DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR - 16-bit DSC, 64KB Flash, 40 MIPS | Microchip
MPN: DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6.2 | $6.20 |
| 10 | $5.58 | $55.80 |
| 100 | $4.96 | $496.00 |
| 500 | $4.45 | $2,225.00 |
| 1,000 | $4.02 | $4,020.00 |
DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR Overview
A digital signal controller is a hybrid device class that merges the deterministic control flow of a microcontroller (MCU) with the math throughput of a digital signal processor (DSP). Within the power-management hierarchy, the dsPIC33FJ GS family sits at the application layer of switch-mode power supplies, where it closes digital control loops that would otherwise require analog compensation networks.
Key features include a high-speed PWM module purpose-built for power conversion, a high-speed 10-bit ADC capable of sampling simultaneously with PWM trigger synchronization, and analog comparators that enable cycle-by-cycle current limiting without CPU intervention. The device integrates 4 DMA channels, 5 external interrupt sources, and 5 timers per the device family description.
Architecturally, the GS-series core couples a 16-bit modified Harvard bus structure with DSP instructions (MAC, DSP multiply), allowing single-cycle multiply-accumulate operations that sustain the 40 MIPS rating. The Flash-based program store supports in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) through any PGECx/PGEDx pin pair, and the controller supports boundary scan per family documentation.
Typical applications include digital power supplies, interleaved power factor correction (PFC) stages up to 350W in Microchip reference designs, solar inverters, battery chargers, LED drivers, and uninterruptible power supplies, where the tightly coupled PWM-ADC-comparator chain provides fast, deterministic loop response.
A critical design consideration: all VDD and VSS pins must be connected and decoupled, and the ICSP programming pair (PGECx/ICSPCLK with the matching PGEDx/ICSPDAT) must be wired as a pair during layout to preserve debug and field-programmability access.
This page synthesizes distributor stock and pricing signals, drop-in family alternatives, and practical layout guidance not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet, verified as of 2026-09-27.
Drop-in alternatives for DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
DSPIC33FJ64GS406-50E/MR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DSPIC33FJ64GS406T-E/MR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DSPIC33FJ64GS406-I/MR
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$4.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →DSPIC33FJ32GS406-E/MR
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DSPIC33FJ16GS406-E/MR
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | dsPIC33 16-bit RISC |
| Instruction Speed | 40 MIPS |
| Clock Speed | 40 MHz |
| Program Memory | 64 KB Flash |
| RAM | 8 KB |
| Supply Voltage | 3 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Ports | 21 |
| DMA Channels | 4 |
| External Interrupts | 5 |
| Timers | 5 |
| Peripheral Set | High-Speed PWM, high-speed ADC, comparators |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C |
| Package Type | 64-pin QFN (MR), 8 x 8 mm class |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Programming Interface | ICSP via PGECx/PGEDx pin pairs |
| Extended Temperature Grade | E (SMT -40C to +125C) |
| RoHS / Lead Finish | Lead-free, RoHS compliant per Microchip product status |
DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR 64-pin qfn (mr), 8 x 8 mm class Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR (64-pin qfn (mr), 8 x 8 mm class package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR is suitable for 6 applications: Digital Power Supplies (SMPS), Interleaved Power Factor Correction (PFC), Solar Micro-Inverters and DC-DC Optimizers, Battery Chargers and Battery Management, LED Drivers and Smart Lighting, Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS).
Digital Power Supplies (SMPS)
The DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR is purpose-built for digitally controlled switch-mode power supplies. Its high-speed PWM module generates complementary outputs with dead-time control, while the high-speed ADC is synchronized to PWM triggers so inductor current and output voltage are sampled at the exact midpoint of the on-time, minimizing switching-noise corruption. The integrated analog comparators provide cycle-by-cycle overcurrent shutdown without waiting for CPU latency, protecting power stages during faults. Running at 40 MIPS, the core executes proportional-integral control loops at switching frequencies well above 100 kHz. In a 3.3V-rail digital server supply, this controller replaces analog compensation networks, enabling firmware-tunable loop dynamics, soft-start profiles, and telemetry reporting, while the -40C to +125C E-grade rating covers power-stage ambient conditions.
Recommended
Interleaved Power Factor Correction (PFC)
Microchip's interleaved PFC reference design, built on the dsPIC33FJ64GS406 family, converts universal AC input into a single high-voltage DC output up to 350W. Interleaving two boost phases halves input ripple current and spreads thermal load, but requires precise phase-shifted PWM - exactly what the GS-series high-speed PWM module provides with independent duty and phase registers per channel. The 40 MIPS core executes average-current-mode control for both phases plus the outer voltage loop within each switching period. The ADC samples the input current through a shunt via the synchronized trigger system, and comparators provide hardware overcurrent protection. The 64KB Flash stores control code, compensation tables, and inrush/ brown-out management routines, while the extended -40C to +125C temperature range suits enclosed adapter environments.
Recommended
Solar Micro-Inverters and DC-DC Optimizers
In photovoltaic power electronics, the DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR implements maximum-power-point-tracking (MPPT) algorithms alongside the grid-side inverter control. The 64KB Flash accommodates MPPT perturb-and-observe code, grid synchronization (software phase-locked loop), and safety interlocks, while 8KB RAM buffers sampled arrays for panel-voltage/current analysis. The high-speed PWM drives the LLC or flyback power stage with phase-shift control, and the synchronized ADC captures panel and bus voltages each switching cycle, enabling the MPPT loop to track irradiance changes within milliseconds. On-board comparators detect rapid shutdown conditions such as arc or islanding signatures. The E-grade temperature rating (-40C to +125C) matches rooftop enclosure environments where ambient temperatures swing widely between night and midday sun.
