PIC16C72T-20I/SS - 8-Bit 20MHz MCU, 3.5KB OTP, 28-SSOP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C72T-20I/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.6 | $3.60 |
| 10 | $3.45 | $34.50 |
| 100 | $3.18 | $318.00 |
| 500 | $2.85 | $1,425.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.52 | $2,520.00 |
PIC16C72T-20I/SS Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small self-contained computer-on-a-chip that integrates a CPU, program memory, working RAM, and programmable peripherals on a single silicon die. The PIC16C7X family belongs to the mid-range taxonomy: 8-bit RISC core -> PIC mid-range -> Microchip PIC16C legacy family -> embedded microcontroller -> semiconductor IC. Mid-range PIC MCUs balance code density (14-bit wide instruction word), deterministic interrupt response, and rich peripheral integration for cost-sensitive embedded designs.
Key features include 35 single-word instructions, 8-level deep hardware stack, four interrupt sources, power-on reset, power-up timer, oscillator start-up timer, watchdog timer with its own on-chip RC oscillator, brown-out reset, and in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) capability. The wide operating temperature range of -40 C to +85 C (industrial grade, indicated by the -I suffix) supports harsh-environment deployment without external thermal management.
The PIC16C72 architecture combines a Harvard-style program/data memory split, an instruction pipeline, and a peripheral set tailored for real-time control. The 5-channel 8-bit ADC with selectable reference voltages, combined with the capture/compare/PWM module, allows direct interface to analog sensors and motor or lighting actuators while the synchronous serial port handles peripheral expansion to EEPROMs, sensors, or display drivers.
Typical applications include appliance control, automotive body and chassis subsystems, industrial process control, uninterruptible power supplies, battery chargers, and consumer products such as washing machines, microwave ovens, and remote-keyless-entry transmitters. The on-chip ADC and PWM simplify sensor-and-actuator designs, while ICSP and in-circuit debugging accelerate field firmware updates.
When designing with the PIC16C72T-20I/SS, ensure the input supply stays within 4.0 V to 5.5 V, and use the configuration bits to select the oscillator mode, watchdog enable, brown-out voltage threshold, and code protection. Place a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor close to VDD/VSS, and keep the MCLR pin pulled high through a 10 kohm resistor unless an external reset is used.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, giving procurement and engineering teams a one-stop reference for sourcing and qualifying the PIC16C72T-20I/SS.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C72T-20I/SS — 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 PIC16C72T-20I/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Mounting Type, RoHS Status, Timers, Package, ADC.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C72T-20/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C72T-10I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.41 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C72A-20I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C72T-20I/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | PIC16C7X (mid-range 8-bit MCU) |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time Programmable) |
| Program Memory Size | 3.5 KB (2K x 14 words) |
| Data RAM | 128 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | Not present (external EEPROM via I2C/SPI) |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 20 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 4.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Instruction Set | 35 single-word instructions (14-bit wide) |
| I/O Pins | 22 digital I/O |
| ADC | 5 channels, 8-bit resolution |
| Timers | 2 x 8-bit Timer0/Timer2 + 1 x 16-bit Timer1 |
| CCP Modules | 1 (Capture/Compare/PWM) |
| Serial Interfaces | SSP (SPI / I2C) + USART |
| Package | 28-pin SSOP (0.209 in / 5.30 mm body width) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount, Tape & Reel |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial, -I suffix) |
| Stack Depth | 8 levels (hardware) |
| Interrupt Sources | 4 |
| Special Features | POR, PWRT, OST, WDT, BOR, ICSP |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (Pb-free SSOP) |
