PIC16LC72T-04I/SS - 4MHz 8-Bit OTP MCU, 3.5KB | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LC72T-04I/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.95 | $3.95 |
| 10 | $3.55 | $35.50 |
| 100 | $3.05 | $305.00 |
| 500 | $2.6 | $1,300.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.25 | $2,250.00 |
PIC16LC72T-04I/SS Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small computer-on-a-chip built around an 8-bit data bus, typically executing one instruction per clock cycle. Within the broader taxonomy, the PIC16LC72 belongs to the PIC 8-bit mid-range microcontrollers family, which sits inside Microchip's PIC microcontroller portfolio, itself part of the larger microcontroller integrated circuit category in the embedded semiconductor hierarchy. Mid-range PIC devices like this one are widely used in cost-sensitive, deterministic embedded control applications.
Key features of the PIC16LC72T-04I/SS include a brown-out reset (BOR) circuit for reliable operation during supply droops, a watchdog timer (WDT) for code-flow protection, an analog 8-bit ADC with five input channels, and the previously noted SSP block capable of running SPI master/slave or I2C master/slave. The device supports in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) via two pins, enabling field updates and simplified prototyping.
Architecturally, the PIC16LC72T-04I/SS uses a Harvard RISC core with separate program and data buses, allowing instruction fetch and operand read to occur in the same cycle. The 14-bit instruction word and 35-instruction set keep code density high, and the low-power CMOS process enables an extended operating range from -40C to +85C, suitable for industrial environments.
Typical applications include low-cost motor control, battery chargers, SMPS control loops, automotive body electronics, sensor signal conditioning, and small appliances. The PIC16LC72T-04I/SS is particularly well suited for designs that benefit from the PIC ecosystem (MPLAB X IDE, XC8 compiler, MPLAB ICD in-circuit debuggers) and the broad library of application notes.
When designing with this device, ensure decoupling capacitors are placed within 4 mm of the VDD pin and that MCLR is properly pulled up through a resistor. OTP memory cannot be re-programmed, so verify code with a windowed or flash equivalent (such as PIC16F72) during development before committing to OTP for production.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives from the PIC16 family, and practical design notes not consolidated on the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LC72T-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 PIC16LC72T-04I/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Program Memory Size, ADC, Timers.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LC72T-04/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC72-04I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.72 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC72A-04I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC72-04I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.64 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC63A-04I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC622A-04I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.56 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LC72T-04I/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 8-bit Microcontroller (MCU) |
| Series | PIC 16C |
| Program Memory Size | 3.5 KB (2K x 14) OTP |
| RAM Size | 128 bytes |
| I/O Pins | 22 |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 4 MHz |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| ADC | 5-channel, 8-bit |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit, 1 x 16-bit |
| PWM Resolution (max) | 10-bit |
| Serial Interfaces | SSP (SPI, I2C) |
| Brown-Out Reset (BOR) | Yes |
| Watchdog Timer (WDT) | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| Package | 28-SSOP (0.209 inch / 5.30 mm width) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
PIC16LC72T-04I/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/AN0 — Port A bit 0 / ADC input 0 |
| Pin 2 | RA1/AN1 — Port A bit 1 / ADC input 1 |
| Pin 3 | RA2/AN2 — Port A bit 2 / ADC input 2 |
| Pin 4 | RA3/AN3/VREF — Port A bit 3 / ADC input 3 / Voltage reference |
| Pin 5 | RA4/T0CKI — Port A bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 6 | RA5/AN4/SS — Port A bit 5 / ADC input 4 / SSP slave select |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | OSC1/CLKIN — Crystal oscillator input / external clock |
| Pin 9 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Crystal oscillator output / clock out |
| Pin 10 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — Port C bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 11 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — Port C bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 |
| Pin 12 | RC2/CCP1 — Port C bit 2 / CCP1 (PWM output) |
| Pin 13 | RC3/SCK/SCL — Port C bit 3 / SSP SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 14 | RC4/SDI/SDA — Port C bit 4 / SSP SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 15 | RC5/SDO — Port C bit 5 / SSP SPI data out |
| Pin 16 | RC6 — Port C bit 6 |
| Pin 17 | RC7 — Port C bit 7 |
| Pin 18 | VSS — Ground reference (second) |
| Pin 19 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 20 | RB0/INT — Port B bit 0 / External interrupt |
| Pin 21 | RB1 — Port B bit 1 |
| Pin 22 | RB2 — Port B bit 2 |
| Pin 23 | RB3 — Port B bit 3 |
| Pin 24 | RB4 — Port B bit 4 |
| Pin 25 | RB5 — Port B bit 5 |
| Pin 26 | RB6/PGC — Port B bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 27 | RB7/PGD — Port B bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 28 | MCLR/VPP/RA6 — Master clear (reset) / programming voltage / Port A bit 6 |
Typical Applications
PIC16LC72T-04I/SS is suitable for 7 applications: Small Appliance Motor Control, Battery Charger Control, SMPS Control Loops, Automotive Body Electronics, Sensor Signal Conditioning, Consumer Appliance Control, Industrial Sensor Hubs.
