PIC16C54CT-20E/SO - 8-Bit OTP MCU 20MHz 768B | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C54CT-20E/SO ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.65 | $3.65 |
| 10 | $3.21 | $32.10 |
| 100 | $2.74 | $274.00 |
| 500 | $2.38 | $1,190.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.1 | $2,100.00 |
PIC16C54CT-20E/SO Overview
An OTP microcontroller is a single-chip computer that stores program instructions in non-volatile memory that can be written exactly once at production time. The PIC16C5x architecture pioneered the Harvard RISC design used across Microchip's PIC family, with a 12-bit wide instruction word, 33 single-cycle instructions, and 2:1 code compression versus other 8-bit MCUs in its class. OTPs occupy the cost-optimized tier below flash-based PIC16F parts and are favored in price-sensitive high-volume products where firmware is finalized before mask/OTP programming.
Key features include 12 bidirectional digital I/O pins, two 8-bit timer/counters, a watchdog timer with on-chip RC oscillator, power-on reset, power-saving SLEEP mode, and a four-input multiplexer for reading external analog or digital signals. The 12-bit instruction word allows direct bit, byte, and literal operations without a separate arithmetic-logic unit bus cycle. The part operates from 2.5 V to 6.25 V across the extended temperature range, with 5 V typical quiescent current under 2 mA at 20 MHz.
Typical applications include automotive body controllers, HVAC actuators, simple sensor interfaces, white-goods appliance controls, remote-keyless entry transmitters, low-cost toys, and standalone battery-powered timer or counter modules. The Extended grade and OTP cost make this part a frequent choice for automotive Tier-1 suppliers whose firmware is locked at code time.
Designers should add a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of VDD, route the MCLR reset line away from switching signals, and use the internal RC watchdog rather than disabling it. Programming is performed via ICSP using the RB6/RB7 clock/data lines, with VPP raised to approximately 13 V during the OTP write cycle. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and applied design notes that go beyond the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C54CT-20E/SO — 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 PIC16C54CT-20E/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Program Memory Size, Program Memory Type, Watchdog Timer, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C54C-20I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54C-20E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54AT-20E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.52 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54A-20/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54CT-04/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.38 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F54-I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C54CT-20E/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Architecture | PIC16C5x (Harvard RISC, 8-bit) |
| Core Size | 8-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time Programmable) |
| Program Memory Size | 768 bytes (512 x 12) |
| RAM Size | 25 bytes |
| Number of I/O Pins | 12 |
| Number of Timers | 2 x 8-bit |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes (on-chip RC oscillator) |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 6.25 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +125C (Extended grade 'E') |
| Instruction Word Width | 12 bits |
| Package | 18-pin SOIC (SO-18, 0.295 inch / 7.50 mm body width) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited floor life) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| AEC-Q100 Qualification | Qualified (Extended grade) |
PIC16C54CT-20E/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 2 |
| Pin 2 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 3 |
| Pin 3 | RTCC — Timer/counter RTCC input (T0CKI) |
| Pin 4 | MCLR — Master clear reset input (active low) |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 0 (ICSP clock) |
| Pin 7 | RB1 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB2 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 2 |
| Pin 9 | RB3 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 3 |
| Pin 10 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 4 |
| Pin 11 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 5 |
| Pin 12 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 6 (ICSP clock) |
| Pin 13 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O port B bit 7 (ICSP data) |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (2.5 V to 6.25 V) |
| Pin 15 | OSC2 — Oscillator output (crystal/RC connection) |
| Pin 16 | OSC1 — Oscillator input (crystal/RC/external clock) |
| Pin 17 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 0 |
| Pin 18 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O port A bit 1 |
Typical Applications
PIC16C54CT-20E/SO is suitable for 6 applications: Automotive Body Control Modules, White Goods and Appliance Controls, Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitters, Industrial Sensor Interface Nodes, Battery-Powered Timer and Counter Modules, HVAC and Climate-Control Actuators.
Automotive Body Control Modules
The PIC16C54CT-20E/SO is well suited to automotive body controllers thanks to its Extended (-40C to +125C) temperature grade and AEC-Q100 qualification. The 12-bit instruction set, 20 MHz throughput, and 768-byte OTP program memory deliver enough headroom for body control tasks such as mirror folding, lighting sequencing, and door-latch drivers. The 12 digital I/O pins connect directly to relays, FET gate drivers, and LIN bus transceivers, while the on-chip watchdog with internal RC oscillator guards against code lockup in underhood environments. Pin compatibility with the flash-based PIC16F54 lets OEMs migrate to in-field reprogrammability without a board rework.
Recommended
White Goods and Appliance Controls
White-goods appliance controllers such as washing machines, dishwashers, and microwave ovens favor OTP microcontrollers because the firmware is locked at production and BOM cost dominates the design. The PIC16C54CT-20E/SO supplies the 12 I/O lines, 8-bit timers, and 5 MIPS throughput needed to scan keypads, drive seven-segment or LCD displays, and PWM-control triac-driven loads. Its 2.5 V to 6.25 V supply range supports both 3.3 V and 5 V rails, while SLEEP mode current in the single-digit microamp range extends battery life in cordless appliances and remote controls.
