PIC16F648A-I/ML - 8-Bit 20MHz MCU 7KB Flash 28-QFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F648A-I/ML β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.1 | $4.10 |
| 10 | $3.78 | $37.80 |
| 100 | $3.3 | $330.00 |
| 500 | $2.95 | $1,475.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.6 | $2,600.00 |
PIC16F648A-I/ML Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that combines a CPU, non-volatile program memory, working RAM, and a rich set of on-chip peripherals. Within Microchip's taxonomy, the PIC16F648A belongs to the enhanced mid-range PIC16F family, which sits between the baseline PIC10/12/16/17 families and the high-performance PIC18/dsPIC33 families. It is widely used for cost-sensitive 8-bit embedded control.
Key features include an internal 4 MHz precision oscillator (selectable to 32 kHz LF mode), a 10-bit ADC with 8 channels, two analog comparators with a programmable voltage reference, one Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) module, a USART for asynchronous or synchronous serial communication, and a nanoWatt power-management set with multiple sleep/idle modes. The device operates from 2.0 V to 5.5 V across -40 C to +85 C industrial temperatures.
The architecture uses a 14-bit instruction word and a 16-level hardware stack, retaining the 35-instruction PIC16 instruction set for source compatibility with the legacy PIC16F628, PIC16C62XA, PIC16C5X and PIC12CXXX devices. The integrated brown-out reset (BOR), power-on reset (POR), watchdog timer and programmable code protection simplify safety and reliability design.
Typical applications include remote controls, sensor signal conditioning, automotive body and interior subsystems, white goods and small appliances, and battery-powered or hand-held instruments where low-power nanoWatt operation, integrated analog and a small QFN footprint reduce the bill of materials. The newer Microchip PIC16F18444 is recommended for new designs.
When designing with the PIC16F648A-I/ML, place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor close to VDD and add a bulk capacitor on the MCLR/VDD rail. Leave the ICSP/ICD pins (RB6, RB7) accessible for in-circuit debugging if firmware development is planned.
This page synthesises distributor pricing, verified drop-in alternatives within the PIC16 family, and practical design notes not consolidated on the manufacturer product page, helping engineers shorten selection and qualification time.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F648A-I/ML β 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 PIC16F648A-I/ML (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, I/O Pins, RoHS Status, Instruction Set, Internal Oscillator.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F628A-I/ML
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F627A-I/ML
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F628A-E/ML
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F648A-I/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC16 enhanced mid-range 8-bit RISC |
| Instruction Set | 35 single-word instructions, 14-bit word |
| Program Memory | 7 KB (4K x 14) Flash |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Data SRAM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Throughput | 200 ns per instruction (5 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 16 (multiplexed, PORTA + PORTB) |
| Internal Oscillator | 4 MHz with 32 kHz LF mode |
| ADC | 10-bit, 8 channels |
| Analog Comparators | 2 with programmable voltage reference |
| CCP Modules | 1 (Capture/Compare/PWM) |
| USART | Yes (async/sync serial) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial, -I suffix) |
| Package | 28-pin QFN (6 x 6 mm), ML suffix |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | MSL1 per JEDEC J-STD-020 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (lead-free) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes |
| Brown-Out Reset | Yes |
| ICSP/ICD | Yes (RB6/RB7) |
PIC16F648A-I/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA7/OSC1 β Port A bit 7 / crystal oscillator input |
| Pin 2 | RA6/OSC2 β Port A bit 6 / crystal oscillator output |
| Pin 3 | RA5/MCLR/VPP β Port A bit 5 / master clear / programming voltage |
| Pin 4 | RA4/AN4/TOCKI β Port A bit 4 / ADC ch4 / Timer0 clock |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/CMP1 β Port A bit 3 / ADC ch3 / comparator-1 output |
| Pin 6 | RA2/AN2/VREF- β Port A bit 2 / ADC ch2 / VREF- |
| Pin 7 | RA1/AN1/CMP2 β Port A bit 1 / ADC ch1 / comparator-2 output |
| Pin 8 | RA0/AN0 β Port A bit 0 / ADC ch0 |
| Pin 9 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 10 | VDD β Positive supply 2.0-5.5 V |
| Pin 11 | RB7/RX/DT/PGD β Port B bit 7 / UART RX / data / ICSP data |
| Pin 12 | RB6/TX/CK/PGC β Port B bit 6 / UART TX / clock / ICSP clock |
| Pin 13 | RB5 β Port B bit 5 |
| Pin 14 | RB4/AN10 β Port B bit 4 / ADC ch10 |
| Pin 15 | RB3/CCP1 β Port B bit 3 / CCP1 PWM output |
| Pin 16 | RB2/AN8 β Port B bit 2 / ADC ch8 |
| Pin 17 | RB1/AN9 β Port B bit 1 / ADC ch9 |
| Pin 18 | RB0/INT/AN12 β Port B bit 0 / external interrupt / ADC ch12 |
| Pin 19 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD β Positive supply 2.0-5.5 V |
| Pin 21 | RC7/RX/DT β Port C bit 7 / USART RX |
| Pin 22 | RC6/TX/CK β Port C bit 6 / USART TX |
| Pin 23 | RC5 β Port C bit 5 |
| Pin 24 | RC4 β Port C bit 4 |
| Pin 23 | RC5 β Port C bit 5 |
| Pin 24 | RC4 β Port C bit 4 |
| Pin 25 | RC3 β Port C bit 3 |
| Pin 26 | RC2 β Port C bit 2 |
| Pin 27 | RC1 β Port C bit 1 |
| Pin 28 | RC0 β Port C bit 0 |
Typical Applications
PIC16F648A-I/ML is suitable for 6 applications: Remote Control and IR Transmitter, Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, Automotive Body and Interior Modules, White Goods and Small Appliance Control, Battery-Powered Handheld Instruments, Lighting Control and DMX512 Slave.
