PIC12F1501-E/MC - 8-bit MCU, 1.75KB Flash, 20MHz, 8-DFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC12F1501-E/MC β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.97 | $0.97 |
| 10 | $0.91 | $9.10 |
| 100 | $0.82 | $82.00 |
| 500 | $0.74 | $370.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.65 | $650.00 |
PIC12F1501-E/MC Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small computer-on-a-chip that integrates a CPU, program memory (typically Flash), data RAM, and peripheral interfaces onto a single silicon die. The PIC12F1501 belongs to the PIC12 family of low-pin-count MCUs, a subcategory of 8-bit microcontrollers that target cost-sensitive, space-constrained embedded applications. Within the broader hierarchy, this places it as an MCU -> embedded processor -> semiconductor device, competing directly with other 8-bit families such as the Atmel AVR ATtiny and the STMicroelectronics STM8 series.
The PIC12F1501-E/MC's key differentiating features include its high-performance RISC architecture executing most instructions in a single cycle, a wide operating voltage range of 1.8V to 5.5V (per the family datasheet), and an extended temperature grade (-40Β°C to +125Β°C) denoted by the 'E' prefix. The integrated Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), Signal Measurement Timer (SMT), and 10-bit ADC with Computation (ADCΒ²) automate hardware tasks commonly requiring CPU cycles on older MCUs. The 8-pin DFN package offers a compact 2x3 mm footprint suitable for high-density PCB designs.
Programming and debug are supported through Microchip's MPLAB X IDE, MPLAB XC8 compiler, and PICkit 3 / MPLAB ICD 3 / Curiosity development platforms. The device is well suited for consumer electronics, IoT edge nodes, LED lighting control, and small sensor-interface modules. Design considerations include adequate decoupling near VDD, ensuring the ICSPDAT/ICSPCLK pins are accessible for in-circuit programming, and using the internal oscillator to minimize external component count.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC12F1501-E/MC 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 PIC12F1501-E/MC (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, RoHS Status, ADC, I/O Pins, Instruction Cycle.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC12F1501-I/MC
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC12F1501-E/SN
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$0.58 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC12F1501-I/SN
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC12F1822-I/MC
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC12F1840-I/MC
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC10F322-I/MC
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
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View Datasheet βPIC12F1501-E/MC Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | PIC |
| Core Size | 8-bit |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 20 MHz |
| Program Memory Size | 1.75 KB (1K x 14) Flash |
| RAM Size | 64 bytes |
| EEPROM Size | None |
| Number of I/O Pins | 6 |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit |
| Number of PWM Channels | 4 (10-bit) |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +125 C (Extended, 'E' grade) |
| Package | 8-pin DFN (2x3 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Peripherals | Brown-out Detect/Reset, PWM, WDT, CWG, NCO, CLC, ADC, SMT |
| Connectivity | None (no UART/SPI/I2C dedicated peripherals in base family) |
| Data Converters | 10-bit ADC |
PIC12F1501-E/MC Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD β Positive power supply |
| Pin 2 | RA5 β Bidirectional I/O pin; analog input channel |
| Pin 3 | RA4 β Bidirectional I/O pin; analog input channel |
| Pin 4 | RA3/MCLR/VPP β I/O pin / Master Clear reset / Programming voltage |
| Pin 5 | RA2 β Bidirectional I/O pin; analog input channel |
| Pin 6 | RA1 β Bidirectional I/O pin; analog input channel |
| Pin 7 | RA0 β Bidirectional I/O pin; analog input channel |
| Pin 8 | VSS β Ground reference |
Typical Applications
PIC12F1501-E/MC is suitable for 6 applications: LED Lighting Control, Capacitive Touch Sensing, Small Motor Control (Fan/Valve), Battery-Powered IoT Edge Nodes, Sensor Signal Conditioning, Automotive Body Electronics.
LED Lighting Control
The PIC12F1501-E/MC fits LED lighting control applications thanks to its integrated Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) and four 10-bit PWM channels, which can drive MOSFET half-bridges or LED strings without CPU overhead. Its 20MHz clock provides PWM resolution sufficient for smooth dimming, while the 10-bit ADC reads ambient light sensors for closed-loop brightness control. The compact 8-DFN package fits within MR16 lamp form factors, and the wide 1.8-5.5V VDD range accommodates both 3.3V and 5V LED driver rails. Power consumption is minimal: typical applications idle at under 1mA with the internal oscillator.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch Sensing
The PIC12F1501-E/MC supports capacitive touch sensing via its Core Independent Peripherals, particularly the CLC (Configurable Logic Cell), NCO (Numerically Controlled Oscillator), and SMT (Signal Measurement Timer). These CIPs implement mTouch capacitive sensing in hardware without firmware polling, freeing the CPU for application logic. The 10-bit ADCΒ² (Computation ADC) can perform oversampling and averaging for robust proximity detection. With only 6 I/O pins, designers typically use 1-2 touch channels plus an LED or buzzer output, all within the 8-DFN's 6 mmΒ² footprint.
