PIC16LC620A-04I/SS - 8-bit OTP MCU, 896B, 4MHz, SSOP-20 | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LC620A-04I/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.45 | $2.45 |
| 10 | $2.18 | $21.80 |
| 100 | $1.92 | $192.00 |
| 500 | $1.71 | $855.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.55 | $1,550.00 |
PIC16LC620A-04I/SS Overview
An MCU (microcontroller) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program memory, working RAM, and peripheral I/O on one die. The PIC16C architecture belongs to the PIC10/12/16 family of RISC microcontrollers, which sits inside the broader 8-bit microcontroller category. 8-bit MCUs continue to dominate cost-sensitive, deterministic, low-power embedded designs - especially where code density and ease of programming outweigh raw throughput. Within that family, OTP (One-Time Programmable) variants such as the PIC16LC620A are intended for volume production where field firmware updates are not required and per-unit programming cost must remain low.
Key features include a 35-instruction RISC core, single-cycle execution except for program branches (200 ns instruction cycle at 20 MHz input clock), a two-level hardware stack, and a programmable watchdog timer. The wide operating voltage range of 2.5V to 6.25V allows direct connection to both 3.3V and 5V rails, while the internal comparator and 8-bit timer modules support mixed-signal designs. Two comparators with programmable reference voltages provide analog signal conditioning without external op-amps.
Typical applications include automotive interior lighting controllers, appliance user-interface panels, simple sensor conditioning, battery-powered instrumentation, and stand-alone logic-replacement boards. The 13 I/O pins easily drive LED arrays, key-scan matrices, and low-speed serial interfaces such as UART or I2C in master mode. The PIC16LC620A-04I/SS (industrial temperature grade -40C to +85C) is suitable for environments where the commercial-grade /04 version cannot operate.
When migrating code, note that the 'LC' suffix denotes the low-voltage CMOS variant and that the 'I' suffix is the industrial temperature grade. For new designs consider flash-based PIC16F equivalents to simplify firmware iteration during prototyping.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LC620A-04I/SS — 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-04I/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Program Memory Size, Operating Temperature Range, Program Memory Type, RAM Size.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LC620A-04/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.74 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC620A-04E/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LC620A-04E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.07 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC620-04I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F627A-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.12 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C622A-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LC620A-04/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC620A-04I/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | PIC16C (PIC16LC620A) |
| Core | 8-bit RISC PIC |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time Programmable EPROM) |
| Program Memory Size | 896 B (512 x 14) |
| RAM Size | 96 B |
| EEPROM Size | None |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 4 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 1 us at 4 MHz (200 ns at 20 MHz reference) |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 6.25 V |
| I/O Pins | 13 |
| Timers | 8-bit x 1, WDT |
| Comparators | 2 internal |
| ADC | None |
| Instruction Set Width | 14-bit |
| Stack Depth | 2 levels (hardware) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +85 C (industrial, I grade) |
| Package | 20-pin SSOP (5.30 mm body) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LC620A-04I/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5/MCLR/VPP — General purpose I/O / Master Clear (Reset) input / Programming voltage input |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — General purpose I/O / Analog comparator input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — General purpose I/O / Analog comparator input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 — General purpose I/O / Analog comparator input 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3 — General purpose I/O / Analog comparator input 3 |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — General purpose I/O / Timer 0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal input / external clock input |
| Pin 9 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal output / clock output (Fosc/4) |
| Pin 10 | RB0/INT — General purpose I/O / External interrupt input |
| Pin 11 | RB1 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 12 | RB2 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 13 | RB3 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 14 | RB4 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 15 | RB5 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 16 | RB6 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 17 | RB7 — General purpose I/O |
| Pin 18 | VSS — Ground reference (secondary) |
| Pin 19 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (2.5 V to 6.25 V) |
| Pin 20 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet, reserved) |
Typical Applications
PIC16LC620A-04I/SS is suitable for 7 applications: Automotive Interior Lighting Controller, Home Appliance User-Interface Panel, Battery-Powered Sensor Node, Standalone Logic Replacement Board, Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, Smart Card Reader / Access Control, Educational and Hobby Development Boards.
Automotive Interior Lighting Controller
The PIC16LC620A-04I/SS is well-suited to automotive interior lighting controllers where its 13 digital I/O pins can directly drive LED strings via discrete MOSFETs or bipolar transistors. The 2.5 V to 6.25 V supply range accepts a regulated 5 V automotive body rail directly, while the industrial -40 C to +85 C temperature grade covers cabin environments. The two internal comparators implement current-sense feedback for short-circuit protection, and the 96 B RAM holds dimming state across key-cycle events without external EEPROM.
Recommended
Home Appliance User-Interface Panel
For washing-machine or microwave front-panel controllers, the PIC16LC620A-04I/SS provides enough I/O (13 pins) for a 4x4 key-scan matrix plus 7-segment or LED bar indicators. The 35-instruction RISC core executes state-machine logic in single cycles (1 us at 4 MHz), keeping keypad response below 10 ms. OTP memory protects firmware IP at zero ongoing cost, while the two comparators detect line-voltage zero-cross events without an external op-amp.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Sensor Node
The PIC16LC620A-04I/SS supports low-power sensor nodes powered from 3.3 V lithium or 5 V USB supplies, with the watchdog timer enabling sleep-mode duty cycling below 1 uA. Its 2.5 V minimum supply voltage extends useful battery life when cells droop under load. The two comparators interface directly to thermocouples or photodiodes for threshold detection, and the 8-bit timer captures pulse-train sensor outputs without CPU overhead.
