ATMEGA8L-8MC - 8KB AVR MCU 8MHz 32-VQFN | Microchip
MPN: ATMEGA8L-8MC ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.45 | $2.45 |
| 10 | $2.21 | $22.10 |
| 100 | $1.89 | $189.00 |
| 500 | $1.62 | $810.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.38 | $1,380.00 |
ATMEGA8L-8MC Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip embedded computer that integrates a processor core, program memory, data memory, and peripherals such as timers, communication interfaces, and analog-to-digital converters. The ATmega8 sits in the broader hierarchy of embedded processors: 8-bit microcontroller within the AVR family, itself a branch of the power-management-friendly RISC MCU category popularized by Atmel and now maintained by Microchip Technology.
Key features include a 130-instruction AVR RISC core with mostly single-cycle execution delivering up to 8 MIPS at 8MHz, an 8-channel 10-bit ADC for direct sensor interfacing, and connectivity via I2C (TWI), SPI, and UART/USART. On-chip brown-out detection, power-on reset, PWM timers, and a watchdog timer reduce external component count and improve system reliability.
Architecturally, the ATmega8 uses a Harvard-structure two-stage pipeline with 32 general-purpose working registers directly connected to the ALU, allowing most instructions to execute in one clock cycle. The 'L' suffix denotes the low-voltage variant (2.7V to 5.5V operation) while the '-8' speed grade caps clock frequency at 8MHz.
Typical applications include industrial automation control nodes, consumer electronics such as appliances and remote controls, and automotive accessory systems where a low-cost, low-voltage MCU with integrated ADC is required. Its 23 general-purpose I/O pins cover sensing, actuation, and communication duties in compact designs.
When designing with this device, note that the VQFN exposed pad should be soldered to a grounded land pattern for both thermal relief and mechanical robustness, and that the 8MHz speed grade must be respected when selecting crystals or the internal RC oscillator.
This page synthesizes verified distributor data, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, with pricing as of 2026-09-19.
Drop-in alternatives for ATMEGA8L-8MC — 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 ATMEGA8L-8MC (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC Channels, Instructions, EEPROM, Communication Interfaces.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATMEGA8L-8MU
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ATMEGA8A-MUR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.7 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA8A-MN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA88-20MU
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →ATMEGA88V-10MJ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.32 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATMEGA8L-8MC Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | AVR |
| Core Size | 8-Bit |
| Speed | 8 MHz |
| Flash Program Memory | 8 KB (4K x 16) |
| SRAM | 1 KB |
| EEPROM | 512 Byte |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit |
| ADC Channels | 8 |
| Connectivity | I2C, SPI, UART/USART |
| Peripherals | Brown-out Detect/Reset, POR, PWM, WDT |
| Number of I/O | 23 |
| Operating Voltage | 2.7 V to 5.5 V (low-voltage L variant) |
| Package | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) with exposed pad (32M1) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Product Status | Obsolete (per Octopart comparison data); ATMEGA8A series is the active successor |
| Throughput | up to 8 MIPS at 8 MHz |
| Instruction Set | 130 powerful instructions, most single-cycle |
ATMEGA8L-8MC Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | PD0 (XCK/T0) — Port D bit 0; USART external clock input or Timer0 external clock |
| Pin 2 | PD1 (TXD) — Port D bit 1; USART transmit output |
| Pin 3 | PD2 (RXD/INT0) — Port D bit 2; USART receive input or external interrupt 0 |
| Pin 4 | PD3 (INT1) — Port D bit 3; external interrupt 1 |
| Pin 5 | PD4 (T0) — Port D bit 4; Timer/Counter0 external clock input |
| Pin 6 | VCC — Digital supply voltage (2.7V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 7 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 8 | PB6 (XTAL1/TOSC1) — Port B bit 6; crystal oscillator input or timer oscillator input |
| Pin 9 | PB7 (XTAL2/TOSC2) — Port B bit 7; crystal oscillator output or timer oscillator output |
| Pin 10 | PD5 (T1) — Port D bit 5; Timer/Counter1 external clock input |
| Pin 11 | PD6 (AIN0) — Port D bit 6; analog comparator positive input |
| Pin 12 | PD7 (AIN1) — Port D bit 7; analog comparator negative input |
| Pin 13 | PB0 (ICP1) — Port B bit 0; Timer/Counter1 input capture |
| Pin 14 | PB1 (OC1A) — Port B bit 1; Timer/Counter1 output compare A (PWM) |
| Pin 15 | PB2 (SS/OC1B) — Port B bit 2; SPI slave select or Timer/Counter1 output compare B |
