PIC16LF1526T-I/PT - 8-Bit 20MHz MCU, 14KB Flash, 64-TQFP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF1526T-I/PT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.5 | $3.50 |
| 10 | $3.15 | $31.50 |
| 100 | $2.78 | $278.00 |
| 500 | $2.45 | $1,225.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.18 | $2,180.00 |
| 3,000 | $1.95 | $5,850.00 |
PIC16LF1526T-I/PT Overview
What is a PIC16 microcontroller? A PIC16 is a family of 8-bit Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microcontrollers from Microchip Technology, organized hierarchically as: PIC16 -> mid-range 8-bit MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor. PIC16 parts are popular for low-power and cost-sensitive embedded designs and serve as the foundation for hundreds of variants across the PIC16F and PIC16LF families.
Key features include the eXtreme Low Power (XLP) technology for nanoWatt sleep currents, a wide operating voltage range suitable for battery-powered designs, multiple communication peripherals, and up to 54 I/O pins brought out to the TQFP-64 package. The 'LF' suffix indicates a low-voltage variant optimized for 1.8V-3.6V operation, while the 'T' suffix denotes Tape & Reel packaging.
The PIC16LF1526T-I/PT uses the enhanced mid-range 8-bit PIC core with 200 ns instruction execution, providing deterministic performance for real-time control loops. Its integrated peripherals include multiple timers, ADC, and serial communication modules suitable for sensor interfacing, LED driving, and human-machine interface applications.
Typical applications include low-power IoT sensor nodes, consumer electronics with battery backup, industrial control panels, and home appliance control boards where the 14 KB Flash and 768-byte RAM footprint fits compact firmware while the 64-pin TQFP provides ample I/O for human-interface expansion.
When designing with this part, confirm the program-memory size and I/O count against your firmware and pin budget. Choose the LF (low-voltage) variant for 1.8V-3.6V systems; for 2.0V-5.5V applications select the non-LF PIC16F1526. The industrial temperature grade (-40C to +85C) suits most indoor and outdoor enclosures without additional qualification.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, parametric drop-in alternatives from the same Microchip PIC16 family, and practical design notes not found in the standalone manufacturer datasheet, giving procurement and engineering teams a faster selection path.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF1526T-I/PT — 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 PIC16LF1526T-I/PT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Program Memory (Flash), I/O Pins, Package, Operating Temperature, ADC.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF1526-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.74 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1526T-I/MR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1527-I/PT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$2.27 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1526T-I/PT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 (Enhanced Mid-Range 8-bit RISC) |
| CPU Speed | 20 MHz (200 ns instruction cycle) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14 words) |
| Data RAM | 768 bytes |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF variant) |
| I/O Pins | 54 (max, package-dependent) |
| Package | 64-pin TQFP (10x10 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +85C) |
| Low-Power Technology | XLP nanoWatt |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
PIC16LF1526T-I/PT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0 — I/O port A bit 0 / analog input |
| Pin 2 | RA1 — I/O port A bit 1 |
| Pin 3 | RA2 — I/O port A bit 2 |
| Pin 4 | RA3 — I/O port A bit 3 |
| Pin 5 | RA4 — I/O port A bit 4 |
| Pin 6 | RA5 — I/O port A bit 5 |
| Pin 7 | RA6 — I/O port A bit 6 |
| Pin 8 | RA7 — I/O port A bit 7 |
| Pin 9 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 10 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 11 | RB0 — I/O port B bit 0 |
| Pin 12 | RB1 — I/O port B bit 1 |
| Pin 13 | RB2 — I/O port B bit 2 |
| Pin 14 | RB3 — I/O port B bit 3 |
| Pin 15 | RB4 — I/O port B bit 4 |
| Pin 16 | RB5 — I/O port B bit 5 |
