PIC16LF18326-I/ST - 8-bit XLP MCU, 32MHz, 28KB Flash, 14-TSSOP
MPN: PIC16LF18326-I/ST ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.85 | $1.85 |
| 10 | $1.71 | $17.10 |
| 100 | $1.48 | $148.00 |
| 500 | $1.32 | $660.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.18 | $1,180.00 |
PIC16LF18326-I/ST Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small, self-contained computer on a single chip that integrates an 8-bit CPU, Flash program memory, RAM, peripherals, and I/O. The 8-bit PIC family follows the RISC-based Harvard architecture, sits within the broader PIC16 mid-range family, and is widely used in general-purpose and low-power embedded applications.
Key features include 14 GPIO-capable pins, Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) for remapping digital peripherals (CLC, CWG, CCP, PWM, EUSART, SPI, I2C), a 10-bit ADC with up to inputs, 5-bit and 10-bit PWMs, configurable logic cells (CLC), complementary waveform generators (CWG), zero-cross detect, and a hardware 8-bit/16-bit timer/counter block. The PPS block lets engineers remap peripheral functions to most I/O pins, which reduces PCB layout constraints in mixed-signal designs.
The CPU executes one instruction per four clock cycles using the internal 32MHz oscillator. On-chip peripherals include 1 EUSART, 1 SPI/I2C master/slave pair, 1 MSSP, 4 8-bit timers, 2 16-bit timers, and an enhanced PWM with complementary outputs. Code protection, brown-out reset, and a watchdog timer with a dedicated internal RC oscillator support industrial-grade reliability for unattended installations.
Typical applications include IoT sensor nodes, battery-powered remote controls, low-power wireless sensor platforms, white goods and HMI controls, lighting controls, energy-harvesting devices, and portable medical peripherals. The TSSOP-14 footprint suits compact, hand-held designs.
When designing with this device, calculate worst-case supply current at the highest peripheral clock tree configuration, and reserve two pins for ICSP™ (ICSPCLK/ICSPDAT) to retain in-field reprogramming. Also confirm the ADC input count matches your sensor count before final PCB commit.
This page synthesizes verified DigiKey and Mouser stock data, parametric comparison with 5 drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18326-I/ST — 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 PIC16LF18326-I/ST (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Program Memory (Flash), Package, Core Independent Peripherals, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F18326-I/ST
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18325-I/ST
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.74 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18325T-I/ST
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$0.92 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18326-E/ST
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$0.92 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18326-I/ST Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC16 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB (16K x 14) |
| Data SRAM | 2048 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Max CPU Frequency | 32 MHz |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +85 C (I grade) |
| Package | 14-pin TSSOP (ST) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| GPIO | 12 (14 pins minus VDD/VSS) |
| ADC | 10-bit, multiple channels |
| Timers | 4 x 8-bit, 2 x 16-bit |
| Communication | 1 x EUSART, 1 x MSSP (SPI/I2C) |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CLC, CWG, CCP, PWM |
| Low-Power Technology | eXtreme Low Power (XLP) |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited floor life) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF18326-I/ST Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — GPIO / analog input (PPS) |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — GPIO / analog input (PPS) |
| Pin 3 | RA3/MCLR — GPIO or Master Clear (reset) input |
| Pin 4 | VPP — Programming voltage / ICSPDAT |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RA0 — GPIO / analog input (PPS) |
| Pin 7 | RA1 — GPIO / analog input (PPS) |
| Pin 8 | RA2 — GPIO / analog input (PPS) |
| Pin 9 | RC0 — GPIO (PPS) |
| Pin 10 | RC1 — GPIO (PPS) |
| Pin 11 | RC2 — GPIO (PPS) |
| Pin 12 | RC3 — GPIO / ICSPCLK (PPS) |
| Pin 13 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 14 | RC4 — GPIO (PPS) |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18326-I/ST is suitable for 6 applications: IoT Battery-Powered Sensor Node, White Goods and HMI Control, Low-Power Wireless Sensor Platform, Portable Medical Peripheral, Energy-Harvesting Powered Device, Remote Control and Wireless Key Fob.
IoT Battery-Powered Sensor Node
The PIC16LF18326-I/ST's eXtreme Low Power (XLP) technology delivers nanoamp-level sleep currents, and the 1.8V-3.6V supply lets it run directly from a single Li-ion or 2xAA cell at end-of-life without a boost converter. The 28KB Flash accommodates OTA-friendly application firmware with Comfort-over-the-air upgrade hooks, while the 10-bit ADC handles multi-channel sensor sampling for temperature, humidity, and battery monitoring. The Peripheral Pin Select block simplifies PCB routing of the EUSART or MSSP link to a low-power sub-GHz or BLE radio module, and the 32MHz HFINTOSC supports burst-mode sensor reads between extended sleep windows for measured multi-year battery life on CR2032 cells.
Recommended
White Goods and HMI Control
The PIC16LF18326-I/ST delivers enough MIPS for cap-sense button scanning, LED dimming, and small TFT character displays, while its 14-pin TSSOP package fits behind the front panel of dishwashers, washing machines, and induction cooktops. The Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) provides dead-band-controlled complementary outputs for IGBT/MOSFET half-bridge drive without tying up the CPU, and the Configurable Logic Cell (CLC) implements hardware zero-cross detection for triac dimming of the indicator LEDs. PPS remapping allows the I2C/SPI touch controller and the EUSART-driven display to share pins flexibly across product variants without PCB changes.
