PIC16F877A-E/ML - 8-bit 20MHz MCU, 14KB Flash, 44-QFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F877A-E/ML ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.5 | $8.50 |
| 10 | $7.65 | $76.50 |
| 100 | $6.8 | $680.00 |
| 500 | $6.1 | $3,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $5.45 | $5,450.00 |
PIC16F877A-E/ML Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer built around an 8-bit data path, optimized for deterministic, low-power control tasks. PIC microcontrollers sit within the broader hierarchy: 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor. The PIC16F877A family is widely adopted for industrial automation, instrumentation, automotive subsystems, and educational platforms due to its mature toolchain (MPLAB X IDE, XC8 compiler, PICkit programmers) and code-compatible upward migration paths to PIC16F887 and PIC18F series devices.
Key features include self-programming Flash, in-circuit serial programming (ICSP), a wide 2.0V-5.5V operating voltage, on-chip brown-out reset (BOR) and power-on reset (POR), and a 10-bit ADC with up to 8 input channels. The Harvard architecture separates program and data buses, enabling simultaneous fetch and read/write cycles that deliver predictable interrupt latency. The integrated 14KB Flash is rated for 100K erase/write cycles, while the 256-byte EEPROM supports 1M write cycles.
Typical applications span industrial sensor conditioning, motor control front-ends, automotive body modules, smart energy metering, and legacy 8051/PIC12-PIC16 firmware ports. The 44-QFN footprint suits space-constrained designs where the larger 40-PDIP and 44-PLCC variants are not viable.
When designing with this MCU, allocate the exposed pad (EP) to a contiguous ground pour for thermal dissipation and to meet the absolute maximum ratings for package soldering. Verify oscillator stability at the chosen VDD and temperature corner before locking in MPLAB X configuration bits. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F877A-E/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 PIC16F877A-E/ML (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Program Memory (Flash), ADC, Operating Temperature, Communication.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F887-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.16 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F4520-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F4580-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F877A-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F877A-E/L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$7.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F874A-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.21 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F877A-E/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC 8-bit RISC |
| Instruction Set Width | 14-bit |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14) |
| RAM | 368 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Execution Time | 200 ns |
| Operating Voltage (VDD) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Digital I/O Pins | 33 |
| ADC | 10-bit, 8 channels |
| Timers | 2 x 8-bit, 1 x 16-bit |
| Capture/Compare/PWM | 2 modules (CCP) |
| Communication | 1 x USART, 1 x MSSP (SPI/I2C) |
| Analog Comparators | 2 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (Extended, -E suffix) |
| Package | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) with Exposed Pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Programming | ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming) |
PIC16F877A-E/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / ADC channel 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / ADC channel 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/VREF- — PORTA bit 2 / ADC channel 2 / negative voltage reference |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — PORTA bit 3 / ADC channel 3 / positive voltage reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / Timer 0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS — PORTA bit 5 / ADC channel 4 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | RE0/RD/AN5 — PORTE bit 0 / read control / ADC channel 5 |
| Pin 9 | RE1/WR/AN6 — PORTE bit 1 / write control / ADC channel 6 |
| Pin 10 | RE2/CS/AN7 — PORTE bit 2 / chip select / ADC channel 7 |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKI — Oscillator input / external clock input |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKO — Oscillator output / clock output |
| Pin 15 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer 1 oscillator output / Timer 1 clock |
| Pin 16 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / Timer 1 oscillator input / CCP2 output |
| Pin 17 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 output |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 19 | RD0/PSP0 — PORTD bit 0 / parallel slave port bit 0 |
| Pin 20 | RD1/PSP1 — PORTD bit 1 / parallel slave port bit 1 |
| Pin 21 | RD2/PSP2 — PORTD bit 2 / parallel slave port bit 2 |
| Pin 22 | RD3/PSP3 — PORTD bit 3 / parallel slave port bit 3 |
| Pin 23 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 24 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 25 | RC6/TX/CK — PORTC bit 6 / USART transmit / USART clock |
| Pin 26 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7 / USART receive / USART data |
| Pin 27 | RD4/PSP4 — PORTD bit 4 / parallel slave port bit 4 |
| Pin 28 | RD5/PSP5 — PORTD bit 5 / parallel slave port bit 5 |
| Pin 29 | RD6/PSP6 — PORTD bit 6 / parallel slave port bit 6 |
| Pin 30 | RD7/PSP7 — PORTD bit 7 / parallel slave port bit 7 |
| Pin 31 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 32 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 33 | RB0/INT — PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt |
| Pin 34 | RB1 — PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 35 | RB2 — PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 36 | RB3/PGM — PORTB bit 3 / low-voltage programming |
| Pin 37 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 38 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 |
| Pin 39 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 40 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 41 | MCLR/VPP — Master clear reset / programming voltage |
| Pin 42 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 43 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 44 | EP — Exposed thermal pad - tie to VSS for thermal dissipation |
Typical Applications
PIC16F877A-E/ML is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Conditioning, Automotive Body Control Modules, Smart Energy Metering, Educational Development Platforms, Motor Control Front-Ends, Legacy 8051/PIC12 Firmware Migration.