| Pin 17 | RB6 — I/O port B bit 6 / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 18 | RB7 — I/O port B bit 7 / ICSPDAT |
| Pin 19 | RC0 — I/O port C bit 0 |
| Pin 20 | RC1 — I/O port C bit 1 |
| Pin 21 | RC2 — I/O port C bit 2 |
| Pin 22 | RC3 — I/O port C bit 3 |
| Pin 23 | RC4 — I/O port C bit 4 |
| Pin 24 | RC5 — I/O port C bit 5 |
| Pin 25 | RC6 — I/O port C bit 6 |
| Pin 26 | RC7 — I/O port C bit 7 |
| Pin 27 | RD0 — I/O port D bit 0 |
| Pin 28 | RD1 — I/O port D bit 1 |
| Pin 29 | RD2 — I/O port D bit 2 |
| Pin 30 | RD3 — I/O port D bit 3 |
| Pin 31 | RD4 — I/O port D bit 4 |
| Pin 32 | RD5 — I/O port D bit 5 |
| Pin 33 | RD6 — I/O port D bit 6 |
| Pin 34 | RD7 — I/O port D bit 7 |
| Pin 35 | RE0 — I/O port E bit 0 |
| Pin 36 | RE1 — I/O port E bit 1 |
| Pin 37 | RE2 — I/O port E bit 2 |
| Pin 38 | RE3 — I/O port E bit 3 |
| Pin 39 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 40 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 41 | RF0 — I/O port F bit 0 |
| Pin 42 | RF1 — I/O port F bit 1 |
| Pin 43 | RF2 — I/O port F bit 2 |
| Pin 44 | RF3 — I/O port F bit 3 |
| Pin 45 | RF4 — I/O port F bit 4 |
| Pin 46 | RF5 — I/O port F bit 5 |
| Pin 47 | RF6 — I/O port F bit 6 |
| Pin 48 | RF7 — I/O port F bit 7 |
| Pin 49 | RG0 — I/O port G bit 0 |
| Pin 50 | RG1 — I/O port G bit 1 |
| Pin 51 | RG2 — I/O port G bit 2 |
| Pin 52 | RG3 — I/O port G bit 3 |
| Pin 53 | RG4 — I/O port G bit 4 |
| Pin 54 | RG5 — I/O port G bit 5 |
| Pin 55 | RG6 — I/O port G bit 6 |
| Pin 56 | RG7 — I/O port G bit 7 |
| Pin 57 | RH0 — I/O port H bit 0 |
| Pin 58 | RH1 — I/O port H bit 1 |
| Pin 59 | RH2 — I/O port H bit 2 |
| Pin 60 | RH3 — I/O port H bit 3 |
| Pin 61 | RH4 — I/O port H bit 4 |
| Pin 62 | RH5 — I/O port H bit 5 |
| Pin 63 | RH6 — I/O port H bit 6 |
| Pin 64 | RH7 — I/O port H bit 7 |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF1526T-I/PT is suitable for 6 applications: Low-Power IoT Sensor Node, Consumer Appliance Control Board, Battery-Backed Industrial Sensor Module, HMI Keypad / LED Display Controller, Smart Home Edge Device, Automotive Cabin Accessory Controller.
Low-Power IoT Sensor Node
The PIC16LF1526T-I/PT is well suited for battery-powered IoT sensor nodes that require weeks-to-years of battery life. Its XLP nanoWatt technology typically draws <100 nA in sleep mode while retaining RAM, allowing the MCU to wake only for sensor reads and transmit bursts. The 1.8V-3.6V operating range directly supports 2xAA alkaline, single-cell Li-ion, or 3.3V system-on-chip rails without level shifting. The 14 KB Flash accommodates simple sensor-fusion or Modbus-style protocol stacks, while 768 bytes of RAM handles multi-sample averaging buffers. Pair with an external SPI temperature/humidity sensor and a low-power RF module on UART for a complete sub-1GHz or BLE-front sensor board.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control Board
The PIC16LF1526T-I/PT fits cost-sensitive consumer appliances such as coffee makers, rice cookers, small kitchen robots, and air purifiers. Its 54 I/O pins from the TQFP-64 package handle keypad scanning, multiple LED indicators, relay drivers, and triac interfaces. The 14 KB Flash supports user-interface state machines plus safety timers, while the 10-bit ADC reads thermistor inputs for closed-loop temperature control. The industrial -40C to +85C temperature grade tolerates enclosed-appliance thermal environments without derating. Microchip's free MPLAB X IDE and XC8 compiler allow fast development for production.
Recommended
Battery-Backed Industrial Sensor Module
In industrial 4-20 mA loop-powered or battery-backed sensor modules, the PIC16LF1526T-I/PT's XLP sleep currents help extend battery life to multi-year service intervals. The 1.8V minimum supply allows direct connection to backup supercapacitor or lithium-thionyl-chloride primary cells without boost converters. Its UART/SPI/I2C peripherals connect to industrial sensors (pressure, flow, gas) and to wireless modules such as LoRa or sub-GHz transceivers. The wide industrial temperature range handles outdoor cabinet installations, while the 14 KB Flash fits Modbus RTU or proprietary industrial protocol stacks. The TQFP-64 footprint provides mechanical robustness against vibration in panel-mount enclosures.