| Pin 16 | PB3 (MOSI/OC2) — Port B bit 3; SPI master output or Timer/Counter2 output compare (PWM) |
| Pin 17 | PB4 (MISO) — Port B bit 4; SPI master input |
| Pin 18 | PB5 (SCK) — Port B bit 5; SPI serial clock; also ISP programming clock |
| Pin 19 | AVCC — ADC supply voltage; connect to VCC via low-pass filter |
| Pin 20 | AREF — ADC analog reference; decouple to GND when using internal reference |
| Pin 21 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 22 | PC0 (ADC0) — Port C bit 0; ADC channel 0 |
| Pin 23 | PC1 (ADC1) — Port C bit 1; ADC channel 1 |
| Pin 24 | PC2 (ADC2) — Port C bit 2; ADC channel 2 |
| Pin 25 | PC3 (ADC3) — Port C bit 3; ADC channel 3 |
| Pin 26 | PC4 (ADC4/SDA) — Port C bit 4; ADC channel 4 or TWI data line |
| Pin 27 | PC5 (ADC5/SCL) — Port C bit 5; ADC channel 5 or TWI clock line |
| Pin 28 | PC6 (RESET) — Reset input; active low with internal pull-up |
| Pin 29 | GND — Ground (package pin per ATmega8 32M1 datasheet) |
| Pin 30 | VCC — Digital supply voltage (package pin per ATmega8 32M1 datasheet) |
| Pin 31 | GND — Ground (package pin per ATmega8 32M1 datasheet) |
| Pin 32 | VCC — Digital supply voltage (package pin per ATmega8 32M1 datasheet) |
Typical Applications
ATMEGA8L-8MC is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation Control Nodes, Consumer Electronics and Appliances, Automotive Accessory Systems, Embedded Sensor Measurement Systems, Communication and Protocol Bridge Devices, Hobby, Education, and Rapid Prototyping.
Industrial Automation Control Nodes
The ATMEGA8L-8MC fits industrial control nodes because its 8-channel 10-bit ADC digitizes up to eight analog sensors (temperature, pressure, potentiometers) with 10-bit resolution, while the 5.5V-tolerant IO simplifies interfacing with 5V PLC-level signals. The 8KB Flash with In-System Programming allows field firmware updates via SPI without removing the device from the board. The watchdog timer and brown-out detection ensure automatic recovery from transient power disturbances common on factory floors. In a typical node, the MCU reads sensors through the ADC, drives relays or actuators via PWM timers, and reports status over UART or I2C. Its fully static core tolerates slow clocking for low-duty-cycle polling, cutting average power in battery-backed field installations.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics and Appliances
In consumer appliances such as small kitchen devices, remote controls, and toys, the ATMEGA8L-8MC provides a single-chip control solution integrating the processor, 8KB Flash, RAM, timers, and ADC, eliminating external logic. The 2.7V minimum supply allows direct operation from two AA cells, extending battery life, and the internal RC oscillator removes the cost of a crystal in non-timing-critical products. The 23 GPIO lines drive LEDs, keypads, and seven-segment displays directly, while hardware PWM generates dimming and motor-speed control signals without CPU overhead. Because the AVR core executes most instructions in a single cycle at up to 8MHz, responsive user-interface handling is straightforward. The VQFN 5x5 mm footprint suits compact, cost-sensitive two-layer PCBs typical of this market.
Recommended
Automotive Accessory Systems
The ATMEGA8L-8MC serves in automotive accessory electronics - seat-position memories, lighting controllers, sensor pods - where its 10-bit ADC reads resistive and analog sensors and its brown-out detector guarantees deterministic behavior during crank-related supply dips. The 5.5V maximum supply suits post-regulator rails, and the 512B EEPROM retains calibration data and user settings across power cycles without external memory. Operating over the industrial-plus temperature envelope typical of cabin electronics, the device drives PWM loads such as LED lighting and small DC motors using hardware timer channels. The 8MHz speed grade balances responsiveness against radiated-emissions headroom. Designers should add a load-dump-protected supply front end and verify qualification requirements, since the standard grade is not AEC-Q100 qualified.
Recommended
Embedded Sensor Measurement Systems
For measurement and data-acquisition products, the ATMEGA8L-8MC's 8-channel 10-bit ADC with internal reference and selectable prescaling enables direct multiplexed sampling of multiple analog sources at modest rates, ideal for environmental monitors and handheld meters. The AVCC and AREF pins allow clean analog supply partitioning on the VQFN-32 layout, and the exposed pad grounds the die for low-noise analog performance. Sampled data is stored in 1KB SRAM, calibrations persist in 512B EEPROM, and results stream over SPI to displays or loggers, or over UART to a host PC. The three timers support precise ADC triggering intervals. At 8MHz, roughly 8 MIPS of headroom handles oversampling and averaging filters in firmware without external DSP support.
