PIC16F72T-I/SO - 8-bit 20MHz 3.5KB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F72T-I/SO β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.1 | $4.10 |
| 10 | $3.69 | $36.90 |
| 100 | $3.25 | $325.00 |
| 500 | $2.86 | $1,430.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.58 | $2,580.00 |
| 2,600 | $2.32 | $6,032.00 |
PIC16F72T-I/SO Overview
What is an 8-bit Flash MCU? A Flash MCU is a microcontroller whose program memory is non-volatile electrically erasable Flash, allowing in-system reprogramming via ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming). The PIC16F72 belongs to the PIC16 mid-range family, sitting in the hierarchy: PIC16 -> 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded controller -> semiconductor. Compared with OTP (One-Time Programmable) or ROM MCUs, Flash MCUs enable field upgrades and shorter development cycles.
Key features of the PIC16F72 include two 8-bit timers (Timer0, Timer2) plus one 16-bit timer (Timer1), a Watchdog Timer with its own on-chip RC oscillator, and 2 additional timers. It integrates brown-out reset, power-on reset, and a wide 2.5 V to 5.5 V supply range that simplifies designs migrating between 3.3 V and 5 V rails. The 35-instruction RISC architecture gives code compatibility with the PIC16C5X, PIC12CXXX and PIC16C7X families, easing code portability across Microchip's older mid-range devices.
The PIC16F72 is built on Microchip's proprietary RISC core with Harvard bus architecture separating program and data paths, enabling single-cycle instruction fetch and one-word instruction width. Its 5-channel 8-bit ADC with selectable reference voltages makes analog sensor conditioning straightforward, and the integrated capture/compare/PWM module adds motor and lighting control capability without external peripherals.
Typical applications span industrial control (sensor interfaces, low-speed process controllers), consumer electronics (small appliance controllers, LED drivers), automotive body electronics (non-safety subsystems), and hobbyist / education development using the PICkit programmer. The wide 2.5-5.5 V supply also makes it a fit for battery-powered and 3.3 V IoT edge nodes.
Designers should budget the A/D acquisition time at roughly 19.6 us per conversion at 20 MHz (Tad = 1.6 us, 12 Tads) and ensure the ICSP clock does not collide with the application timer during in-circuit programming. The 28-pin SOIC (300 mil) footprint is a very common Microchip pinout, simplifying PCB reuse from the PIC16F73/74/76/77 family.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F72T-I/SO 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 PIC16F72T-I/SO (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Core Architecture, Package, RoHS Status, Timers, ADC.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F72-I/SO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F72-E/SO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F72T-E/SO
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F72-I/SP
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F716T-I/SO
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16F72T-I/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | PIC16 mid-range 8-bit MCU |
| Core Architecture | RISC, 8-bit data, 14-bit instruction |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Execution Time | 200 ns (single-cycle) |
| Number of Instructions | 35 single-word |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 3.5 KB (2K x 14) |
| RAM | 128 bytes |
| Digital I/O Pins | 22 (per Mouser listing) |
| A/D Converter | 5-channel, 8-bit |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit, 1 x 16-bit, plus 2 additional timers, with WDT |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial grade) |
| Package | 28-SOIC (300 mil), Tape & Reel |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Programming Interface | ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming) |
| RoHS Status | Lead-Free / Compliant |
| Data EEPROM | Not present on this device |
PIC16F72T-I/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/AN0 β PORTA bit 0 / Analog input channel 0 |
| Pin 2 | RA1/AN1 β PORTA bit 1 / Analog input channel 1 |
| Pin 3 | RA2/AN2 β PORTA bit 2 / Analog input channel 2 |
| Pin 4 | RA3/AN3/VREF β PORTA bit 3 / Analog input 3 / VREF+ |
| Pin 5 | RA4/T0CKI β PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 6 | RA5/AN4/SS β PORTA bit 5 / Analog input 4 / Slave select |
| Pin 7 | RE0/AN5 β PORTE bit 0 / Analog input 5 (RD only) |
| Pin 8 | RE1/AN6 β PORTE bit 1 / Analog input 6 (RD only) |
| Pin 9 | RE2/AN7 β PORTE bit 2 / Analog input 7 (RD only) |
| Pin 10 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 11 | VDD β Positive supply voltage (2.5 V - 5.5 V) |
