Intel 530 LF80537NE0301M Data Sheet

Datasheet

85

The processor incorporates an on-die PNP transistor whose base emitter junction is 

used as a thermal diode, with its collector shorted to ground. The thermal diode can be 

read by an off-die analog/digital converter (a thermal sensor) located on the 

motherboard or a stand-alone measurement kit. The thermal diode may be used to 

monitor the die temperature of the processor for thermal management or 

instrumentation purposes but is not a reliable indication that the maximum operating 

temperature of the processor has been reached. When using the thermal diode, a 

temperature offset value must be read from a processor MSR and applied. See 

 for more details. Please see 

 for thermal diode usage 

recommendation when the PROCHOT# signal is not asserted.

hottest location on the die. This is due to inaccuracies in the external thermal 

sensor, on-die temperature gradients between the location of the thermal diode and the 

hottest location on the die, and time based variations in the die temperature 

measurement. Time-based variations can occur when the sampling rate of the thermal 

diode (by the thermal sensor) is slower than the rate at which the T

J

 temperature can 

change. 

Offset between the thermal diode-based temperature reading and the Intel Thermal 

Monitor reading may be characterized using the Intel Thermal Monitor’s Automatic 

mode activation of the thermal control circuit. This temperature offset must be taken 

into account when using the processor thermal diode to implement power management 

events. This offset is different than the diode Toffset value programmed into the 

processor Model Specific Register (MSR).

 provide the diode interface and specifications. The diode model 

parameters apply to the traditional thermal sensors that use the diode equation to 

determine the processor temperature. Transistor model parameters have been added 

to support thermal sensors that use the transistor equation method. The Transistor 

model may provide more accurate temperature measurements when the diode ideality 

factor is closer to the maximum or minimum limits. Contact your external sensor 

supplier for recommendations. The thermal diode is separate from the Intel Thermal 

Monitor’s thermal sensor and cannot be used to predict the behavior of the Intel 

Thermal Monitor.

THERMDA

A24

Thermal diode anode

THERMDC

A25

Thermal diode cathode