ATMEGA88PA-AUR - AVR 8-Bit MCU 20MHz 8KB Flash TQFP-32 | Microchip
MPN: ATMEGA88PA-AUR β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.12 | $1.12 |
| 10 | $1.05 | $10.50 |
| 100 | $0.95 | $95.00 |
| 500 | $0.88 | $440.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.82 | $820.00 |
ATMEGA88PA-AUR Overview
A microcontroller unit (MCU) integrates a processor core, memory, and peripherals on a single chip, sitting at the heart of embedded systems within the broader hierarchy of semiconductor devices (integrated circuit -> microcontroller -> 8-bit AVR family). The AVR architecture executes most of its 130 instructions in a single clock cycle through its advanced RISC pipeline and 32 general-purpose working registers, delivering up to 20 MIPS at 20 MHz.
Key features include the picoPower technology for ultra-low sleep-mode consumption, in-system self-programmable Flash with read-while-write support, a 10-bit ADC with 8 multiplexed channels, and serial peripherals including SPI, TWI (I2C-compatible), and USART. Three flexible timers/counters with compare modes and PWM outputs round out the peripheral set.
The ATMEGA88PA-AUR operates from 1.8 V to 5.5 V across the full speed range, with the A-suffix industrial temperature grade of -40C to +85C. The picoPower process reduces power in idle, power-down, and power-save modes, making it suitable for battery-powered designs.
Typical applications include consumer appliances, industrial sensing nodes, battery-powered meters, motor control, and hobby/embedded prototypes such as Arduino-compatible boards.
Designers should note the 8 KB Flash limit (4K x 16 words): choose the ATMEGA168PA or ATMEGA328P pin-compatible parts when code size is expected to grow.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, comparison tables, and design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for ATMEGA88PA-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 ATMEGA88PA-AUR (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Operating Temperature, ADC, Communication Interfaces, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATMEGA88PA-ANR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$0.92 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA88PB-AUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$0.94 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA88A-AU
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.52 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA88-20AUR
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA168PA-AUR
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.85 / Unit
View Datasheet βATMEGA328P-AUR
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA88PA-AUR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit AVR RISC |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 8 KB (4K x 16) |
| EEPROM | 512 B |
| SRAM | 1 KB |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| General Purpose I/O | 23 I/O lines |
| Working Registers | 32 |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit |
| ADC Channels | 8 multiplexed channels |
| Timers/Counters | Two 8-bit, one 16-bit |
| Communication Interfaces | SPI, TWI (I2C), USART |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C |
| Package | 32-TQFP (7x7 mm, 0.8 mm pitch) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Packaging | Tape and Reel |
| Special Features | picoPower technology, ISP Flash with read-while-write |
ATMEGA88PA-AUR Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PD3 (PCINT19/OC2B/INT1) β Port D bit 3, pin change interrupt 19, Timer2 compare B output, external interrupt 1 |
| Pin 2 | PD4 (PCINT20/XCK/T0) β Port D bit 4, pin change interrupt 20, USART external clock, Timer0 external clock |
| Pin 3 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 4 | VCC β Digital supply voltage |
| Pin 5 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 6 | VCC β Digital supply voltage |
| Pin 7 | PB6 (PCINT6/XTAL1/TOSC1) β Port B bit 6, crystal oscillator input 1, Timer oscillator input |
| Pin 8 | PB7 (PCINT7/XTAL2/TOSC2) β Port B bit 7, crystal oscillator output 2, Timer oscillator output |
| Pin 9 | PD5 (PCINT21/OC0B/T1) β Port D bit 5, pin change interrupt 21, Timer0 compare B output, Timer1 external clock |
| Pin 10 | PD6 (PCINT22/OC0A/AIN0) β Port D bit 6, pin change interrupt 22, Timer0 compare A output, analog comparator positive input |
