PIC16LF18344T-I/SO - 8-Bit 32MHz XLP MCU 7KB Flash 20-SOIC
MPN: PIC16LF18344T-I/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.71 | $1.71 |
| 10 | $1.62 | $16.20 |
| 100 | $1.45 | $145.00 |
| 500 | $1.29 | $645.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.16 | $1,160.00 |
| 3,000 | $1.05 | $3,150.00 |
PIC16LF18344T-I/SO Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller is a programmable logic device that executes instructions fetched from embedded Flash memory in 4-bit-wide "nibbles" or 8-bit "bytes", making it well suited for low-cost, deterministic control tasks such as sensor readout, peripheral control, and human-machine interfaces. Within the broader taxonomy, the PIC16LF18344 belongs to the PIC16 mid-range core family, which evolved from the PIC10/12/14 cores. PIC microcontrollers belong to the larger category of microcontrollers (MCU) within the integrated circuits segment, sitting alongside ARM Cortex-M0 microcontrollers and 16-bit dsPIC parts.
Key features include support for Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) which allows digital peripherals such as the CLC, CWG, CCP, PWM and communication blocks (EUSART, SPI, I2C) to be remapped to almost any I/O pin; integrated Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) such as Complementary Waveform Generator, Numerically Controlled Oscillator and Configurable Logic Cell; a 10-bit ADC with computation, a 5-bit DAC and comparators; and 4 configurable PWM/CCP modules. The XLP (eXtreme Low Power) technology enables nanoWatt sleep currents typically below 100 nA in deep sleep with peripherals running.
Architecturally the PIC16LF18344 uses a RISC-like Harvard core with a 14-bit instruction word and a hardware stack, allowing deterministic interrupt latency and fast context switching for sensor-driven designs. The device supports 1.8V-3.6V operation across an industrial -40°C to +85°C temperature range, with brown-out reset, watchdog timer, and high-current sink/source capable I/O pins for direct LED or relay drive. The instruction set is a superset of legacy PIC10/12/14, easing migration.
Typical applications include battery-powered IoT sensor nodes, wearable health monitoring devices, low-power remote controls, e-metering and e-locks, white goods and appliance user interfaces, and automotive interior sub-assemblies where post-regulator rails exist. Engineers select this part where low quiescent current dominates the energy budget.
When designing with this part, always populate the ICSP™/ICD pins (RB6/ICSPck, RB7/ICSPdat) with the standard 6-pin In-Circuit Serial Programming header and add 4.7 kΩ pull-ups on I2C lines when used. The PPS unlock sequence must follow the procedure in the datasheet; otherwise peripherals remain locked to their default pins.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives, and practical design notes that complement the manufacturer datasheet's catalog format.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18344T-I/SO — 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 PIC16LF18344T-I/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Comparators, Core Architecture, Package, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF18344-I/SO
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.02 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18344-E/SO
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18344T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18344T-E/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F18344T-I/SOVAO
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18344T-I/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 (mid-range, 14-bit instruction word) |
| Family | PIC® XLP™ 16F |
| Data Bus Width | 8-bit |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB (4K x 14) |
| SRAM | 512 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 32 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (Vdd) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial, "I") |
| Package | 20-SOIC (0.295", 7.50 mm width) |
| ADC | 10-bit, 10-channel (per family datasheet) |
| DAC | 5-bit (per family datasheet) |
| Comparators | Yes (per family datasheet) |
| PWM / CCP | 4 channels (per family datasheet) |
