PIC16LF1769-I/ML - 8-Bit 32MHz MCU 14KB Flash 20-QFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF1769-I/ML ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.85 | $2.85 |
| 10 | $2.62 | $26.20 |
| 100 | $2.35 | $235.00 |
| 500 | $2.1 | $1,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.88 | $1,880.00 |
| 3,000 | $1.65 | $4,950.00 |
PIC16LF1769-I/ML Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program and data memory, and a rich set of peripherals into one package. PIC microcontrollers use a Harvard RISC architecture with separate program and data buses, providing deterministic instruction execution and very low power consumption. PIC16 MCUs sit at the entry-level of Microchip's 8-bit portfolio and are widely used as sensor-interface, motor-control, lighting, and general-purpose embedded controllers where simplicity, low cost, and ultra-low standby current matter more than raw compute throughput.
The PIC16LF1769 integrates intelligent analog peripherals including a 10-bit ADC with up to 8 channels, two op amps, two 10-bit DACs, a 5-bit DAC, multiple comparators with zero-cross detect, and high-current I/O capable of directly driving LEDs and small loads. It also features multiple 16-bit timers, PWM channels, hardware mTouch capacitive touch support, EUSART, I2C and SPI peripherals, plus a 32 kHz internal oscillator for low-power sleep operation.
Typical applications include LED lighting control, capacitive-touch user interfaces, sensor conditioning loops with on-chip op amps, small DC motor and fan control via PWM, household appliances, IoT edge nodes, and any battery-operated device where the eXtreme Low Power sleep currents are critical. Designers often pair this part with a low-voltage LDO and a digital sensor on the same I2C or SPI bus.
When designing in this part, choose decoupling capacitors (typically 100 nF plus a bulk 1-10 uF) placed within a few millimeters of the VDDCORE/VDD pins, route the exposed thermal pad to a continuous ground copper pour for thermal dissipation, and use the ICD 3 or PICKit 4 programmer for code development. Verify any low-power sleep-mode timing against the datasheet's electrical characteristics table.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF1769-I/ML — 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 PIC16LF1769-I/ML (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Package, Operating Temperature, Program Memory (Flash), Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF1768-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.32 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1769-E/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1709-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.21 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1619-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.32 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1518-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.82 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF15376-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.32 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1769-I/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 8-bit RISC (Harvard) |
| Instruction Set | 8-bit, RISC |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14 words) |
| Data SRAM | 1 KB |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF/XLP) |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 8 channels |
| DAC | Two 10-bit + one 5-bit DAC |
| Op Amps | 2 internal operational amplifiers |
| Comparators | Multiple with zero-cross detect |
| Timers | Multiple 16-bit timers |
| PWM Channels | Yes, hardware PWM |
| Communication | EUSART, I2C, SPI |
| Capacitive Touch | mTouch support |
| Internal Oscillator | 32 kHz and 16 MHz HF |
| Package | 20-QFN 4x4 mm with exposed pad (ML) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial grade) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF1769-I/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 3 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O / MCLR |
| Pin 4 | RC5 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 5 | RC4 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 6 | RC3 — Bidirectional I/O / SCL |
| Pin 7 | RC2 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 8 | RC1 — Bidirectional I/O / SDA |
| Pin 9 | RC0 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 10 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 11 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSPDAT |
| Pin 12 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 13 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 15 | RA7 — Bidirectional I/O / OSC1 |
| Pin 16 | RA6 — Bidirectional I/O / OSC2 |
| Pin 17 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 18 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 19 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 20 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF1769-I/ML is suitable for 6 applications: LED Lighting and Dimming Controller, Capacitive Touch User Interface, Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node, Small DC Motor and Fan PWM Controller, Household Appliance Control Board, Portable Health and Wearable Device.
LED Lighting and Dimming Controller
The PIC16LF1769-I/ML is well matched to solid-state lighting designs that need direct LED driving, smooth dimming, and zero-cross TRIAC control. Its hardware PWM channels deliver flicker-free dimming from a few hundred Hz up to several kHz, while the integrated 10-bit DAC and 10-bit ADC enable closed-loop current regulation by sensing a shunt resistor on the LED return path. The two on-chip op amps amplify the current-sense signal without external components, reducing BOM cost. Comparators with zero-cross detect trigger TRIAC firing at the AC line zero crossing, eliminating inrush current and EMI in 120/230 V dimmers. The 1.8 V minimum supply lets the same MCU run from a single-cell Li-ion or two AA cells in portable lighting, where XLP sleep modes preserve battery life between user interactions.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch User Interface
For capacitive touch buttons, sliders, and proximity sensors, the PIC16LF1769-I/ML provides Microchip's mTouch hardware support, allowing firmware-driven capacitance measurement on any I/O pin without an external touch IC. The 14 KB Flash is sufficient for complex gesture decoding, water-rejection algorithms, and surface-acoustic compensation routines, while the 1 KB SRAM holds calibration tables and rolling-baseline noise filters. The two op amps condition reference and shield-driver signals for robust noisy-environment operation. Because the LF variant operates down to 1.8 V, the MCU can run directly from a small boost converter on two AA cells, making it a strong fit for battery-powered remote controls and white-goods keypads.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node
The PIC16LF1769-I/ML serves as the supervisory MCU in a battery-powered IoT sensor node, sleeping at XLP nano-watt currents between measurements and waking periodically to read a sensor over I2C or SPI. Its EUSART, I2C, and SPI peripherals interface to sub-GHz radios like the MRF89XA, environmental sensors like the MCP9808, and accelerometers like the LIS2DH. The 10-bit ADC digitizes analog sensors such as thermistors or photodiodes directly, while the internal 32 kHz oscillator times sleep intervals without a crystal. With 1.8 V minimum supply, the part can run from a 3 V CR2032 or single-cell Li-ion for multi-year field life when duty-cycled aggressively.
