ATMEGA48PA-15AZ - 8-bit AVR MCU 4KB Flash 32-TQFP | Microchip
MPN: ATMEGA48PA-15AZ β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.42 | $1.42 |
| 10 | $1.3 | $13.00 |
| 100 | $1.16 | $116.00 |
| 500 | $1.04 | $520.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.95 | $950.00 |
ATMEGA48PA-15AZ Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller is an integrated circuit that combines a CPU core, program memory, data memory, and peripherals on a single chip, forming the lowest tier of the embedded processing hierarchy (MCU -> embedded processor -> semiconductor). The ATmega48PA belongs to the AVR RISC family from Microchip (formerly Atmel), a widely deployed architecture in industrial control, automotive body electronics, and consumer products.
Key features include 131 powerful instructions with mostly single-cycle execution, up to 20 MIPS throughput at 16 MHz, and picoPower technology that minimizes active and sleep-mode current. The PA suffix denotes the picoPower, extended-temperature (up to +125 C) variant, and the -15AZ marking indicates AEC-Q100 automotive qualification. Operating voltage spans 2.5 V to 5.5 V per FindIC and distributor data, with an internal RC oscillator eliminating the need for an external crystal in many designs.
Technically, the device provides one 8-bit and one 16-bit timer with PWM channels, a 10-bit ADC with 6 multiplexed external channels plus 2 internal channels, USART, SPI, and two-wire (I2C) interfaces, plus an analog comparator. In-system self-programmable Flash enables field firmware updates through the SPI-based ICSP interface using two device I/O pins and reset.
Typical applications include automotive body modules, sensor nodes, motor control, HVAC, and industrial automation where moderate memory and low power matter.
Design tip: budget the 4KB Flash carefully and reserve roughly 256 bytes for the bootloader region if field updates are planned.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternative analysis, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATMEGA48PA-15AZ β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with ATMEGA48PA-15AZ (same form factor and footprint) β differing in EEPROM, SRAM, Core Architecture, Flash Program Memory, Instructions.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATMEGA48PB-15AZ
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA88PA-15AZ
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA168PA-15AZ
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA328P-15AZ
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$4.02 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA48-20AU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$1.6 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA48PA-15AZ Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | AVR 8-bit RISC |
| Flash Program Memory | 4 KB (2K x 16) |
| SRAM | 512 B |
| EEPROM | 256 B |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 16 MHz |
| Throughput | Up to 20 MIPS at 16 MHz |
| Instructions | 131 (mostly single-cycle) |
| I/O Lines | 23 |
| Operating Voltage | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C |
| Package | 32-TQFP (7x7 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Oscillator Type | Internal |
| Qualification | AEC-Q100 (automotive) |
| Peripherals | Timers (8-bit + 16-bit), 10-bit ADC, USART, SPI, TWI, Analog Comparator |
| Low Power Technology | picoPower |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel |
ATMEGA48PA-15AZ Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PC6/RESET β Port C bit 6 or active-low Reset input |
| Pin 2 | PD0/RXD β Port D bit 0 / USART receive |
| Pin 3 | PD1/TXD β Port D bit 1 / USART transmit |
| Pin 4 | PD2 β Port D bit 2 (external interrupt INT0) |
| Pin 5 | PD3 β Port D bit 3 (external interrupt INT1 / OC2B) |
| Pin 6 | PD4 β Port D bit 4 (XCK/T0) |
| Pin 7 | VCC β Digital supply voltage |
| Pin 8 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 9 | PB6/XTAL1 β Port B bit 6 / crystal oscillator input / TOSC1 |
| Pin 10 | PB7/XTAL2 β Port B bit 7 / crystal oscillator output / TOSC2 |
| Pin 11 | PD5 β Port D bit 5 (T1 / OC0B) |
| Pin 12 | PD6 β Port D bit 6 (AIN0 / OC0A) |
| Pin 13 | PD7 β Port D bit 7 (AIN1) |
| Pin 14 | PB0 β Port B bit 0 (ICP1 / CLKO) |
| Pin 15 | PB1 β Port B bit 1 (OC1A) |
| Pin 16 | PB2 β Port B bit 2 (SS / OC1B) |
| Pin 17 | PB3/MOSI β Port B bit 3 / SPI MOSI (ICSP data in) |
| Pin 18 | PB4/MISO β Port B bit 4 / SPI MISO (ICSP data out) |
| Pin 19 | PB5/SCK β Port B bit 5 / SPI clock (ICSP clock) |
| Pin 20 | AVCC β ADC supply voltage |
| Pin 21 | AREF β Analog reference voltage |
| Pin 22 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 23 | PC0/ADC0 β Port C bit 0 / ADC channel 0 |
| Pin 24 | PC1/ADC1 β Port C bit 1 / ADC channel 1 |
| Pin 25 | PC2/ADC2 β Port C bit 2 / ADC channel 2 |
| Pin 26 | PC3/ADC3 β Port C bit 3 / ADC channel 3 |
| Pin 27 | PC4/ADC4/SDA β Port C bit 4 / ADC channel 4 / TWI data |
| Pin 28 | PC5/ADC5/SCL β Port C bit 5 / ADC channel 5 / TWI clock |
| Pin 29 | PC7 β Port C bit 7 |
| Pin 30 | ADC7 β ADC channel 7 |
| Pin 31 | ADC6 β ADC channel 6 |
| Pin 32 | AGND β Analog ground |
Typical Applications
ATMEGA48PA-15AZ is suitable for 6 applications: Automotive Body Electronics, Sensor Nodes and Data Acquisition, Motor Control and PWM Actuation, HVAC and Appliance Control, Industrial Automation and Control Panels, Consumer Electronics and IoT Subsystems.
