PIC16LF1768-E/P - 8-bit 32MHz MCU 7KB Flash 20-PDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF1768-E/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.18 | $2.18 |
| 10 | $1.95 | $19.50 |
| 100 | $1.74 | $174.00 |
| 500 | $1.55 | $775.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.38 | $1,380.00 |
PIC16LF1768-E/P Overview
What is a PIC16 microcontroller? PIC16 is a family of 8-bit Harvard-architecture RISC microcontrollers from Microchip with an enhanced mid-range core. They sit in the product hierarchy: microcontroller (MCU) -> 8-bit MCU -> PIC16 -> PIC16F176X sub-family. The 'LF' prefix designates the wide-voltage low-power variant suitable for battery-powered and energy-harvesting applications. XLP (eXtreme Low Power) technology enables nanoWatt sleep currents below 100 nA in deep sleep, making this family a top choice for always-on IoT sensor nodes and remote controls.
Key features include 32MHz internal oscillator accuracy of plus/minus 2 percent, 128 bytes of unique device ID for provisioning, support for up to 8 PWM channels with complementary outputs and dead-band control, plus I2C/SPI/EUSART communication. The 10-bit ADC2 includes automated accumulation, averaging, low-pass filtering, and threshold comparison, offloading DSP work from the CPU. Five 8-bit DAC outputs and four comparators round out the analog suite, enabling closed-loop control applications.
Typical applications span LED lighting controllers with constant-current regulation, fan/blower motor control using BLDC or DC brushed topologies with back-EMF sensing, LoRa/sub-GHz wireless sensor nodes, smoke detectors, and battery-powered medical wearables. When designing with this device, leverage the Peripheral Pin Select feature to remap digital peripherals to alternative pins, simplifying PCB layout. Always provide a 0.1uF decoupling capacitor within 5mm of VDD and a bulk capacitor on the MCLR pull-up rail.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF1768-E/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 PIC16LF1768-E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Operating Temperature, Operating Voltage Range, Comparators.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F1768-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1768-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1769-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.69 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1709-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.42 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1764-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1768-E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC16 enhanced mid-range RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB (4K x 14 words) |
| Data SRAM | 512 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Package | 20-pin PDIP (through-hole, 7.62 mm / 0.300 in row pitch) |
| I/O Pins | 17 (with Peripheral Pin Select) |
| Op Amps | 2 internal operational amplifiers |
| Comparators | 4 with selectable reference |
| DAC Outputs | 5 x 8-bit (per datasheet family) |
| PWM Channels | Up to 8 with complementary outputs and dead-band |
| Communication | I2C, SPI, EUSART (with auto-baud detect) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C (E suffix = extended) |
| Low-Power Technology | XLP nanoWatt (sleep current < 100 nA typical) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| MSL Level | Not applicable (through-hole package) |
| Programming/Debug | ICSP via PICKit / MPLAB ICD |
PIC16LF1768-E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA3/AN3/VPP/MCLR — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 3 / Programming voltage / Master Clear reset |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA5/AN4 — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 4 |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — Bidirectional I/O / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA7/OSC1/CLKIN — Bidirectional I/O / Crystal oscillator input / External clock input |
| Pin 8 | RA6/OSC2/CLKOUT — Bidirectional I/O / Crystal oscillator output / Clock output |
| Pin 9 | RC0 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 10 | RC1 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 11 | RC2 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 12 | RC3 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 13 | RC4 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 14 | RC5 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 15 | RC6 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 16 | RC7 — Bidirectional I/O / PPS remappable |
| Pin 17 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSP programming data |
| Pin 18 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSP programming clock |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8 V to 3.6 V) |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF1768-E/P is suitable for 6 applications: LED Lighting Controllers, Wireless Sensor Nodes (LoRa/sub-GHz), DC and BLDC Fan Motor Control, Smoke and Gas Detectors, Wearable Health Monitors, Industrial Process Sensor Transmitters.
LED Lighting Controllers
The PIC16LF1768-E/P is well suited for constant-current LED drivers in architectural and stage lighting because its integrated op amps can sense shunt current across the LED string while the 10-bit ADC2 monitors voltage and temperature for thermal foldback. The 8 PWM channels with complementary outputs and dead-band control allow multi-channel dimming without external gate drivers. XLP sleep currents below 100 nA extend battery life in portable LED fixtures for film production, while Peripheral Pin Select remaps PWM outputs to optimize PCB routing in compact linear fixtures.
Recommended
Wireless Sensor Nodes (LoRa/sub-GHz)
In battery-powered wireless sensor nodes the PIC16LF1768-E/P's deep-sleep current below 100 nA combined with ADC2 hardware accumulation enables multi-year operation from a single 2400 mAh Li-SOCl2 cell. The 32 MHz performance processes sensor data on-chip before radio transmission, minimizing the radio on-time which dominates total energy budget. Peripheral Pin Select allows the SPI bus to connect directly to a SX1276 LoRa transceiver without pin remapping glue logic, while the 1.8 V minimum VDD supports direct battery connection across full discharge curve.
