PIC12F1501T-I/MF - 8-Bit MCU, 1.75KB Flash, 20MHz | Microchip
MPN: PIC12F1501T-I/MF β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.04 | $1.04 |
| 10 | $0.93 | $9.30 |
| 100 | $0.78 | $78.00 |
| 500 | $0.66 | $330.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.55 | $550.00 |
| 3,300 | $0.47 | $1,551.00 |
PIC12F1501T-I/MF Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, memory (Flash for program storage, SRAM for data), and programmable peripherals. The PIC12F1501 belongs to the PIC12F mid-range 8-bit family, which sits below PIC16F and PIC18F parts in Microchip's taxonomy but offers surprisingly rich peripherals for its 8-pin count. The 'F' denotes Flash memory; the '1501' denotes the specific part number within the family; and the XLP technology designation means ultra-low-power operation, with sleep currents as low as 20 nA typical.
Key features include a 49-instruction RISC instruction set with 16-bit opcodes optimized for C compilation, 5-channel 10-bit ADC with hardware averaging and threshold comparators, two PWM modules, three timers (Timer0/1/2), an EUSART for asynchronous serial communication, an I2C/SPI master/slave interface, and 1.75 KB self-programmable Flash. The device operates from 1.8V to 5.5V across the industrial temperature range of -40C to +85C, drawing only ~20 nA in sleep mode.
The architecture uses a Harvard-style design with separate program and data buses, enabling single-cycle instruction execution except for branches. The 10-bit ADC2 module supports automatic accumulation, averaging, low-pass filtering, oversampling, and threshold comparison, eliminating the need for external DSP in many signal-conditioning applications. The CLC allows glue-logic replacement by routing peripheral outputs through user-configurable combinational logic.
Typical applications include low-power IoT sensor nodes, LED lighting controllers, battery chargers, small appliance controls, and consumer electronics that need digital logic and analog conversion in an 8-pin footprint. The DAC and CWG together support waveform generation for motor control, dimming, and audio tone generation.
When designing with this part, note that the DFN package has an exposed thermal pad that must be soldered to the PCB ground plane for proper thermal and electrical performance. The internal 16 MHz HFINTOSC is factory calibrated to within 1% across voltage and temperature, but for timing-critical UART or PWM applications, consider using an external crystal.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing from DigiKey, the manufacturer datasheet, drop-in alternatives within the same DFN-8 footprint, and design notes not found in the standard datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC12F1501T-I/MF 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 PIC12F1501T-I/MF (same form factor and footprint) β differing in ADC, RoHS Status, Core Architecture, I/O Pins, MSL Level.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC12F1501-I/MF
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$0.59 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC12F1501T-E/MF
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC12F1571T-I/MF
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$0.65 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC12F1501T-I/MF Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | PIC |
| Core Size | 8-bit |
| Program Memory Size | 1.75 KB (1K x 14 words) Flash |
| RAM Size | 64 bytes |
| EEPROM Size | None (no on-chip EEPROM) |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 20 MHz |
| Number of I/O Pins | 6 |
| Package Type | 8-DFN (3x3 mm) with exposed pad |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 5 channels (ADC2 with computation) |
| DAC | 5-bit, 1 channel |
| Timers | 3 (Timer0, Timer1, Timer2) |
| PWM Modules | 2 (10-bit) |
| Communication Interfaces | EUSART, I2C/SPI |
| Peripherals | CLC, CWG, NCO, ADC2, DAC, PWM |
| Sleep Current (XLP) | 20 nA typical |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC12F1501T-I/MF Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5/ICSPCLK β Bidirectional I/O / Serial programming clock |
| Pin 2 | RA0/ICSPDAT/AN0 β Bidirectional I/O / Serial programming data / Analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1/C1IN1- β Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 1 / Comparator 1 inverting input |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/DACOUT β Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 2 / DAC output |
| Pin 5 | RA3/MCLR/VPP β Input only / Master Clear (reset) / Programming voltage |
| Pin 6 | RA4/AN3/CLKOUT β Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 3 / Clock output |
| Pin 7 | VDD β Positive supply voltage (1.8 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 8 | VSS β Ground reference (also exposed pad) |
Typical Applications
PIC12F1501T-I/MF is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, LED Lighting and Dimming Controllers, Small Appliance and White Goods Control, Battery Chargers and Power Management, Consumer Electronics and Toys, Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC12F1501T-I/MF is well-suited for IoT sensor nodes due to its 20 nA typical sleep current, integrated 10-bit ADC2 with averaging, and 1.8 V minimum operating voltage that supports single-cell Li-ion or 2xAA batteries. Its 6 I/O pins drive one or two sensors plus a low-power radio module via EUSART or SPI. With duty-cycled wake-and-transmit firmware, coin-cell designs routinely achieve 5-10 year battery life. The XLP sleep mode, configurable WDT wake-up, and small 8-pin DFN package make this part a strong fit for distributed wireless sensor networks where PCB real estate and standby current dominate the design.
Recommended
LED Lighting and Dimming Controllers
The PIC12F1501T-I/MF's two 10-bit PWM modules, 5-bit DAC, and Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) directly drive constant-current LED strings, RGB channels, and dimming interfaces. The PWM resolution and frequency are programmable, supporting both analog-style dimming (via duty cycle) and digital color mixing for RGB strips. Its small 8-pin DFN package fits inside MR16 spotlight bases and linear LED tubes. The 1.8-5.5 V range accepts power directly from a small buck converter output, simplifying the analog supply chain. Hardware CWG dead-band control prevents shoot-through in half-bridge LED driver topologies.
