PIC16F15255T-I/STX - 8-bit MCU, 14KB Flash, 32MHz | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F15255T-I/STX β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.96 | $0.96 |
| 10 | $0.89 | $8.90 |
| 100 | $0.82 | $82.00 |
| 500 | $0.74 | $370.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.68 | $680.00 |
PIC16F15255T-I/STX Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a processor core, program and data memory, plus integrated peripherals such as ADC, timers, and communication interfaces. PIC microcontrollers from Microchip Technology are widely deployed in cost-sensitive sensor and real-time control applications due to their deterministic architecture and the proprietary PIC16 instruction set. The PIC16F15255 family belongs to the XLP (eXtreme Low Power) portfolio, designed for battery-powered and energy-harvesting designs.
Key features include 14KB self-programmable Flash with 256-byte EEPROM emulation, a 10-bit ADC with computation (ADC2), two 10-bit PWM outputs, and two Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) modules that can operate while the CPU sleeps. Peripherals are interconnected via the Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) subsystem, allowing remapping of digital functions to any I/O pin. The device also offers a Windowed Watchdog Timer (WWDT), an EUSART, one SPI, and one I2C interface, enabling flexible sensor node and human-machine interface designs.
The PIC16F15255 architecture uses a 14-bit instruction word and a modified Harvard bus structure, allowing instruction fetches and data accesses to occur in parallel. Intelligent Analog features such as zero-cross detection and slope compensation simplify closed-loop power-supply and motor-control firmware. The 32MHz internal oscillator eliminates the need for an external crystal in most designs, while PPS gives board-routing flexibility that is uncommon in 8-bit parts.
Typical applications include industrial sensor nodes, home-automation controllers, IoT edge devices, low-cost motor-control boards, LED lighting drivers, and battery-powered consumer electronics. The XLP nanoWatt technology suits designs targeting standby currents below 1 uA, including remote controls, smart locks, and wearables.
When designing with this part, place decoupling capacitors (100 nF ceramic plus 1 uF bulk) close to the VDD pins and ensure the ICSPDAT/ICSPCLK pins are reserved for in-circuit serial programming. Use the PPS feature to map peripheral signals to any I/O pin.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F15255T-I/STX β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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Request AlternativesPIC16F15255T-I/STX Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 8-bit Microcontroller (MCU) |
| Core Architecture | PIC16 (Harvard, 14-bit instruction word) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (14K x 14) |
| Data Memory (SRAM) | 1 KB |
| CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| ADC | 10-bit, with computation (ADC2) |
| PWM | 2 x 10-bit PWM |
| CCP Modules | 2 |
| Communication Interfaces | EUSART, 1x SPI, 1x I2C |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| Watchdog Timer | Windowed WDT (WWDT) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Package | 28-pin VQFN (4x4 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
PIC16F15255T-I/STX Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 β Digital I/O (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 2 | RA4 β Digital I/O (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 3 | RA3 β Digital I/O / MCLR (input only on this pin) |
| Pin 4 | RA2 β Digital I/O (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 5 | RA1 β Digital I/O / ICSPCLK (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 6 | RA0 β Digital I/O / ICSPDAT (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 7 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | RA7 β Digital I/O / OSC1 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 9 | RA6 β Digital I/O / OSC2 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 10 | RC0 β Digital I/O / SOSCO (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 11 | RC1 β Digital I/O / SOSCI (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 12 | RC2 β Digital I/O (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 13 | RC3 β Digital I/O / SCL (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 14 | RC4 β Digital I/O / SDA (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 15 | RC5 β Digital I/O (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 16 | RC6 β Digital I/O / TX (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 17 | RC7 β Digital I/O / RX (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 18 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 19 | VDD β Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 20 | RB0 β Digital I/O / AN12 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 21 | RB1 β Digital I/O / AN10 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 22 | RB2 β Digital I/O / AN8 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 23 | RB3 β Digital I/O / AN9 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 24 | RB4 β Digital I/O / AN11 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 25 | RB5 β Digital I/O / AN13 (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 26 | RB6 β Digital I/O / ICSPCLK (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 27 | RB7 β Digital I/O / ICSPDAT (PPS-mappable) |
| Pin 28 | EP β Exposed thermal pad, connect to VSS |
Typical Applications
PIC16F15255T-I/STX is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Sensor Nodes, Home Automation Controllers, Low-Cost Motor Control, LED Lighting Drivers, Battery-Powered Consumer Electronics, IoT Edge Devices, HMI and User Interface.
Industrial Sensor Nodes
The PIC16F15255T-I/STX suits industrial sensor nodes thanks to its 10-bit ADC2 with computation and EUSART/SPI/I2C interfaces. The ADC2 hardware averaging and threshold detection offload processing from the CPU, reducing firmware complexity. PPS allows digital peripherals to be mapped to any I/O pin, simplifying PCB routing for 4-20mA or Modbus RTU sensor modules in factory automation systems.
