PIC16C72-20E/SP - 8-Bit 20MHz OTP MCU 3.5KB | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C72-20E/SP ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10.71 | $10.71 |
| 10 | $9.45 | $94.50 |
| 100 | $7.85 | $785.00 |
| 500 | $6.5 | $3,250.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.4 | $5,400.00 |
PIC16C72-20E/SP Overview
What is a PIC16C 8-bit microcontroller? The PIC16C7X family sits within Microchip's mid-range PIC16C architecture, which is a Harvard-class RISC core that separates program and data memory for deterministic single-cycle instruction fetch. PIC microcontrollers occupy the broader 8-bit MCU category alongside 8051 and AVR families, and serve as embedded controllers in appliance, automotive, and industrial subsystems where deterministic interrupt response and ultra-low static power consumption are valued over raw compute throughput.
Key features include a Timer0 8-bit timer/counter with 8-bit prescaler, a multi-channel 8-bit analog-to-digital converter, and on-chip Brown-out Reset (BOR) circuitry that holds the device in reset when VDD drops below the BOR threshold - preventing code corruption during brown-out events common in 24 V industrial supply rails. The device is offered in industrial (-40 °C to +85 °C) and extended (-40 °C to +125 °C) temperature grades, with the -20E suffix designating the 20 MHz speed grade and Extended temperature range. The 'E' also indicates the OTP/EPROM program memory technology rather than the later Flash-based PIC16F variants.
Architecture-wise, the PIC16C72 uses an OTP EPROM cell programmed with a standard EPROM programmer and erased only by UV exposure in a windowed ceramic package variant (PIC16C72/JW), making it best suited for low-to-medium volume production where mask-ROM or Flash re-programmability is not required. On-chip peripherals include one capture/compare/PWM (CCP) module, a USART for asynchronous serial communications, and a synchronous serial port (SSP) for SPI/I2C master-slave operation. Compared with the later PIC16F72 Flash sibling, the PIC16C72-20E offers identical peripheral topology but trades re-programmability for the simpler one-time programmable cell that historically delivered tighter cost in volume.
Typical applications include appliance control boards, HVAC thermostats, automotive body controllers, industrial sensor signal conditioning, battery charger front-ends, and remote-controlled toys. The 28-pin SPDIP footprint also makes it a popular prototype package for breadboard and through-hole hobbyist designs where the DIP form factor simplifies rework. For new designs, Microchip recommends the PIC16C72A or PIC16F72 as successors offering identical pinout with Flash memory and improved ADC performance.
When designing with this part, consider that OTP devices cannot be reprogrammed in-circuit - firmware must be fully validated before committing to production programming. Provide a decoupling capacitor of at least 0.1 µF directly between VDD and VSS pins, place the MCLR pull-up within 25 mm of the pin to avoid spurious resets, and reserve the OSC1/OSC2 traces as short as possible to minimize EMI radiation from the high-impedance crystal node.
This page synthesizes current distributor pricing across DigiKey, Mouser, Octopart, and Heisener, plus drop-in alternative recommendations and practical design notes not consolidated on the manufacturer datasheet front page.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C72-20E/SP — 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 PIC16C72-20E/SP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Program Memory Type, Timers, ADC, Program Memory Size.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C72-20/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C72-10I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F72-I/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C72A-20E/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C72-20E/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16C mid-range 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory Type | OTP EPROM |
| Program Memory Size | 3.5 KB (2K x 14 words) |
| Data RAM | 128 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | None (not available on PIC16C72) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns |
| Instruction Set | 35 single-word instructions (all single-cycle except branches) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 4.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 13 |
| ADC | 8-bit, multi-channel |
| Timers | Timer0: 8-bit with 8-bit prescaler; Timer1: 16-bit; Timer2: 8-bit with period register |
| Capture/Compare/PWM | 1 CCP module |
| Serial Interfaces | USART (SCI), SSP (SPI / I2C master-slave) |
| Brown-out Reset (BOR) | Yes |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended grade) |
| Package | 28-SPDIP (0.300 inch plastic DIP, through-hole) |
| Lead Finish / RoHS | Lead-bearing DIP - not RoHS (Extended-temperature legacy product) |
| Speed Grade Suffix | -20 = 20 MHz, -10 = 10 MHz, -04 = 4 MHz |
| Temperature Grade Suffix | blank = Commercial, I = Industrial, E = Extended |
PIC16C72-20E/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master Clear (active-low reset) / Programming voltage input |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / Analog input channel 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / Analog input channel 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 — PORTA bit 2 / Analog input channel 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF — PORTA bit 3 / Analog input channel 3 / ADC voltage reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 (open-drain) / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS — PORTA bit 5 / Analog input channel 4 / SSP slave select |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/CLKIN — Crystal oscillator input / external clock input |
| Pin 10 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Crystal oscillator output / clock output |
| Pin 11 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 12 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 input/output |
| Pin 13 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / Capture/Compare/PWM1 output |
| Pin 14 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 15 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 16 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 17 | RC6/TX/CK — PORTC bit 6 / USART transmit / USART clock |
| Pin 18 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7 / USART receive / USART data |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference (secondary) |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (4.0 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 21 | RB0/INT — PORTB bit 0 / External interrupt input |
| Pin 22 | RB1 — PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 23 | RB2 — PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 24 | RB3 — PORTB bit 3 |
| Pin 25 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 26 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 27 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6 (interrupt-on-change) / ICSP clock |
| Pin 28 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7 (interrupt-on-change) / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC16C72-20E/SP is suitable for 6 applications: Appliance Control Boards, HVAC Thermostats, Automotive Body Controllers, Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, Battery Charger Front-Ends, Remote-Controlled Toys and Hobby Electronics.
