Fan control and temperature monitoring in one 8-MSOP package
The EMC2101-R-ACZL-TR from Microchip Technology combines fan control and temperature monitoring in a single 8-MSOP package, targeting thermal management in systems where PCB space is constrained. It reads temperature from both an internal sensor and an external diode-connected transistor, covering a sensing range of -64°C to 127°C with a maximum accuracy of ±3°C. The ±3°C accuracy is the worst-case limit across the full temperature range — for most of the operating band the typical error is tighter, but the BOM temperature-trip threshold should be set with this ±3°C guard band in mind.
Signal chain and interface
The internal topology combines a sigma-delta ADC, comparator, multiplexer, and register bank to digitize the sensor inputs and drive the fan output. Communication is over a 2-wire SMBus interface, so the part integrates directly with the system management bus on server, telecom, or industrial control boards without extra level shifting. The fan output is driven by the on-chip controller, and an alarm output signals overtemperature events to the host without polling.
Surface-mount assembly with the 8-MSOP body keeps the component height low, suitable for mezzanine cards or blade servers where the thermal management IC must fit under an airflow shroud.