Industrial Sensor Conditioning
The PIC16F877A-E/ML fits industrial sensor conditioning front-ends because of its 10-bit 8-channel ADC, 2.0V-5.5V supply range, and extended -40C to +125C temperature grade. In a typical 4-20 mA loop transmitter, the MCU digitizes thermocouple or strain-gauge signals with the on-chip ADC while driving a current-loop DAC through PWM filtering. The 14 KB Flash accommodates lookup tables for linearization, and the MSSP port drives an I2C temperature compensation sensor. At 20 MHz, the 200 ns instruction cycle keeps ADC-to-output latency under 50 us, enabling loop response times compliant with industrial control loops.
Recommended
Automotive Body Control Modules
The PIC16F877A-E/ML is well-suited to automotive body control modules such as window lift, mirror adjustment, and lighting controllers. The extended -40C to +125C temperature grade handles under-hood thermal stress, and the 33 I/O pins drive multiple loads directly via MOSFET gate drivers. The CCP modules generate PWM for motor speed control, while the USART interfaces with the body control network. Its 14 KB Flash is sufficient for state-machine control logic, and the 256-byte EEPROM stores trim and diagnostic parameters across power cycles. Pin compatibility with PIC16F887-I/ML allows upgrade to enhanced peripherals without PCB rework.
Recommended
Smart Energy Metering
The PIC16F877A-E/ML serves as the metering engine in single-phase smart energy meters, where its 20 MHz core computes RMS power from current transformer and voltage divider inputs. The 10-bit ADC samples at approximately 4 kHz per channel with hardware accumulation, achieving IEC 62053-21 class-1 accuracy when paired with precision analog front ends. The MSSP drives an I2C real-time clock and EEPROM for time-of-use tariffs, while the USART communicates with the concentrator via PLC or RF modem. Its 2.0V-5.5V supply supports direct operation from a 3.3V LDO downstream of the line-side transformer.
Recommended
Educational Development Platforms
The PIC16F877A-E/ML remains a cornerstone of university embedded systems curricula because of its well-documented architecture and the maturity of the MPLAB X toolchain. Its 35-instruction RISC core lets students master assembly programming before transitioning to C with the XC8 compiler. The 44-QFN package demonstrates surface-mount reflow soldering techniques, while the ICSP interface supports PICkit 3 and PICkit 4 in-circuit debugging. Lab projects typically exercise the ADC for temperature sensing, PWM for servo control, and MSSP for SPI EEPROM interfacing. The vast library of reference code accelerates student project completion.
Recommended
Motor Control Front-Ends
The PIC16F877A-E/ML drives brushed DC and stepper motor control front-ends via its two CCP modules generating complementary PWM at up to 20 kHz switching frequency. The 16-bit timer provides precise commutation timing for sensorless BLDC algorithms using back-EMF zero-crossing detection on the 10-bit ADC. Hardware QEI interfaces are not present, but the CCP capture mode handles encoder feedback up to 1 MHz. The 33 I/O lines drive direction logic, brake signals, and fault monitoring. Its extended temperature grade supports motor housing environments up to +125C junction.