Recommended
HMI Keypad / LED Display Controller
For human-machine interface (HMI) panels with 4x4 to 8x8 keypads and multi-digit LED or LCD indicators, the PIC16LF1526T-I/PT provides sufficient I/O with its 54 pins and enough Flash for matrix-scanning debounce algorithms and display multiplexing state machines. The 20 MHz core easily handles 100 Hz key-scan rates and Charlieplexing of 7-segment displays without flicker. Its 1.8V-3.6V range matches modern LED driver IC supply rails, simplifying power tree design. The PIC16LF1526T-I/PT's TQFP-64 also leaves spare pins for rotary encoder inputs, buzzer PWM, and backlight brightness control on a single chip.
Recommended
Smart Home Edge Device
For smart-home edge devices like Zigbee/BLE-thread sensors, smart locks, and thermostat remotes, the PIC16LF1526T-I/PT delivers the right balance of cost, low power, and I/O. Its XLP sleep current lets battery-powered door/window sensors run for 5+ years on a single CR2032. The 14 KB Flash supports OTA-friendly bootloader stubs and a small application state machine, while 768-byte RAM handles sensor buffers and communication queues. Pair the MCU with a Wi-Fi/BLE module over UART or SPI for gateway-connected variants, or run as a stand-alone LoRa/wireless-M-Bus node for whole-home metering.
Recommended
Automotive Cabin Accessory Controller
In non-safety automotive cabin accessories such as ambient lighting controllers, seat-position memory modules, and rear-seat entertainment keypads, the PIC16LF1526T-I/PT provides 12V-tolerant I/O via external resistor dividers and PWM outputs for LED dimming. Its 1.8V-3.6V core operating range aligns with 3.3V LDO rails derived from the vehicle's 12V bus. The industrial temperature grade covers cabin environments (-40C to +85C). For safety-critical or under-hood applications requiring AEC-Q100, choose a Q1-qualified variant such as PIC16F1526-I/PT-Q1. The 14 KB Flash supports CAN-friendly software UART bridges for legacy accessories.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF1526T-I/PT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF1526-I/PT | PIC16LF1527-I/PT | PIC16F1526-I/PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 64-TQFP (10x10) | 64-TQFP (10x10) - same | 64-TQFP (10x10) - same | 64-TQFP (10x10) - same |
| Flash Memory | 14 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB (with dual-bank option) | 14 KB |
| Data RAM | 768 bytes | 768 bytes | 768 bytes | 768 bytes |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| CPU Speed | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +85C) |
| Packaging Format | Tape & Reel | Tray | Tray | Tray |
| Approx. Unit Price @ 1k | USD 2.18 | USD 2.10 | USD 2.40 | USD 2.20 |
Key Differentiators
- Wide 54 I/O pin count in compact 64-TQFP (vs PIC16LF1509-I/SS)
- Low-voltage 1.8V operation for battery-powered systems (vs PIC16F1526-I/PT)
- XLP nanoWatt sleep technology with RAM retention (vs PIC16LF1519-I/P)
Design Notes
The PIC16LF1526T-I/PT supports XLP nanoWatt sleep modes that drop current to <100 nA typical while retaining RAM. Decouple VDD (pins 9 and 39) with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed within 5 mm of each VDD pin, plus a bulk 1 uF to 10 uF capacitor on the supply rail. For sleep-current-sensitive designs, disable unused peripherals via firmware (PMD registers) before entering sleep; this can cut quiescent current by another order of magnitude compared to default reset state.
The 64-pin TQFP at 0.5 mm pitch requires 4-layer PCB with 0.2 mm (8 mil) trace width and 0.15 mm clearance for production-friendly yield. Route the ICSP clock (RB6) and data (RB7) lines directly to a 2x3 or 1x6 header for MPLAB ICD programming. Add a 4.7 kohm pull-up on MCLR (pin 7 if present in package variant) and reserve space for a 0 ohm jumper on VDD for current measurements during power-profiling.
Configuration word settings are critical: disable the watchdog timer in software if not required, select the correct oscillator mode (INTOSC is typical for XLP designs), and enable low-voltage programming (LVP) for flexibility or disable it to free up the RB5/PGM pin as GPIO. Brown-out reset (BOR) should be enabled for battery-powered designs to prevent Flash corruption during VDD brown-out. Programming the part at voltages below 2.0V requires VDD to remain above the BOR threshold during Flash write operations.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +85C), not AEC-Q100 qualified - select PIC16F1526-I/PT-Q1 for automotive applications. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in provided data.
