PIC16F722-I/ML - 20MHz 8-bit MCU, 3.5KB Flash, 28-QFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F722-I/ML ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.45 | $2.45 |
| 10 | $2.2 | $22.00 |
| 100 | $1.95 | $195.00 |
| 500 | $1.72 | $860.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.55 | $1,550.00 |
PIC16F722-I/ML Overview
Background: An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer integrating a CPU core, non-volatile program memory (Flash), volatile data memory (RAM), digital I/O, and on-chip peripherals such as timers, ADC, and communication modules. PIC MCUs sit in the broader hierarchy: microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor IC. The PIC16F family uses a RISC architecture with only 35 single-word instructions, which simplifies firmware development and accelerates time-to-market for cost-constrained embedded products.
Key features include nanoWatt XLP extreme-low-power technology for battery-friendly designs, an integrated 8-bit A/D converter with up to 14 channels, two PWM/CCP modules, AUSART (enhanced USART), and SPI/I2C peripherals. The wide 2.5 V to 5.5 V supply range supports both 3.3 V and 5 V designs, while internal oscillator options (up to 16 MHz HFINTOSC plus 31 kHz LFINTOSC) can eliminate an external crystal in many applications.
Technical depth: The PIC16F722 employs a Harvard RISC architecture with separate program and data buses, allowing instruction fetch and operand access in a single 200 ns instruction cycle at 20 MHz. The 3.5 KB Flash supports self-programming, and the integrated 128-byte EEPROM eases non-volatile data storage. The XLP sleep current is in the nanoampere range, enabling years of operation from a single coin cell in duty-cycled applications.
Typical applications include consumer electronics, low-power remote sensors, IoT edge nodes, small appliance controllers, and battery-powered handheld products. The 28-QFN (6x6 mm) footprint makes it suitable for space-constrained PCBs where 28-pin SOIC or SPDIP variants are too large.
Design consideration: When migrating from the PIC16F722-I/SP or PIC16F722-I/SO to the /ML QFN variant, PCB designers must re-create the exposed-pad thermal land pattern and verify solder paste stencil apertures; the QFN package has no leads, only bottom-side contacts.
Unique value: This page synthesizes cross-brand drop-in candidates, current distributor pricing, and practical design guidance not found on the manufacturer product page alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F722-I/ML — 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 PIC16F722-I/ML (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, I/O Pins, Timers, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF722-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F722-E/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F722A-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F722AT-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.58 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F726-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F722-I/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 8-bit RISC |
| CPU Frequency (max) | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Set Size | 35 instructions (14-bit) |
| Flash Program Memory | 3.5 KB (2K x 14) |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Package | 28-pin QFN (6x6 mm), ML |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| On-chip Oscillator | Internal 16 MHz HF + 31 kHz LF |
| ADC | 8-bit, up to 14 channels |
| PWM / CCP Modules | 2 (Enhanced CCP) |
| Serial Peripherals | AUSART, SPI, I2C |
| Low-Power Technology | nanoWatt XLP |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F722-I/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — Digital I/O / analog input / Timer0 gate |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 3 | RA3 — Digital I/O / analog input / MCLR optional |
| Pin 4 | RC5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 5 | RC4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 6 | RC3 — Digital I/O / SCL |
| Pin 7 | RC2 — Digital I/O / CCP1 |
| Pin 8 | RC1 — Digital I/O / CCP2 |
| Pin 9 | RC0 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 10 | RB7 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 11 | RB6 — Digital I/O / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 12 | RB5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 13 | RB4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 14 | RB3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 15 | RB2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 16 | RB1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 17 | RB0 — Digital I/O / INT |
| Pin 18 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 20 | RA2 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 21 | RA1 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 22 | RA0 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 23 | RA7 — Digital I/O / OSC1 |
| Pin 24 | RA6 — Digital I/O / OSC2 |
| Pin 25 | RC7 — Digital I/O / RX/DT |
| Pin 26 | RC6 — Digital I/O / TX/CK |
| Pin 27 | OSC1 — Crystal input / external clock |
| Pin 28 | OSC2 — Crystal output |
Typical Applications
PIC16F722-I/ML is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Remote Sensor Nodes, Consumer Appliance User Interface Controllers, Small Motor and Fan Speed Controllers, Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, Hobbyist and Maker Educational Projects, IoT Edge Devices and Wireless Bridges.
Battery-Powered Remote Sensor Nodes
The PIC16F722-I/ML is well matched to battery-powered remote sensor nodes because of its nanoWatt XLP sleep current in the nanoampere range and 2.5 V to 5.5 V supply that supports 2x AA alkaline or single-cell Li-ion with regulator. The 20 MHz core provides ample processing for periodic sensor reads and duty-cycled radio control, while the 3.5 KB Flash is sufficient for typical C driver firmware. Designers typically use the LFINTOSC during sleep and switch to HFINTOSC only during active measurement bursts, achieving multi-year battery life. The 28-QFN (6x6 mm) footprint allows placement in compact sensor housings.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance User Interface Controllers
The PIC16F722-I/ML fits appliance UI controllers because of its 8-bit ADC for keypad/touch scanning, two CCP/PWM modules for LED dimming or buzzer drive, and AUSART for diagnostics display boards. Its 3.5 KB Flash covers state-machine firmware for washers, microwaves, and coffee makers. The 28-QFN (6x6 mm) package reduces board area versus 28-SOIC alternatives, helping designers shrink the control board. The industrial temperature range of -40C to +85C handles the thermal environment inside consumer appliances.
