PIC16F87T-I/ML - 8-bit 20MHz 7KB Flash MCU 28-QFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F87T-I/ML ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.1 | $4.10 |
| 10 | $3.69 | $36.90 |
| 100 | $3.28 | $328.00 |
| 500 | $2.79 | $1,395.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.4 | $2,400.00 |
PIC16F87T-I/ML Overview
What is an 8-bit microcontroller? An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that processes data 8 bits at a time and integrates a CPU, memory (Flash/ROM for program code, RAM for data, sometimes EEPROM), and peripherals (timers, communication modules, ADC) on one die. The PIC16F87 family sits in Microchip's mid-range PIC® hierarchy: PIC10/12/16/18 family -> PIC16 mid-range -> PIC16F87x enhanced Flash series -> PIC16F87T tape-and-reel sub-line. The QFN-28 (6x6) package places this device in the same footprint family as Microchip's other 28-pin enhanced PICs, enabling layout reuse across the series.
Key features include a 14-bit instruction word with only 35 single-word instructions, on-chip brown-out detect/reset (BOR), power-on reset (POR), watchdog timer (WDT), pulse-width modulation (PWM) peripherals, and three serial communication interfaces: I²C, SPI, and USART. The device supports in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) via two pins, allowing firmware updates after PCB assembly without removing the chip.
Technical depth: The PIC16F87 architecture uses a Harvard-style memory organization with separate program and data buses, a 15-bit program counter capable of addressing 32K x 14 words, and a 13-bit stack for subroutine nesting. The nanoWatt Technology feature set includes multiple power-managed operating modes (run, idle, sleep) with wake-up on interrupt, an internal oscillator option, and ultra-low power consumption in sleep mode. The device operates across 2.0V to 5.5V VDD, supporting both 3.3V and 5V system designs.
Typical applications include industrial control and sensor interfacing, low-power remote sensor nodes, consumer appliance controllers, automotive body electronics subsystems (non-safety), and legacy embedded system upgrades where a proven 8-bit core replaces older PIC16C7x designs. Its broad peripheral set also makes it a fit for simple human-machine interface (HMI) panels with PWM-driven LED or buzzer outputs.
Design consideration: When migrating from the older PIC16F87 to the PIC16F87T variant, verify the T suffix means tape-and-reel only (no silicon change) versus other temperature-grade suffixes. Ensure ICSP programming connector access is preserved on the PCB, since debug and firmware updates require PGx and PGx pins to be routed to a header. The 28-QFN has a thermal pad that must be soldered to the ground plane for proper thermal and electrical performance.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone. Engineers evaluating the PIC16F87T-I/ML for new designs or as a long-term replacement for PIC16C7x-era silicon will find drop-in QFN-28 alternatives, parametric comparisons, and a verified pricing snapshot here.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F87T-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 PIC16F87T-I/ML (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, ADC, Internal Oscillator, Program Memory Size.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F87-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.12 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F87-E/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F87T-E/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F88-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F819-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F874A-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.21 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F87T-I/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit enhanced mid-range |
| Core Size | 8-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns |
| Program Memory Size | 7 KB (4K x 14) |
| Program Memory Type | Flash |
| RAM Size | 368 bytes (368 x 8) |
| EEPROM Size | 256 bytes (256 x 8) |
| Number of I/O Pins | 16 |
| Supply Voltage (Vdd) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) |
| Connectivity | I²C, SPI, USART |
| Peripherals | Brown-out Detect/Reset, POR, PWM, WDT |
| Package | 28-QFN (6x6 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Instruction Set Size | 35 single-word instructions |
| Oscillator Type | Internal and external |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16F87T-I/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 3 / ADC reference positive |
| Pin 2 | RA4/T0CKI — Bidirectional I/O / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 3 | RA5/AN4/SS — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 4 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 4 | RA0/AN0 — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 0 |
| Pin 5 | RA1/AN1 — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 1 |
| Pin 6 | RA2/AN2/VREF- — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 2 / ADC reference negative |
| Pin 7 | Vss — Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | OSC1/CLKI — Crystal oscillator input / external clock input |
| Pin 9 | OSC2/CLKO — Crystal oscillator output / clock output |
| Pin 10 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — Bidirectional I/O / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 11 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — Bidirectional I/O / Timer1 oscillator input / Capture-Compare-PWM 2 |
| Pin 12 | RC2/CCP1 — Bidirectional I/O / Capture-Compare-PWM 1 |
| Pin 13 | RC3/SCK/SCL — Bidirectional I/O / SPI clock / I²C clock |
| Pin 14 | RC4/SDI/SDA — Bidirectional I/O / SPI data in / I²C data |
| Pin 15 | RC5/SDO — Bidirectional I/O / SPI data out |
| Pin 16 | RC6/TX/CK — Bidirectional I/O / USART transmit / USART clock |
| Pin 17 | RC7/RX/DT — Bidirectional I/O / USART receive / USART data |
| Pin 18 | RB7/PGD — Bidirectional I/O / ICSP data |
| Pin 19 | RB6/PGC — Bidirectional I/O / ICSP clock |
| Pin 20 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 21 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 22 | RB3/CCP1 — Bidirectional I/O / Capture-Compare-PWM 1 (alternate) |
| Pin 23 | RB2 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 24 | RB1 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 25 | RB0/INT — Bidirectional I/O / External interrupt |
| Pin 26 | Vdd — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 27 | MCLR/Vpp — Master clear reset / ICSP programming voltage |
| Pin 28 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
PIC16F87T-I/ML is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Sensor Interface Node, Consumer Appliance Control Board, Battery-Powered Remote Sensor Tag, Automotive Body Electronics Subsystem, Legacy PIC16C7x Replacement, Simple HMI Panel with PWM Indicators, Educational and Development Platform.