PIC16C72T-20I/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLRbar/VPP — Master Clear (active-low reset) / programming voltage input |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — Port A bit 0 / analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — Port A bit 1 / analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/VREF- — Port A bit 2 / analog input 2 / ADC VREF- |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — Port A bit 3 / analog input 3 / ADC VREF+ |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — Port A bit 4 (open-drain) / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/SSbar/AN4 — Port A bit 5 / SSP slave select (active low) / analog input 4 |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Logic ground reference |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/CLKIN — Crystal/ceramic resonator input or external clock |
| Pin 10 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Crystal/resonator output or clock out |
| Pin 11 | RC0 — Port C bit 0 |
| Pin 12 | RC1 — Port C bit 1 |
| Pin 13 | RC2 — Port C bit 2 |
| Pin 14 | RC3 — Port C bit 3 |
| Pin 15 | RC4/T1OSO — Port C bit 4 / Timer1 oscillator output |
| Pin 16 | RC5/T1OSI — Port C bit 5 / Timer1 oscillator input |
| Pin 17 | RC6/TX/CK — Port C bit 6 / USART TX / SPI clock |
| Pin 18 | RC7/RX/DT — Port C bit 7 / USART RX / SPI data |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Logic ground reference (second pin) |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive logic supply 4.0-5.5 V |
| Pin 21 | RB0/INT — Port B bit 0 / external interrupt |
| Pin 22 | RB1 — Port B bit 1 |
| Pin 23 | RB2 — Port B bit 2 |
| Pin 24 | RB3 — Port B bit 3 |
| Pin 25 | RB4 — Port B bit 4 |
| Pin 26 | RB5 — Port B bit 5 |
| Pin 27 | RB6/PGC — Port B bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 28 | RB7/PGD — Port B bit 7 / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC16C72T-20I/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Appliance Control (Washing Machines / Microwave Ovens), Automotive Body and Chassis Subsystems, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Control Board, Industrial Process Sensor Transmitters, Consumer Remote-Keyless Entry (RKE) Receivers, Battery Chargers and Power Tools.
Appliance Control (Washing Machines / Microwave Ovens)
The PIC16C72T-20I/SS fits appliance control boards because its 22 digital I/O pins can directly drive relay coils, seven-segment LED displays, keypad matrices, and buzzer drivers while the 5-channel 8-bit ADC reads temperature sensors (NTC thermistors), water-level probes, and motor current shunts. The 35-instruction RISC core executes deterministic control loops at 20 MHz, and the on-chip CCP module generates the PWM needed for universal-motor speed control. Industrial temperature grade (-40 C to +85 C) tolerates the back-of-cabinet thermal environment found behind washer drums and inside microwave oven chassis.
Recommended
Automotive Body and Chassis Subsystems
Body controllers, remote keyless entry receivers, instrument cluster sub-modules, and HVAC flap actuators commonly pair the PIC16C72T-20I/SS because its 4.0-5.5 V supply range and industrial -40 to +85 C operating window tolerate 12 V automotive battery transients after an external 5 V regulator. The on-chip USART links the MCU to LIN or K-Line transceivers, while the SSP supports SPI/I2C to body-control ASICs and sensor hubs. The CCP module generates PWM for HVAC damper motors, headlamp levellers, and seat-position actuators without external timers.
Recommended
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Control Board
UPS systems use the PIC16C72T-20I/SS as the battery-management and inverter-control MCU because the 5-channel 8-bit ADC monitors battery voltage, charge current, temperature, and load current with sufficient resolution for lead-acid chemistry, while the CCP module drives the IGBT or MOSFET bridge of the inverter at 50/60 Hz. The on-chip USART exposes Modbus RTU to the front-panel display, and the 8-level hardware stack supports nested interrupts from line-voltage zero-crossing events. Industrial temperature range and 4.0-5.5 V supply accommodate the regulated 5 V rail typically derived from the 24 V battery string.
Recommended
Industrial Process Sensor Transmitters
Loop-powered 4-20 mA sensor transmitters and industrial pressure/flow/temperature transmitters commonly use the PIC16C72T-20I/SS because the 5-channel 8-bit ADC reads the sensor bridge and reference cell with enough precision for a 0.5% full-scale output, and the SSP/SPI connects to a 24-bit external ADC front-end for higher accuracy. The 22 I/O pins are sufficient to drive a local 4-digit LED display, three pushbuttons, and a HART modem handshake line. Industrial -40 to +85 C temperature range tolerates field cabinet mounting, and the 28-SSOP package saves board space compared to PDIP or PLCC alternatives.