| Pin 11 | PD7 (PCINT23/AIN1) β Port D bit 7, pin change interrupt 23, analog comparator negative input |
| Pin 12 | PB0 (PCINT0/CLKO/ICP1) β Port B bit 0, pin change interrupt 0, clock output, Timer1 input capture |
| Pin 13 | PB1 (PCINT1/OC1A) β Port B bit 1, pin change interrupt 1, Timer1 compare A output |
| Pin 14 | PB2 (PCINT2/SS/OC1B) β Port B bit 2, pin change interrupt 2, SPI slave select, Timer1 compare B output |
| Pin 15 | PB3 (PCINT3/OC2A/MOSI) β Port B bit 3, pin change interrupt 3, Timer2 compare A output, SPI master output / ISP MOSI |
| Pin 16 | PB4 (PCINT4/MISO) β Port B bit 4, pin change interrupt 4, SPI master input / ISP MISO |
| Pin 17 | PB5 (PCINT5/SCK) β Port B bit 5, pin change interrupt 5, SPI clock / ISP SCK |
| Pin 18 | AVCC β ADC supply voltage, must be connected to VCC via low-pass filter |
| 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 (PCINT8/ADC0) β Port C bit 0, pin change interrupt 8, ADC channel 0 |
| Pin 24 | PC1 (PCINT9/ADC1) β Port C bit 1, pin change interrupt 9, ADC channel 1 |
| Pin 25 | PC2 (PCINT10/ADC2) β Port C bit 2, pin change interrupt 10, ADC channel 2 |
| Pin 26 | PC3 (PCINT11/ADC3) β Port C bit 3, pin change interrupt 11, ADC channel 3 |
| Pin 27 | PC4 (PCINT12/SDA/ADC4) β Port C bit 4, pin change interrupt 12, TWI data line, ADC channel 4 |
| Pin 28 | PC5 (PCINT13/SCL/ADC5) β Port C bit 5, pin change interrupt 13, TWI clock line, ADC channel 5 |
| Pin 29 | PC6 (PCINT14/RESET) β Reset input, active low; also pin change interrupt 14 |
| Pin 30 | PD0 (PCINT16/RXD) β Port D bit 0, pin change interrupt 16, USART receive data |
| Pin 31 | PD1 (PCINT17/TXD) β Port D bit 1, pin change interrupt 17, USART transmit data |
| Pin 32 | PD2 (PCINT18/INT0) β Port D bit 2, pin change interrupt 18, external interrupt 0 |
Typical Applications
ATMEGA88PA-AUR is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes, Consumer Appliance Control, Industrial Sensing and Control, Arduino-Compatible Prototyping, Motor Control and PWM Drive, Metering and Measurement Front Ends.
Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes
The ATMEGA88PA-AUR fits battery-powered sensor nodes because picoPower technology minimizes sleep-mode current, and the 1.8 V to 5.5 V supply range allows direct operation from two AA cells or a small lithium primary cell. With power-down sleep and watchdog or pin-change wake-up, the MCU can spend over 99% of its time asleep, dramatically extending battery life. The internal 8 MHz RC oscillator removes the crystal and its associated power draw in low-accuracy timing applications. Sensor data is read through the 10-bit ADC (8 channels) or a digital interface (SPI, TWI), then transmitted via USART or RF module. The main trade-off is the 1 KB SRAM cap, which limits heavy buffering or protocol stacks.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control
Home appliances such as coffee makers, fans, small pumps, and thermostats use the ATMEGA88PA-AUR for its low cost, wide 1.8 V to 5.5 V supply tolerance, and robust industrial temperature grade of -40C to +85C. The 23 GPIO lines drive keys, LEDs, relays, and triac control circuits directly through the timer compare outputs with hardware PWM, while the ADC reads thermistors and potentiometers for closed-loop control. The 8 KB Flash accommodates typical appliance state machines, button debouncing, and display multiplexing with room to spare. EEPROM stores user settings and calibration data across power cycles. The picoPower variants meet standby power expectations, and the 32-TQFP footprint scales to the pin-compatible ATMEGA168PA or ATMEGA328P if the feature set grows.
Recommended
Industrial Sensing and Control
In industrial environments the ATMEGA88PA-AUR serves as a compact control and acquisition node: the 10-bit ADC samples transducers (current shunts via amplifiers, pressure bridges, potentiometers) while SPI and TWI buses interface with external ADCs, EEPROM, and displays. The -40C to +85C A-grade temperature range covers unconditioned cabinets, and the USART links to RS-485 transceivers for noisy long-distance networks. Three timers generate PWM for valve, fan, or heater control with hardware precision independent of software latency. Designers should add TVS protection on field-wired I/O and exploit the brown-out detector for deterministic restarts during supply sags, a critical behavior in industrial power environments with motor-induced disturbances.