Automotive Body Electronics
The ATMEGA48PA-15AZ fits automotive body modules because its -AZ suffix guarantees AEC-Q100 qualification and -40 C to +125 C operation, conditions typical of interior and near-engine bay environments. With 4KB Flash, 23 I/O lines, and a 16 MHz AVR RISC core delivering roughly 20 MIPS, it comfortably handles switch debouncing, relay and LED load driving, and LIN-style protocol emulation at modest code sizes. In practice, the device sits on the 12 V rail behind a regulator and zener clamp, using its internal RC oscillator to save BOM cost, while the 10-bit ADC reads potentiometer or NTC inputs. Its picoPower sleep modes reduce battery drain when modules idle between events.
Recommended
Sensor Nodes and Data Acquisition
For battery-powered sensor nodes, the ATMEGA48PA-15AZ combines picoPower technology with a 10-bit ADC offering 6 external channels plus internal temperature and bandgap channels, enabling multi-signal measurement from a single 32-TQFP chip. The 512 B SRAM is sufficient for averaging buffers and simple filtering, while 256 B EEPROM stores calibration constants through power cycles. Nodes typically wake on comparator or timer interrupt, sample an NTC or bridge sensor through the ADC, and transmit via UART or SPI; the 2.5 V to 5.5 V supply range permits direct operation from two alkaline cells or a small LDO output, and sleep currents in power-down mode extend battery life to years.
Recommended
Motor Control and PWM Actuation
The ATMEGA48PA-15AZ suits small motor and actuator control because its 8-bit timer/counter provides PWM outputs with adjustable prescalers, and the 16-bit timer adds precise timing for closed-loop tasks. Four PWM channels can drive H-bridge or MOSFET gate circuits for DC fans, pumps, and servo-style actuators, while the analog comparator supports over-current trip detection without consuming an ADC channel. At 16 MHz the 131-instruction RISC core executes control loops at multi-kHz rates with predictable single-cycle timing. The 23 I/O lines leave headroom for limit switches and status LEDs, and the AEC-Q100 rating makes it acceptable in automotive blower and actuator modules.
Recommended
HVAC and Appliance Control
HVAC controllers, thermostats, and white-goods appliance boards benefit from the ATMEGA48PA-15AZ's combination of +125 C rating, internal oscillator, and rich low-speed peripherals. The TWI (I2C) interface reads humidity or pressure sensors, the USART talks to display drivers or RF modules, and the 10-bit ADC samples room-temperature NTCs across 6 multiplexed inputs. Relay and triac drive outputs come from the 23 GPIO with PWM for valve positioning. Its 4KB Flash is typically enough for state-machine control logic with EEPROM-stored setpoints in the 256 B data EEPROM. The AEC-Q100 qualification also gives appliance makers automotive-grade confidence in long-term reliability.