Recommended
Consumer Remote-Keyless Entry (RKE) Receivers
The PIC16C72T-20I/SS is a strong fit for the receiver half of RKE systems where the USART decodes Manchester or PWM key-fob transmissions at 315 MHz or 433.92 MHz after a low-cost super-regenerative receiver front-end, while the CCP module drives the relay or FET that unlocks the vehicle doors. Low power-on current, a hardware sleep path through WDT, and the 8-level interrupt stack enable battery-endurance designs where the receiver draws only a few microamps in standby. The 28-SSOP package supports miniaturised aftermarket receiver modules.
Recommended
Battery Chargers and Power Tools
Cordless-drill and battery-charger electronics benefit from the PIC16C72T-20I/SS because its 5-channel 8-bit ADC samples pack voltage, individual cell voltages via an external mux, charge current, and temperature thermistor while the CCP module generates the PWM that drives a buck converter or flyback primary. The USART exposes charging-state telemetry to the on-tool LED display or to a host PC through a UART-USB bridge. Industrial temperature range accommodates the heat generated during fast-charge cycles, and the 28-SSOP package allows compact, lightweight designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C72T-20I/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C72T-20/SS | PIC16C72T-10I/SS | PIC16C72A-20I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-SSOP | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SSOP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory | 3.5 KB OTP | 3.5 KB OTP - same | 3.5 KB OTP - same | 3.5 KB OTP - same |
| Maximum Clock | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 10 MHz (-50%) | 20 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | 0 C to +70 C (Commercial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| I/O Pins | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| ADC | 5-channel 8-bit | 5-channel 8-bit | 5-channel 8-bit | 5-channel 8-bit (improved linearity) |
| Silicon Revision | PIC16C72 rev. 0 | PIC16C72 rev. 0 | PIC16C72 rev. 0 | PIC16C72A rev. A (better ADC) |
| Peripheral Set | USART + SSP + 1 CCP + 3 timers | same | same | same |
| Supply Voltage | 4.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.0 V to 5.5 V |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial -40 C to +85 C temperature grade on the -I variant (vs PIC16C72T-20/SS)
- Higher 20 MHz clock speed versus 10 MHz -I variant (vs PIC16C72T-10I/SS)
- Improved silicon revision for ADC linearity and lower leakage (vs PIC16C72A-20I/SS)
Design Notes
Apply VDD through a 10 uF tantalum or ceramic bulk capacitor and place a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 20). The PIC16C72T-20I/SS draws approximately 13 mA at 20 MHz with all peripherals enabled, plus I/O sink current; size the upstream LDO such that the headroom does not collapse under load transients. Brown-out reset (BOR) should be enabled in configuration bits to force a clean restart when VDD dips below 4.0 V.
Keep the MCLRbar pin (pin 1) pulled high through a 10 kohm resistor to VDD; do not leave it floating. Place the crystal or resonator within 5 mm of OSC1/OSC2 (pins 9 and 10) with short traces and a guard ring tied to ground to reduce radiated EMI. If using the internal RC oscillator to save cost, configure the FOSC configuration bits accordingly and leave the OSC1/OSC2 pins available as RA7/RA6 (or NC on the SSOP).
Do not program the configuration bits to disable the watchdog timer (WDT) in production unless absolutely necessary; an enabled WDT recovers the MCU from software lockups at the cost of a few microamps. Note that pin 6 (RA4) is open-drain and requires an external pull-up when used as a digital output. Finally, because the PIC16C72 uses OTP memory, verify all firmware using a windowed PIC16C72JW or PIC16F72 emulator before committing to a one-time-programmed production run.
Estimated: at 5.0 V VDD, 20 MHz oscillator, and 22 digital outputs sourcing 5 mA each, the SSOP package dissipates roughly 0.5 W maximum (110 mA supply current plus 110 mA I/O). With theta_JA of approximately 90 C/W for the 28-SSOP, the junction temperature rises 45 C above ambient at full load. Industrial -40 to +85 C ambient therefore yields a maximum junction of ~130 C, below the 150 C datasheet limit but with little thermal margin. Avoid stacking too many high-current loads on adjacent pins to prevent on-die hot spots.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Industrial temperature grade -40 to +85 C (I-suffix) is not AEC-Q100 automotive qualified; for automotive deployments Microchip recommends the PIC16F72-I/SS family or newer PIC16F1xxx Enhanced Mid-Range MCUs.