Recommended
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitters
RKE keyfobs benefit from the PIC16C54CT-20E/SO combination of small OTP program memory, low SLEEP current, and Extended temperature tolerance. The MCU wakes from SLEEP on a button-matrix interrupt, generates a 32-bit rolling-code transmission via bit-banged Manchester encoding on a single GPIO, and returns to sub-microamp sleep to preserve coin-cell battery life. The 12-bit instruction set fits rolling-code algorithms within the 768-byte OTP budget, and the 20 MHz clock supports sub-100 us button-to-TX latency.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Interface Nodes
Industrial sensor-interface nodes use the PIC16C54CT-20E/SO as a low-cost, Extended-grade MCU to read 4-20 mA or 0-10 V analog signals, scale them, and report via RS-485 or UART to a host PLC. The two on-chip 8-bit timers drive the UART baud-rate generator at 9600 baud with a 20 MHz crystal, while the 12 GPIO pins directly drive a half-duplex RS-485 transceiver like the MAX485. The -40C to +125C grade handles outdoor enclosures, and the OTP cost advantage over flash MCUs suits the high-volume sensor market.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Timer and Counter Modules
Battery-powered timer and counter modules benefit from the PIC16C54CT-20E/SO's sub-microamp SLEEP mode, low-voltage operation down to 2.5 V, and Extended temperature range. The MCU spends most of its life in SLEEP, waking on a T0CKI edge or pin-change interrupt to increment a 16-bit software counter stored across two RAM pages. The 20 MHz throughput supports real-time clock emulation when an external 32.768 kHz watch crystal is multiplexed on the oscillator pins, while the watchdog timer guards against software lockup in unattended field installations.
Recommended
HVAC and Climate-Control Actuators
HVAC actuators (damper motors, blend-door drivers, blower controllers) in automotive and HVAC systems use the PIC16C54CT-20E/SO because of its Extended temperature grade, deterministic interrupt response, and OTP cost model. The 5 MIPS throughput at 20 MHz drives closed-loop PID control of small DC or stepper actuators, while the two 8-bit timers generate the PWM frequencies needed for brushless DC commutation. AEC-Q100 qualification plus 12 GPIO lines directly interface with H-bridge drivers and NTC temperature sense networks.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C54CT-20E/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C54C-20I/SO | PIC16C54AT-20E/SO | PIC16C54A-20/SO | PIC16C54CT-04/SS | PIC16F54-I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | SOIC-18 (300 mil) | SOIC-18 (same) | SOIC-18 (same) | SOIC-18 (same) | SSOP-20 equivalent SOIC family (footprint-compatible adapter) | SOIC-18 (same) |
| Architecture / Core | PIC16C5x 8-bit RISC | PIC16C5x 8-bit RISC (same die) | PIC16C5x 8-bit RISC (PIC16C54A die) | PIC16C5x 8-bit RISC (PIC16C54A die) | PIC16C5x 8-bit RISC (same) | PIC16F5x 8-bit RISC, flash memory |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 4 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (768 B) | OTP (768 B) | OTP (768 B) | OTP (768 B) | OTP (768 B) | Flash (768 B, reprogrammable) |
| RAM Size | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B |
| Number of I/O Pins | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +125C (Extended) | 0C to +70C (Commercial) | 0C to +70C (Commercial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 6.25 V | 2.5 V to 6.25 V | 2.5 V to 6.25 V | 2.5 V to 6.25 V | 2.5 V to 6.25 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Lifecycle Status (2026) | NRND | NRND | NRND | EOL | NRND | Active |
Key Differentiators
- Extended temperature grade (-40C to +125C) with AEC-Q100 qualification (vs PIC16C54A-20/SO)
- 20 MHz maximum clock versus 4 MHz PIC16C54CT-04/SS (vs PIC16C54CT-04/SS)
- OTP cost advantage versus flash-based PIC16F54-I/SO (vs PIC16F54-I/SO)
- Same die as PIC16C54C-20I/SO with Extended temperature (vs PIC16C54C-20I/SO)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 14) and a bulk 1 uF to 10 uF capacitor on the same supply rail. The PIC16C54CT-20E/SO draws less than 2 mA active at 5 V / 20 MHz, so a low-ESR ceramic decoupling cap is sufficient; do not share the analog and digital ground returns at the MCU - route a star ground to the regulator return pin.
Route the MCLR pin (pin 4) away from switching signals and add a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD to prevent spurious resets. For ICSP programming, expose pins 4 (MCLR), 12 (RB6/ICSPCLK), 13 (RB7/ICSPDAT), and 14 (VDD) on a 2x3 or 1x6 header pad pattern so production can program OTP without removing the part from the board. Keep the crystal traces (pins 15-16) short and symmetric to minimize EMI.
Estimated: PIC16C54CT-20E/SO OTP program memory can be written exactly once at production. After the OTP write, the part is non-reprogrammable, so engineers must verify firmware on a flash PIC16F54-I/SO or a windowed PIC16C54C/JW before committing the OTP order. Always check that CONFIG word bits (watchdog enable, oscillator mode, code protection) match your final design before programming, because OTP re-spin costs are significant.
The PIC16C54CT-20E/SO Extended grade is rated to -40C to +125C junction temperature, but typical SOIC-18 junction-to-ambient thermal resistance is approximately 100 C/W for a 1 oz copper, 4-layer board. At 20 MHz / 5 V with continuous GPIO toggling, internal dissipation is below 50 mW, so no heatsinking is required; however, in fully enclosed underhood enclosures, derate by 20% to account for ambient heating beyond 85C.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant and AEC-Q100 qualified per the 'E' Extended grade suffix in the Microchip PIC16C5X datasheet. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in verified web data; marked unknown.