Recommended
Small Motor and Fan Speed Controllers
The PIC16F722-I/ML is suitable for low-cost brushed DC motor and fan speed controllers because of its two Enhanced CCP/PWM modules that drive MOSFET gates directly and its 8-bit ADC for closed-loop tach feedback. The 20 MHz instruction cycle provides 200 ns resolution, sufficient for 25 kHz PWM switching typical of small fans and pumps. The integrated AUSART enables factory calibration and firmware updates via service-port interfaces.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC16F722-I/ML can act as a low-cost front-end conditioner for industrial sensor transmitters because of its 8-bit ADC with up to 14 input channels, 2.5 V to 5.5 V tolerance of noisy 24 V-derived rails (with external regulator), and industrial -40C to +85C temperature rating. The AUSART and SPI/I2C outputs interface easily with 4-20 mA loop chips and HART modems. The 28-QFN footprint lets engineers shrink the transmitter PCB to fit 1-inch-diameter probe heads.
Recommended
Hobbyist and Maker Educational Projects
The PIC16F722-I/ML is popular in educational and hobbyist applications because of the PIC16F family's mature MPLAB X IDE toolchain, free XC8 compiler, and extensive example code library. The 20 MHz core, 3.5 KB Flash, and rich peripherals (ADC, PWM, AUSART, SPI, I2C) cover most C-language teaching projects including robotics, blinking LEDs, servo control, and serial communications. The 28-QFN variant suits advanced PCB-layout lessons for SMD soldering practice.
Recommended
IoT Edge Devices and Wireless Bridges
The PIC16F722-I/ML serves as a low-cost host MCU for IoT edge devices bridging simple sensors to sub-GHz radios (e.g., LoRa, FSK transceivers). The AUSART and SPI peripherals talk to most transceivers directly, while the nanoWatt XLP sleep modes extend battery life between transmissions. The 3.5 KB Flash holds sensor drivers and small protocol stacks (Modbus, simple MQTT-SN clients), with 256 B RAM enough for short buffers. The 28-QFN footprint fits compact IoT modules.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F722-I/ML — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF722-I/ML | PIC16F722-E/ML | PIC16F722A-I/ML | PIC16F722AT-I/ML | PIC16F726-I/ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-QFN (6x6 mm) | 28-QFN (6x6 mm) - same | 28-QFN (6x6 mm) - same | 28-QFN (6x6 mm) - same | 28-QFN (6x6 mm) - same | 28-QFN (6x6 mm) - same |
| Flash Program Memory | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 14 KB |
| CPU Frequency (max) | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 2.5 V to 5.5 V | 2.5 V to 5.5 V | 2.5 V to 5.5 V | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
| nanoWatt XLP Sleep | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ADC (bits / channels) | 8-bit / 14 | 8-bit / 14 | 8-bit / 14 | 8-bit / 14 | 8-bit / 14 | 8-bit / 14 |
Key Differentiators
- QFN-28 (6x6 mm) footprint minimizes PCB area (vs PIC16F722-I/SO (28-SOIC))
- Low-voltage pin-compatible drop-in available (vs PIC16F722-I/SP (28-SPDIP))
- nanoWatt XLP sleep currents extend battery life (vs PIC16F690-I/ML (non-XLP variant))
- Same QFN-28 footprint across the PIC16F722 family (vs PIC16F726-I/ML (memory-up variant))
Design Notes
The PIC16F722-I/ML in the 28-QFN (6x6 mm) package dissipates heat through the bottom-side thermal pad. Connect the exposed pad to a solid ground copper pour on the top or inner PCB layer to keep the junction temperature within the -40C to +85C rating. At maximum 20 MHz operation with all peripherals active, typical core current is around 2-4 mA at 5 V (per PIC16F722 datasheet DC characteristics), giving total power dissipation well below 25 mW that requires no explicit heatsink.
Place the 0.1 uF VDD decoupling capacitor within 3 mm of pin 18 (VDD), with a short trace to pin 19 (VSS). For QFN layouts use a 0.5 mm pitch solder paste stencil and verify QFN pad dimensions against IPC-7351 nominal land pattern. Keep the exposed thermal pad as a single continuous land, not split, to maximize thermal conduction. Avoid routing signal traces under the QFN package; route only on outer layers.
Do not confuse PIC16F722-I/ML (QFN-28, industrial temperature, 2.5 V to 5.5 V) with PIC16LF722-I/ML (QFN-28, 1.8 V to 3.6 V) when designing for a 5 V rail; LF variants will fail to operate reliably above 3.6 V. Also note that MCLR is multiplexed on RA3 in some 28-pin PIC16F variants; if you need a dedicated reset pin, disable the MCLR-on-RA3 configuration bit (CONFIG_MCLRE = OFF) only after confirming the system can rely on internal POR.
When using the AUSART at high baud rates (>57600) with long PCB traces, add a 100 ohm series resistor at the TX line to damp reflections. The internal HF oscillator has a +/- 2% tolerance over temperature; for UART communications requiring tight baud accuracy, calibrate against the AUSART auto-baud feature or use an external crystal on OSC1/OSC2. Keep crystal traces short and surround them with a ground guard ring.
Compliance Information
Standard PIC16F722-I/ML is industrial-grade (-40C to +85C) and NOT AEC-Q100 qualified. For automotive designs, choose the PIC16F722AT-I variant. RoHS and lead-free compliant per Microchip product page.