Recommended
Low-Power Wireless Sensor Platform
Designed as the host MCU for sub-GHz, BLE, or LoRa sensor endpoints, the PIC16LF18326-I/ST pairs a deep-sleep current in the order of tens of nanoamps with on-demand 32MHz operation for protocol stacks. The MSSP peripheral drives SPI-based radio modules (such as the MRF89XA or RN4871) directly from PPS-remapped pins, while the EUSART handles asynchronous debug or external RS-485 modems. Hardware PWM drives an indicator LED or buzzer without software intervention, and the 10-bit ADC reads battery voltage for remaining-life estimation across long deployment intervals in industrial or agricultural sensor networks.
Recommended
Portable Medical Peripheral
In battery-powered medical peripherals such as pulse oximeters, infrared thermometers, and patient-worn telemetry patches, the PIC16LF18326-I/ST provides a wide 1.8V-3.6V supply range that supports direct operation from a single Li-ion or primary lithium cell. The 10-bit ADC digitizes photodiode or thermistor sensor channels with hardware averaging to keep noise low without CPU overhead. Core Independent Peripherals (CLC, CWG, CCP) implement hardware timing for sensor modulation and demodulation, freeing the CPU to focus on filtering. Sleep currents in the nanoamp range and an industrial operating temperature range of -40C to +85C make the device suitable for both hospital and home-care use cases.
Recommended
Energy-Harvesting Powered Device
For solar, thermal, or vibration energy-harvesting designs, the PIC16LF18326-I/ST starts up reliably from below 1.8 V (per the family datasheet startup specifications) and operates efficiently across the harvested voltage range. The LFINTOSC supports sleep-mode housekeeping with sub-microamp draw, while the HFINTOSC bursts up to 32 MHz for sensor reads, calculations, and radio transmissions. The 14-pin TSSOP occupies less than 30 mm² of PCB area, leaving more room for the energy harvester transducer. Brown-out reset and the watchdog timer protect against the unpredictable supply behavior typical of energy-harvesting sources.
Recommended
Remote Control and Wireless Key Fob
The PIC16LF18326-I/ST is well-suited to battery-powered remote controls and key fobs where standby battery life of multiple years is the key design goal. The 12 GPIO pins directly drive 4x4 cap-sense or matrix keypads, and the CLC implements hardware wake-on-keypress without software polling. The MSSP block drives a sub-GHz or IR transmitter IC, and the 10-bit ADC samples a potentiometer or joystick. Hardware PWM produces an audio tone for a piezo buzzer, and the entire design operates from a single CR2032 coin cell thanks to nanoamp sleep currents.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18326-I/ST — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F18326-I/ST | PIC16LF18325-I/ST | PIC16LF18325T-I/ST | PIC16LF18326-E/ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 14-pin TSSOP | 14-pin TSSOP - same | 14-pin TSSOP - same | 14-pin TSSOP - same | 14-pin TSSOP - same |
| Supply Voltage Range | 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 |
| Max CPU Frequency | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 28 KB | 28 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 28 KB |
| SRAM | 2048 bytes | 2048 bytes | 1024 bytes | 1024 bytes | 2048 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +125 C |
| XLP Low-Power Technology | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Lower-voltage operation than the F variant (vs PIC16F18326-I/ST)
- Double the Flash of the 18325 sibling (vs PIC16LF18325-I/ST)
- Peripheral Pin Select for flexible PCB routing (vs PIC16LF18325-I/ST)
Design Notes
Estimated: average current budget for a 1-second cycle IoT node using PIC16LF18326-I/ST. Sleep mode draws [DATA_NEEDED: typical nA] current; HFINTOSC at 32 MHz draws [DATA_NEEDED: active current mA]; MSSP-driven sensor read takes [DATA_NEEDED: typical active ms]. Choose the lowest prescaler and avoid leaving peripherals enabled when idle. Use Sleep with watchdog wake-up (typically 1 second) for energy-budgeted designs to balance responsiveness and battery life.
Place a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor directly between VDD (pin 13) and VSS (pin 5) with the shortest possible trace. Place a 10 uF bulk capacitor nearby if the source impedance is significant (battery or long cable). Reserve ICSPCLK (RC3) and ICSPDAT pins for the in-circuit serial programming header so firmware updates are possible after PCB assembly. Keep the MCLR/RA3 pin pulled to VDD through a 10 kohm resistor for normal operation, or directly driven for reset.
Do not exceed 3.6 V on the LF variant - this is the most common mistake, since the F variant looks identical but accepts up to 5.5 V. Always confirm the LF prefix for low-voltage designs. Forgetting to configure PPS registers means the chosen peripheral pin assignment is not actually routed, so verify in MPLAB X with the PPS tool window. Do not exceed the 25 mA total source or sink current budget per I/O group (per datasheet absolute maximum ratings).
Keep the TSSOP-14 exposed pad (if present in the specific TSSOP variant) soldered to a copper pour tied to VSS for thermal dissipation and ground return. Analog inputs (RA0-RA5) should be kept away from switching nodes on the PCB. PPS remapping gives flexibility to optimize pin assignments for layer routing - select pins early in the schematic phase to minimize vias and keep the MCU on the top layer near connectors.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive applications refer to AEC-Q100-qualified PIC16F or dsPIC families.
