PIC16LF1618-I/P - 8-bit MCU, 7KB Flash, 32MHz | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF1618-I/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.45 | $1.45 |
| 10 | $1.28 | $12.80 |
| 100 | $1.12 | $112.00 |
| 500 | $0.98 | $490.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.86 | $860.00 |
PIC16LF1618-I/P Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program and data memory, peripheral interfaces, and I/O onto one die. The PIC16LF1618 belongs to the PIC16 family of 8-bit Harvard-architecture MCUs, which sit in the broader taxonomy of microcontrollers -> embedded processors -> semiconductors. The "PIC" instruction set is RISC-style with a fixed 14-bit instruction width, and the LF process variant uses CMOS technology tuned for low quiescent current and a deep-sleep current in the nanoamp range, suitable for battery-powered applications.
Key features include 7 KB (4K x 14) self-programmable Flash, 512 B RAM, 128 B EEPROM, a 10-bit ADC with multiple channels, PWM modules, a 24-bit Signal Measurement Timer (SMT) for motor and signal-chain control, Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), Configurable Logic Cell (CLC), Zero-Cross Detect (ZCD), Numerically Controlled Oscillator (NCO), and up to 18 I/O pins. The device supports in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) and operates across -40C to +85C industrial temperature range.
The PIC16LF1618 uses CMOS process technology and a Harvard bus architecture that lets the CPU fetch instructions and data simultaneously, improving throughput over von Neumann designs. The peripheral set is purpose-built for closed-loop control of small brushed DC motors, LED lighting, and general-purpose timing applications where low BOM cost matters.
Typical applications include small motor control (brushed DC, BLDC commutation assist), LED lighting drivers, general-purpose embedded control, sensor interfacing, and battery-powered IoT endpoints. The 10-bit ADC and 24-bit SMT make it well suited to precision timing measurements and analog signal conditioning in industrial and consumer products.
Designers should consider decoupling the VDD pin with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed as close to the IC as possible, and configure the MCLR pin with the recommended pull-up topology. Because the LF variant targets 1.8V–3.6V, system rails above 3.6V require an LDO upstream.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, datasheet links, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes - all in one place to accelerate your design and sourcing decisions.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF1618-I/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 PIC16LF1618-I/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, I/O Pins, Program Memory (Flash), ADC, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F1618-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1615-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1519-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.99 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1559-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1455-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.22 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1618-I/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| CPU Core | PIC16 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB (4K x 14) |
| RAM | 512 B |
| EEPROM | 128 B |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF variant) |
| ADC | 10-bit |
| I/O Pins | Up to 18 |
| Package | 20-pin PDIP (0.300 in, 7.62 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
| Process Technology | CMOS |
| Low-Power Family | XLP (eXtreme Low Power) |
| Instruction Width | 14-bit |
| Programming Method | ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming) |
| Special Peripherals | 24-bit SMT, CWG, CLC, NCO, ZCD, PWM |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF1618-I/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/RA3 — Master Clear (reset) input or digital I/O RA3 |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — Analog input AN0 or digital I/O RA0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — Analog input AN1 or digital I/O RA1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 — Analog input AN2 or digital I/O RA2 |
| Pin 5 | RA4/AN3 — Analog input AN3 or digital I/O RA4 |
| Pin 6 | RA5/AN4 — Analog input AN4 or digital I/O RA5 |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | RC0 — Digital I/O RC0 |
| Pin 9 | RC1 — Digital I/O RC1 |
| Pin 10 | RC2 — Digital I/O RC2 |
| Pin 11 | RC3 — Digital I/O RC3 |
| Pin 12 | RC4 — Digital I/O RC4 |
| Pin 13 | RC5 — Digital I/O RC5 |
| Pin 14 | RC6 — Digital I/O RC6 |
| Pin 15 | RC7 — Digital I/O RC7 |
| Pin 16 | RB4 — Digital I/O RB4 |
| Pin 17 | RB5 — Digital I/O RB5 |
| Pin 18 | RB6/PGC — Digital I/O RB6 or ICSP clock (PGC) |
| Pin 19 | RB7/PGD — Digital I/O RB7 or ICSP data (PGD) |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8V-3.6V) |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF1618-I/P is suitable for 6 applications: Small Brushed DC Motor Control, LED Lighting Drivers, Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, General-Purpose Embedded Control, Analog Signal Conditioning Front-Ends, Hobbyist and Educational Development Boards.