Recommended
Small Appliance and White Goods Control
The PIC12F1501T-I/MF handles primary control tasks in small appliances such as coffee makers, blenders, fans, and personal care devices. Its ADC reads thermistor or sensor inputs, PWM drives TRIAC or MOSFET gate control, and the CWG handles zero-cross detection for line-voltage applications with proper external isolation. The 8-pin footprint fits inside compact enclosures, and the industrial temperature grade supports refrigerator and freezer environments. With the integrated EUSART, the MCU can also drive a UART-based user interface panel or Bluetooth Low Energy module for smart-appliance variants.
Recommended
Battery Chargers and Power Management
The PIC12F1501T-I/MF implements CC/CV (constant-current, constant-voltage) charging algorithms for Li-ion, NiMH, and lead-acid batteries using the ADC to monitor battery voltage and current shunt voltage, and the PWM to drive a buck converter MOSFET. Its 1.8 V minimum supply lets it run directly from a single solar cell during day-mode charging. The DAC output can be repurposed as an adjustable reference for charge termination comparators. With programmable brown-out thresholds, the MCU protects itself from low-battery brown-out without external supervisor ICs.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics and Toys
Cost-sensitive consumer products such as electronic toys, novelty gadgets, and educational kits use the PIC12F1501T-I/MF for under $1 in volume. The CLC (Configurable Logic Cell) implements glue-logic replacement by routing timer/PWM signals through user-defined AND/OR/XOR gates - reducing external logic IC count. Sound effects and simple melodies can be generated using the NCO (Numerically Controlled Oscillator) feeding a small piezo buzzer. The low unit cost and Microchip's free MPLAB X IDE + XC8 compiler keep total BOM and tool-chain cost minimal for hobby and educational markets.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC12F1501T-I/MF's ADC2 with computation performs hardware oversampling, averaging, and threshold comparison for industrial 4-20 mA loop sensors, thermocouples (with external amplification), and strain gauges. The NCO and CLC allow digital filtering of sensor signals without CPU overhead. The industrial temperature rating and on-chip 16 MHz calibrated oscillator eliminate external crystal cost in many transducer designs. With 1.75 KB Flash, signal-conditioning and linearization routines fit comfortably, and the 8-pin DFN package integrates into compact IP65/IP67 sensor heads.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC12F1501T-I/MF β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC12F1501-I/MF | PIC12F1501T-E/MF | PIC12F1571T-I/MF | PIC10F322T-I/MC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 8-DFN (3x3) | 8-DFN (3x3) - same | 8-DFN (3x3) - same | 8-DFN (3x3) - same | 8-DFN (2x3) - smaller |
| Program Memory | 1.75 KB Flash | 1.75 KB Flash | 1.75 KB Flash | 1.75 KB Flash | 512 bytes Flash |
| RAM | 64 bytes | 64 bytes | 64 bytes | 128 bytes | 64 bytes |
| Max CPU Speed | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 16 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 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 | 2.3 V to 5.5 V |
| ADC | 10-bit, 5 channels (ADC2) | 10-bit, 5 channels | 10-bit, 5 channels | 10-bit, 5 channels | 8-bit, 3 channels |
| PWM Modules | 2 (10-bit) | 2 (10-bit) | 2 (10-bit) | 2 (16-bit) | 2 (10-bit) |
| Temperature Range | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C |
Key Differentiators
- ADC2 with computation (hardware oversampling/averaging) (vs PIC10F322T-I/MC)
- Larger 1.75 KB Flash program memory (vs PIC10F322T-I/MC)
- Industrial-grade supply range (vs PIC10F322T-I/MC)
- PIC12F1571 upgrade path with same footprint (vs PIC12F1501 vs PIC12F1571)
Design Notes
The 8-pin DFN (3x3) package has a thermal pad that must be soldered to the PCB ground plane. Without the exposed pad soldered, the junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) degrades to approximately 200 C/W or higher, which can cause thermal shutdown under sustained full-CPU loads at 20 MHz. For reliable operation across the industrial -40 C to +85 C range, the recommended PCB footprint must include at least 4 thermal vias connecting the exposed pad to an inner ground plane. Estimated: with proper PCB layout, theta_JA drops to approximately 40 C/W.
Place decoupling capacitors (100 nF ceramic plus optional 10 uF bulk) as close as possible to the VDD pin (pin 7) and the VSS exposed pad. Keep traces to RA0/RA1 (analog inputs) short and routed away from PWM and digital switching signals to avoid coupling noise into the ADC. The ICSP programming pins (ICSPCLK on RA5, ICSPDAT on RA0) need series resistors of approximately 10 kohm if the application also drives RA0/RA5 with low-impedance sources during programming, to prevent damage to the programming tool.
Do not exceed 5.5 V on VDD or apply voltage to any pin while VDD is below 1.8 V - this can trigger unintended I/O behavior or latch-up. The MCLR pin (pin 5) is input-only on this part and must have a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD; if unused, it must be tied directly to VDD (never left floating). The internal 16 MHz HFINTOSC is factory-calibrated to within 1% but drifts up to 2-3% over the full -40 C to +85 C range; for UART baud rates requiring better than 2% accuracy, use an external crystal or the 31 kHz LFINTOSC for low-speed timing.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified for automotive - consider PIC16F or PIC18F AEC-Q100 variants for automotive applications. Lead-free and halogen-free per Microchip material declarations.
