ATMEGA48PB-AUR - 8-bit AVR MCU 20MHz 4KB Flash TQFP-32 | Microchip
MPN: ATMEGA48PB-AUR β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.54 | $0.54 |
| 10 | $0.51 | $5.10 |
| 100 | $0.47 | $47.00 |
| 500 | $0.43 | $215.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.39 | $390.00 |
ATMEGA48PB-AUR Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip processor that integrates a CPU core, program memory, data memory, and peripherals on one die. Within the power-management and embedded-systems hierarchy, the ATmega48PB sits in the entry tier of the AVR ATmega family, below the ATmega88PB and ATmega168PB, and executes one instruction per clock cycle for throughput approaching 1 MIPS/MHz.
Key features include 27 general-purpose I/O lines, 256 B EEPROM with read-while-write Flash capability, three flexible timer/counters with compare modes, internal and external interrupt sources, and a USART with wake-up on start of transmission. The picoPower technology enables very low sleep-mode consumption, supporting battery-powered designs.
The AVR enhanced RISC architecture uses 32 general-purpose working registers directly connected to the ALU, allowing powerful single-cycle instructions. The core-independent peripherals (event system, timers, USART) offload tasks from the CPU, reducing active time and overall energy per operation. Supply voltage spans 1.8 V to 5.5 V, covering 3.3 V and 5 V systems.
Typical applications include industrial sensor nodes, consumer appliance control, battery-powered IoT devices, and low-cost motor or LED control boards where a 5 V tolerant, low-power 8-bit controller is preferred.
A key design consideration: per Microchip application note 00002603A, the ATmega48PB can be a drop-in replacement for the ATmega48PA/ATmega48A in the 32-pin TQFP only if Pin 3 (GND-connected, must not be actively driven or ACO enabled) and Pin 6 (VCC-connected, must not be actively driven) meet stated conditions.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, pinout data, and practical migration design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATMEGA48PB-AUR 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 ATMEGA48PB-AUR (same form factor and footprint) β differing in RoHS Status, Operating Temperature, Communication Interfaces, Program Memory Size, Working Registers.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATMEGA48PA-AUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.72 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA48PA-AU
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$1.38 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA48A-AUR
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA88PB-AUR
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA168PB-AUR
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$1.58 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA328PB-AUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.31 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA48-20AU
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.6 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA48PB-AUR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | AVR |
| Core Size | 8-bit |
| Speed | 20 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 4 KB (2K x 16) |
| EEPROM | 256 B |
| SRAM | 512 B |
| General-Purpose I/O | 27 |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Timers/Counters | 3 flexible timer/counters with compare modes |
| Communication Interfaces | USART with wake-up on start of transmission |
| Working Registers | 32 general-purpose registers |
| Performance | Up to 1 MIPS/MHz (single-cycle RISC) |
| Low-Power Technology | picoPower |
| Package | 32-TQFP (7x7 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel (AUR suffix) |
| Functional Safety | FuSa capable (per DigiKey listing) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (GRN / green package per Mouser) |
ATMEGA48PB-AUR Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PD3 β Port D, bit 3 (GPIO / INT1) |
| Pin 2 | PD4 β Port D, bit 4 (GPIO / XCK/T0) |
| Pin 3 | GND β Ground (PB device caution: if connected to GND, must not be actively driven or ACO enabled) |
| Pin 4 | VCC β Digital supply voltage (1.8 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 5 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 6 | VCC β Digital supply voltage (PB device caution: if connected to VCC, must not be actively driven) |