| Pin 12 | OSC1/CLKIN β Oscillator crystal input / external clock input |
| Pin 13 | OSC2/CLKOUT β Oscillator crystal output / clock output |
| Pin 14 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI β PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 15 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 β PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 module |
| Pin 16 | RC2/CCP1 β PORTC bit 2 / Capture/Compare/PWM1 output |
| Pin 17 | RC3 β PORTC bit 3 |
| Pin 18 | RC4 β PORTC bit 4 |
| Pin 19 | RC5 β PORTC bit 5 |
| Pin 20 | RC6 β PORTC bit 6 |
| Pin 21 | RC7 β PORTC bit 7 |
| Pin 22 | RB0/INT β PORTB bit 0 / External interrupt input |
| Pin 23 | RB1 β PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 24 | RB2 β PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 25 | RB3/PGM β PORTB bit 3 / Low-voltage programming input |
| Pin 26 | RB4 β PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 27 | RB5 β PORTB bit 5 |
| Pin 28 | RB6/PGC β PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock input |
Typical Applications
PIC16F72T-I/SO is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Conditioning, Consumer Appliance Controllers, Automotive Body Electronics, Hobbyist and Educational Development, Battery-Powered IoT Edge Nodes, LED Lighting and Signage Controllers.
Industrial Sensor Conditioning
The PIC16F72T-I/SO fits industrial sensor conditioning applications because its 5-channel 8-bit ADC can directly interface with thermistor bridges, pressure transducers, and 4-20 mA loop outputs after external signal conditioning. The wide 2.5 V to 5.5 V supply eliminates the need for separate 3.3 V regulators when reading 5 V ratiometric sensors, and 128 bytes of RAM is sufficient for sliding-window filtering of ADC samples. The 20 MHz core delivers 200 ns instruction execution, enabling control loops at the kilohertz rates needed for closed-loop process control. Brown-out and power-on reset are integrated, allowing the MCU to ride through noisy industrial supply transients. Industrial-grade -40C to +85C operation covers most factory-floor environments.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Controllers
The PIC16F72T-I/SO fits consumer appliance controllers including small kitchen appliances, washing-machine sub-steppers, and coffee makers. Its 22 digital I/O pins can directly drive LED indicators, mechanical relays through transistor buffers, and rotary encoder inputs, while the 5-channel ADC handles temperature (NTC), humidity, and water-level sensing. The 3.5 KB Flash and 35-instruction RISC core support state-machine style appliance firmware with comfortable headroom for safety logic. The wide 2.5-5.5 V supply simplifies designs that may run from USB, battery, or rectified-mains adapters. Watchdog timer prevents code lockup in unattended appliances.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
The PIC16F72T-I/SO fits automotive body-electronics modules such as interior lighting, mirror controllers, and HVAC actuators where AEC-Q100 is not mandatory. Its industrial temperature grade handles under-dash environments, and 5-channel ADC reads interior temperature and potentiometer inputs. The 200 ns instruction cycle supports PWM control of DC motor speed and LED dimming via the Timer2/PWM module. The Flash memory supports in-field firmware updates over LIN or K-line, while ICSP allows end-of-line programming without removing the MCU. The 28-SOIC footprint has wide second-source tooling availability.
Recommended
Hobbyist and Educational Development
The PIC16F72T-I/SO is widely used in hobbyist projects and embedded-systems education because its 35-instruction RISC core is the canonical teaching architecture, supported by Microchip's MPLAB X IDE, XC8 compiler, and PICkit programmer ecosystem. The 28-SOIC package is breadboard-friendly via SOIC-to-DIP adapter boards. Its 5-channel 8-bit ADC provides a clear, simple path to teach analog acquisition, while the three timers illustrate PWM, capture, and compare concepts. ICSP enables students to program and debug in-circuit without removing the chip.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Edge Nodes
The PIC16F72T-I/SO fits low-duty-cycle battery-powered IoT edge nodes such as remote sensor loggers and wireless HVAC transmitters. Its wide 2.5-5.5 V supply accepts 3.6 V lithium thionyl chloride, 3 V coin cell, or 2xAA battery stacks without an LDO, and Sleep mode with WDT wakeup current is in the microamp range per the datasheet. The 3.5 KB Flash accommodates small sensor-fusion firmware and basic encryption, while 128 bytes of RAM buffers ADC sample windows between transmit bursts. The 20 MHz clock wakes quickly for periodic sensor reads.