Small Brushed DC Motor Control
The PIC16LF1618-I/P is purpose-designed for small brushed DC motor control, integrating the 24-bit Signal Measurement Timer (SMT) for precise period and duty-cycle measurement, a Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) for half-bridge or full-bridge drive signals, and Zero-Cross Detect (ZCD) for AC-line-synchronized switching. With 32 MHz CPU speed and 7 KB Flash, the MCU can run field-oriented or back-EMF control loops while leaving headroom for user interfaces. The 1.8V-3.6V LF supply aligns with single-cell Li-ion or two-AA battery packs commonly used in cordless tools and small appliances, and the XLP nanoamp sleep current preserves battery life between active cycles. Designers can place the MCU near the H-bridge driver with 100 nF decoupling on VDD and route PWM/CWG outputs with short, wide traces to minimize switching-edge ringing on the gate lines.
Recommended
LED Lighting Drivers
The PIC16LF1618-I/P fits LED lighting drivers where precise current control and dimming are required. The 10-bit ADC and PWM modules allow closed-loop current regulation, while the CLC (Configurable Logic Cell) can implement hardware-accelerated PWM dithering for high-resolution dimming beyond what the 10-bit PWM alone provides. The 1.8V-3.6V supply suits direct LED-driver topologies fed from a single-cell Li-ion source, and the XLP sleep current is low enough that standby power remains under regulatory limits. The 20-pin PDIP package supports through-hole designs for line-voltage driver boards where creepage and clearance distances are easier to maintain than with fine-pitch SMD packages. The 32 MHz clock provides ample cycles to support DMX, DALI, or 0-10V dimming protocols alongside the LED control loop.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF1618-I/P suits battery-powered IoT sensor endpoints that spend most of their time in deep sleep and only wake briefly to acquire and transmit data. The XLP family's nanoamp-range sleep current, combined with the 1.8V-3.6V supply range that matches single-cell Li-ion, two-AA, or coin-cell chemistries, extends operating life to multi-year horizons on small cells. The 10-bit ADC reads sensor outputs with sufficient resolution for temperature, pressure, and gas-sensing front-ends, and the SMT and PWM peripherals can drive piezoelectric buzzers or LED indicators without an external timer IC. The 7 KB Flash accommodates lightweight sensor-fusion and protocol state machines, and the 512 B RAM is sufficient for buffering short wireless transmissions. Designers should use sleep modes aggressively and gate unused peripherals via PMD registers to maximize battery life.
Recommended
General-Purpose Embedded Control
The PIC16LF1618-I/P serves as a general-purpose embedded controller in industrial and consumer products where mid-range 8-bit performance is adequate. Its 32 MHz CPU, 7 KB Flash, and 512 B RAM are sufficient for state machines, keypad/display handling, relay or solenoid control, and simple communication protocols like UART or I2C. The 18 I/O pins can directly drive LED indicators, scan key matrices, and interface to external EEPROM or RTC chips. The wide operating voltage (1.8V-3.6V) and industrial temperature range (-40C to +85C) make it suitable for factory-floor equipment and outdoor installations. Through-hole PDIP simplifies prototyping and rework, particularly useful for low-volume industrial control products.
Recommended
Analog Signal Conditioning Front-Ends
The PIC16LF1618-I/P works well as an analog signal conditioning front-end, thanks to its 10-bit ADC, integrated op-amp support on selected pins, and the 24-bit SMT for precise time-domain measurements. Sensor signals from thermistors, photodiodes, or strain gauges can be digitized, linearized, and threshold-compared in firmware with low latency thanks to the 32 MHz CPU. The NCO (Numerically Controlled Oscillator) peripheral generates high-resolution frequencies without consuming CPU cycles, useful for sensor excitation or tone generation. The CLC and PWM peripherals implement analog-domain functions like window comparators or PWM-to-voltage conversion in hardware, freeing the CPU for higher-level processing.
