PIC16F72-E/SS - 8-Bit 20MHz 3.5KB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F72-E/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.45 | $3.45 |
| 10 | $3.1 | $31.00 |
| 100 | $2.74 | $274.00 |
| 500 | $2.45 | $1,225.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.18 | $2,180.00 |
PIC16F72-E/SS Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a CPU core, program memory, working RAM, and peripheral interfaces. The PIC16F72 belongs to the PIC16 family, an 8-bit RISC architecture from Microchip widely adopted in cost-sensitive embedded designs. Within the broader taxonomy, PIC MCUs sit under 8-bit microcontrollers, which themselves belong to microcontrollers and ultimately to integrated circuits. LDOs, switching regulators and supervisor ICs typically surround an MCU to provide stable VDD rails, while the MCU executes firmware and drives digital I/O.
Key features that differentiate the PIC16F72-E/SS include its 200 ns instruction execution at 20 MHz with only 35 single-word instructions, supporting upwards code compatibility with the PIC16C5X, PIC12CXXX and PIC16C7X devices. Its 5-channel 8-bit ADC enables direct sensor interfacing for analog front-ends. The integrated Capture/Compare/PWM module delivers flexible timing control for motor, lighting and power-converter applications, while the SSP peripheral handles both SPI and I2C communication without an external interface IC.
Architecturally, the PIC16F72 uses a Harvard RISC design with separate program and data buses, providing deterministic interrupt latency. The CMOS Flash process enables in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) through two pins, simplifying field updates. Compared with earlier PIC16C7X OTP parts, Flash memory reduces recurring per-unit programming cost and supports engineering iteration.
Typical applications include motor control and PWM-driven LED drivers, sensor signal conditioning with on-chip 8-bit ADC conversion, industrial control panels, automotive body electronics (non-safety), low-cost consumer appliances and battery-powered instrument front-ends. Designers select this part when 3.5 KB of Flash is sufficient and 8-bit ADC resolution is acceptable.
When designing with the PIC16F72-E/SS, place a 0.1 uF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as possible to the VDD pin and a bulk 10 uF electrolytic near the supply input. Note that the SSOP pin pitch is 0.65 mm, so PCB assembly must use fine-pitch stencil apertures; verify the MCLR pull-up and ICSP lines conform to Microchip programming specifications.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives drawn from the PIC16 pin-compatibility family, and practical design notes that complement the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F72-E/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 PIC16F72-E/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Package, Timers, Core Architecture, Capture/Compare/PWM.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F72-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.19 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F72T-E/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.83 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F722-E/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F721-E/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F720-E/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F723-E/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F72-E/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory | 3.5 KB (2K x 14) Flash |
| RAM | 128 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle | 200 ns |
| Instruction Set Size | 35 single-word instructions |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Digital I/O Pins | 22 |
| ADC | 5 channels x 8-bit |
| Timers | 3 (Timer0, Timer1, Timer2) |
| Capture/Compare/PWM | Yes (CCP module) |
| Serial Communication | SSP - SPI or I2C |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +125C (Extended "-E") |
| Package | 28-pin SSOP (Shrink Small Outline Package) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| ICSP Programming | Yes (In-Circuit Serial Programming) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F72-E/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master Clear (Reset) input / Programming voltage |
| 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 / Voltage reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS — PORTA bit 5 / Analog input channel 4 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | RE0/RD/AN5 — PORTE bit 0 / Parallel port read / Analog input channel 5 |
| Pin 9 | RE1/WR/AN6 — PORTE bit 1 / Parallel port write / Analog input channel 6 |
| Pin 10 | RE2/CS/AN7 — PORTE bit 2 / Parallel port chip select / Analog input channel 7 |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (2.0V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal input / external clock input |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal output / clock output |
| Pin 15 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 16 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 |
| Pin 17 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / Capture Compare PWM 1 |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 19 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 20 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 21 | RC6 — PORTC bit 6 |
| Pin 22 | RC7 — PORTC bit 7 |
| Pin 23 | RB0/INT — PORTB bit 0 / External interrupt |
| Pin 24 | RB1 — PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 25 | RB2 — PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 26 | RB3 — PORTB bit 3 |
| Pin 27 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 28 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 |
Typical Applications
PIC16F72-E/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Battery-Powered Sensor Front-Ends, LED Lighting Drivers and PWM Dimming, Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety), Consumer Appliance Control Boards, Sensor Signal Conditioning and Display.