Small Appliance Motor Control
The PIC16LC72T-04I/SS is well matched to low-cost small-appliance motor control, where its 5-channel 8-bit ADC samples back-EMF or current-sense signals and the 16-bit TMR1 plus CCP module generates PWM up to 10-bit resolution for speed regulation. Operating from 2.5 V to 5.5 V, it tolerates direct connection to rectified mains-derived rails common in blenders, fans, and pumps. The brown-out reset prevents erratic behavior during line droop, while the 128-byte RAM keeps the commutation state machine compact. Industrial -40C to +85C operation extends reliability to garage or outdoor tools.
Recommended
Battery Charger Control
In single- and multi-cell battery charger designs, the PIC16LC72T-04I/SS monitors cell voltage and current through its 5-channel ADC and drives charge FETs via PWM from the CCP module. The 4 MHz clock supports deterministic control-loop timing at 1 microsecond instruction cycles. Brown-out reset is essential to abort charging if the input supply collapses, preventing over-discharge of the cells. The LC low-voltage variant covers 2.5 V to 5.5 V, suitable for 2-cell Li-ion packs directly. The SSP port connects to a host-side I2C battery monitor for telemetry.
Recommended
SMPS Control Loops
The PIC16LC72T-04I/SS serves as a digital controller for low-power switch-mode power supplies, using its 10-bit PWM from the CCP module to drive a primary-side MOSFET and its 5-channel ADC to sense output voltage, current, and auxiliary winding. With 35 instructions and Harvard architecture, each PWM-update decision completes in well under one microsecond at 4 MHz, leaving ample headroom for average-current-mode control. BOR and watchdog timer together protect against runaway duty cycles during firmware faults. Industrial temperature range suits DIN-rail industrial SMPS applications.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
Although the PIC16LC72T-04I/SS is not AEC-Q100 qualified, it is widely deployed in non-safety automotive body-electronics applications such as interior lighting, mirror adjustment, and seat-position memories where industrial -40C to +85C operation suffices. The 22 I/O pins drive multiple LEDs, switches, and H-bridge channels directly, while the 5-channel ADC reads multiplexed switch panels. Brown-out reset handles crank-droop events, and ICSP allows end-of-line programming and field firmware updates.
