PIC12LF1552-E/P - 8-bit MCU 32MHz 3.5KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: PIC12LF1552-E/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.85 | $0.85 |
| 10 | $0.78 | $7.80 |
| 100 | $0.65 | $65.00 |
| 500 | $0.52 | $260.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.44 | $440.00 |
PIC12LF1552-E/P Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small programmable computer on a single chip combining a CPU, RAM, Flash program memory, and peripherals such as ADC, timers, and communication blocks. PIC microcontrollers are widely used in consumer, industrial, and automotive applications for deterministic control loops. The PIC12LF1552 sits inside the PIC® 12F family -> 8-bit PIC® family -> microcontrollers -> integrated circuits -> semiconductor device hierarchy.
Key features include 32MHz internal oscillator, 6 I/O pins, 10-bit ADC with up to 4 channels, 2 timers, hardware I2C/SMBus master, mTouch capacitive-touch sensing peripheral, and 1.8V-3.6V wide operating voltage. The integrated mTouch peripheral enables proximity and button-touch sensing without external RC components, reducing BOM and PCB area for HMI designs.
The PIC12LF1552 uses a RISC architecture with 49 instructions and a 14-bit instruction word, providing deterministic instruction timing ideal for real-time control. The wide 1.8V-3.6V Vdd range supports single-cell Li-ion, two-cell coin-cell, and 3.3V regulated rails. The hardware I2C block supports both Standard-mode (100 kHz) and Fast-mode (400 kHz) operation with dedicated baud-rate generator, freeing the core from bit-banging overhead.
Typical applications include capacitive-touch user interfaces, LED lighting controllers, small appliances, sensor nodes, and battery-powered IoT endpoints. Its tiny 8-pin footprint and mTouch capability make it well suited for replacing mechanical buttons and sliders in consumer white goods.
When designing with this device, ensure input supply decoupling with a 0.1 µF ceramic capacitor placed close to Vdd. For mTouch applications, follow Microchip application notes on PCB layout and guard-ring techniques to achieve stable capacitive measurements under environmental noise.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternative listings, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC12LF1552-E/P — 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 PIC12LF1552-E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core Architecture, Operating Temperature, Package, Comparators.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC12F1552-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC12LF1501-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC12F1572-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.84 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC12LF1612-E/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC12F675-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC12LF1552-E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | PIC® 12F |
| Core Processor | PIC |
| Core Size | 8-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 32 MHz |
| Program Memory Size | 3.5 KB (2K x 14) FLASH |
| RAM Size | 256 bytes |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Number of I/O Pins | 6 |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit |
| ADC Channels | 4 |
| Number of Timers | 2 |
| Communication Interface | I2C/SMBus (hardware) |
| mTouch Support | Yes (capacitive-touch peripheral) |
| Package | 8-pin PDIP (0.300 inch, 7.62 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +125C |
| Instruction Set | PIC RISC, 49 instructions |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC12LF1552-E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8V to 3.6V) |
| Pin 2 | GP5/OSC1/CLKIN — General-purpose I/O / oscillator input / external clock input |
| Pin 3 | GP4/OSC2/CLKOUT/AN3 — General-purpose I/O / oscillator output / clock output / ADC channel 3 |
| Pin 4 | GP3/MCLR/VPP — General-purpose input / Master Clear reset (active-low) / programming voltage |
| Pin 5 | GP2/AN2/T0CKI/INT/COG1FLT — General-purpose I/O / ADC channel 2 / Timer0 clock input / external interrupt / COG fault input |
| Pin 6 | GP1/AN1/CIN-/ICSPCLK — General-purpose I/O / ADC channel 1 / mTouch negative input / ICSP clock |
| Pin 7 | GP0/AN0/CIN+/COG1OUT/ICSPDAT — General-purpose I/O / ADC channel 0 / mTouch positive input / COG output / ICSP data |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
Typical Applications
PIC12LF1552-E/P is suitable for 6 applications: Capacitive Touch User Interface, LED Lighting Controller, Small Appliance Control, Battery-Powered Sensor Node, IoT Endpoint Controller, Consumer White Goods.
Capacitive Touch User Interface
The PIC12LF1552's integrated mTouch peripheral supports both proximity sensing and button-style touch without external RC components, making it ideal for replacing mechanical buttons in consumer appliances. The 32MHz core delivers sub-10ms touch response time, while the 1.8-3.6V Vdd range allows direct battery operation. The 6 I/O pins support up to 4 capacitive-touch channels plus 2 LEDs or relay outputs, sufficient for typical HMI front panels. Placed near the front panel of a washing machine or microwave with a guard ring around each pad for noise immunity, this MCU eliminates the BOM cost of dedicated touch ICs while keeping firmware update simple through ICSP programming.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controller
The PIC12LF1552 suits compact LED drivers and decorative lighting controllers with up to 4 PWM-able outputs via the CCP/COG peripheral. Running at 32MHz, the MCU can drive 4 independent LED channels with software PWM or use the COG (Complementary Output Generator) for high-frequency switching of constant-current driver stages. The 1.8-3.6V range supports single-cell Li-ion battery packs in portable luminaires, while the hardware I2C allows connection to ambient-light sensors and color-mixing ICs. For a typical RGBW fixture, the MCU receives color commands over I2C and drives MOSFET gates via the COG block at up to 32MHz.
