PIC16LC620A-04/P - 8-bit OTP MCU, 4 MHz, 18-PDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LC620A-04/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.1 | $2.10 |
| 10 | $1.95 | $19.50 |
| 100 | $1.72 | $172.00 |
| 500 | $1.48 | $740.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.3 | $1,300.00 |
PIC16LC620A-04/P Overview
An OTP microcontroller is a programmable MCU whose program memory can be written exactly once, typically during board production or low-volume prototyping. The PIC16C/PIC16LC family belongs to Microchip's mid-range 8-bit architecture, sitting between the baseline PIC10/12/16 families and the higher-end PIC18 family in the broader 8-bit MCU taxonomy, which itself rests under embedded microcontrollers and CMOS logic. The "LC" prefix denotes an extended low-voltage CMOS variant that supports battery-friendly supply rails while remaining code-compatible with the PIC16C620A baseline.
Key features include 35 single-cycle instructions, 12-bit wide instruction words with an 8-bit data path, two comparators with programmable reference, an 8-bit timer/counter, a 16-bit timer/counter, and a watchdog timer with its own on-chip RC oscillator. Brown-out reset and power-on reset simplify board-level firmware reliability. The 18-PDIP footprint (.300 inch) supports legacy through-hole designs, hobbyist prototyping, and educational platforms where socketed parts are commonly used.
The PIC16LC620A-04/P uses a RISC-style Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, allowing the CPU to fetch the next instruction while accessing the current data memory. The internal oscillator option and flexible I/O mapping reduce external component count, and the low-power CMOS process enables low quiescent current for standby operation in battery-backed equipment.
Typical applications include industrial control logic, automotive body modules (non-safety), sensor conditioning front-ends, low-cost consumer appliances, hobby electronics, and legacy product maintenance. The through-hole PDIP package is also widely used in educational lab kits where the device is frequently re-socketed. The OTP memory suits low-to-medium production volumes where firmware is finalized and frequent re-programming is not required.
When designing with this part, choose an external clock source or crystal consistent with the 4 MHz maximum specification. Ensure the OTP programming algorithm uses Microchip's standard VPP/VDD sequencing, and account for the two-level hardware stack limit when writing firmware that depends on deep subroutines. Verify brown-out reset voltage thresholds against the lowest expected supply rail.
This page consolidates distributor pricing as of 2026-09-22, drop-in alternatives sourced from Microchip's mid-range PIC16 family, and practical design notes that extend beyond the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LC620A-04/P — 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 PIC16LC620A-04/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature Range, Program Memory Size, Core Architecture, Instruction Cycle Time, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LC620-04I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC620-04E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC620-04/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C620A-04/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F627A-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LC620A-04/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | PIC16C |
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC RISC |
| Core Processor | PIC |
| Core Size | 8-bit |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 4 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns (single-cycle, except branches) |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (EPROM-based) |
| Program Memory Size | 896 bytes (512 × 14) |
| RAM Size | 96 bytes |
| I/O Pins | 13 |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 6.25 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | 0 °C to +70 °C (commercial) |
| Package Type | 18-pin PDIP (DIP-18) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Instruction Set Width | 12-bit instructions, 8-bit data path |
| Number of Instructions | 35 |
| Stack Depth | 2-level hardware stack |
| On-chip Peripherals | 2 comparators, 8-bit TMR0, 16-bit TMR1, watchdog timer |
| RoHS Status | Not compliant (legacy OTP product) |
| Pin Count | 18 |
PIC16LC620A-04/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2/AN2/CVREF — Bidirectional I/O / analog input / comparator reference output |
| Pin 2 | RA3/AN3/C1OUT — Bidirectional I/O / analog input / comparator 1 output |
| Pin 3 | RA4/T0CKI — Bidirectional I/O / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 4 | RA5/MCLR/VPP — Bidirectional I/O / master clear (reset) / programming voltage input |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0/INT — Bidirectional I/O / external interrupt input |
| Pin 7 | RB1 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 8 | RB2 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 9 | RB3/PGM — Bidirectional I/O / low-voltage programming input |
| Pin 10 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 11 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 12 | RB6/PGC — Bidirectional I/O / ICSP clock input |
| Pin 13 | RB7/PGD — Bidirectional I/O / ICSP data input/output |
| Pin 14 | VSS — Ground reference (secondary) |
| Pin 15 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal output / clock output |
| Pin 16 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal input / external clock input |
| Pin 17 | RA0/AN0 — Bidirectional I/O / analog input 0 |
| Pin 18 | RA1/AN1 — Bidirectional I/O / analog input 1 |
Typical Applications
PIC16LC620A-04/P is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control Logic, Appliance and Consumer Electronics, Hobby Electronics and Educational Kits, Sensor Conditioning Front-Ends, Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety), Legacy Product Maintenance and Bridge Designs.