| Digital Communication | EUSART, SPI, I2C (with PPS remap) |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CLC, CWG, NCO, CCP, PWM (PPS-enabled) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF18344T-I/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 — I/O port A bit 2; analog-capable |
| Pin 2 | RA3 — I/O port A bit 3 |
| Pin 3 | RA4 — I/O port A bit 4 |
| Pin 4 | RA5/MCLR/Vpp — I/O port A bit 5 / Master Clear reset / Programming voltage |
| Pin 5 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RA0 — I/O port A bit 0; analog-capable |
| Pin 7 | RA1 — I/O port A bit 1; analog-capable |
| Pin 8 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8 V to 3.6 V for LF variant) |
| Pin 9 | RB5 — I/O port B bit 5 |
| Pin 10 | RB4 — I/O port B bit 4 |
| Pin 11 | RB3/ICSPdat — I/O port B bit 3 / ICSP data |
| Pin 12 | RB2 — I/O port B bit 2 |
| Pin 13 | RB1/ICSPCLK — I/O port B bit 1 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 14 | RB0 — I/O port B bit 0 |
| Pin 15 | RC7 — I/O port C bit 7 |
| Pin 16 | RC6 — I/O port C bit 6 |
| Pin 17 | RC5 — I/O port C bit 5 |
| Pin 18 | RC4 — I/O port C bit 4 |
| Pin 19 | RC3 — I/O port C bit 3 |
| Pin 20 | RC2 — I/O port C bit 2 |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18344T-I/SO is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Wearable Health Monitoring Devices, Low-Power Remote Controls and RF Key Fobs, Smart Appliance and White Goods User Interfaces, Smart Lighting and LED Drivers (Low-Voltage DC Rails), Industrial Sensor Conditioning and Edge Devices.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF18344T-I/SO fits IoT sensor nodes because the XLP technology delivers sub-100 nA sleep current and the LF process permits operation down to 1.8 V on a single-cell alkaline, NiMH, or coin-cell battery. The 7 KB Flash and 512 B SRAM hold a typical sensor-stack firmware (e.g., periodic wake, ADC read, transmit, return to sleep) with the Core Independent Peripherals (CLC, NCO, CWG) operating during sleep so the CPU stays idle. PPS remapping lets designers assign digital peripherals to any I/O pin, simplifying PCB routing when a sensor must be placed away from the MCU. Average system currents measured in field designs are usually < 5 µA, giving multi-year battery life on a 2400 mAh AA cell.
Recommended
Wearable Health Monitoring Devices
The PIC16LF18344T-I/SO supports wearable health monitoring where low power, small footprint, and reliable sleep/wake behavior are essential. The 32 MHz core processes sensor data (pulse oximetry, temperature, IMU) within a 4 ms wake window so the device can return to deep-sleep rapidly, while the 10-bit ADC and integrated comparators provide direct sensor interfaces without external signal conditioning. The 1.8 V minimum supports single coin-cell operation typical of fitness bands. PPS enables the designer to share I²C between an accelerometer and a biometric sensor without pin-sharing conflicts. Resulting BOM cost and current draw (typically 1-2 µA average) let designers ship multi-month battery-life products.
Recommended
Low-Power Remote Controls and RF Key Fobs
The PIC16LF18344T-I/SO is commonly used in remote controls and RF key fobs where the XLP sleep current and short wake time extend battery life to multi-year levels. Combined with sub-GHz transceivers, the MCU wakes on a button press (CLC-monitored pin) at < 10 µs response time, sends a packet, and re-enters sleep drawing less than 100 nA. The EUSART or SPI peripherals can be PPS-mapped to share a single pin pair with the RF module's interrupt and data lines. Designers often choose the LF variant over the F variant because coin-cell supply voltage regularly droops below 2.5 V during pulsed transmission; the LF device continues to operate where the F device would brown-out.
Recommended
Smart Appliance and White Goods User Interfaces
The PIC16LF18344T-I/SO drives capacitive-touch or matrix-key user interfaces in white goods (microwave ovens, dishwashers, washing machines) where a 20-SOIC form factor is the standard. The integrated comparator scans capacitive sensors without external op-amps; the CWG generates the high-current sink/source needed to drive LED segment displays directly. With 7 KB Flash the firmware fits the entire state-machine UI plus a self-test routine. PPS simplifies PCB layout for engineers who want digital communication blocks on the connector side and analog blocks on the keypad side, eliminating routing congestion around the 20-pin SOIC.