Recommended
Communication and Protocol Bridge Devices
The ATMEGA8L-8MC integrates UART/USART, SPI, and I2C (TWI) hardware, making it a compact protocol bridge between legacy serial peripherals and modern buses. Typical uses include UART-to-I2C translation for host processors, SPI flash memory programmers, and Modbus-RTU slave nodes in building automation, where the 8KB Flash comfortably stores protocol stacks and the 1KB SRAM buffers frames. Hardware TWI supports 100kHz and 400kHz modes, while the SPI block reaches system-clock/2 rates for fast data exchange. Brown-out reset protects EEPROM transaction integrity during supply glitches. The 23 GPIO also implement chip-select and direction-control lines. For designs requiring USB, pairing with an ATmega16U2-class bridge device provides a complete serial-conversion chain.
Recommended
Hobby, Education, and Rapid Prototyping
The ATmega8 family is widely used in education and prototyping, supported by toolchains such as the MiniCore Arduino hardware package for ATmega8, ATmega48/88/168/328 devices on GitHub. The ATMEGA8L-8MC offers students and makers a full AVR experience - 8KB Flash, hardware PWM, 10-bit ADC, TWI/SPI/UART - in a low-voltage, breadboard-friendly ecosystem, and it can be programmed In-System via SPI with inexpensive ISP programmers. The 1 MIPS-per-MHz architecture makes timing and interrupt behavior predictable for learning. Prototype code written against the ATmega8 core migrates directly to the active ATMEGA8A and ATMEGA88 family members as projects scale. This breadth of community resources, bootloaders, and libraries shortens the path from concept to working hardware significantly.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATMEGA8L-8MC — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATMEGA8L-8MU | ATMEGA8A-MUR | ATMEGA88-20MU | ATMEGA88V-10MJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) - same | 32-VQFN (5x5 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology (Atmel) | Microchip Technology (Atmel) | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core / Speed | AVR 8-bit, 8 MHz | AVR 8-bit, 8 MHz | AVR 8-bit, 8 MHz (ATmega8A grade) | AVR 8-bit, 20 MHz | AVR 8-bit, 10 MHz |
| Flash | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB |
| SRAM / EEPROM | 1 KB / 512 B | 1 KB / 512 B | 1 KB / 512 B | 1 KB / 512 B | 1 KB / 512 B |
| ADC | 8-channel 10-bit | 8-channel 10-bit | 8-channel 10-bit | 8-channel 10-bit | 8-channel 10-bit |
| Firmware Compatibility | Reference (ATmega8 register map) | Identical | Identical (ATmega8 register map) | Different register map - code changes required | Different register map - code changes required |
| Product Status | Obsolete (per Octopart comparison data) | Obsolete | Active (recommended) | Active | Active |
Key Differentiators
- True ATmega8 register-map compatibility (vs ATMEGA88V-10MJ)
- Low-voltage operation down to 2.7V at up to 8MHz (vs ATMEGA88-20MU)
- Obsolescence is the honest trade-off (vs ATMEGA8A-MUR)
Design Notes
The VQFN (32M1) exposed pad on the ATMEGA8L-8MC must be connected to the ground plane, not left floating. Use an array of thermal vias (e.g., 3x3 grid of 0.3 mm vias) under the pad to tie it to inner/ground layers. This anchors the die mechanically, improves thermal dissipation, and reduces ground inductance for the ADC. Follow the land-pattern recommendations in the ATmega8 datasheet MLF assembly section; XAIPART recommends stencil apertures of about 60-70% pad coverage to avoid excessive solder squeeze-out under the package.
Partition the analog supply carefully: connect AVCC (pin 19) to VCC through an LC filter (e.g., 10 uH inductor and 100 nF capacitor) and decouple AREF (pin 20) with 100 nF to GND when using the internal 2.56V reference. This preserves the 10-bit ADC's effective resolution on a noisy 5V rail. Keep analog traces away from USART and SPI clock lines. Brown-out detection should be enabled at the 2.7V-compatible threshold in EEPROM fuse settings for reliable operation near the low end of the 2.7V to 5.5V range.
Three frequent mistakes with this part: (1) treating the 8MHz suffix as advisory - the L-8 grade is specified for a maximum of 8MHz, and overclocking invalidates datasheet timing; (2) leaving RESET (pin 28) unconnected without a 10k pull-up, causing spurious resets from noise; (3) migrating code unchanged to pin-compatible ATMEGA88 devices, whose timer and interrupt register maps differ from the ATmega8. When substituting ATMEGA8A-MUR, recheck oscillator calibration byte handling in firmware since factory calibration data is stored per-device.
Compliance Information
Compliance status for ATMEGA8L-8MC was not stated in the retrieved web data; verify against the Microchip product page. The standard ATmega8 grade is not automotive-qualified; the ATmega8HVA family covers automotive applications.