Recommended
Hobbyist and Educational Development Boards
The PIC16LF1618-I/P is well suited to hobbyist and educational development boards because of its through-hole PDIP package, which is easy to breadboard and rework. The PICkit-compatible ICSP programming interface allows simple flashing with low-cost tools, and the Microchip MPLAB X IDE with XC8 compiler provides a free and widely supported toolchain. Students and hobbyists can experiment with the XLP low-power modes, PWM, ADC, and SMT peripherals without needing SMD soldering equipment. The wide 1.8V-3.6V supply lets beginners power the board from two AA batteries, a USB supply via LDO, or even a CR2032 coin cell for ultra-low-power experiments. The 7 KB Flash comfortably fits classroom examples and small projects.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF1618-I/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F1618-I/P | PIC16LF1615-I/P | PIC16LF1519-I/P | PIC16LF1559-I/P | PIC16LF1455-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-pin PDIP | 20-pin PDIP - same | 20-pin PDIP - same | 20-pin PDIP - same | 20-pin PDIP - same | 20-pin PDIP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.8V - 3.6V | 2.3V - 5.5V | 1.8V - 3.6V | 1.8V - 3.6V | 1.8V - 3.6V | 1.8V - 3.6V |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB (4K x 14) | 7 KB | 7 KB | 28 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB |
| RAM | 512 B | 512 B | 512 B | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 20 MHz | 32 MHz | 48 MHz |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit |
| USB Support | No | No | No | No | No | Yes (USB 2.0 FS) |
Key Differentiators
- Dedicated motor-control peripherals on-chip (vs PIC16F1618-I/P)
- Lowest supply voltage range in the family (vs PIC16LF1455-I/P)
- Right-sized memory for compact motor/LED applications (vs PIC16LF1519-I/P)
Design Notes
The PIC16LF1618-I/P VDD pin (pin 20) must be decoupled with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed as close to the IC as possible, ideally within 5 mm of the package lead. A bulk capacitor of 1-10 uF is appropriate for line-voltage applications; for battery-powered designs, add a 4.7 uF or larger bulk to handle transient loads when peripherals wake from sleep. The MCLR pin (pin 1) should be pulled up to VDD through a 10 kohm resistor to prevent spurious resets; do not leave it floating. Designers should also gate unused peripherals via the PMD (Peripheral Module Disable) registers to minimize active current draw.
For the 20-pin PDIP package, route the ICSP signals (PGC on pin 18 and PGD on pin 19) with traces that reach a programming header or test pad without crossing noisy signal lines. Keep analog-input traces short and away from PWM or CWG switching outputs to minimize crosstalk into the 10-bit ADC. If the design uses the HFINTOSC, leave room near the VDD pin for a small ferrite bead if EMI becomes an issue. The PDIP through-hole package allows easy rework, but ensure pads are sized to accept the 0.300 inch row spacing and 0.100 inch pin pitch per the Microchip package drawing.
A common pitfall is selecting the LF (1.8V-3.6V) variant when the application actually requires 5V tolerance - in that case, choose the PIC16F1618-I/P (2.3V-5.5V) instead. Another mistake is failing to configure the Configuration Words (CONFIG1, CONFIG2) before code execution, which can leave the watchdog timer enabled or the brown-out reset at the wrong threshold. Designers should also remember that the PIC16LF1618's 32 MHz maximum clock applies to HFINTOSC and external oscillator modes; the LFINTOSC tops out at 31 kHz. Finally, do not exceed the absolute maximum ratings of 4.0V on VDD even briefly, or the device may latch up.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this part targets industrial and consumer, not automotive applications. For automotive-grade alternatives, look for PIC16F1618-E/P or PIC16LF1618T-I/PT variants explicitly marked with the automotive Q grade.