Recommended
Legacy 8051/PIC12 Firmware Migration
The PIC16F877A-E/ML is a common migration target for products originally designed around 8051 cores or older PIC16C/PIC12 devices, offering higher performance and Flash-based in-circuit reprogrammability. The 44-QFN footprint provides more I/O than typical 40-pin 8051 derivatives, while the Harvard architecture simplifies real-time interrupt handling. The ICSP interface allows field firmware updates without removing the MCU from the board, addressing serviceability issues with legacy OTP devices. Existing 8051 assembly code can be ported via manual translation, and the XC8 compiler supports C-based redesigns with predictable memory usage.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F877A-E/ML — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F887-I/ML | PIC18F4520-I/ML | PIC18F4580-I/ML | PIC16F877A-I/ML | PIC16F874A-I/ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) with EP | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | 8-bit PIC16, 14-bit instructions | 8-bit PIC16, 14-bit instructions | 8-bit PIC18, 16-bit instructions | 8-bit PIC18, 16-bit instructions | 8-bit PIC16, 14-bit instructions | 8-bit PIC16, 14-bit instructions |
| Maximum Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Flash Program Memory | 14 KB (8K x 14) | 14 KB (8K x 14) | 32 KB (16K x 16) | 32 KB (16K x 16) | 14 KB (8K x 14) | 7 KB (4K x 14) |
| RAM | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 1536 bytes | 1536 bytes | 368 bytes | 192 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 128 bytes |
| ADC | 10-bit, 8 channels | 10-bit, 14 channels | 10-bit, 13 channels | 10-bit, 11 channels | 10-bit, 8 channels | 10-bit, 8 channels |
| CAN Bus | No | No | No | Yes (CAN 2.0B) | No | No |
| Temperature Grade | -40C to +125C (Extended -E) | -40C to +85C (Industrial -I) | -40C to +85C (Industrial -I) | -40C to +85C (Industrial -I) | -40C to +85C (Industrial -I) | -40C to +85C (Industrial -I) |
Key Differentiators
- Extended temperature grade option with same footprint (vs PIC16F877A-I/ML)
- Code-compatible drop-in successor with more ADC channels (vs PIC16F887-I/ML)
- Compact 44-QFN surface-mount footprint (vs PIC16F877A-E/L (44-PLCC))
Design Notes
The 44-QFN package uses an exposed thermal pad (pin 44) that must be soldered to a continuous ground pour on the top or bottom layer for thermal dissipation. At 20 MHz CPU clock and full peripheral activity, the PIC16F877A-E/ML dissipates approximately 50 mW internally; without the EP soldered to copper, junction temperature can rise 15-20C above ambient. A minimum 1 square inch of 1 oz copper connected to the EP keeps junction-to-ambient thermal resistance below 30 C/W.
Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of each VDD pin (pins 11 and 32) and a single 10 uF bulk capacitor on the same VDD trace. The PIC16F877A-E/ML's analog VREF+ pin (RA3) requires its own 10 uF + 100 nF filter network when used as ADC reference to suppress digital switching noise. MCLR (pin 41) needs a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD and a 100 nF capacitor to ground for proper reset behavior.
Route the ICSP signals PGC (RB6, pin 39) and PGD (RB7, pin 40) directly to a 6-pin header with no series resistors in production designs. The ICSP clock line should be length-matched to within 25 mm of the data line to avoid signal integrity issues at high programming speeds. Reserve a 4.7 kohm pull-down on MCLR during programming per the Microchip PICkit 4 specification.
Configuration bits (CONFIG1H through CONFIG5L) must be set correctly in MPLAB X before programming; a wrong oscillator configuration can lock the device into an unsupported mode requiring a high-voltage programmer to recover. The parallel slave port (PSP) on PORTD must be disabled by clearing PSPMODE in software if not used, otherwise PORTE will not function as general I/O. The MSSP module requires the appropriate TRIS bit cleared for SDA/SCL to function correctly in I2C mode.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page and distributor listings. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - the part targets industrial extended temperature (-E grade) rather than automotive-qualified (-V grade) applications. Lead-free (Pb-free) reflow profile per JEDEC J-STD-020.