Industrial Sensor Interface Node
The PIC16F87T-I/ML fits industrial sensor interface nodes because its 16 digital I/O pins handle multiple discrete sensors and actuators while the 7 KB Flash stores sensor linearization tables and Modbus or proprietary protocol stacks. The 20 MHz core executes instructions in 200 ns, fast enough for sub-millisecond response to limit-switch events in factory-automation cells. The I²C and SPI peripherals connect to digital temperature sensors, accelerometers, and external ADC chips without external glue logic. The industrial -40°C to +85°C grade tolerates cabinet environments near motor drives. NanoWatt sleep modes drop consumption to microampere levels between sensor reads, supporting 4-20 mA loop-powered designs. Pair with a PIC16F87-I/ML (tube) for prototypes and switch to PIC16F87T-I/ML for SMT production.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control Board
The PIC16F87T-I/ML is well suited for consumer appliance controllers such as coffee makers, microwave ovens, washing-machine user-interface panels, and air-conditioner remote receivers. Its PWM peripherals drive LED indicators, buzzer tones, and triac-based heater/valve control without additional timers. The 256-byte EEPROM stores user preferences (fan speed, brew strength, timer presets) across power cycles. Operating from 2.0 V to 5.5 V lets the design use a single 3.3 V regulator or a 5 V supply derived from the appliance's main rail. The 35-instruction set keeps firmware small and fast to develop, ideal for cost-sensitive high-volume SKUs. The QFN-28 (6x6 mm) footprint enables compact control boards behind membrane keypads.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Remote Sensor Tag
For battery-powered remote sensor tags, the PIC16F87T-I/ML leverages its nanoWatt Technology feature set to enter sleep modes drawing microampere-level current between measurement cycles, extending coin-cell or AA battery life to multiple years. The internal 8 MHz oscillator eliminates an external crystal, reducing BOM cost and board area in sealed IP67 enclosures. The 368-byte SRAM is sufficient for buffering sensor bursts before transmitting via SPI to a sub-GHz radio module such as the MRF89XA. Industrial temperature range supports outdoor deployments. Brown-out detect protects against low-battery brown-outs that could corrupt EEPROM-stored calibration data. The 28-QFN package's small footprint suits miniaturized tags.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics Subsystem
Within automotive body electronics (non-safety domains such as interior lighting, mirror controllers, seat-position memories, or HVAC blend-door actuators), the PIC16F87T-I/ML's automotive-grade heritage and industrial temperature range make it acceptable for cabin environments. The PWM outputs drive LED dimming and small DC motors directly through MOSFET drivers. The USART links to other ECUs over LIN-bus via an external LIN transceiver. The 7 KB Flash accommodates CAN/LIN message-handling state machines plus diagnostic routines (UDS-compatible). The extended temperature variant PIC16F87T-E/ML is preferred for under-hood nodes. The QFN-28 is small enough for integration into mirror-glass modules or overhead console assemblies.
Recommended
Legacy PIC16C7x Replacement
The PIC16F87T-I/ML serves as a drop-in modern replacement for legacy PIC16C7x OTP (one-time programmable) designs that have reached end-of-life or where firmware updates are needed. Its enhanced mid-range core is upward compatible with the C7x instruction set, preserving existing firmware logic while adding Flash reprogrammability via ICSP. The 28-QFN footprint is interchangeable with 28-pin DIP adapter boards, easing migration from through-hole legacy designs. The 7 KB Flash and 368-byte RAM exceed the resources of typical C7x applications, providing headroom for new features. Brown-out detect and the internal oscillator simplify designs previously requiring external reset supervisors and crystals.
