PIC16LF18344-I/P - 8-bit MCU, 7KB Flash, 32MHz XLP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF18344-I/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| 10 | $1.79 | $17.90 |
| 100 | $1.55 | $155.00 |
| 500 | $1.35 | $675.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.2 | $1,200.00 |
PIC16LF18344-I/P Overview
A PIC microcontroller (Programmable Integrated Circuit) is an 8-bit Harvard-architecture RISC MCU widely used in embedded systems. The PIC16F1 family adds modern peripherals such as Peripheral Pin Select (PPS), Configurable Logic Cells (CLC), Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG), and enhanced PWM/CCP to the classic PIC16 baseline. The "LF" prefix denotes the wide-voltage, low-power variant supporting 1.8V-3.6V operation, making it ideal for battery-powered and energy-harvesting products. Within the power-management IC hierarchy, this MCU integrates CPU, memory, ADC, timers, and communication peripherals in one die.
Key features include 7KB Flash, 512 bytes RAM, 256 bytes EEPROM, up to 18 I/O pins, a 10-bit ADC with up to 17 channels, multiple timers (Timer0/1/2), enhanced PWM, MSSP/I2C/SPI, EUSART, CLC, CWG, and PPS for flexible pin mapping. XLP technology delivers nanoWatt sleep currents in the order of single-digit micro-amperes, enabling years of operation from a coin cell. The 32 MHz internal oscillator eliminates external crystals in many designs, reducing BOM cost.
The device uses a 14-bit instruction word RISC core with hardware stack and accumulator-based architecture. The PPS module remaps digital functions to virtually any I/O pin, simplifying PCB layout. Core-independent peripherals (CLC, CWG, PWM) operate without CPU wake-up, lowering average power and enabling deterministic real-time responses in low-power loops.
Typical uses span battery management, IoT sensor nodes, wearable devices, consumer electronics, smart-home controls, motor control, lighting, and human-machine interface (HMI) panels. The 20-pin PDIP package is breadboard-friendly and favored for prototyping, education, and through-hole production designs.
When designing with this MCU, allocate I/O mapping early since PPS reassignment can conflict if multiple peripherals target the same pin. For ultra-low-power designs, prefer sleep/idle modes with peripheral interrupt wake-up over polling loops. The internal 32 MHz oscillator is factory-calibrated; if USB or precision timing is required, an external crystal must be added.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, datasheet references, drop-in same-family alternatives, and practical design notes not always present in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18344-I/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 PIC16LF18344-I/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Core Independent Peripherals, Program Memory (Flash), I/O Pins.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F18344-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.81 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18324-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18344-I/GZ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18326-E/JQ
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.99 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1829-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18344-I/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC 8-bit RISC |
| Family | PIC16F1 / PIC16LF183xx |
| Program Memory | 7 KB Flash (4K x 14 words) |
| RAM | 512 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| CPU Speed | 32 MHz (8 MIPS) |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF variant) |
| I/O Pins | Up to 18 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 17 channels |
| Timers | Timer0, Timer1, Timer2 |
| PWM | Enhanced PWM, multiple channels |
| Communication | MSSP I2C/SPI, EUSART |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CLC, CWG, PPS |
| Package | 20-pin PDIP (0.300", 7.62 mm) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF18344-I/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — Bidirectional I/O pin / analog input |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — Bidirectional I/O pin / analog input |
| Pin 3 | RA3/MCLR/VPP — I/O / Master Clear (reset) / programming voltage |
| Pin 4 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O pin / analog input |
| Pin 5 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O pin / analog input |
| Pin 6 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O pin / analog input |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 9 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O pin / analog input |
| Pin 10 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O pin / analog input |
| Pin 11 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O pin / analog input |
| Pin 12 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O pin / analog input |
| Pin 13 | RC0 — Bidirectional I/O pin |
| Pin 14 | RC1 — Bidirectional I/O pin |
| Pin 15 | RC2 — Bidirectional I/O pin |
| Pin 16 | RC3 — Bidirectional I/O pin |
| Pin 17 | RC4 — Bidirectional I/O pin |
| Pin 18 | RC5 — Bidirectional I/O pin |
| Pin 19 | RC6 — Bidirectional I/O pin |
| Pin 20 | RC7 — Bidirectional I/O pin |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18344-I/P is suitable for 7 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Consumer Remote Controls and Human-Machine Interface (HMI), Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, LED Lighting and Dimming Control, Wearable Health and Fitness Devices, Smart Home Sensor and Actuator Hubs, Motor Control and Small BLDC Drivers.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF18344-I/P's 1.8-3.6 V VDD range and XLP nanoWatt sleep currents (single-digit microampere range) make it ideal for IoT sensor nodes that run for years on coin-cell or 2xAA batteries. With 7 KB Flash and a 32 MHz CPU, it can host BLE/Zigbee sub-controller command sets, periodic sensor reads, and edge filtering. Place the MCU in sleep between wake events triggered by CLC/CWG peripherals or ADC threshold interrupts; this duty-cycling pattern keeps average current in the tens of microampere range while the radio module dominates burst-mode consumption.