Industrial Motor Control
The PIC16F72-E/SS suits small brushed DC and stepper motor control with its integrated Capture/Compare/PWM module and 20 MHz clock speed. With 22 digital I/O and 5 ADC channels, it can read current sense amplifiers and potentiometers while driving MOSFET gate drivers via PWM. The 3.5 KB Flash is sufficient for trapezoidal commutation and PI control loops. Pin compatibility across the PIC16F72 family lets designers migrate code without PCB rework.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Sensor Front-Ends
The 2.0 V to 5.5 V supply range of the PIC16F72-E/SS allows direct operation from two AA cells or a single Li-ion cell down to cutoff. The 5-channel 8-bit ADC reads battery voltage, temperature thermistors and analog sensor outputs without external ADC ICs. With 128 bytes of RAM and 3.5 KB Flash, it fits compact sensor nodes such as remote controls, thermostats and portable instruments, where SSOP packaging reduces PCB area versus SOIC alternatives.
Recommended
LED Lighting Drivers and PWM Dimming
LED strips, architectural lighting and indicator dimming benefit from the PIC16F72-E/SS CCP module generating smooth PWM at frequencies above 1 kHz to avoid flicker. The 22 I/O pins drive multiple LED channels with software PWM multiplexing or external driver ICs. The SSP peripheral supports SPI or I2C to address external LED driver chips, while the Flash-based design supports in-field firmware updates via ICSP for tunable white-balance curves.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety)
Although not AEC-Q100 qualified, the PIC16F72-E/SS extended temperature grade (-40C to +125C) is widely used in non-safety body electronics such as HVAC actuators, mirror controllers and accessory modules. The 5-channel ADC reads trimmer inputs and temperature sensors; SPI/I2C communicates with companion chips. Automotive designers favor the SSOP footprint for vibration-resistant surface-mount assembly on FR4 substrates.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control Boards
Washing machines, microwave ovens and small kitchen appliances rely on the PIC16F72-E/SS for keypad scanning, relay control and seven-segment display driving. The 22 I/O handle up to 22 buttons or a multiplexed 4-digit display without external logic. Code compatibility with PIC16C5X and PIC16C7X allows legacy firmware reuse, while Flash memory reduces per-unit programming cost versus OTP predecessors.
Recommended
Sensor Signal Conditioning and Display
The PIC16F72-E/SS is well suited to read analog sensors via its 8-bit ADC and drive character LCDs or LED displays via its digital I/O. SSP in I2C mode interfaces directly to I2C temperature sensors, EEPROMs and real-time clocks. The 20 MHz clock provides ample headroom for display refresh routines, sensor linearization and averaging filters within the 3.5 KB Flash program memory budget.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F72-E/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F72-I/SS | PIC16F72T-E/SS | PIC16F722-E/SS | PIC16F721-E/SS | PIC16F723-E/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SSOP | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SSOP - same | 28-SSOP - same |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 3.5 KB (2K x 14) | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB |
| RAM | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| ADC Channels | 5 x 8-bit | 5 x 8-bit | 5 x 8-bit | 5 x 8-bit | 8 x 8-bit | 11 x 8-bit |
| Supply Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Temperature Grade | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +85C (I) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) |
Key Differentiators
- Drop-in identical silicon across multiple temperature grades (vs PIC16F72-I/SS)
- Tape-and-reel packaging option with same silicon (vs PIC16F72T-E/SS)
- Newer-generation upgrade with same 28-SSOP footprint (vs PIC16F722-E/SS)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 uF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as possible to the VDD pin (pin 11) of the PIC16F72-E/SS, with the trace length kept under 5 mm. Add a bulk 10 uF electrolytic or tantalum capacitor near the IC supply input to handle transient current demands when the ADC or PWM outputs switch. The VSS pin (pin 12) must be tied to a low-impedance ground plane, not a thin trace, to avoid digital noise coupling into the analog ADC readings.
The 28-SSOP package has a 0.65 mm pin pitch, requiring fine-pitch PCB assembly with a stencil aperture of approximately 0.4 mm width. Toe-fill or via-in-pad techniques can improve thermal dissipation on the small SSOP thermal pad. Keep the analog ADC traces (AN0-AN4) short and routed away from PWM output switching nodes to minimize digital crosstalk into the 8-bit conversion result.
Verify the MCLR pin (pin 1) has a 10 kohm pull-up resistor to VDD and a 100 nF capacitor to ground for proper reset behavior during power-up. Do not leave the OSC1/OSC2 pins floating when using an external crystal - use the specified loading capacitors (typically 15-22 pF). When using the ADC, set the ACQT and ADCS bits in ADCON1 to allow adequate acquisition time, or readings will be inaccurate due to source impedance.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Microchip product page; AEC-Q100 not qualified (PIC16F72-E/SS is industrial/consumer grade, not automotive safety). For AEC-Q100 qualified variants in similar function, see PIC16F1xx automotive families.
