Data Sheet
Datasheet SHT20 
www.sensirion.com  Version 3 – December 2011  7/14
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 
min 
typ 
max 
Units 
SCL frequency, f
SCL
0 
- 
0.4 
MHz 
SCL High Time, t
SCLH
0.6 
- 
- 
µs 
SCL Low Time, t
SCLL
1.3 
- 
- 
µs 
SDA Set-Up Time, t
SU
100 
- 
- 
ns 
SDA Hold Time, t
HD
0 
- 
900 
ns 
SDA Valid Time, t
VD
0 
- 
400 
ns 
SCL/SDA Fall Time, t
F
0 
- 
100 
ns 
SCL/SDA Rise Time, t
R
0 
- 
300 
ns 
Capacitive Load on Bus Line, C
B
0 
- 
400 
pF 
Table 5  Timing specifications of digital input/output pads for I
2
C 
fast  mode.  Entities are displayed  in  Figure  12. VDD  =  2.1V  to 
3.6V, T  = -40°C  to 125°C,  unless  otherwise noted. For  further 
information  regarding  timing,  please  refer  to 
http://www.standardics.nxp.com/support/i2c/.  
5  Communication with Sensor 
SHT20 communicates with I
2
C protocol. For information on 
I
2
C  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  I
2
C 
address, as defined in Section 5.3. 
13
Furthermore,  please  note,  that  Sensirion  provides  an 
exemplary  sample  code  on its  home  page  – compare 
www.sensirion.com/SHT20.  
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 
13
 For  sensors  with  alternative  I
2
C  address  please  contact  Sensirion  via 
info@sensirion.com.  
power-up, the sensor  needs at  most  15ms,  while SCL is 
high, for  reaching  idle  state,  i.e. to  be ready accepting 
commands from  the master (MCU). Current consumption 
during start up is 350µA maximum. Whenever the sensor 
is  powered  up,  but  not  performing  a  measurement  or 
communicating,  it  is  automatically  in  idle  state  (sleep 
mode). 
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. 
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). 
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  I
2
C 
header consists of the 7-bit I
2
C device address „1000‟000‟ 
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 8
th
SCL  clock.  After  the  issue  of  a  measurement  command 
(„1110‟0011‟  for  temperature,  „1110‟0101‟  for  relative 
humidity‟), the  MCU must wait for the measurement to 
complete. The basic commands are summarized in Table 
6.  
SCL 
70% 
30% 
t
SCLL
1/f
SCL
t
SCLH
t
R
t
F
SDA 
70% 
30% 
t
SU
t
HD
SDA valid read 
DATA IN 
t
R
SDA 
70% 
30% 
DATA OUT 
t
VD
t
F
SDA valid write 
SDA 
SCL 
70% 
30% 
70% 
30% 
SDA 
SCL 
70% 
30% 
70% 
30% 