Industrial Control Logic
The PIC16LC620A-04/P fits industrial control logic applications that need a deterministic 8-bit RISC core with simple I/O expansion and a wide 2.5-6.25 V supply tolerance for noisy 24 V-derived rails. Its 13 I/O pins drive relays, optocouplers, and discrete logic directly through current-limited pins, while the 896-byte OTP memory holds tightly-scoped ladder-logic replacements for small PLCs and remote sensor nodes. The 4 MHz clock and 200 ns instruction cycle are fast enough for closed-loop PID at modest sampling rates, and the on-chip comparators simplify threshold detection on analog sensor inputs without external op-amps. Compared with higher-pin-count PIC18 parts, the LC620A reduces BOM cost in distributed I/O slices where each node is doing one job.
Recommended
Appliance and Consumer Electronics
In appliance front-panels, washing-machine sub-controllers, and small kitchen electronics, the PIC16LC620A-04/P delivers enough compute for keypad scanning, LED multiplexing, and basic timer sequencing at a price point competitive with bare-logic implementations. The OTP memory locks firmware at production, which protects against field tampering - a value in commercial-grade appliances where firmware must remain stable across the product's warranty window. The two on-chip comparators can monitor line-voltage-derived signals for over-current or zero-cross detection, and the 8-bit/16-bit timers cover wash-cycle, fan-speed PWM, and buzzer-tone generation without external peripherals.
Recommended
Hobby Electronics and Educational Kits
The PIC16LC620A-04/P is widely used in university microcontroller labs and hobby electronics because the 18-pin PDIP is breadboard-friendly, socketed, and easy to swap. Students can program the part with low-cost programmers (PICkit 1/2/3) and the MPLAB IDE, learning assembly language on a 35-instruction RISC core without the complexity of modern Cortex-M parts. The 13 I/O pins support typical lab experiments: 7-segment displays, servo PWM, and UART bit-banging. The OTP memory encourages disciplined firmware versioning because code cannot be patched on-the-fly - the lesson that shaped an entire generation of embedded engineers.
Recommended
Sensor Conditioning Front-Ends
The PIC16LC620A-04/P works well as a low-cost sensor signal-conditioning front-end that digitizes analog inputs, applies linearization in firmware, and outputs a clean PWM or UART signal to a higher-tier controller. The two on-chip comparators with programmable reference simplify window-discriminator designs for temperature, pressure, or optical sensors without adding external analog ICs. The 96-byte RAM supports small lookup tables for sensor linearization curves, and the 4 MHz instruction rate allows oversampling at modest sensor bandwidths. Low quiescent current from the CMOS process lets the MCU stay in sleep mode between readings in battery-powered sensor nodes.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety)
The PIC16LC620A-04/P appears in automotive body-control modules for non-safety functions such as interior lighting, mirror adjust, and seat-position memory, where its 2.5-6.25 V supply range tolerates load-dump and cranking transients on the 12 V bus when paired with external regulation. While the part is not AEC-Q100 qualified, it is used in pre-2010 vehicle platforms that predate widespread automotive-grade MCU requirements, or in aftermarket accessories. The 35-instruction RISC core simplifies MISRA-style coding audits compared with complex instruction sets, which is helpful for vendors managing legacy automotive firmware. New designs should migrate to AEC-Q100 qualified PIC16F or dsPIC parts.
