PIC16LF18326T-I/ST - 32MHz 8-bit XLP MCU 28KB Flash | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF18326T-I/ST ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.42 | $1.42 |
| 10 | $1.28 | $12.80 |
| 100 | $1.07 | $107.00 |
| 500 | $0.92 | $460.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.81 | $810.00 |
PIC16LF18326T-I/ST Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a programmable processor that executes instructions on 8-bit data words, balancing simplicity, low cost, and deterministic real-time response. Within the broader semiconductor hierarchy, MCUs belong to integrated circuits (ICs) -> microcontrollers -> embedded controllers -> microprocessors. The XLP technology places this MCU into the low-power subfamily, characterized by nanoWatt sleep currents and active mode draws under 1 mA/MIPS, enabling battery-powered and energy-harvesting designs.
Key features include Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) for flexible digital peripheral routing, Configurable Logic Cells (CLC), Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), Numerically Controlled Oscillator (NCO), 10-bit PWM, Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP), 5-bit DAC, comparators, and communication peripherals (EUSART, SPI, I2C). These peripherals are "core-independent," meaning they operate without code intervention, reducing CPU load and power consumption.
The device runs from 1.8V to 3.6V (the LF variant, indicated by the "L"), making it compatible with Li-ion coin-cell or 2xAA battery stacks. The 32 MHz internal oscillator eliminates external crystals in many designs, and the 14-pin TSSOP footprint is industry-standard for hand-held and compact industrial modules.
Typical applications include IoT sensor nodes, wearable health monitors, low-power wireless remotes, HVAC thermostats, smart metering, battery management front-ends, and consumer electronics with touch or LED feedback. The XLP feature set suits sleep-dominated duty cycles.
When designing with this MCU, prioritize using the PPS feature to map peripherals to available pins and leverage the CLC/CWG for hardware glue logic, freeing the CPU to remain in sleep. Always check the Microchip device selection tool for newer pin-compatible upgrades in the PIC16F183x6 family.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18326T-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 PIC16LF18326T-I/ST (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Program Memory (Flash), ADC, Operating Temperature, Data RAM, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF18325T-I/ST
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.92 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18324T-I/ST
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.91 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18323T-I/ST
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.52 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18326T-I/ST
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1765T-I/ST
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.24 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1554T-I/ST
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$0.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18326T-I/ST Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC 8-bit RISC |
| Architecture | eXtreme Low Power (XLP) |
| Family | PIC16F/LF18326 |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB (16K x 14 words) |
| Data RAM | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage (LF) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 11 channels |
| DAC | 5-bit |
| PWM | 10-bit |
| Communication | 1x EUSART, 1x SPI, 1x I2C |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CLC, CWG, NCO, CCP |
| Comparators | Yes |
| Package | 14-TSSOP (ST) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF18326T-I/ST Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — Bidirectional I/O with interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — Bidirectional I/O / SOSCO |
| Pin 3 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O / MCLR/VPP |
| 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 / SDA |
| Pin 8 | RC1 — Bidirectional I/O / CCP4 |
| Pin 9 | RC0 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 10 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 12 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 13 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 14 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSPDAT |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18326T-I/ST is suitable for 7 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Wearable Health Monitors, HVAC Thermostats and Building Controls, Low-Power Wireless Remotes, Smart Metering Endpoints, LED Lighting and Backlight Control, Consumer Touch and Button Interfaces.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST is ideal for battery-powered IoT sensor nodes because of its eXtreme Low Power (XLP) technology with sub-uA sleep currents and active mode draws under 1 mA/MIPS at 32 MHz. The 28 KB Flash accommodates BLE/Zigbee stack fragments or LoRaWAN libraries, while 2 KB RAM handles sensor buffering and OTA staging. The 1.8-3.6V supply matches coin-cell and 2xAA chemistries directly. CLC/CWG/NCO peripherals offload timing and signal generation, letting the CPU stay in sleep and extending battery life to years. PPS enables flexible routing of EUSART/SPI/I2C to sensor and wireless module pins. Recommended companions: MCP9808 temperature sensor, RN4870 BLE module, MCP1700 LDO regulator.