Recommended
Small Motor Control (Fan/Valve)
For low-power DC fan or solenoid valve control, the PIC12F1501-E/MC's four 10-bit PWM outputs and CWG peripheral generate complementary drive signals for H-bridge MOSFET stages. The 20MHz instruction rate supports commutation loops for small brushless DC (BLDC) fans when paired with back-EMF sensing on the ADC. The 'E' temperature grade (-40C to +125C) suits under-hood automotive or industrial cabinet environments. Designers should budget 6 mA typical core current consumption plus driver-stage current, well within small SMPS budgets.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Edge Nodes
The PIC12F1501-E/MC's wide 1.8V-5.5V VDD range makes it directly compatible with single-cell Li-Ion (3.7V nominal) and 2xAA alkaline (3V) battery stacks common in IoT edge nodes. While not as aggressively low-power as the XLP family (PIC12F1840), the PIC12F1501 still achieves sleep currents in the microamp range with the Watchdog Timer as the wake source. Its 6 I/O pins can interface a sensor, an LED indicator, and a wake-up button. The 8-DFN package suits coin-cell sensor tags where PCB area is at a premium.
Recommended
Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC12F1501-E/MC's 10-bit ADCΒ² with hardware accumulation and threshold comparison can replace discrete op-amp signal chains for simple sensor interfaces. Its 64-byte RAM holds 16 averaged ADC samples at 10-bit resolution, while the 1.75KB Flash accommodates linearization lookup tables for thermistor or RTD sensors. The internal 20MHz oscillator eliminates external crystal cost, reducing BOM for cost-sensitive consumer products like thermostats, weather stations, or appliance sensors. The 8-DFN package's small footprint enables sensor-module integration.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
The PIC12F1501-E/MC's extended -40C to +125C temperature grade and small 8-DFN package suit automotive body-electronics applications such as interior lighting modules, seat-control switches, or rain-sensor interfaces. Note that this part is not AEC-Q100 qualified - for AEC-Q100 applications, Microchip offers PIC12F1501T-E/MC variants or the PIC16F15xxx family with explicit automotive qualification. The integrated CWG and PWM channels drive small LEDs or relay coils directly via discrete MOSFETs, while the ADC reads automotive sensor inputs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC12F1501-E/MC β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC12F1501-I/MC | PIC12F1501-E/SN | PIC12F1822-I/MC | PIC12F1840-I/MC | PIC10F322-I/MC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 8-DFN (2x3 mm) | 8-DFN (2x3 mm) - same | 8-SOIC - different footprint | 8-DFN (2x3 mm) - same | 8-DFN (2x3 mm) - same | 8-DFN (2x3 mm) - same |
| Flash Memory | 1.75 KB | 1.75 KB | 1.75 KB | 7 KB (+300%) | 7 KB (+300%) | 0.875 KB (-50%) |
| RAM | 64 bytes | 64 bytes | 64 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 64 bytes |
| Max Clock Speed | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 32 MHz (+60%) | 32 MHz | 16 MHz |
| Hardware I2C/SPI | No | No | No | Yes (MSSP) | Yes (MSSP) | No |
| Temperature Grade | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| EEPROM | None | None | None | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | None |
| PWM Channels | 4 (10-bit) | 4 (10-bit) | 4 (10-bit) | 4 (10-bit) | 4 (10-bit) | 2 (10-bit) |
| Approx. Price (qty 1000) | $0.65 | $0.62 | $0.65 | $1.05 | $1.15 | $0.55 |
Key Differentiators
- Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) including CLC, NCO, and CWG (vs PIC10F322-I/MC)
- Higher 10-bit ADC with Computation (ADCΒ²) oversampling (vs PIC12F1822-I/MC)
- Compact 8-DFN (2x3 mm) package for ultra-miniature designs (vs PIC12F1501-E/SN)
- Extended -40C to +125C temperature grade (vs PIC12F1501-I/MC)
Design Notes
The PIC12F1501-E/MC requires a 0.1uF decoupling capacitor placed within 5mm of the VDD pin (pin 1) with a low-inductance return path to VSS (pin 8). For applications with high PWM switching noise, add a 10uF bulk capacitor on the same VDD rail. The wide 1.8V-5.5V VDD tolerance accommodates noisy supply rails typical of motor and relay circuits, but VDD must remain above 1.8V during programming operations.
The 8-pin DFN package has an exposed thermal pad (EP) underneath that MUST be soldered to the PCB ground plane for mechanical reliability and thermal dissipation. Use an array of thermal vias (typically 4-9 vias of 0.3mm drill) under the EP to connect to inner ground layers. Without proper EP soldering, the part can overheat during in-circuit programming and exhibit intermittent failures. Keep high-speed signal traces away from the EP pad area to avoid coupling noise into the ground reference.
Pin 4 (RA3/MCLR/VPP) is shared between general-purpose I/O, Master Clear reset, and programming voltage. When used as a regular I/O, ensure the MCLR function is disabled in the configuration word (CONFIG1L.MCLRE=0) to prevent accidental resets. During ICSP programming, this pin carries 13V VPP voltage - series resistors or level shifters on this pin will prevent successful programming. The internal weak pull-up on RA3/MCLR is not sufficient for noisy environments; add an external 10k pull-up to VDD if MCLR is enabled.
Place the ICSP programming footprint (ICSPDAT on RA0, ICSPCLK on RA1) accessible from the board edge or test-pad array to enable post-assembly programming without disassembly. The 6 I/O pins are multiplexed with analog inputs - if ADC accuracy matters, route the analog signals first (RA0, RA1, RA2) and isolate them from PWM outputs. Use a ground pour on the top layer under the MCU to provide a low-impedance return for both analog and digital currents.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product declaration. The PIC12F1501 family is not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive applications requiring AEC-Q100, consider PIC16F1503 automotive variants or contact Microchip for the latest AEC-qualified PIC12 options.