| Pin 7 | PB6 β Port B, bit 6 (XTAL1 / TOSC1) |
| Pin 8 | PB7 β Port B, bit 7 (XTAL2 / TOSC2) |
| Pin 9 | PD5 β Port D, bit 5 (GPIO / T1 / OC0B) |
| Pin 10 | PD6 β Port D, bit 6 (GPIO / AIN0 / OC0A) |
| Pin 11 | PD7 β Port D, bit 7 (GPIO / AIN1) |
| Pin 12 | PB0 β Port B, bit 0 (GPIO / ICP1 / OC1A) |
| Pin 13 | PB1 β Port B, bit 1 (GPIO / OC1A) |
| Pin 14 | PB2 β Port B, bit 2 (GPIO / SS / OC1B) |
| Pin 15 | PB3 β Port B, bit 3 (GPIO / MOSI / OC2A) |
| Pin 16 | PB4 β Port B, bit 4 (GPIO / MISO) |
| Pin 17 | PB5 β Port B, bit 5 (GPIO / SCK) |
| Pin 18 | AVCC β Analog supply voltage for ADC |
| Pin 19 | ADC6 β Analog input channel 6 |
| Pin 20 | AREF β Analog reference voltage for ADC |
| Pin 21 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 22 | ADC7 β Analog input channel 7 |
| Pin 23 | PC0 β Port C, bit 0 (GPIO / ADC0) |
| Pin 24 | PC1 β Port C, bit 1 (GPIO / ADC1) |
| Pin 25 | PC2 β Port C, bit 2 (GPIO / ADC2) |
| Pin 26 | PC3 β Port C, bit 3 (GPIO / ADC3) |
| Pin 27 | PC4 β Port C, bit 4 (GPIO / ADC4 / SDA) |
| Pin 28 | PC5 β Port C, bit 5 (GPIO / ADC5 / SCL) |
| Pin 29 | PC6 β Port C, bit 6 (RESET, active low) |
| Pin 30 | PD0 β Port D, bit 0 (GPIO / RXD) |
| Pin 31 | PD1 β Port D, bit 1 (GPIO / TXD) |
| Pin 32 | PD2 β Port D, bit 2 (GPIO / INT0) |
Typical Applications
ATMEGA48PB-AUR is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Nodes, Battery-Powered Consumer Devices, Motor Control and LED Drivers, Home Automation and IoT End Nodes, Appliance and White-Goods Control, Data Acquisition and Test Fixtures.
Industrial Sensor Nodes
The ATMEGA48PB-AUR fits industrial sensor nodes because its 27 GPIO lines and multi-channel ADC port pins (ports B, C, and D) connect directly to analog sensors, while the USART transmits readings over RS-485 or UART links. The picoPower technology keeps sleep currents minimal between sampling intervals, extending battery life in battery-backed nodes, and the 1.8 V to 5.5 V supply range tolerates noisy 5 V industrial rails without a regulator change. Placing the MCU in power-down mode between 1 Hz samples with a watchdog wake-up can reduce average consumption by orders of magnitude versus continuous polling, at the cost of slightly slower event response.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Consumer Devices
For battery-powered consumer products such as remote controls, small meters, and personal care devices, the ATMEGA48PB-AUR's picoPower technology delivers very low sleep-mode consumption, directly extending battery life where standby time dominates. The 4 KB Flash is sufficient for button handling, LED or LCD driving, and simple protocols, keeping BOM cost near $0.54 per unit (as of 2026-09-18). Its 1.8 V operation supports direct use of two alkaline cells or a single Li-cell via an LDO. The trade-off is limited code headroom: once firmware approaches 4 KB, migration to the pin-compatible ATMEGA88PB-AUR preserves the same PCB footprint.
Recommended
Motor Control and LED Drivers
The ATMEGA48PB-AUR suits small motor and LED control boards because its three flexible timer/counters with compare modes generate PWM outputs for H-bridge or MOSFET drivers, and core-independent peripherals continue running while the CPU sleeps or handles communication. Twenty MHz operation allows 8-bit PWM at roughly 78 kHz (20 MHz / 256), inaudible for fan and LED dimming applications. The 27 GPIO lines cover direction, enable, and feedback signals for single-motor designs. For higher current, pair it with a gate driver rather than driving MOSFETs directly, since GPIO current is limited to datasheet port ratings.
Recommended
Home Automation and IoT End Nodes
In home automation end nodes, the ATMEGA48PB-AUR handles switch inputs, relay or triac control, and serial links to wireless modules through its USART with wake-up on start of transmission, which lets the MCU sleep until the radio asserts data. PicoPower sleep modes keep average draw compatible with coin-cell or rechargeable supply budgets, and internal interrupts allow wake-up on button press without polling. The 4 KB Flash accommodates a light protocol stack; heavier Zigbee/BLE stacks require the pin-compatible ATMEGA168PB-AUR or an external radio module with onboard intelligence.
