PM42036B1-F3EI

Overview

The PM42036B1-F3EI is a Gen 4 Advanced Fabric PCIe switch from the Switchtec PAX family, providing 36 lanes and 20 ports. It supports up to 174 GBps switching capacity with flexible lane bifurcation (x1/x2/x4/x8/x16). The device features an integrated MIPS processor for fabric management without an external CPU, SR-IOV endpoint sharing, and comprehensive error containment including AER, DPC, and CTS. It includes extensive diagnostics such as real-time eye capture and TLP analysis.

Feature Summary

• Supports high-performance PCIe fabric connectivity for multi-host systems and SR-IOV sharing
• Integrates a MIPS processor for enclosure management and firmware customization via SDK
• Provides advanced error containment with hot-plug controllers and end-to-end data integrity protection
• Includes comprehensive diagnostics tools like PCIe analyzer and real-time 2D eye capture

Applications

• Scalable multi-host systems
• SR-IOV-enabled JBOFs
• Composable GP-GPU fabrics
• Disaggregated systems and rack scale architectures

Procurement Notes

Verify the exact part number against official Microchip documentation to ensure correct package dimensions and thermal specifications. Confirm that the F3EI suffix aligns with the required manufacturing configuration. Cross-reference datasheet revision history for any updates to electrical characteristics or pin assignments before finalizing procurement orders.

Selection Notes

Select this model for applications requiring 36 lanes and 20 ports within the PAX family. Consider higher-lane variants like the PM42052 or PM42100 if greater port density is needed. Ensure the design accommodates the 29 mm x 29 mm package size. Verify compatibility with the PAX Software Development Kit for custom firmware requirements.

Part Context

This component belongs to the Switchtec PAX Gen 4 Advanced Fabric PCIe Switch family, which also includes models with 28, 52, 68, 84, and 100 lanes. The family shares a common system-on-chip architecture and feature set, differing primarily in lane count, port density, and package size. Automotive qualified variants are available under the PAX-A designation.

Replacement Considerations

Direct replacements within the same family include the PM42028B1-F3EI (28 lanes) or PM42052B1-F3EI (52 lanes), depending on lane requirements. Ensure pinout and package compatibility when substituting. No cross-family substitutes are officially confirmed.