Recommended
Small Appliance Control
Small kitchen and household appliances such as coffee makers, toasters, and fans benefit from the PIC12LF1552's combination of 32MHz compute, hardware I2C, and mTouch peripheral in an 8-pin footprint. The MCU reads user inputs via touch buttons, drives TRIACs or MOSFETs through GPIOs for heating element or motor control, and monitors temperature through the 10-bit ADC. With 3.5KB Flash and 256 bytes RAM, firmware fits comfortably including state-machine control, safety timers, and BLE/HMI communication. The -40C to +125C operating temperature range covers oven-control and refrigerator applications.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Sensor Node
The PIC12LF1552's 1.8-3.6V Vdd range and low-power modes make it an excellent host for coin-cell or single-cell Li-ion sensor endpoints. Sleep currents under 100nA (with WDT disabled) extend battery life to multiple years in door/window sensors, occupancy detectors, and environmental loggers. The hardware I2C master talks to environmental sensors (temperature, humidity, light) and the 10-bit ADC reads analog inputs. Periodic wake-up is handled by the WDT or an external interrupt from the sensor. The small 8-pin PDIP footprint suits retrofits and breadboard prototypes in IoT development kits.
Recommended
IoT Endpoint Controller
The PIC12LF1552 serves as a low-cost companion MCU in IoT devices, handling local sensor aggregation, simple actuator control, and protocol bridging while a Wi-Fi/BLE module handles wireless connectivity. The hardware I2C master talks to sensors and to modules like the ESP32 or Microchip RN4870 over UART or I2C. With 32MHz instruction throughput and 256 bytes RAM, the PIC12LF1552 can run simple state machines and filter sensor data before forwarding. Its small 8-pin PDIP package suits breadboard-based prototyping and final assembly in low-density designs.
Recommended
Consumer White Goods
Consumer products like electric toothbrushes, hair dryers, and kitchen scales benefit from the PIC12LF1552's small footprint and rich peripheral set. The MCU monitors battery voltage through the ADC, drives a small motor via MOSFET gates, reads button inputs through mTouch or mechanical switches, and communicates with charger ICs over I2C. The 3.5KB Flash stores usage history and product-specific calibration, while the 256 bytes RAM handles real-time control variables. The -40C to +125C operating temperature and robust PIC architecture support long-life consumer designs with field failure rates below 50 ppm.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC12LF1552-E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC12F1552-I/P | PIC12LF1501-E/P | PIC12F1572-I/P | PIC12LF1612-E/P | PIC12F675-E/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 8-PDIP (0.300 inch) | 8-PDIP - same | 8-PDIP - same | 8-PDIP - same | 8-PDIP - same | 8-PDIP - same |
| Core | 8-bit PIC | 8-bit PIC | 8-bit PIC | 8-bit PIC | 8-bit PIC | 8-bit PIC |
| Max Clock Frequency | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 20 MHz (-37%) |
| Flash Memory | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 1.75 KB (-50%) | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 1.75 KB (-50%) |
| RAM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 128 bytes (-50%) | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 64 bytes (-75%) |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8V to 3.6V | 1.8V to 5.5V (broader) | 1.8V to 3.6V | 1.8V to 3.6V | 1.8V to 3.6V | 2.0V to 5.5V |
| Hardware I2C | Yes (MSSP) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (bit-bang only) |
| mTouch Support | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated mTouch peripheral for capacitive sensing (vs PIC12LF1501-E/P)
- Hardware I2C/SMBus master peripheral (vs PIC12F675-E/P)
- Higher clock frequency vs older PIC12F parts (vs PIC12F675-E/P)
Design Notes
The PIC12LF1552 supports multiple low-power modes including Sleep (CPU halted, peripherals off) and Idle (CPU halted, peripherals running). At 3.3V Vdd, typical Sleep current is 50nA with WDT disabled and 800nA with WDT enabled. For battery-powered sensor nodes, disable all unused peripherals before entering Sleep, and wake via Watchdog Timer overflow or external interrupt on GP2/INT. Estimated battery life at 1 wake per minute with 10ms active time exceeds 3 years on a CR2032 coin cell.
Place a 0.1 µF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the Vdd pin (pin 1) to suppress high-frequency switching noise. For mTouch applications, route a ground guard ring around each capacitive-touch pad connected to a low-impedance trace, and keep all touch traces away from switching power lines. Avoid ground-plane cuts under touch sensors, as these can degrade touch sensitivity. Reference Microchip application note AN1478 for mTouch PCB layout guidelines.
Do not exceed 3.6 V on Vdd - the 'LF' suffix denotes the low-voltage variant and applying 5V will permanently damage the device. For designs that may see 5V, switch to the PIC12F1552-I/P (non-L variant). Always include a 10 kΩ pull-up on MCLR (pin 4) or configure it as an input to prevent spurious resets. When using the internal oscillator, allow 1 ms startup delay after waking from Sleep before relying on stable clock edges for I2C or UART communication.
Keep ICSP programming pins (GP1/ICSPCLK on pin 6, GP0/ICSPDAT on pin 7) accessible on the PCB for in-circuit programming and debugging. Use a 2x5 pin header with 0.1 inch pitch if possible. Series resistors (1 kΩ) on ICSPCLK and ICSPDAT protect the MCU from programmer over-voltage and allow in-circuit programming without removing the part. The PICKit 4 and ICD 4 programmers are the recommended Microchip development tools.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive applications, choose PIC12F1552-I/PQ variant. Halogen-free per Microchip environmental compliance documentation.