Recommended
Appliance and White-Goods Control
The ATMEGA48PB-AUR is cost-effective for appliance control panels where a 5 V tolerant 8-bit MCU drives keys, LEDs, and a buzzer while reading NTC thermistors through the ADC. Its three timers support beep tones and display multiplexing concurrently, and the 1.8 V to 5.5 V range plus green RoHS packaging (GRN per Mouser) simplifies compliance for mass-market goods. The TQFP-32 7x7 mm footprint suits both wave-reflowable and rework-friendly assembly. Firmware simplicity is the attraction here; products needing touch sensing or more I/O should step to larger ATmega variants rather than expanding the 48PB.
Recommended
Data Acquisition and Test Fixtures
For low-cost data acquisition cards and production test fixtures, the ATMEGA48PB-AUR provides an ADC, USART for host communication, and timers for sample pacing at up to 20 MHz clock rates. The 32 general-purpose working registers make single-cycle register-to-register arithmetic efficient for simple filtering. Its TQFP-32 package and reprogrammable ISP Flash allow fixture firmware updates in the field. For applications requiring USB connectivity to the host PC, pair it with the ATMEGA32U2-MU acting as a USB-serial bridge, keeping the 48PB focused on measurement sequencing while the 32U2 handles the USB protocol.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATMEGA48PB-AUR β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATMEGA48PA-AUR | ATMEGA88PB-AUR | ATMEGA168PB-AUR | ATMEGA328PB-AUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core / Architecture | AVR 8-bit RISC, 1 MIPS/MHz | AVR 8-bit RISC, 1 MIPS/MHz | AVR 8-bit RISC, 1 MIPS/MHz | AVR 8-bit RISC, 1 MIPS/MHz | AVR 8-bit RISC, 1 MIPS/MHz |
| Max Clock Speed | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 4 KB | 4 KB | 8 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB |
| SRAM | 512 B | 512 B | 1 KB | 1 KB | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 512 B | 512 B | 1 KB |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| picoPower Technology | Yes | No (PA revision) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- picoPower technology for ultra-low sleep current (vs ATMEGA48PA-AUR)
- Lowest-cost entry to the drop-in PB memory ladder (vs ATMEGA88PB-AUR)
- Functional Safety (FuSa) capable listing (vs ATMEGA48-20AU)
Design Notes
When migrating from ATmega48PA/88PA/168PA to the ATmega48PB in the 32-pin TQFP, Microchip application note 00002603A imposes two conditions: Pin 3 - if connected to GND, the pin must not be actively driven and the analog comparator output ACO must not be enabled; Pin 6 - if connected to VCC, the pin must not be actively driven. Verify your existing schematic against these two pins before releasing the PB as a drop-in replacement. Ignoring these conditions can cause unpredictable analog comparator behavior in the field.
Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor directly across VCC (pin 4) and GND (pin 3), and a second one across VCC (pin 6) and GND (pin 5), with short, wide traces to the ground plane. AVCC (pin 18) should be tied to VCC through an LC filter (for example 10 uH plus 100 nF) when the ADC is used, keeping the analog reference (pin 20, AREF) quiet with its own 100 nF capacitor. The exposed 7x7 mm TQFP-32 center of the board benefits from a solid ground pour for ADC noise reduction.
Estimated: at 20 MHz and 5 V, an ATmega-class core draws on the order of 10-15 mA active (verify against datasheet 40001909A electrical characteristics for the exact typical value). The dominant lever is sleep policy - using power-down mode with watchdog or pin-change wake-up between events can cut average current by two to three orders of magnitude in battery designs. Note that maximum clock frequency derates with supply voltage per the datasheet frequency-vs-voltage curve: 20 MHz requires operation near 5 V, while 3.3 V systems are limited to roughly 13-14 MHz.
For the USART (pins 30/31, RXD/TXD) and SPI ISP lines (PB3-PB5), keep serial traces short and avoid routing them beneath the crystal circuit at PB6/PB7. If using an external crystal above 8 MHz, keep crystal load capacitors close to the pins and place a guard ground ring around the crystal traces to prevent UART jitter from coupled noise. Enable the internal pull-ups on unused port pins or configure them as outputs low to avoid floating inputs increasing current consumption.
Compliance Information
Mouser lists the part as 'TQFP GRN' - Microchip's green, RoHS-compliant, halogen-free package designation. REACH and conflict-minerals declarations should be downloaded from the Microchip product page compliance section.