Recommended
Arduino-Compatible Prototyping
The ATmega88 family is a mainstay of Arduino-compatible prototyping: the ATMEGA88PA-AUR supports the Arduino IDE through AVR cores and programs over SPI with USBasp, Atmel-ICE, or Arduino-as-ISP tools. Its 20 MHz rating exceeds classic 16 MHz boards, and the 32-TQFP pinout matches the ATmega328P used in the Arduino Uno, so shields and wiring practices carry over directly. Developers prototype on the larger-memory ATmega328P and cost-down the production BOM to the ATMEGA88PA-AUR when the firmware fits in 8 KB Flash and 1 KB SRAM. This pin-identical scaling strategy lets teams validate hardware once, then optimize unit cost across the ATmega88/168/328 family without PCB respins.
Recommended
Motor Control and PWM Drive
Small DC and stepper motor applications leverage the ATMEGA88PA-AUR's three timers: two 8-bit and one 16-bit timer with compare modes and PWM outputs generate phase-correct or fast PWM at hardware-timed resolution, while the 16-bit timer captures input edges for tachometer feedback. The ADC reads current-sense shunts or potentiometer position for closed-loop speed regulation, and interrupt-driven pin changes handle quadrature encoders at moderate resolution. Gate or driver signals on 23 GPIO lines interface to MOSFET drivers or H-bridges. Typical implementations run the core from the internal RC oscillator to reduce BOM cost while keeping PWM jitter minimal because timer clocks derive directly from the peripheral clock domain.
Recommended
Metering and Measurement Front Ends
Utility submeters, environmental monitors, and portable test gadgets use the ATMEGA88PA-AUR's 10-bit ADC with 8 multiplexed channels and internal 1.1 V/2.56 V references to measure voltages, currents, and resistive sensors. Differential ADC modes with programmable gain (1x/20x) improve small-signal resolution, and EEPROM stores calibration constants written during production. The picoPower power-save mode with Timer/Counter 2 asynchronous operation (32.768 kHz crystal) enables periodic wake-up sampling ideal for battery-powered loggers, and results upload via USART. Where higher resolution is required, an external delta-sigma ADC connects over TWI. The key constraint remains the 1 KB SRAM, which limits long capture buffers; use streaming or the pin-compatible ATMEGA168PA/328P when buffering is central.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATMEGA88PA-AUR β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATMEGA88PA-ANR | ATMEGA88PB-AUR | ATMEGA88A-AU | ATMEGA168PA-AUR | ATMEGA328P-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 | 32-TQFP (7x7 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB |
| SRAM | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 512 B | 512 B | 256 B | 512 B | 512 B | 1 KB |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| picoPower Technology | Yes | Yes | Yes (PB low-power variant) | No (standard core) | Yes | Yes |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 2.7 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
Key Differentiators
- picoPower sleep performance at ATmega88 cost (vs ATMEGA88A-AU)
- Cost floor within pin-compatible family (vs ATMEGA168PA-AUR)
- Trade-off: smallest memory in the drop-in family (vs ATMEGA328P-AUR)
Design Notes
Connect AVCC (pin 18) to VCC through an LC low-pass filter (e.g., 10 uH inductor with 100 nF ceramic) to keep ADC noise low, and route analog ground back to the GND pin separately from digital return currents. Enable the internal brown-out detector (BOD) at 2.7 V via fuse for 5 V systems to prevent EEPROM corruption during undervoltage. Estimated: sleep-mode battery life in power-down is dominated by leakage and watchdog current, so disable unused peripheral clocks via PRR register in firmware.
For ISP programming, keep the MOSI/MISO/SCK/RESET traces short and add a 100 nF decoupling capacitor directly across pins 4/6 (VCC) and 3/5 (GND). If a crystal is used, place it within a few millimeters of PB6/PB7 with 12-22 pF load capacitors. Reserve a 2x3 ISP header footprint even if production programming is done with pogo pins - in-circuit recovery via SPI costs nothing at layout time and saves a rework cycle when fuses lock out debugWIRE.
The 8 KB Flash fills quickly: leave headroom for bootloader-free operation or reserve 512 B+ for an optiboot-style bootloader. Per Microchip application note AVR094 (doc2553), migrating from ATmega8 designs requires checking register and fuse map differences even though pins are compatible. RESET (PC6, pin 29) can be reconfigured as I/O via fuse - avoid this unless high-voltage programming is available, since SPI programming is then impossible. Verify clock source fuses match your oscillator choice before first flash to avoid a bricked-looking device.
Compliance Information
RoHS-compliant green packaging per distributor listings for the AUR suffix. Detailed REACH/halogen declarations available from Microchip product documentation.