Recommended
Home Automation Controllers
The PIC16F15255T-I/STX serves as the central controller in home automation hubs and smart switches. Its 32MHz core and 14KB Flash support communication stacks for Zigbee or LoRa bridges. The two PWM channels drive LED dimming or motor control, while EUSART interfaces with WiFi or BLE modules. XLP Sleep mode below 1 uA preserves battery life in wireless sensors and door/window contacts.
Recommended
Low-Cost Motor Control
The PIC16F15255T-I/STX is suited for low-cost BLDC or brushed DC motor control with its two 10-bit PWM channels and 32MHz core providing the timing resolution needed for sensorless trapezoidal commutation. The CCP modules handle input capture for Hall-sensor feedback. With ADC2 sampling back-EMF and PPS routing, the same PCB can support different motor configurations without rewiring firmware.
Recommended
LED Lighting Drivers
The PIC16F15255T-I/STX controls constant-current LED drivers via PWM and CCP outputs. The 10-bit PWM resolution provides smooth dimming down to 0.1% duty cycle, while ADC2 monitors LED current and temperature. The WWDT detects firmware hang conditions in safety-critical luminaires. With Peripheral Pin Select, the same firmware can drive multiple LED topologies (linear, buck, boost) without PCB changes.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Consumer Electronics
The PIC16F15255T-I/STX powers battery-operated devices like remote controls, smart locks, and wearables thanks to XLP nanoWatt technology with Sleep currents below 1 uA. The Windowed Watchdog Timer protects against firmware lockups during long battery life cycles. With 14KB Flash, designers can implement capacitive touch sensing, IR protocols, and BLE pairing logic on a single chip, reducing BOM cost.
Recommended
IoT Edge Devices
The PIC16F15255T-I/STX functions as an IoT edge processor interfacing with sensors and wireless modules. The 1KB SRAM supports modest protocol stacks (MQTT-SN, CoAP), and the EUSART/SPI/I2C connect to popular wireless chipsets like the RN4870 (BLE) or SX1276 (LoRa). ADC2 with computation performs local signal conditioning before data is transmitted, reducing uplink payload and extending battery life.
Recommended
HMI and User Interface
The PIC16F15255T-I/STX drives small HMIs with capacitive touch buttons, LED indicators, and rotary encoder inputs. The CCP modules capture encoder quadrature signals, while PWM dims indicator LEDs. PPS allows remapping of I/O functions to simplify PCB layout in space-constrained appliance front panels. The 14KB Flash supports graphics libraries for low-resolution OLED or segment displays.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F15255T-I/STX β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F15255-I/SP | PIC16F15254-I/SS | PIC16F15245T-I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-VQFN (4x4 mm) | 28-SPDIP (through-hole) | 28-SSOP | 28-SOIC |
| Flash Memory | 14 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB |
| SRAM | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB |
| CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| ADC | 10-bit ADC2 | 10-bit ADC2 | 10-bit ADC2 | 10-bit ADC2 |
| PWM Channels | 2 x 10-bit | 2 x 10-bit | 2 x 10-bit | 2 x 10-bit |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Unit Price (Qty 100, USD) | $0.82 | ~$0.85 | ~$0.80 | ~$0.78 |
Key Differentiators
- Compact 28-VQFN (4x4 mm) package (vs PIC16F15255-I/SP)
- Tape and reel packaging for SMT production (vs PIC16F15255-I/SP (tube))
- Same PIC16F152xx family core across variants (vs PIC16F15254-I/SS)
Design Notes
Place a 100nF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5mm of each VDD pin, with a 1uF to 10uF bulk capacitor at the board entry point. For XLP Sleep mode below 1 uA, disable all unused peripherals in firmware and configure unused I/O pins as outputs driving low. Use the on-chip voltage regulator's bulk cap recommendation from the datasheet's Electrical Characteristics chapter to minimize VDD ripple on ADC2 readings.
The 28-pin VQFN (4x4 mm) package has a central exposed thermal pad that MUST be soldered to a VSS copper pad with thermal vias for heat dissipation and electrical grounding. Route the ICSPDAT/ICSPCLK signals (RB7/RB6) with short traces to a 6-pin header for MPLAB ICD/PICkit programming. Keep analog inputs (ANx on RB0-RB5) away from PWM digital outputs to minimize coupling.
Do not skip configuring the PPS registers - if left at default, peripheral signals may not appear on the expected pins. The PIC16F15255T-I/STX suffix indicates industrial temperature range (-40C to +85C); for automotive AEC-Q100 requirements use the -E (extended) variants. MCLR pin (RA3) is input-only and cannot be configured as output. Always read the latest datasheet revision 40002333E or later for errata affecting ADC2 and PWM behavior.
Keep the 32MHz internal oscillator trace lengths short and place the decoupling capacitor pair (100nF + 1uF) adjacent to the VDD pin. If using an external crystal on RA6/RA7, route the crystal traces with a ground guard ring to avoid noise injection. For SPI/I2C buses above 1 MHz, add series damping resistors at the source end and keep traces matched within 5mm to avoid reflections on long runs.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Industrial-grade -I (not AEC-Q100); AEC-Q100 status not confirmed in provided data - contact Microchip for automotive-grade PIC16F15255 -E variants if needed.
