3

12.0

SHT21
D0AC4

0.15 MIN

1.75

Datasheet SHT21

Figure 19 Laser marking on SHT21. For details see text.

1.3
3.3
0.25

Reels are also labeled, as displayed in Figure 20 and

Figure 21, and give additional traceability information.
Lot No.:
Quantity:
RoHS:

R0.25

Figure 22 Sketch of packaging tape and sensor orientation.

Header tape is to the right and trailer tape to the left on this
sketch.

XXO-NN-YRRRTTTTT
RRRR
Compliant

Lot No.

9 Compatibility to SHT1x / 7x protocol

Figure 20: First label on reel: XX = Sensor Type (21 for SHT21),
O = Output mode (D = Digital, P = PWM, S = SDM), NN = Chip
Version, Y = last digit of year, RRR = number of sensors on reel
divided by 10 (200 for 2000 units), TTTTT = Traceability Code.

Device Type:

1-100PPP-NN

Description:

Humidity & Temperature Sensor

SHTxx
Part Order No. 1-100PPP-NN or Customer Number
Date of Delivery: DD.MM.YYYY
Order Code:
46CCCC / 0

SHT2x sensors may be run by communicating with the

Sensirion specific communication protocol used for SHT1x
and SHT7x. In case such protocol is applied please refer
to the communication chapter of datasheet SHT1x or
SHT7x. Please note that reserved status bits of user
register must not be changed.
Please understand that with the SHT1x/7x communication
protocol only functions described in respective datasheets
can be used with the exception of the OTP Reload
function that is not set to default on SHT2x. As an
alternative to OTP Reload the soft reset may be used.
Please note that even if SHT1x/7x protocol is applied the
timing values of Table 5 and Table 7 in this SHT2x
datasheet apply.
For the calculation of physical values the following
equation must be applied:
For relative humidity RH

Figure 21: Second label on reel: For Device Type and Part
Order Number (See Packaging Information on page 2), Delivery
Date (also Date Code) is date of packaging of sensors (DD =
day, MM = month, YYYY = year), CCCC = Sensirion order
number.

8.4 Shipping Package

SHT2x are provided in tape & reel shipment packaging,
sealed into antistatic ESD bags. Standard packaging sizes
are 400, 1500 and 5000 units per reel. For SHT21, each
reel contains 440mm (55 pockets) header tape and
200mm (25 pockets) trailer tape.

RH 6 125

SRH
2 RES

and for temperature T

T 46.85 175.72

ST
2 RES

RES is the chosen respective resolution, e.g. 12 (12bit) for

relative humidity and 14 (14bit) for temperature.

The drawing of the packaging tapes with sensor

orientation is shown in Figure 22. The reels are provided in
sealed antistatic bags.

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Version 1.1 May 2010

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Datasheet SHT21

Revision History
Date
6 May 2009
21 January 2010
5 May 2010

Version
0.3
1.0
1.1

Page(s)
19
1 4, 7 10
1 12

Changes
Initial preliminary release
Complete revision. For complete revision list please require respective document.
Typical specification for temperature sensor. Elimination of errors. For detailed
information, please require complete change list at [email protected].

Important Notices
Warning, Personal Injury
Do not use this product as safety or emergency stop devices or in
any other application where failure of the product could result in
personal injury. Do not use this product for applications other
than its intended and authorized use. Before installing, handling,
using or servicing this product, please consult the data sheet and
application notes. Failure to comply with these instructions could
result in death or serious injury.
If the Buyer shall purchase or use SENSIRION products for any
unintended or unauthorized application, Buyer shall defend, indemnify
and hold harmless SENSIRION and its officers, employees,
subsidiaries, affiliates and distributors against all claims, costs,
damages and expenses, and reasonable attorney fees arising out of,
directly or indirectly, any claim of personal injury or death associated
with such unintended or unauthorized use, even if SENSIRION shall be
allegedly negligent with respect to the design or the manufacture of the
product.
ESD Precautions
The inherent design of this component causes it to be sensitive to
electrostatic discharge (ESD). To prevent ESD-induced damage and/or
degradation, take customary and statutory ESD precautions when
handling this product.
See application note ESD, Latchup and EMC for more information.
Warranty
SENSIRION warrants solely to the original purchaser of this product for
a period of 12 months (one year) from the date of delivery that this
product shall be of the quality, material and workmanship defined in
SENSIRIONs published specifications of the product. Within such
period, if proven to be defective, SENSIRION shall repair and/or
replace this product, in SENSIRIONs discretion, free of charge to the
Buyer, provided that:

notice in writing describing the defects shall be given to

SENSIRION within fourteen (14) days after their appearance;

such defects shall be found, to SENSIRIONs reasonable

satisfaction, to have arisen from SENSIRIONs faulty design,
material, or workmanship;

the defective product shall be returned to SENSIRIONs factory at

the Buyers expense; and

the warranty period for any repaired or replaced product shall be

limited to the unexpired portion of the original period.
This warranty does not apply to any equipment which has not been
installed and used within the specifications recommended by
SENSIRION for the intended and proper use of the equipment.
EXCEPT FOR THE WARRANTIES EXPRESSLY SET FORTH
HEREIN, SENSIRION MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT. ANY AND ALL
WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED AND DECLINED.
SENSIRION is only liable for defects of this product arising under the
conditions of operation provided for in the data sheet and proper use of
the goods. SENSIRION explicitly disclaims all warranties, express or
implied, for any period during which the goods are operated or stored
not in accordance with the technical specifications.
SENSIRION does not assume any liability arising out of any application
or use of any product or circuit and specifically disclaims any and all
liability, including without limitation consequential or incidental
damages. All operating parameters, including without limitation
recommended parameters, must be validated for each customers
applications by customers technical experts. Recommended
parameters can and do vary in different applications.
SENSIRION reserves the right, without further notice, (i) to change the
product specifications and/or the information in this document and (ii) to
improve reliability, functions and design of this product.

Copyright 2010, by SENSIRION.

CMOSens is a trademark of Sensirion
All rights reserved

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