Recommended
Industrial Automation and Control Panels
In factory automation the ATMEGA48PA-15AZ serves as a low-cost node for limit-switch monitoring, indicator control, and RS-485 style UART communication. The 16 MHz RISC core with 131 mostly single-cycle instructions gives deterministic response for sequential control logic, while the watchdog timer and brown-out detection improve field robustness. SPI connects to isolated I/O expanders or ADC front ends when 23 I/O lines are not enough, and the 2.5 V to 5.5 V range tolerates regulator ripple in electrically noisy cabinets. The -40 C to +125 C range covers unheated machinery enclosures and control cabinets near drives, where consumer-grade parts would fail.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics and IoT Subsystems
For cost-sensitive consumer products - chargers, small displays, remote controls, and IoT endpoint accessories - the ATMEGA48PA-15AZ offers a mature, well-documented AVR ecosystem at volume pricing near $1. The internal oscillator removes crystal cost, picoPower modes meet standby power targets, and the ICSP two-pin-plus-reset programming interface allows firmware updates at final assembly. The 4KB Flash supports compact application code or a small bootloader plus application; when OTA-style updates demand more room, the identical-footprint ATMEGA168PA-15AZ or ATMEGA328P-15AZ swaps in without PCB revision. AEC-Q100 qualification further over-specifies reliability for harsh consumer environments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATMEGA48PA-15AZ β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATMEGA48PB-15AZ | ATMEGA88PA-15AZ | ATMEGA168PA-15AZ | ATMEGA328P-15AZ | ATMEGA48-20AU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 32-TQFP (7x7 mm) | 32-TQFP (7x7 mm) - same | 32-TQFP (7x7 mm) - same | 32-TQFP (7x7 mm) - same | 32-TQFP (7x7 mm) - same | 32-TQFP (7x7 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 4 KB | 4 KB | 8 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB | 4 KB |
| SRAM | 512 B | 512 B | 1 KB | 1 KB | 2 KB | 512 B |
| Max Clock Frequency | 16 MHz | 16 MHz | 16 MHz | 16 MHz | 16 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Low Power Technology | picoPower (PA) | picoPower-class | picoPower (PA) | picoPower (PA) | picoPower (P) | Non-picoPower (standard ATmega48) |
| Drop-in Compatibility | Reference part | Drop-in with Pin 3/Pin 6 cautions (Microchip migration doc) | Pin-to-pin, no PCB change | Pin-to-pin, no PCB change | Pin-to-pin, no PCB change | Pin-to-pin, verify temperature grade |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost family member with automotive rating (vs ATMEGA88PA-15AZ)
- picoPower efficiency versus older ATmega48 silicon (vs ATMEGA48-20AU)
- Direct migration path without PCB rework (vs ATMEGA328P-15AZ)
Design Notes
Connect VCC (pin 7) and AVCC (pin 20) to the same 2.5 V to 5.5 V rail; AVCC must not differ from VCC by more than 0.3 V. Place 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitors directly at VCC-GND and AVCC-GND pairs, plus 10 uF bulk capacitance on the board. If using the ADC, tie AREF (pin 21) through a 100 nF capacitor to GND or drive it from a reference, and connect AGND (pin 32) to a clean analog ground point. Estimated: a 16 MHz active-mode draw of a few mA keeps self-heating negligible at 125 C ambient, but verify against the datasheet power tables for your clock and sleep profile.
The 32-TQFP (7x7 mm) footprint has 0.8 mm pitch; route PD0/PD1 (USART) and PB3-PB5 (ICSP/SPI) as short direct traces and bring the ICSP header (MOSI, MISO, SCK, RESET, VCC, GND) to a standard 2x3 header for in-system programming with Atmel-ICE or AVRISP mkII. Keep the crystal, if used, within 10 mm of pins 9-10 with 20 pF load caps, or leave PB6/PB7 as GPIO when the internal RC oscillator suffices. Reserve 4KB Flash: if a bootloader is planned, budget 256-512 bytes and verify the remaining application fits before committing to this memory density.
Do not treat RESET (pin 1, PC6) as a GPIO unless the RESET-disable fuse is set - a misconfigured fuse brick-locks the device and requires high-voltage parallel programming to recover. When migrating to the ATMEGA48PB, observe Microchip's documented cautions: Pin 3 must not be actively driven if tied to GND, and Pin 6 must not be actively driven if tied to VCC. Finally, confirm fuse settings (clock source, BOD level) match your supply; brown-out detection should be enabled for automotive rails to prevent EEPROM corruption during cold crank transients.
Compliance Information
AEC-Q100 automotive qualification and RoHS-compliant lead-free status per Microchip/DigiKey/FindIC product listings; REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals declarations to be confirmed from official Microchip compliance documents.