Recommended
Small DC Motor and Fan PWM Controller
Closed-loop speed control of small brushless DC fans and brushed DC motors fits well within the PIC16LF1769-I/ML capability set. The hardware PWM channels provide variable-frequency drive signals to MOSFET half-bridges, while the 10-bit ADC reads back tachometer or back-EMF signals for closed-loop regulation. Comparators with zero-cross detect handle back-EMF zero-cross sensing in sensorless BLDC commutation. The two op amps condition current and voltage feedback. With the LF variant's 1.8 V minimum supply, this controller can be paired with a small gate driver such as the MIC4604 directly from a single-cell Li-ion battery in portable cooling or pump designs.
Recommended
Household Appliance Control Board
In dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators, and small kitchen appliances, the PIC16LF1769-I/ML serves as the main user-interface and supervisory controller. Its mTouch inputs drive capacitive keypads and sliders, the 10-bit ADC monitors NTC thermistors for temperature regulation, and the PWM outputs control solenoid valves, relays, and indicator LEDs. The two op amps amplify sensor signals without external op-amp ICs, reducing BOM cost and PCB area. The QFN package and wide operating voltage range simplify integration into appliances with 3.3 V or 5 V logic rails; the LF variant is preferred for battery-backed clock/timer functions during power outages.
Recommended
Portable Health and Wearable Device
Battery-powered wearables such as heart-rate straps, smart thermometers, and step-counters pair well with the PIC16LF1769-I/ML because of its XLP sleep modes and 1.8 V minimum supply. The 10-bit ADC reads photoplethysmography (PPG) or thermopile signals from analog front ends, while the I2C/SPI peripherals talk to digital sensors like accelerometers or pressure sensors. Two op amps condition the PPG signal at low supply currents. The 14 KB Flash accommodates firmware for sensor fusion, signal processing, and BLE command handling. Standby currents below 1 uA extend coin-cell runtime significantly, which is critical for medical and fitness devices where user-replaceable batteries drive product acceptance.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF1769-I/ML — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF1768-I/ML | PIC16LF1769-E/ML | PIC16LF1709-I/ML | PIC16LF1619-I/ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-QFN 4x4 (ML) | 20-QFN 4x4 (ML) - same | 20-QFN 4x4 (ML) - same | 20-QFN 4x4 (ML) - same | 20-QFN 4x4 (ML) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Program Memory | 14 KB | 8 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB |
| Data SRAM | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 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 | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Op Amps / DAC | 2 op amps / 2x 10-bit + 1x 5-bit DAC | 2 op amps / 1x 10-bit + 1x 5-bit DAC | 2 op amps / 2x 10-bit + 1x 5-bit DAC | 0 op amps / 1x 8-bit DAC | 0 op amps / 1x 8-bit DAC |
| Capacitive Touch (mTouch) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Temperature Grade | -40C to +85C (industrial) | -40C to +85C (industrial) | -40C to +125C (extended) | -40C to +85C (industrial) | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest analog integration in the 20-QFN LF family (vs PIC16LF1709-I/ML)
- Larger Flash for richer firmware than the 1768 sibling (vs PIC16LF1768-I/ML)
- Industrial temperature grade standard (vs PIC16LF1769-E/ML)
Design Notes
The 20-QFN ML package exposes a thermal pad on its underside that must be soldered to a continuous ground-copper pour, ideally with multiple thermal vias to the opposite ground plane. This pad serves both as the primary thermal path for die-to-ambient heat dissipation and as the substrate electrical ground; failing to solder it raises junction temperature and may cause erratic operation or reset events under load. Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 2 mm of the VDD pin and a 1-10 uF bulk capacitor nearby. Keep the ICSP pins (RA0/RA1) accessible for in-circuit programming.
For battery-powered designs, leverage the PIC16LF1769-I/ML's XLP sleep modes. Sleep current can drop below 1 uA with peripherals disabled and the WDT off, enabling multi-year coin-cell runtime when the MCU wakes only on interrupt. Use the internal 32 kHz LF oscillator to time sleep intervals without external crystals, and select LF vs HF oscillator modes via the OSCCON register. Brown-out reset (BOR) should be left enabled to ensure deterministic startup from deeply discharged batteries.
Two common pitfalls: (1) leaving the MCLR pin floating on RA3 - it must be tied to VDD through a 10 kohm pull-up for normal operation, or actively driven low only when using an external reset supervisor; (2) using the same I/O pin simultaneously for ICSP and a high-current load - ICSP programming on RA0/RA1 conflicts with the loaded pin, so route LEDs and drivers to other pins. Always verify the Configuration Word settings match the intended oscillator, watchdog, and BOR behavior before locking the firmware for production.
When using the on-chip op amps or the 10-bit ADC for low-level analog signals, separate analog and digital ground returns on the PCB and join them at a single point under the MCU's exposed pad. The 10-bit ADC achieves best linearity when the input impedance stays below 10 kohm; use an external buffer op amp or the internal op amp in unity-gain configuration for higher-impedance sources. Enable the ADC's dedicated FRC oscillator for predictable 1 us conversion times independent of the system clock.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. The 'I' suffix denotes industrial temperature grade -40C to +85C; for AEC-Q100 automotive qualification, Microchip typically uses an 'A' or 'E' suffix designator and a separate datasheet. The base PIC16LF1769-I/ML is qualified to industrial standards.
