PIC16LF1788-I/SS - 28KB Flash 8-Bit XLP MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF1788-I/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.0084 | $3.01 |
| 10 | $2.91 | $29.10 |
| 100 | $2.7781 | $277.81 |
| 500 | $2.55 | $1,275.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.32 | $2,320.00 |
PIC16LF1788-I/SS Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is an integrated circuit that combines a CPU core, program memory (Flash/ROM), data memory (RAM), and programmable peripherals on a single die. Within the broader taxonomy, MCUs sit under microcontrollers, then embedded processors, then semiconductors. 8-bit MCUs like the PIC16LF1788 remain dominant in cost-sensitive, deterministic, low-power applications because of their small footprint, predictable interrupt latency, and low cost per unit.
Key features of this device include a 12-bit differential ADC with up to 11 channels, two 8-bit DACs plus one 5-bit DAC, three operational amplifiers, two comparators, two 10-bit PWM/PSMC peripherals, three CCP modules, an 8-bit timer and 16-bit timers, and serial interfaces including I2C/SPI and EUSART. These peripherals make it one of the most analog-rich 8-bit PICs in the family.
The architecture uses a 14-bit instruction word with a 16-level hardware stack and shadow registers for fast interrupt context save/restore, achieving near-Deterministic response. An on-chip 32 kHz oscillator and PLL up to 32 MHz provide flexible clocking, while the XLP sleep modes draw typically 30 nA, extending battery life.
Typical applications include portable instrumentation, IoT sensor nodes, LED lighting controllers, motor control drivers, smoke detectors, medical sensors, and consumer white goods. The PSMC and OPAMP modules eliminate external analog ICs, reducing BOM cost in mixed-signal designs.
Design with adequate decoupling (100 nF plus 10 uF bulk), keep analog/digital ground domains separate, and use ICD 4 or PICkit 5 for programming and debugging. Trade-off: PIC16LF1788 trades raw CPU throughput for ultra-low power and rich analog integration.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the standalone manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF1788-I/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 PIC16LF1788-I/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, DAC, Package, Core Architecture, Communication.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF1788-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1789-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1786-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1783-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.36 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1788-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.34 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1788-I/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB (16K x 14 words) |
| Data RAM | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 B |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Low-Power Operation | 1.8 V to 3.6 V @ 16 MHz typical (XLP family) |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 11 channels (differential capable) |
| DAC | 2x 8-bit + 1x 5-bit |
| Operational Amplifiers | 3 on-chip |
| Comparators | 2 |
| PWM / PSMC | 2x 10-bit PSMC + 3x CCP |
| Timers | 8-bit + 16-bit (multiple) |
| Communication | I2C/SPI + EUSART |
| Package | 28-SSOP (5.30 mm width, 0.65 mm pitch) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial -I grade) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 1 (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF1788-I/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/Vpp/RA3 — Master Clear (reset) input / Programming voltage / Port A bit 3 |
| Pin 2 | RA0 — Port A bit 0 (analog input) |
| Pin 3 | RA1 — Port A bit 1 (analog input) |
| Pin 4 | RA2 — Port A bit 2 (analog input) |
| Pin 5 | RA3 — Port A bit 3 (shared with MCLR) |
| Pin 6 | RA4 — Port A bit 4 |
| Pin 7 | RA5 — Port A bit 5 |
| Pin 8 | RA6 — Port A bit 6 |
| Pin 9 | RA7 — Port A bit 7 (OSC1/CLKI alternate) |
| Pin 10 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 12 | RB0 — Port B bit 0 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 13 | RB1 — Port B bit 1 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 14 | RB2 — Port B bit 2 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 15 | RB3 — Port B bit 3 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 16 | RB4 — Port B bit 4 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 17 | RB5 — Port B bit 5 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 18 | RB6 — Port B bit 6 (interrupt-on-change/ICSP clock) |