Recommended
Consumer Remote Controls and Human-Machine Interface (HMI)
The PIC16LF18344-I/P is well-suited to consumer remote controls thanks to its eXpert enable of low-power wake-on-touch via CLC, capacitive touch via ADC, and IR transmit via PWM. The 32 MHz CPU supports NEC/RC5 IR protocol encoding without external timers. Configure the device in sleep with CLC generating wake interrupts from a touch button; on wake, transmit IR and re-enter sleep, achieving standby battery life measured in years.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC16LF18344-I/P serves industrial sensor signal conditioning with its 10-bit ADC (up to 17 channels), EUSART, and I2C/SPI MSSP peripheral. The 32 MHz instruction rate supports moving-average filtering and linearization math on thermistor, RTD, or strain-gauge signals. Use PPS to remap UART/I2C/SPI to any I/O, simplifying PCB layout in dense industrial enclosures. Industrial-grade -40C to +85C operation handles factory-floor temperature ranges.
Recommended
LED Lighting and Dimming Control
The PIC16LF18344-I/P drives LED lighting and dimming with its enhanced PWM and CWG peripherals generating complementary PWM with dead-band control for half-bridge LED drivers. The CLC can mix multiple analog/digital inputs to drive the CWG without CPU intervention, freeing the 32 MHz core for color-mixing algorithms and DALI/Zigbee lighting protocols. Configure PWM frequency above 20 kHz to keep switching above the audible band.
Recommended
Wearable Health and Fitness Devices
The PIC16LF18344-I/P fits wearable health and fitness devices with its low-voltage 1.8 V operation, XLP sleep current, and small code footprint. Implement heart-rate or step-counting algorithms in 7 KB Flash, sample PPG/ECG signals with the 10-bit ADC, and stream results via I2C to a Bluetooth SoC. Sleep current in the microamp range combined with a CR2032 coin cell enables multi-week wear time between battery changes.
Recommended
Smart Home Sensor and Actuator Hubs
The PIC16LF18344-I/P serves smart-home sensor/actuator hubs with its generous I/O count (up to 18), flexible PPS mapping, and core-independent peripherals. Aggregate multiple sensor inputs (temperature, humidity, motion) over I2C/SPI, run local decision logic in CLC without CPU wake, and report via UART/Zigbee/Wi-Fi to a gateway. The wide VDD range supports direct battery or USB-powered operation.
Recommended
Motor Control and Small BLDC Drivers
The PIC16LF18344-I/P handles small motor control such as BLDC fans, vibration motors, or stepper drivers using its CWG (Complementary Waveform Generator), enhanced PWM with dead-band, and high-speed ADC for back-EMF sensing. 32 MHz instruction rate supports sensorless commutation algorithms. CLC can combine Hall-sensor signals with PWM logic for low-latency commutation without CPU wake-up, reducing motor noise and jitter.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18344-I/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F18344-I/P | PIC16LF18324-I/P | PIC16LF18344-I/GZ | PIC16LF1829-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-pin PDIP | 20-pin PDIP - same | 20-pin PDIP - same | 20-pin UQFN (SMD variant) | 20-pin PDIP - same |
| 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 |
| Program Memory | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash | 8 KB Flash |
| CPU Speed | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| RAM | 512 bytes | 512 bytes | 512 bytes | 512 bytes | 1024 bytes |
| I/O Pins | Up to 18 | Up to 18 | Up to 18 | Up to 18 | Up to 18 |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CLC, CWG, PPS | CLC, CWG, PPS | CLC, CWG, PPS | CLC, CWG, PPS | No CLC/CWG |
| Unit Price (qty 1) | $1.99 | ~$2.05 | ~$1.85 | ~$1.95 | ~$2.10 |
Key Differentiators
- Lower minimum operating voltage than F variant (vs PIC16F18344-I/P)
- More advanced peripheral set than legacy PIC16F1 (vs PIC16LF1829-I/P)
- SMD package option with identical die (vs PIC16LF18344-I/GZ)
Design Notes
PIC16LF18344-I/P sleep current is in the single-digit microampere range when configured with XLP settings (disable unused peripherals, use internal LFINTOSC for WDT). Estimated: at 3.0 V VDD with sleep current ~1 uA and average duty-cycle current ~100 uA @ 1% wake ratio, average draw is ~2 uA - a CR2032 (~220 mAh) supports ~12 years theoretical runtime. Verify exact sleep current in datasheet electrical characteristics table.
Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 8) and connect VSS (pin 7) directly to the ground plane with a short trace. For low-noise ADC measurements, route analog signals (RA0-RA5) away from digital switching lines and use a separate analog ground if available. Use PPS carefully - a peripheral output mapped to a pin can conflict with another peripheral's default mapping; always lock unused PPS pins to avoid glitches.
Do not exceed 3.6 V on VDD - the LF variant lacks the 5V tolerance of the F variant and may suffer permanent damage. Always configure MCLR (pin 3) as a reset input with appropriate RC delay if external reset is required, or tie to VDD via internal weak pull-up if unused. Do not enable the internal 32 MHz oscillator until the system voltage has stabilized above 1.8 V, otherwise unstable code execution may result. Estimated: HFINTOSC startup time is ~2 us per datasheet - factor this into wake-from-POR timing.
The 32 MHz internal oscillator has +/- 2% accuracy across voltage and temperature; for UART communications, verify baud-rate error budget stays below +/- 2% at the chosen system clock. Use EUSART auto-baud detection for robust serial links with external devices. When routing SPI lines at >1 MHz, keep traces short (<50 mm) and add 33 ohm series resistors if reflections appear on scope.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - choose PIC16F18344-I/P automotive variants if required.