Recommended
Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC16LC72T-04I/SS acts as a low-cost smart-sensor node, sampling up to five analog inputs (temperature, humidity, pressure, or strain gauge) through its 8-bit ADC and transmitting the processed data over the SSP-supported I2C or SPI bus to a host processor. With 128 bytes of RAM it can hold rolling averages and threshold flags without external memory. The Harvard RISC core runs linearization polynomials in real time, and brown-out reset guarantees clean restart after battery swap. Industrial temperature range suits outdoor environmental sensors.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control
The PIC16LC72T-04I/SS is a natural fit for consumer appliances such as coffee makers, toasters, and microwave ovens, where the MCU must read keypad inputs, drive seven-segment or dot-matrix displays, time cook cycles, and toggle relay outputs. The 22 I/O pins accommodate a matrix keypad plus multiple high-side relay drives, while the 16-bit TMR1 enables precise timing for cooking profiles. The BOR circuit prevents partial-cook states during brown-out, and ICSP allows factory calibration of timing constants per SKU.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Hubs
The PIC16LC72T-04I/SS can act as a hub MCU on industrial sensor modules, aggregating data from multiple analog and digital sensors and forwarding the result over I2C or SPI to a PLC. The 5-channel ADC handles local analog sensors, and the remaining 17 I/O pins connect to digital sensors or a status LED bank. Industrial temperature range and brown-out reset are mandatory for factory-floor operation. The SSP port is multi-master capable, so additional hubs can be daisy-chained for distributed I/O.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LC72T-04I/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LC72T-04/SS | PIC16LC72-04I/SS | PIC16LC72A-04I/SS | PIC16LC63A-04I/SS | PIC16LC622A-04I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SSOP | 28-SSOP (same) | 28-SSOP (same) | 28-SSOP (same) | 28-SSOP (same) | 28-SSOP (same) |
| Program Memory | 3.5 KB OTP | 3.5 KB OTP | 3.5 KB OTP | 3.5 KB OTP | 7 KB OTP | 3.5 KB OTP |
| RAM Size | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 192 bytes | 128 bytes |
| Max Clock Frequency | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz | 4 MHz |
| 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 | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| ADC | 5 ch, 8-bit | 5 ch, 8-bit | 5 ch, 8-bit | 5 ch, 8-bit | 5 ch, 8-bit | 5 ch, 8-bit |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | 0 C to +70 C (Commercial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| ICSP Support | Yes (RB6/RB7) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade in 28-SSOP tape-and-reel (vs PIC16LC72T-04/SS)
- Tape-and-reel packaging for SMT production (vs PIC16LC72-04I/SS)
- Larger 7 KB code space option available in same package (vs PIC16LC63A-04I/SS)
Design Notes
Estimated: the PIC16LC72T-04I/SS draws approximately 2 mA at 5 V and 4 MHz, dropping to around 15 microA in sleep. Place a 0.1 uF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 4 mm of the VDD pin (pin 19) and a bulk 10 uF tantalum or ceramic on the same VDD trace to suppress digital switching noise. The AVDD/AVSS pair (when used for ADC reference) should be decoupled with a separate 0.1 uF + 10 uF pair to keep ADC readings stable, and the analog and digital ground returns should join at a single point near the MCU.
For 28-SSOP layout, allocate at least 0.20 inch (5.1 mm) of PCB width and follow the SSOP land pattern with 0.025 inch pitch pads. Keep crystal traces on the same layer as the MCU and as short as possible (under 10 mm), with a ground pour surrounding them to reduce EMI. Route the ICSP pins RB6/PGC and RB7/PGD to a 0.1 inch header or test pad so a PICkit programmer can be attached without rework. Maintain a clear keep-out around the ADC analog inputs (RA0-RA5) to avoid digital coupling into the sample capacitor.
Three pitfalls deserve attention when designing with the PIC16LC72T-04I/SS: (1) OTP memory cannot be erased - verify firmware on a flash-equipped PIC16F72 (same 28-SSOP pinout) before committing to OTP for production, (2) MCLR must be pulled to VDD through a 10 kohm resistor (not directly tied) to allow ICSP programmer reset, and (3) PORTA pins RA0-RA5 default to analog mode after reset; configure ADCON1 to digital-only when using them as GPIO, or the pins will appear floating. Brown-out reset must be enabled in the configuration word for reliable operation.
Compliance Information
RoHS status not stated in the verified web data (markers used). The PIC16LC72T-04I/SS is NOT AEC-Q100 qualified; do not use in automotive safety applications.