Recommended
Wearable Health Monitors
The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST fits wearable health monitors due to its compact 14-TSSOP footprint (4.4 mm body), low 1.8-3.6V supply, and core-independent 10-bit ADC that samples optical/biopotential signals without CPU intervention. The CLC enables on-the-fly signal conditioning and threshold detection, waking the MCU only on heartbeat or motion events. 256 bytes EEPROM stores device ID and calibration, while 28 KB Flash holds firmware and DSP filter tables. 32 MHz performance processes FIR filter routines in real time. PPS maps SPI to a low-power display controller. Recommended companions: MAX30102 PPG sensor, BME280 environmental sensor.
Recommended
HVAC Thermostats and Building Controls
The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST is well suited to HVAC thermostats where its 32 MHz speed, 10-bit ADC with up to 11 channels, and core-independent peripherals (CLC, CWG for triac control) directly drive relays and triacs without software latency. The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST's 28 KB Flash holds complex scheduling, PID, and adaptive HVAC firmware. PPS routes SPI to a TFT display, EUSART to a Wi-Fi module, and I2C to a temperature/humidity sensor. Industrial -40C to +85C operating range matches wall-thermostat and outdoor-sensor environments. Recommended companions: NCP18XH103F thermistor, ESP8266 Wi-Fi module, MIC2025 USB power switch.
Recommended
Low-Power Wireless Remotes
The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST is an excellent choice for low-power wireless remote controls thanks to XLP nanoWatt sleep modes drawing <50 nA, allowing coin-cell remotes to last several years. The EUSART/SPI/I2C interfaces connect to sub-GHz transceivers (CC1101, SX1276) or BLE modules, while the CWG generates precise PWM for IR LED modulation. CLC implements custom protocol framing in hardware, freeing the CPU to remain asleep until a button event wakes it via interrupt-on-change. The 28 KB Flash holds protocol stacks, button matrices, and LED animations. Recommended companions: TI CC1101 transceiver, IRLED8710 IR emitter.
Recommended
Smart Metering Endpoints
The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST is suitable for smart utility metering endpoints due to its industrial -40C to +85C range, low quiescent current, and 10-bit ADC that measures current/voltage sensing circuits with adequate resolution. The EUSART links to a metrology AFE or wireless M-Bus module, while the 256-byte EEPROM stores calibration constants and tamper counters. The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST's 28 KB Flash accommodates DLMS/COSEM or wireless M-Bus protocol fragments, and its 32 MHz speed handles encryption acceleration. PPS provides flexible PCB routing in dense meter enclosures. Recommended companions: ATM90E26 metrology IC, MAX31851 OOK transceiver.
Recommended
LED Lighting and Backlight Control
The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST excels at LED lighting and backlight control due to its 10-bit PWM, Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) for half-bridge drivers, and 5-bit DAC for analog dimming references. The 32 MHz speed enables smooth color-mixing algorithms and color-temperature transitions. The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST's PPS remaps PWM channels to any GPIO, simplifying PCB layout of multi-string LED drivers. Its low sleep current and 1.8-3.6V supply support battery-powered accent lighting. CLC implements thermal foldback in hardware without CPU load. Recommended companions: TLC5941 LED driver, MCP1640 boost converter.