| Pin 19 | RB7 — Port B bit 7 (interrupt-on-change/ICSP data) |
| Pin 20 | VSS — Ground reference (alternate) |
| Pin 21 | RC0 — Port C bit 0 |
| Pin 22 | RC1 — Port C bit 1 |
| Pin 23 | RC2 — Port C bit 2 |
| Pin 24 | RC3 — Port C bit 3 |
| Pin 25 | RC4 — Port C bit 4 |
| Pin 26 | RC5 — Port C bit 5 |
| Pin 27 | RC6 — Port C bit 6 |
| Pin 28 | RC7 — Port C bit 7 |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF1788-I/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, LED Lighting Control Systems, Portable Medical and Health Monitors, Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, Consumer White Goods and Appliances, Motor Control and BLDC Drivers.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF1788-I/SS fits battery-powered IoT sensor nodes because its XLP nanoWatt sleep modes draw typically 30 nA per Microchip datasheet 40001775D, while the integrated 12-bit ADC and three on-chip operational amplifiers eliminate the external analog front-end. The 1.8 V minimum operating voltage supports a single alkaline or coin-cell battery with a boost converter, or direct Li-MnO2 coin-cell operation. The EUSART/SPI/I2C block connects to sub-GHz radios like the MRF89XA or LoRa SX1276 for gateway communication. Engineers report multi-year battery life on a 240 mAh coin cell at 0.1% duty-cycle, well beyond competing 8-bit MCUs at similar price points.
Recommended
LED Lighting Control Systems
The PIC16LF1788-I/SS is well suited for smart LED lighting controllers because of its two 10-bit PSMC peripherals providing flexible PWM outputs up to 32 MHz, plus three on-chip comparators and op-amps for current sensing without external analog ICs. The Microchip datasheet 40001775D specifies dead-band control and fault shutdown support within the PSMC, critical for high-power LED driver stages. Color-mixing applications benefit from the 12-bit ADC for photometric feedback and the three op-amps for trans-impedance amplification of photodiodes. Designers can implement full tunable-white or RGB controllers in a single IC, reducing BOM cost versus discrete PWM controller solutions.
Recommended
Portable Medical and Health Monitors
The PIC16LF1788-I/SS suits portable medical devices such as pulse oximeters, blood-pressure monitors, and wearable health patches because its 1.8-3.6 V operating range supports Li-ion coin-cell batteries, and the integrated 12-bit ADC with three on-chip op-amps enables direct sensor interface for photoplethysmography or ECG leads. The XLP sleep current of ~30 nA per Microchip datasheet 40001775D extends battery life in between measurement intervals. The 28 KB Flash accommodates advanced digital-filtering algorithms (e.g., DSP-style FIR filtering) and Bluetooth Low Energy stack clients. Designers benefit from reduced BOM count and from Microchip's IEC 60730 Class B safety library for medical IEC 62304 certification paths.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC16LF1788-I/SS is ideal for industrial 4-20 mA loop-powered sensor transmitters and bridge-sensor signal conditioners because its three on-chip op-amps implement the complete Wheatstone-bridge instrumentation amplifier, eliminating the need for an external analog front-end. The 12-bit differential ADC provides 11 ENOB effective resolution per Microchip datasheet 40001775D, adequate for 0.1% full-scale industrial accuracy. The wide operating temperature range (-40 to +85 C industrial grade) supports factory-floor deployment. Designers using the PSMC peripheral can implement 4-20 mA current-loop modulation digitally, achieving higher accuracy than PWM-to-current analog methods.
Recommended
Consumer White Goods and Appliances
The PIC16LF1788-I/SS fits consumer white goods such as washing-machine control boards, microwave ovens, and dishwasher controllers because of its 28 KB Flash sufficient for user-interface firmware with LCD driving, plus integrated op-amps and comparators for motor-current sensing. The EUSART provides debug/log interfaces, while I2C/SPI connects to EEPROM, LCD modules, or touch controllers. Per Microchip datasheet 40001775D, the capacitive touch capability via mTouch peripheral enables modern touch-button interfaces. Designers benefit from Microchip's free MPLAB X IDE and XC8 compiler, reducing development cost for cost-sensitive consumer products.