Recommended
Legacy Product Maintenance and Bridge Designs
When maintaining or replicating legacy products whose firmware was developed on the PIC16LC620A-04/P, the part remains the safest source-compatible choice. Because OTP memory cannot be re-read or patched, exact die replacements are essential for warranty repairs on installed equipment; the PIC16LC620A-04/P and its siblings (PIC16LC620-04I/P, PIC16C620A-04/P) are the only fully verified substitutes. For new bridge designs that add modern peripherals while keeping the original firmware call signature, pairing the LC620A with a higher-end PIC16F or PIC18 co-processor via UART creates a backward-compatible field upgrade without invalidating the OTP-coded base unit.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LC620A-04/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LC620-04I/P | PIC16LC620-04E/P | PIC16LC620-04/SS | PIC16C620A-04/P | PIC16F627A-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | PDIP-18 | PDIP-18 (same) | PDIP-18 (same) | PDIP-18 (same) | PDIP-18 (same) | PDIP-18 (same) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory | 896 B OTP | 896 B OTP | 896 B OTP | 896 B OTP | 896 B OTP | 1.75 KB Flash |
| Maximum Clock | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 20 MHz |
| RAM Size | 96 B | 96 B | 96 B | 96 B | 96 B | 224 B |
| Internal Oscillator | No | No | No | No | No | Yes (4 MHz internal) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) | -40 °C to +125 °C (Extended) | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +70 °C (Commercial) | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V to 6.25 V | 2.5 V to 6.25 V | 2.5 V to 6.25 V | 2.5 V to 6.25 V | 3.0 V to 6.0 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Approx Unit Price (USD, qty 1, 2026-09) | 2.10 | 2.20 | 2.30 | 2.05 | 1.95 | 2.40 |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost OTP option in PIC16C62X family (vs PIC16F627A-I/P)
- Wide 2.5 V to 6.25 V supply range for battery-derived rails (vs PIC16C620A-04/P)
- Through-hole PDIP package suits legacy and educational sockets (vs PIC16F627A-I/SS)
- Two on-chip analog comparators with programmable reference (vs PIC16F84A-04/P)
Design Notes
The PIC16LC620A-04/P operates from 2.5 V to 6.25 V; design the LDO or linear regulator headroom so that cranking transients on automotive 12 V buses do not push VDD above 6.5 V (the absolute maximum). Add a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of VDD (pin 14) and a 10 µF bulk capacitor near the IC, observing the datasheet's recommended PCB layout pattern. Brown-out reset should be configured for a threshold just above the minimum VDD required for stable oscillator operation.
OTP memory can be programmed only once; verify the firmware image with a windowed EPROM part or a flash-equivalent PIC16F627A-I/P before committing to production programming. The two-level hardware stack means deep call chains will overwrite the return PC - refactor long call chains into iterative loops or use PIC18 parts with a 31-level stack for complex state machines. The internal POR and BOR trip voltages must be configured per the actual supply rail, otherwise spurious resets can occur on slow-ramping supplies.
Keep the OSC1/OSC2 traces short and surrounded by ground pour to reduce EMI susceptibility; place the crystal within 5 mm of the IC. For RC oscillator mode, place the resistor and capacitor close to OSC1 to minimize stray capacitance. The MCLR pin (RA5/MCLR/VPP) needs a 10 kΩ pull-up to VDD for normal operation; during ICSP, the programmer drives this pin to VPP (typically 13.5 V) so a clamping diode to VDD plus a small series resistor is recommended to protect the on-chip ESD structure during in-circuit programming.
When the PIC16LC620A-04/P is bit-banging UART or driving long cables from its I/O pins, add series resistors (100 Ω to 470 Ω) at the driver output to dampen ringing on the cable's characteristic impedance. For PWM-driven loads, the totem-pole output structure supports 25 mA sink/source per pin, but exceeding the absolute maximum total package current (200 mA) can cause voltage drift on VDD - sum the per-pin currents before connecting high-current loads, and use external drivers for relays or solenoids.
Compliance Information
PIC16LC620A-04/P is a legacy Microchip OTP product generally listed as non-RoHS because of the PDIP-18 tin-lead lead finish; the part is not AEC-Q100 qualified and is recommended for non-safety automotive and industrial applications only. REACH compliance and conflict-minerals status follow Microchip's standard corporate disclosures for the PIC16 family.