Recommended
LED Lighting and Signage Controllers
The PIC16F72T-I/SO fits LED lighting strips, RGB color controllers, and small electronic signage. The 8-bit Timer2 with PWM module generates dimming waveforms for multiple LED channels, while the 5-channel ADC reads ambient-light sensors for daylight harvesting. 22 digital I/O pins drive LED driver enable lines and segment signals, with 3.5 KB Flash accommodating chase-pattern tables and brightness curves. The industrial -40C to +85C grade handles enclosed luminaire thermal conditions.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F72T-I/SO β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F72-I/SO | PIC16F72-E/SO | PIC16F72T-E/SO | PIC16F716T-I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SOIC (300 mil), Tape & Reel | 28-SOIC (300 mil), Tray | 28-SOIC (300 mil), Tray | 28-SOIC (300 mil), Tape & Reel | 28-SOIC (300 mil), Tape & Reel |
| Program Memory | 3.5 KB (2K x 14) Flash | 3.5 KB Flash | 3.5 KB Flash | 3.5 KB Flash | 2 KB Flash |
| RAM | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| ADC | 5-channel, 8-bit | 5-channel, 8-bit | 5-channel, 8-bit | 5-channel, 8-bit | 8-channel, 8-bit |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +85C | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +85C |
| Supply Voltage | 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 | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| Unit Price (qty 1) | $4.10 | $3.78 (typical) | $4.50 (typical, E grade) | $4.50 (typical, E grade) | $3.90 (typical) |
Key Differentiators
- Tape-and-reel packaging for high-volume SMT assembly (vs PIC16F72-I/SO (tray))
- Industrial -40C to +85C temperature grade (vs PIC16F72T-E/SO (E grade))
- Mid-range PIC16 8-bit RISC architecture with 35-instruction core (vs PIC16F716T-I/SO)
- Wide 2.5 V to 5.5 V supply supports both 3.3 V and 5 V rails (vs PIC16F716T-I/SO)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 uF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as possible to the VDD pin (pin 11) and a bulk 10 uF tantalum or aluminum cap on the same supply trace within one inch. The PIC16F72 datasheet recommends the small ceramic cap to suppress high-frequency noise; the bulk cap handles transient current spikes when the ADC or PWM outputs switch. For battery applications, add a 100 nF cap at the battery terminal to filter contact bounce.
Brown-out reset (BOR) must be enabled in the configuration word for industrial applications to prevent code corruption during supply brown-outs. The analog input channels AN0-AN7 share pins with PORTA and PORTE; configure unused analog pins as digital outputs or inputs with TRIS to minimize current leakage. When using the ADC, allow at least 20 us acquisition time (Tad) before starting conversion, especially with high-impedance sources greater than 10 kohm.
Route the analog input traces (RA0-RA5, RE0-RE2) away from switching nodes such as PWM outputs (RC1/CCP2, RC2/CCP1) and clock traces (OSC1/OSC2). Keep the crystal/oscillator traces short and surrounded by a ground guard ring. If using ICSP, route PGC (pin 27) and PGD (pin 28) to a header without crossing noisy signal traces, and add 4.7 kohm pull-ups to VDD for production robustness during in-circuit programming.
At 20 MHz clock and 5.5 V supply, the PIC16F72T-I/SO typically draws around 10 mA active current - well within the 28-SOIC thermal envelope of roughly 100 mW maximum dissipation at 25C. The industrial -40C to +85C operating range adds about 15% to supply current at hot extremes. For high-temperature automotive under-hood designs, prefer the PIC16F72-E/SO extended-temperature variant instead.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page (lead-free SOIC package). Not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive AEC-Q100 applications choose PIC16F72-E/SO or PIC16F882 equivalents. REACH status per Microchip environmental compliance statements.