Appliance Control Boards
The PIC16C72-20E/SP suits washing machine, dishwasher, and microwave oven control boards where its 13 I/O pins drive seven-segment displays, keypads, relays, and buzzer loads. The integrated 8-bit ADC reads temperature sensors (NTC thermistors) and water-level sensors without external signal conditioning. The 20 MHz instruction cycle (200 ns) provides sufficient throughput for PID control loops on motor speed and heating element temperature. Brown-out Reset prevents code corruption when AC mains events cause momentary sags on the rectified 5 V rail. Production volumes for white goods remain high, and the OTP memory locks firmware to prevent field reprogramming - a regulatory plus for safety-critical appliances.
Recommended
HVAC Thermostats
The PIC16C72-20E/SP powers programmable thermostats controlling 24 VAC HVAC systems via triac-switched outputs. Its USART interfaces with wireless modules (sub-GHz or Wi-Fi co-processors) for remote monitoring, while the SSP supports I2C temperature/humidity sensors such as the SHT3x series. The 8-bit ADC multiplexes NTC inputs from indoor, outdoor, and supply-air probes with 8-bit resolution adequate for ±0.5 °C control accuracy. Brown-out Reset handles the noisy 24 VAC-derived supply common in HVAC control boards. Extended -40 to +125 °C operation survives attic-mounted installations and direct solar exposure on exterior thermostats.
Recommended
Automotive Body Controllers
The PIC16C72-20E/SP handles non-safety body-electronic functions such as power-window control, mirror adjustment, seat-position memory, and interior lighting PWM dimming. Its CCP module generates the PWM signal driving DC motor H-bridges via external MOSFET drivers; 13 I/O pins manage direction logic and end-stop sensing. Extended temperature grade -40 to +125 °C is essential for cabin modules exposed to solar load through glass. Note that AEC-Q100 is not qualified, so this part is suitable only for pre-production and low-volume body controllers; for production ECUs Microchip recommends AEC-Q100 Flash parts from the PIC16F or dsPIC33 families. OTP memory locks the calibration data permanently into each unit.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC16C72-20E/SP serves as a low-cost local controller for industrial 4-20 mA loop-powered sensor transmitters, digitizing strain-gauge, pressure, or level-sensor analog signals via the integrated 8-bit ADC. The USART or SSP transmits processed readings to a central PLC or SCADA node over RS-485 or I2C. Brown-out Reset holds the device in reset during inductive load switching on the same 24 V industrial rail. Extended temperature grade allows installation in unheated control cabinets. The 200 ns instruction cycle supports simple digital filtering (moving average) on the ADC stream before transmission, improving SNR by 6-10 dB versus raw transmission.
Recommended
Battery Charger Front-Ends
The PIC16C72-20E/SP implements CC-CV charging profiles for lead-acid and NiMH battery packs, with the ADC monitoring charge current (via shunt resistor) and battery voltage. The CCP module produces PWM switching signals for the buck converter at frequencies up to 20 kHz, and 13 I/O pins handle relay drivers, status LEDs, and UART communication to the host BMS. Extended -40 to +125 °C operation covers automotive battery compartments and outdoor solar storage. The Watchdog Timer protects against firmware lockup in unattended installations, and Brown-out Reset prevents over-discharge lockup on deeply discharged packs. OTP memory locks the charging algorithm for UL/IEC 62133 safety compliance.