Recommended
DC and BLDC Fan Motor Control
The PIC16LF1768-E/P drives small BLDC and brushed-DC fans in HVAC, server cooling, and white goods using its 4 comparators for back-EMF zero-cross detection and 8 PWM channels with complementary outputs for synchronous FET drive. The integrated op amps condition current-sense shunt signals for closed-loop torque control, while the programmable ramp generator produces the slope compensation required for peak-current-mode control at high duty cycles. Sleep mode below 100 nA enables standby operation in smart thermostats and battery-powered portable fans.
Recommended
Smoke and Gas Detectors
The PIC16LF1768-E/P forms the brain of optical and electrochemical smoke detectors by digitizing the photoelectric chamber signal through its 10-bit ADC2 with built-in averaging filter and threshold comparator, reducing firmware overhead. The 256-byte EEPROM stores calibration coefficients and last-test timestamps across battery swaps, and XLP nanoWatt sleep modes achieve the 10-year battery life mandated by UL 217. The integrated zero-cross detect function synchronizes chamber test pulses to the AC line for wired mains-powered detectors.
Recommended
Wearable Health Monitors
In wrist-worn fitness trackers and continuous glucose monitors the PIC16LF1768-E/P's 1.8 V minimum VDD enables direct Li-ion battery operation, while the 10-bit ADC2 with hardware oversampling captures photoplethysmogram (PPG) and bio-impedance signals with minimal CPU wake-ups. The 32 MHz core runs sensor fusion algorithms at sub-mW active power, and deep-sleep mode below 100 nA preserves battery life between measurements. PPS flexibility reduces PCB layer count in compact wearable form factors.
Recommended
Industrial Process Sensor Transmitters
The PIC16LF1768-E/P builds 4-20 mA loop-powered sensor transmitters with HART or proprietary modulation thanks to its EUSART and ADC2 with hardware averaging that filters 50/60 Hz line noise. The integrated op amps condition thermocouple, RTD, or strain-gauge bridges directly, eliminating external instrumentation amplifiers and reducing BOM cost. Extended -40 to +125 C operating temperature and 256-byte EEPROM for calibration constants suit harsh industrial environments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF1768-E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F1768-E/P | PIC16LF1768-I/P | PIC16LF1769-E/P | PIC16LF1709-I/P | PIC16LF1764-E/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-PDIP | 20-PDIP (same) | 20-PDIP (same) | 20-PDIP (same) | 20-PDIP (same) | 20-PDIP (same) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 7 KB (4K x 14) | 7 KB | 7 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB | 7 KB |
| SRAM | 512 B | 512 B | 512 B | 1 KB | 1 KB | 512 B |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Max CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Op Amps | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Temperature Grade | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) | -40 C to +125 C | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +125 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +125 C |
Key Differentiators
- Higher memory headroom with same pinout (vs PIC16LF1709-I/P)
- Wider ADC2 computation feature set (vs PIC16LF1764-E/P)
- Wide-voltage 1.8 V operation (vs PIC16F1768-E/P)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 uF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin and a 10 uF bulk tantalum or ceramic capacitor on the same node for transient suppression. For battery applications using the LF variant at 1.8 V, a low-Iq LDO such as MCP1700 (1.6 uA quiescent) is preferred over switching regulators to avoid switching noise coupling into the ADC. The MCLR pin requires a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD; do not leave it floating or the part may randomly reset.
Route the ICSP clock and data lines (RB6/RB7) with short traces and avoid routing high-frequency switching signals adjacent to them to prevent programming failures. The analog signals (AN0-AN4) should be guarded by ground traces and kept away from PWM outputs to minimize crosstalk. Keep the crystal traces short and symmetric if using an external crystal, with the load capacitors placed within 3 mm of the OSC1/OSC2 pins.
Do not exceed the absolute maximum VDD of 4.0 V even though the operating range is 1.8-3.6 V; transients above 4 V will damage the part. When migrating from PIC16F1768 to PIC16LF1768 in existing 5 V designs, the system VDD must be reduced or a separate 3.3 V regulator added. Configuration words must be set correctly to enable the low-voltage programming (LVP) bit only if using ICSP without high-voltage MCLR; leaving LVP disabled prevents accidental entry into programming mode via RB5/RB4.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip environmental declarations. Through-hole PDIP package uses matte-tin plating compatible with lead-free and leaded reflow. AEC-Q100 qualification is not applicable for this E/P variant; automotive-grade PIC16LF1768-E/P does not exist - designers needing AEC-Q100 should consider PIC16F1768-H/P or move to PIC18F family.