Recommended
Motor Control and BLDC Drivers
The PIC16LF1788-I/SS is well suited for low-power brushless DC (BLDC) and stepper motor control because the two PSMC peripherals provide complementary PWM outputs with programmable dead-time and fault shutdown, essential for safely driving half-bridges. The three on-chip comparators can perform back-EMF sensing in sensorless BLDC applications, while the 12-bit ADC measures motor current through shunt resistors. Per Microchip datasheet 40001775D, the CCP modules support quadrature decoding for closed-loop position feedback. Designers can implement a complete sensorless 3-phase BLDC driver with the PIC16LF1788 plus external gate drivers, eliminating dedicated motor-controller ICs in low-current applications up to a few amps.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF1788-I/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF1788-I/SP | PIC16LF1789-I/SS | PIC16LF1786-I/SS | PIC16LF1783-I/SS | PIC16F1788-I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-SSOP | SPDIP-28 (through-hole) | 28-SSOP | 28-SSOP | 28-SSOP | 28-SSOP |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 28 KB | 28 KB | 32 KB (+14%) | 16 KB (-43%) | 8 KB (-71%) | 28 KB |
| RAM | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB (-50%) | 1 KB (-50%) | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Max CPU Frequency | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 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 | 2.5 V to 5.5 V |
| On-chip Op-Amps | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 (-33%) | 2 (-33%) | 3 |
| ADC Resolution | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit |
| XLP Low-Power | Yes (~30 nA sleep) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (F-version standard power) |
Key Differentiators
- Three integrated operational amplifiers eliminate external analog front-end (vs PIC16LF1786-I/SS)
- XLP nanoWatt technology with 30 nA typical sleep current (vs PIC16F1788-I/SS)
- 12-bit differential ADC with 11 channels (vs PIC16LF1783-I/SS)
Design Notes
Estimated: At 32 MHz active from 3.3 V supply, typical active current is approximately 4 mA (~13 mW). In XLP sleep mode at 1.8 V, current drops to ~30 nA per Microchip datasheet 40001775D. For battery designs using a 240 mAh CR2032, expect 5+ years of operation at 0.1% duty cycle. Always place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of VDD (pin 11/20) and a 10 uF bulk capacitor at the board's power-entry point to suppress digital switching noise that could couple into the analog op-amp inputs.
Route analog signals (RA0-RA5) on a separate analog ground plane tied to VSS at a single point near the MCU's analog ground pin. The PIC16LF1788 integrates three op-amps; route their feedback networks directly to the chip without vias to minimize parasitic capacitance. Keep the ADC reference voltage trace short and surrounded by ground to avoid noise pickup. The 28-SSOP 0.65 mm pitch requires careful PCB design; use 8 mil traces and 8 mil spaces minimum to keep the design manufacturable.
Do not connect MCLR (pin 1) directly to VDD without a 10 kohm pull-up resistor - the programming voltage on this pin during ICSP can exceed 8 V. For low-power sleep modes, disable all unused peripherals via PMD registers; otherwise they continue to draw current. The internal HFINTOSC is factory-trimmed but temperature-dependent; for UART communication requiring <1% baud-rate error, use the 16 MHz HFINTOSC with the EUSART auto-baud feature. Finally, when migrating from PIC16F1788 to PIC16LF1788, verify VDD never exceeds 3.6 V, as the LF version lacks 5V tolerance on digital I/O pins.
Estimated: The 28-SSOP package dissipates up to 800 mW thermal power at 32 MHz/3.3 V active. For high-temperature environments approaching 85 C, copper pour beneath the SSOP improves heat spreading but is rarely necessary for typical MCU loads. Provide a ground flood on both top and bottom layers stitched with 8-10 thermal vias near the VSS pins to reduce ground bounce during high-current switching on I/O pins. Place the crystal or external clock source within 10 mm of OSC1/OSC2 (pins 9/10) and surround with a ground guard ring to minimize EMI.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Industrial -I grade qualified for -40 to +85 C. Not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive use consider PIC16F1788-I/SS automotive variants in the same family.