Recommended
Smart Lighting and LED Drivers (Low-Voltage DC Rails)
The PIC16LF18344T-I/SO is suited to smart lighting where a constant-current LED string is driven from a 24 V (or higher) DC bus stepped down to 3.3 V locally. The MCU controls dimming via PWM (PPS-mapped to any pin), reads ambient light via the 10-bit ADC, and switches to a sleep state with CLC-monitored wake logic when the fixture is off. The LF 1.8 V minimum supports emergency-lighting designs powered from a partially depleted supercapacitor, while the same package keeps the BOM compact. Typical designs integrate Zigbee or Bluetooth modules for wireless control, communicating via the EUSART or SPI peripheral routed via PPS.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Conditioning and Edge Devices
The PIC16LF18344T-I/SO operates in industrial edge devices measuring analog sensor signals (4-20 mA loops, thermistor bridges, strain gauges) where microamp sleep currents preserve battery or solar-buffered operation. The 10-bit ADC plus 5-bit DAC and hardware comparators provide a complete sensor front-end, with CLC, NCO and CWG delivering CIP-based timing that does not require CPU awake time. Industrial temperature range, PPS for layout flexibility, and the 20-SOIC's compatibility with pick-and-place automation streamline medium-volume production. Engineers often pair it with RS-485 transceivers for wired fieldbus links and MCU communicates via the EUSART through a PPS-mapped pin pair.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18344T-I/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF18344-I/SO | PIC16LF18344-E/SO | PIC16F18344T-I/SO | PIC16F18344T-E/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-SOIC (0.295") | 20-SOIC (0.295") - same | 20-SOIC (0.295") - same | 20-SOIC (0.295") - same | 20-SOIC (0.295") - same |
| Vdd min (LF variant) | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 2.3 V (+28%) | 2.3 V (+28%) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C (extended) | -40 °C to +85 °C | -40 °C to +125 °C (extended) |
| CPU Speed (max) | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Flash Program Memory | 7 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB |
| SRAM | 512 B | 512 B | 512 B | 512 B | 512 B |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Shipping Format | Tape and Reel (T suffix) | Tube/Tray (no T suffix) | Tube/Tray (no T suffix) | Tape and Reel (T suffix) | Tape and Reel (T suffix) |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest minimum Vdd of 1.8 V in a same-die PIC16 XLP 20-SOIC (vs PIC16F18344T-I/SO)
- Smaller-pin sibling available for board-space constrained designs (vs PIC16LF18324T-I/ST (14-pin TSSOP))
- Higher Industrial temperature variant available for outdoor design (vs PIC16F18344T-I/SO (I grade))
Design Notes
Estimated: At Vdd = 3.0 V, 32 MHz active current is approximately 6 mA (per family datasheet typical) and deep-sleep current is approximately 50 nA with peripherals off. Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as possible to the Vdd pin (pin 8) and a 10 µF bulk capacitor near Vdd. Without the 100 nF cap, inductance of even a few nanohenries on the supply trace can cause voltage sags during CIP activity and reset the MCU; always populate both bypass capacitors on every prototype.
If using the PIC16LF18344T-I/SO with PPS, route the PPS-mapped digital communication lines (EUSART, SPI, I²C) as short matched-length pairs; place a 4.7 kΩ pull-up on each I²C SDA and SCL line even if not immediately used. The ICSP/ICD pins RB6/ICSPCLK (pin 13) and RB7/ICSPdat (pin 14) must be brought out to a 6-pin header on every prototype PCB, otherwise in-circuit debug is impossible. Refer to Microchip application note TB1265 for ICSP layout guidelines.
Estimated: Always unlock PPS by writing 0x55 to PPSLOCK and immediately following with 0xAA per the PIC16(L)F18324/18344 datasheet 40001800D sequence; otherwise peripheral pin remap writes are silently discarded and the device continues running on default pin assignments. When migrating from non-LF PIC16F18344 designs, verify that no rail drops below 2.3 V at peak load; if it does, either choose the LF variant or add a boost regulator. Do not exceed 4.0 V on Vdd on the LF variant or the brown-out detector will latch.
Compliance Information
RoHS-compliant per Microchip product page. Halogen-free per Microchip environmental declaration. Conflict-mineral reporting is on Microchip's corporate responsibility page. AEC-Q100 qualification status is per-microchip part number; choose -E/VAO suffix variants for automotive applications.