Remote Control and IR Transmitter
The PIC16F648A-I/ML's 16 I/O pins, 7 KB Flash and internal 4 MHz oscillator let it scan a matrix keypad, debounce inputs and drive an IR LED with a single CCP/PWM channel for RC-5 or NEC carrier encoding. With USART at 9.6 kbaud, the same MCU can stream status to a host over an IR-TTL bridge, while 256 B EEPROM stores learned IR codes. Compared with discrete logic remote designs, integrating the IR timing on-chip cuts board area and BOM by 30-50 percent.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC16F648A-I/ML pairs its 10-bit 8-channel ADC with two on-chip analog comparators and a programmable voltage reference, allowing it to read strain-gauge, thermistor and 4-20 mA transducer signals without external analog front-end ICs. The internal comparator with programmable VREF can generate an interrupt when a threshold is crossed, off-loading the CPU and saving power. In a typical 0-10 V transducer module the PIC16F648A-I/ML drives the ADC, scales the reading, and outputs engineering units via the USART at 9600 baud.
Recommended
Automotive Body and Interior Modules
Industrial-grade PIC16F648A-I/ML (-40 C to +85 C) handles automotive body controllers such as central door locks, mirror adjusters, lighting dimmers and HVAC flap control where reliability, low power and 8-bit determinism matter. Its nanoWatt sleep (<1 uA) keeps quiescent draw below the OEM key-off budget, while the PWM module drives LED backlights or small DC motors with hardware timing. For AEC-Q100 needs, designers should step up to the PIC16F648A-E (extended grade) or a PIC16 automotive variant.
Recommended
White Goods and Small Appliance Control
The PIC16F648A-I/ML is a workhorse for washing-machine user-interface boards, microwave key panels and induction-cooktop controllers that demand IEC 60730 class B software safety. Hardware CRC, watchdog timer, brown-out reset and code protection support Class B requirements, while the 16 MHz internal oscillator and on-chip EEPROM reduce external part count. The same QFN-28 footprint used by the original PIC16F6xxx lets appliance designers migrate firmware across product generations without PCB rework.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Handheld Instruments
In a portable multimeter, IR thermometer or gas-leak detector, the PIC16F648A-I/ML's nanoWatt sleep, 32 kHz LF oscillator and 2.0 V minimum supply let the design run from two AA cells for years. The internal VREF feeds the ADC for ratiometric measurements, eliminating an external reference IC. Periodic wake on Timer1 lets the MCU sample a sensor every few seconds, average the result and update the LCD with average current under 50 uA.
Recommended
Lighting Control and DMX512 Slave
Using the USART in synchronous master mode, the PIC16F648A-I/ML can decode DMX512 frames at 250 kbaud with the hardware break-detect feature, freeing the core to update PWM channels driving constant-current LED drivers. With 7 KB Flash, designers can implement RDM responder code, dim curves and temperature fold-back in a single chip. This replaces discrete 8051 designs that required external RAM and a UART, cutting the BOM and the PCB footprint in half.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F648A-I/ML β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F628A-I/ML | PIC16F627A-I/ML | PIC16F628A-E/ML | PIC16F648A-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-QFN (6x6 mm, ML) | 28-QFN (6x6) - same | 28-QFN (6x6) - same | 28-QFN (6x6) - same | 28-PDIP |
| Program Memory | 7 KB Flash | 3.5 KB Flash | 1.75 KB Flash | 3.5 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash |
| Data SRAM | 256 B | 224 B | 128 B | 224 B | 256 B |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 128 B | 128 B | 128 B | 256 B |
| Maximum Clock | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Temperature Range | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +125 C (extended) | -40 C to +85 C |
| Peripherals (ADC/CCP/USART) | 10-bit 8-ch ADC, 1 CCP, USART | Same set | Same set, no USART on -627A | Same set | Same set |
| Pricing (1k, USD) | 2.60 | 2.30 (approx.) | 2.10 (approx.) | 2.40 (approx.) | 2.50 (approx.) |
Key Differentiators
- Largest Flash and SRAM in the same QFN-28 footprint (vs PIC16F628A-I/ML)
- EEPROM double that of PIC16F628A family (vs PIC16F627A-I/ML)
- Same die across QFN and PDIP packages (vs PIC16F648A-I/P)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of each VDD pin (pins 10 and 20) and a single 10 uF bulk capacitor on the supply rail to suppress switching transients. For battery-powered designs, add an external low-Iq LDO such as the MCP1700 (1.6 uA quiescent) so that the MCU's nanoWatt sleep mode is the dominant drain.
The 28-QFN package has an exposed thermal pad on the underside that must be soldered to a copper pad of at least equal size on the PCB and tied to VSS. This both improves thermal dissipation and meets the QFN solder-joint reliability requirement per IPC-7351. Keep analog traces (RA0-RA5, RC1) short and away from the PWM output RB3/CCP1 to avoid digital coupling into ADC readings.
Do not leave the MCLR pin floating - always tie MCLR/RA5 to VDD through a 10 kohm resistor to guarantee a clean reset and avoid spurious resets during power-up. When using the ICSP/ICD pins RB6/RB7 for in-circuit programming, add 4.7 kohm series resistors to prevent debug-tool contention with user circuitry. Finally, configure the BOR in CONFIG register 0x8100 so the part does not execute code at unsafe supply voltages.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page (lead-free finish). Industrial -I grade only; not AEC-Q100 qualified. For automotive choose -E or a PIC16 automotive part.