Recommended
Consumer Touch and Button Interfaces
The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST is a strong fit for capacitive-touch and button-interface consumer products due to its mTouch peripheral support, 10-bit ADC for proximity sensing, and core-independent CLC for debounce and gesture decoding in hardware. The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST's 28 KB Flash accommodates mTouch libraries and product-specific UI firmware. The 14-TSSOP package is well suited to compact handheld devices, and PPS allows flexible PCB routing of touch electrodes, LEDs, and buzzer outputs. Recommended companions: CDA15C touch sensor, PKLCS1212E buzzer.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18326T-I/ST — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF18325T-I/ST | PIC16LF18324T-I/ST | PIC16LF18323T-I/ST | PIC16F18326T-I/ST | PIC16LF1765T-I/ST | PIC16LF1554T-I/ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 14-TSSOP (ST) | 14-TSSOP - same | 14-TSSOP - same | 14-TSSOP - same | 14-TSSOP - same | 14-TSSOP - same | 14-TSSOP - same |
| Flash Memory | 28 KB | 14 KB | 7 KB | 4 KB | 28 KB | 14 KB | 7 KB |
| RAM | 2 KB | 1 KB | 512 B | 256 B | 2 KB | 1 KB | 256 B |
| 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 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 16 MHz |
| Peripheral Pin Select | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Core-Independent Peripherals (CLC/CWG/NCO) | Yes (CLC + CWG + NCO) | Yes (CLC + CWG + NCO) | Yes (CLC + CWG + NCO) | Yes (CLC + CWG + NCO) | Yes (CLC + CWG + NCO) | Partial (no NCO) | No |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Highest Flash density in PIC16F/LF18326 14-TSSOP family (vs PIC16LF18325T-I/ST)
- XLP eXtreme Low Power architecture (vs PIC16LF1554T-I/ST)
- Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) for flexible routing (vs PIC16LF1765T-I/ST)
- Core-independent CLC + CWG + NCO + CCP (vs PIC16LF1765T-I/ST)
- LF variant optimized for 3.3V / battery operation (vs PIC16F18326T-I/ST)
Design Notes
The PIC16LF18326T-I/ST LF variant operates from 1.8V to 3.6V. For 3.3V systems, add a bulk 4.7 uF and a 0.1 uF decoupling cap as close as possible to pins 11 (VDD) and 10 (VSS). For battery-powered designs, use an MCP1700 LDO to regulate from 2xAA (3.0V) or a single Li-ion (3.7V) to 3.3V with only 1.6 uA quiescent current, preserving the MCU's nanoWatt sleep performance. Estimated: at 32 MHz active, the core draws approximately 7 mA; in sleep with WDT off, less than 50 nA. Battery life on a 200 mAh CR2032 with 99% sleep duty cycle approaches 1+ years.
The 14-TSSOP package places the VDD/VSS pair on pins 10-11 in the middle of one long side, which simplifies PCB layout: place a single ground pour and a local power island on the top layer. Route the ICSP pins (RA0/ICSPDAT, RA1/ICSPCLK, RA3/MCLR) to a 5-pin 0.1" header for production programming and in-circuit debugging. Use the Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) feature to remap EUSART/SPI/I2C to any convenient I/O, eliminating pin-out conflicts in mixed-signal designs. Per Microchip datasheet 40001839D, unused I/O should be configured as outputs low to minimize supply current.
Do not confuse the PIC16LF18326T-I/ST (LF variant, 1.8-3.6V) with the PIC16F18326T-I/ST (F variant, 1.8-5.5V) - using the LF part on a 5V rail will damage it. When migrating code between 18325, 18324, 18323 (smaller Flash variants), ensure your compiled firmware fits the smaller memory map; the linker will not warn you of over-size. PPS mappings must be unlocked with the IOLOCK bit sequence; otherwise writes to PPS registers are silently ignored. The 10-bit ADC's internal voltage reference has a minimum stabilization time - consult the datasheet AC characteristics for accurate high-impedance conversions.
The 14-TSSOP package has a junction-to-ambient thermal resistance of approximately 100 C/W, but this is rarely a concern at the low operating currents of the PIC16LF18326T-I/ST. At maximum active current of 7 mA and 3.6V, the power dissipation is approximately 25 mW, yielding a 2.5 C junction rise above ambient. No heatsinking is required. However, in enclosed designs with limited airflow, verify that the device's -40C to +85C range is not exceeded by combined self-heating and ambient temperature.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Lead-free (Pb-free) reflow process compatible per JEDEC J-STD-020. Halogen-free per IEC 61249-2-21. AEC-Q100 grade not qualified - this is the industrial -40C to +85C variant. For AEC-Q100 automotive grade, consult the PIC16F18326T-I/ST VAO equivalent.