Recommended
Standalone Logic Replacement Board
Where designers are migrating 74HC logic gates to a single programmable part, the PIC16LC620A-04I/SS offers 13 I/O, 96 B RAM, and 512 instruction words (896 B OTP) in a compact SSOP-20. The 1 us instruction cycle replaces 10-20 discrete gates in glue logic while adding configurability via firmware. The 35-instruction RISC core is straightforward for logic-replacement C code, and the wide 2.5 V-6.25 V supply removes the need for level translation.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC16LC620A-04I/SS conditions analog sensor signals via its two internal comparators with programmable voltage references, outputting clean logic-level triggers to a host PLC or counter. The 2.5 V to 6.25 V supply accepts 5 V industrial rails directly, and the industrial -40 C to +85 C temperature range tolerates factory-floor environments. The 8-bit timer captures pulse widths up to 256 us with hardware start, offloading the CPU.
Recommended
Smart Card Reader / Access Control
The PIC16LC620A-04I/SS implements low-cost access-control readers where its OTP memory secures proprietary protocol firmware and its industrial temperature grade supports outdoor installations. The two internal comparators interface directly to magnetic-stripe or Wiegand readers, while the 8-bit timer captures bit-stream timing within 1 us accuracy. The 13 I/O pins drive indicator LEDs, buzzer, and relay outputs from a single device.
Recommended
Educational and Hobby Development Boards
The PIC16LC620A-04I/SS is widely used in educational kits and hobbyist projects where its 35-instruction RISC core teaches fundamentals without overwhelming beginners. Its SSOP-20 footprint is breadboard-friendly with adapter boards, and the wide 2.5 V to 6.25 V supply tolerates both 3.3 V and 5 V USB power sources. The 896 B OTP memory supports complete tutorial projects from blinky LEDs to UART communication, and the industrial temperature grade allows projects to ship in consumer enclosures.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LC620A-04I/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LC620A-04/SS | PIC16LC620A-04E/SS | PIC16LC620-04I/SS | PIC16F627A-I/SS | PIC16C622A-I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-SSOP (5.30 mm) | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - 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 EPROM | 1 KB Flash | 2 KB OTP |
| RAM | 96 B | 96 B | 96 B | 96 B | 128 B | 128 B |
| Maximum Clock | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| 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 | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 6.0 V |
| I/O Pins | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 13 |
| Comparators | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| ADC | None | None | None | None | None | 8-bit, 8 channels |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C | 0 C to +70 C | -40 C to +125 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C |
Key Differentiators
- Wide supply voltage range (2.5 V to 6.25 V) supports both 3.3 V and 5 V rails (vs PIC16C620A (non-L variant))
- Industrial temperature grade -40 C to +85 C suitable for harsh environments (vs PIC16LC620A-04/SS (commercial grade))
- Drop-in flash-based upgrade path without PCB rework (vs PIC16F627A-I/SS)
- 13 I/O pins in SSOP-20 with 35-instruction RISC core (vs PIC16C622A-I/SS)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 4 MHz clock, 5 V supply, and 13 I/O pins sourcing 10 mA each into 5 V logic, total device current is approximately 5 mA core + 130 mA I/O = 135 mA, dissipating about 0.675 W in the SSOP-20. The SSOP-20 thermal resistance of 90 C/W (with minimal copper) limits junction temperature to +85 C at ambient +25 C only when I/O current is below 70 mA total. For higher I/O loading, add a ground-pour heat-spreader under the exposed pad or reduce clock frequency.
Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 19) and a bulk 10 uF capacitor on the same supply trace. For PIC16C62X designs with external crystal oscillator, keep the crystal and load capacitors within 5 mm of OSC1/OSC2 (pins 8 and 9). Route the MCLR/VPP line (pin 1) directly to the reset circuit - avoid long traces that pick up noise and cause spurious resets during OTP programming.
Do not assume the PIC16LC620A-04I/SS can be programmed in-circuit via standard ICSP - the OTP EPROM requires high-voltage programming (VPP = 13 V typical). Use the Microchip MPLAB PM3 or equivalent production programmer with the appropriate programming adapter. Avoid applying external pull-up to MCLR/VPP without a 10 kohm series resistor, as it can interfere with the high-voltage programming pulse during factory programming.
Estimated: SSOP-20 has a 0.65 mm pin pitch, requiring reflow soldering with a fine-pitch stencil. Reserve 0.4 mm solder-pad width with 0.2 mm gaps to prevent solder bridges between adjacent pins. Keep high-current traces (those carrying I/O loads above 20 mA) at least 2 mm away from the oscillator circuit on the same layer to minimize noise injection into the timing-critical analog blocks.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified for automotive safety-critical applications. Lead-free reflow-compatible SSOP-20 package.