Recommended
Remote-Controlled Toys and Hobby Electronics
The PIC16C72-20E/SP drives RC receivers, robot motor controllers, and hobbyist drones thanks to its 20 MHz throughput, USART, and 13 I/O pins mapping easily to servo and motor-driver channels. The 28-SPDIP through-hole package simplifies breadboard prototyping - a major reason hobbyists continue to use the PIC16C72 family. The CCP module generates hobby-servo PWM (1-2 ms pulses every 20 ms) without timer overhead, freeing the CPU for sensor-fusion logic. OTP memory prevents firmware theft in commercial toy products. Brown-out Reset protects against motor-induced supply dips on shared battery rails. MPLAB X IDE with the XC8 compiler provides a free C development environment for hobbyists.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C72-20E/SP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C72-20/SP | PIC16C72-10I/SP | PIC16F72-I/SP | PIC16C72A-20E/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SPDIP (0.300 in plastic DIP) | 28-SPDIP (same) | 28-SPDIP (same) | 28-SPDIP (same) | 28-SPDIP (same) |
| Program Memory Type | 3.5 KB OTP EPROM | 3.5 KB OTP EPROM | 3.5 KB OTP EPROM | 3.5 KB Flash (reprogrammable) | 3.5 KB OTP EPROM |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 10 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended) | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended) |
| Data RAM | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes |
| ADC Resolution | 8-bit | 8-bit | 8-bit | 8-bit | 8-bit (improved) |
| I/O Pins | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Reprogrammable In-Circuit | No (OTP) | No (OTP) | No (OTP) | Yes (Flash, 100k cycles) | No (OTP) |
Key Differentiators
- Extended -40 to +125 °C temperature range vs Commercial-grade PIC16C72-20/SP (vs PIC16C72-20/SP)
- 20 MHz maximum clock vs 10 MHz speed grade (vs PIC16C72-10I/SP)
- One-Time-Programmable EPROM vs Flash memory (vs PIC16F72-I/SP)
- Improved silicon revision with better ADC performance (vs PIC16C72A-20E/SP)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 µF ceramic decoupling capacitor directly between VDD (pin 20) and VSS (pin 19) with trace length under 5 mm. The PIC16C72-20E/SP has high-speed CMOS digital inputs that draw sub-ns transient currents during clock edges; inadequate decoupling causes logic errors and erratic ADC readings. Add a 10 µF tantalum or low-ESR electrolytic bulk capacitor at the board power entry point for additional noise immunity, especially in motor-control applications.
Route the MCLR/VPP pin (pin 1) with a 10 kΩ pull-up to VDD and a 100 nF capacitor to ground within 25 mm of the IC. This RC network filters ESD events and short noise pulses that would otherwise trigger spurious resets. Avoid routing high-speed signals (CCP1 PWM, USART lines) parallel to the MCLR trace to prevent capacitive coupling - keep at least 3 mm of clearance. The MCLR pin also accepts the 13 V programming voltage during OTP programming, so a small-signal diode (e.g., 1N4148) is recommended to clamp any overvoltage on the reset line.
Keep the crystal/oscillator traces (OSC1/OSC2, pins 9-10) shorter than 10 mm and guard them with a ground pour on both sides of the PCB. The high-impedance crystal node is sensitive to capacitive loading; trace capacitance above 5 pF can shift the oscillator off-frequency. Place the crystal load capacitors (typically 15-22 pF for a 20 MHz AT-cut fundamental) within 3 mm of the OSC pins. For EMI-sensitive applications, use a four-layer PCB with continuous ground plane beneath the MCU to reduce radiated emissions from the 20 MHz clock fundamental and harmonics.
Do NOT attempt to reprogram OTP PIC16C72-20E/SP in-circuit - the device is one-time programmable only and the EPROM cell cannot be electrically erased. For prototype development, use the windowed ceramic variant PIC16C72/JW with UV erasure. Brown-out Reset (BOR) is enabled by configuration bit and must be left enabled for reliable operation on noisy supplies. Avoid using PORTB internal weak pull-ups on pins RB0-RB3 unless explicitly required - these legacy weak pull-ups can source only ~250 µA and are insufficient for many sensor interfaces.
The PIC16C72-20E/SP is a low-power CMOS device dissipating typically 15 mA at 20 MHz and 5 V. Maximum power dissipation is around 800 mW at +125 °C junction, but the plastic DIP package (theta-JA approximately 75 °C/W) keeps junction rise modest in still air. No heatsink is required. However, at Extended +125 °C operation, ambient temperature derating should keep the case below +100 °C for the 100k-hour reliability target - well within the SPDIP thermal envelope.
Compliance Information
Lead-bearing plastic DIP (SPDIP) package - not RoHS compliant. PIC16C72-20E/SP is NOT AEC-Q100 qualified - use PIC16F72-E/SO or PIC18F automotive-grade successors for production automotive ECUs. REACH compliance per Microchip product declaration. Conflict-mineral statement available on Microchip corporate responsibility page.