Recommended
Battery Chargers and Battery Management
Multi-chemistry battery chargers benefit from the DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR's combination of precision PWM charging control and integrated analog monitoring. The buck-stage PWM regulates charge current with dead-time-protected complementary outputs, while the high-speed ADC samples battery voltage, current, and temperature at PWM-synchronized instants, keeping switching ripple out of the measurement. The comparators implement hardware fast-charge cutoff, and the 40 MIPS core runs CC/CV state machines, cell-balancing scheduling, and charge-termination algorithms with margins to spare. The 64KB Flash stores chemistry profiles (Li-ion, LiFePO4, lead-acid, NiMH) selectable at runtime, and ICSP programmability via PGECx/PGEDx pairs allows firmware updates in production for new battery types without hardware changes.
Recommended
LED Drivers and Smart Lighting
High-power LED luminaires demand constant-current regulation with dimming, and the DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR delivers both digitally. The high-speed PWM sets the switching frequency and duty for the buck/boost LED stage, and a second PWM channel generates dimming waveforms supporting both analog (average current) and PWM dimming down to low duty ratios for flicker-sensitive applications. The synchronized ADC samples LED current via a shunt each cycle, closing a fast constant-current loop, while the comparators provide short-circuit protection at hardware speed. The 40 MIPS core also manages DALI/0-10V or wireless dimming command decoding. The extended temperature range suits enclosed ceiling fixtures, and the 64-pin QFN's thermal pad aids heat spreading on the lighting PCB.
Recommended
Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)
Line-interactive and double-conversion UPS systems use the DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR to control the inverter bridge, the AC-DC rectifier front end, and the transfer switch logic. The multiple high-speed PWM channels drive half-bridge or full-bridge stages with complementary outputs and programmable dead time, while the synchronized high-speed ADC samples output voltage, battery current, and bus voltage each cycle for waveform-quality regulation at 40 MIPS. Comparators implement instantaneous hardware shutdown on overcurrent events, critical for protecting output transistors during short circuits. The 64KB Flash holds control, self-test, and communication stacks (RS-232/SNMP front ends), and the -40C to +125C E-grade tolerates battery-compartment thermal extremes during charging and discharge events.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for DSPIC33FJ64GS406-E/MR — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | DSPIC33FJ64GS406-50E/MR | DSPIC33FJ64GS406T-E/MR | DSPIC33FJ64GS406-I/MR | DSPIC33FJ32GS406-E/MR | DSPIC33FJ16GS406-E/MR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 64-pin QFN (MR) | 64-pin QFN (MR) - same | 64-pin QFN (MR) - same | 64-pin QFN (MR) - same | 64-pin QFN (MR) - same | 64-pin QFN (MR) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Max Instruction Speed | 40 MIPS | 50 MIPS | 40 MIPS | 40 MIPS | 40 MIPS | 40 MIPS |
| Flash Program Memory | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 16 KB |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +125C (E grade) |
| Supply Voltage | 3 V to 3.6 V | 3 V to 3.6 V | 3 V to 3.6 V | 3 V to 3.6 V | 3 V to 3.6 V | 3 V to 3.6 V |
| Power-Conversion Peripherals | High-speed PWM, high-speed ADC, comparators | Same peripheral set | Same peripheral set | Same peripheral set | Same peripheral set | Same peripheral set |
| Relative Cost Point | Mid family | Higher (speed-binned) | Same die, reel quantity | Slightly lower (I grade) | Lower | Lowest in family |
Key Differentiators
- Guaranteed extended temperature operation (vs DSPIC33FJ64GS406-I/MR)
- Full 64KB Flash for feature-rich firmware (vs DSPIC33FJ16GS406-E/MR)
- Balanced cost-to-performance choice (vs DSPIC33FJ64GS406-50E/MR)
Design Notes
Connect every VDD and VSS pin pair - on 64-pin dsPIC33F devices the supply pins are distributed across the die for analog performance, and leaving one pair floating causes erratic ADC readings and intermittent brown-out resets. Place a 100 nF ceramic capacitor at each VDD/VSS pair, plus a bulk 4.7-10 uF capacitor near the device. Keep the analog supply domain (AVDD) fed through an RC or ferrite filter from the digital 3.3V rail to preserve ADC accuracy.
The device offers multiple PGECx/PGEDx pairs for ICSP; you must route your programming header to one matched pair (for example PGEC2 to ICSPCLK and PGED2 to ICSPDAT) - crossing pairs renders the part unprogrammable. Keep these traces short (<10 cm) and away from PWM switching nodes. Reserve header access in production for field firmware updates, since digital power products frequently require control-law tuning after deployment.
Synchronize ADC sampling to the PWM: configure the ADC trigger source as the PWM time-base trigger and sample at the center of the low-side on-time to read average inductor current free of switching spikes. If you poll the ADC asynchronously, you will capture switching transients and your control loop will react to noise instead of true current. Use the analog comparators with an internal or external reference as a hardware cycle-by-cycle overcurrent backstop independent of firmware.
The 40 MIPS rating requires correct clock configuration - the internal FRC oscillator alone may not deliver the rated MIPS without PLL setup; verify the clock configuration words before measuring loop performance. Also note the -E suffix is the extended SMT temperature grade; substituting an -I grade part in a -125C ambient design will cause field failures. Confirm the exact ordering code on purchase orders, since family members differ only in suffixes.
Compliance Information
Distributor data describes the package as lead-free plastic QFN; Microchip product page confirms 'In Production' status. REACH and halogen-free status not stated in provided data.