Recommended
Simple HMI Panel with PWM Indicators
For simple human-machine interface panels using PWM-driven LED brightness, RGB color mixing, or buzzer tone generation, the PIC16F87T-I/ML provides enough PWM channels and CPU bandwidth. The 20 MHz core comfortably generates 8-bit PWM at typical 1 kHz update rates without CPU loading. The 256-byte EEPROM stores user-defined color presets and brightness curves. The I²C peripheral can drive a small character LCD or OLED display via an I/O expander. SPI supports SD card or external Flash for storing bitmap icons. Industrial temperature tolerance suits factory floor panels. The compact QFN-28 (6x6 mm) allows panel miniaturization where space behind the front bezel is limited.
Recommended
Educational and Development Platform
The PIC16F87T-I/ML is suitable for embedded-systems education and hobbyist development boards because of its simple 35-instruction set, abundant online learning resources, and free MPLAB X IDE toolchain. Its 7 KB Flash and 368-byte RAM are large enough to teach multitasking concepts, real-time operating systems (RTOS) kernels, and communication protocol stacks. The QFN-28 package on a breakout board exposes all I/O to 0.1-inch headers for breadboard compatibility. The ICSP interface allows students to iteratively program and debug without chip removal. The industrial temperature grade handles classroom and lab environments without thermal issues.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F87T-I/ML — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F87-I/ML | PIC16F87-E/ML | PIC16F88-I/ML | PIC16F819-I/ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | 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 |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB (4K x 14) | 7 KB | 7 KB | 14 KB (+100%) | 3.5 KB (-50%) |
| RAM | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 256 bytes (-30%) |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Maximum Clock | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Temperature Grade | -40°C to +85°C (Industrial) | -40°C to +85°C (Industrial) | -40°C to +125°C (Extended) | -40°C to +85°C (Industrial) | -40°C to +85°C (Industrial) |
| Packaging Format | Tape & Reel | Tube | Tube | Tube | Tube |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade in tape-and-reel packaging (vs PIC16F87-I/ML (tube variant))
- 7 KB Flash with full nanoWatt feature set (vs PIC16F819-I/ML)
- Mature 35-instruction enhanced mid-range core (vs PIC16F88-I/ML)
Design Notes
The 28-QFN (6x6 mm) package features an exposed thermal pad on the underside that MUST be soldered to a PCB ground pad for both electrical reference and thermal dissipation. Per IPC-7351 guidelines for QFN land patterns, the pad should be a 4.0 x 4.0 mm rectangle with a via-array (typically 5x5 grid of 0.3 mm vias) connecting to the internal ground plane. Insufficient solder joint formation on the thermal pad is the leading cause of QFN reliability failures. Use a stencil aperture of approximately 80% pad coverage with solder paste, and verify post-reflow that the pad shows good solder fillet along all four edges via X-ray inspection for high-reliability designs.
Do not confuse the PIC16F87T-I/ML (industrial temperature, tape-and-reel) with the PIC16F87T-E/ML (extended temperature, tape-and-reel) or the PIC16F87-I/ML (industrial temperature, tube). The temperature grade ("I" vs "E") changes the guaranteed operating range, which matters for outdoor enclosures, under-hood automotive nodes, and industrial cabinets near heat sources. Also note that the MCLR pin (pin 27) is a RESET input, not a programming-only pin; in normal operation it must be pulled high through a 10 kΩ resistor to Vdd, with a 100 nF capacitor to ground for noise filtering. Leaving MCLR floating or hard-wired to Vdd without the resistor can prevent proper reset and ICSP operation.
For designs using the USART at high baud rates (>115200) or SPI at clock rates above 1 MHz, keep the trace lengths from RC6/RC7 (USART) and RC3/RC4/RC5 (SPI/I²C) under 50 mm and route them over a continuous ground plane to minimize reflections and EMI. Add 22-33 Ω series damping resistors at the driver end if the traces must extend further. For I²C bus runs longer than 100 mm, increase the pull-up resistor value calculation to account for total bus capacitance and verify against the SMBus/I²C specification rise-time limits (300 ns max for standard mode, 1000 ns max for Fast mode at 400 kHz).
Estimated: at 20 MHz with Vdd = 5.0 V, the PIC16F87T-I/ML typical supply current is approximately 10 mA active (per datasheet typical curves), translating to roughly 50 mW active power. In sleep mode with peripherals disabled, consumption drops to under 1 µA, making it suitable for battery-powered sensor nodes where the MCU spends >99% of its time asleep. To optimize sleep current, disable all unused peripherals via their enable bits, switch I/O pins to outputs driving known levels (avoid floating inputs that can drift and cause shoot-through current), and configure the watchdog timer for the longest acceptable interval or disable it entirely if wake-up comes from an external interrupt. Add a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the Vdd pin (pin 26), with a bulk 10 µF tantalum or aluminum polymer cap at the regulator output.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Microchip product declaration. Standard industrial temperature grade; not AEC-Q100 qualified - choose AEC-Q100 qualified PIC16 variants for automotive safety applications. Microchip's quality system is QS-9000 compliant for PICmicro 8-bit MCUs.
