PIC16LF18345-E/SO - 8-Bit MCU, 14KB Flash, XLP, 20-SOIC | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF18345-E/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.83 | $1.83 |
| 10 | $1.62 | $16.20 |
| 100 | $1.41 | $141.00 |
| 500 | $1.18 | $590.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.97 | $970.00 |
PIC16LF18345-E/SO Overview
What is a PIC16 8-bit microcontroller? PIC16 microcontrollers are Microchip's mid-range 8-bit MCU family based on the RISC PIC architecture. PIC16 → 8-bit microcontroller → microcontroller (MCU) → embedded processor → semiconductor IC. They integrate a CPU core, Flash program memory, SRAM, EEPROM, and a rich set of peripherals (ADC, timers, PWM, communication, etc.) into a single chip. The LF prefix denotes the low-voltage, low-power variant optimized for battery-powered applications, while the XLP technology extends battery life through nanoWatt sleep modes, low sleep current, and efficient peripheral gating.
Key features include a 10-bit ADC with computation, a 5-bit DAC, comparators, 10-bit PWM with auto-shutdown, configurable logic cells (CLC), numerically controlled oscillator (NCO), complementary waveform generator (CWG), and peripheral pin select (PPS) for flexible I/O mapping. The device also integrates EUSART, SPI, and I2C communication peripherals, along with multiple capture/compare/PWM (CCP) modules for motor and lighting control.
The PIC16LF18345 uses a Harvard RISC architecture with a 14-bit instruction word and 32 MHz internal oscillator, delivering up to 8 MIPS while consuming very low active current. PPS allows most digital peripherals to be routed to any I/O pin, simplifying PCB layout and BOM reuse across variants. The XLP technology provides deep-sleep currents as low as a few hundred nanoamperes with retention, making the part attractive for energy-harvesting and battery-backed designs.
Typical applications include IoT sensor nodes, battery-powered remote controls, low-power wireless sensor endpoints, small home appliances, LED lighting controllers, sensor signal conditioning, and consumer electronics requiring analog peripherals and communication interfaces. The 20-SOIC package supports hand-soldering and wave-soldering on conventional FR-4 boards, making the part popular for prototypes and low-volume production.
When designing with this device, leverage the PPS mapping to assign peripherals to convenient pins and use the nanoWatt XLP sleep modes to extend battery life. Always validate the analog pin assignments against the device's datasheet pinout table before layout, since PPS does not cover all functions and some pins have analog-only or digital-only roles.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18345-E/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 PIC16LF18345-E/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, DAC, Package, EEPROM, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF18345-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.02 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18345-E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.38 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18345-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.74 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18345-E/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18325-E/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18345-E/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 8-bit Microcontroller (MCU) |
| Core Architecture | PIC16 (Harvard RISC, 14-bit instruction) |
| Family | PIC16F/LF18325/18345 |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14 words) |
| SRAM | 1 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz (8 MIPS) |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF variant) |
| ADC | 10-bit, with computation |
| DAC | 5-bit |
| Comparators | Yes |
| PWM | 10-bit, multiple channels |
| Communication Peripherals | EUSART, SPI, I2C |
| Special Peripherals | CLC, NCO, CWG, PPS, CCP |
| Package | 20-pin SOIC (SO) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +125 C (E suffix = industrial) |
| Low-Power Technology | XLP (eXtreme Low Power, nanoWatt) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
PIC16LF18345-E/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/AN0 — I/O / Analog input 0 (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 2 | RA1/AN1 — I/O / Analog input 1 (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 3 | RA2/AN2 — I/O / Analog input 2 (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 4 | RA3/AN3/MCLR — I/O / Analog input 3 / Master Clear (reset) |
| Pin 5 | RA4/AN4 — I/O / Analog input 4 (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 6 | RA5/AN5 — I/O / Analog input 5 (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 8 | RA6/OSC2 — I/O / Oscillator output |
| Pin 9 | RA7/OSC1 — I/O / Oscillator input |
| Pin 10 | RC0 — I/O (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 11 | RC1 — I/O (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 12 | RC2 — I/O (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 13 | RC3 — I/O (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 14 | RC4 — I/O (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 15 | RC5 — I/O (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 16 | RC6 — I/O (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 17 | RC7 — I/O (PPS-capable) |
| Pin 18 | VSS — Ground (or NC on some variants - per datasheet) |
| Pin 19 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18345-E/SO is suitable for 6 applications: IoT Battery-Powered Sensor Node, Consumer Remote Control, LED Lighting Controller, Home Appliance User Interface, Portable Medical Monitoring Device, Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning.
IoT Battery-Powered Sensor Node
The PIC16LF18345-E/SO fits battery-powered IoT sensor nodes because of its 1.8V-3.6V operating range and XLP nanoWatt technology. Sleep current can drop to a few hundred nanoamperes with RAM retention, extending coin-cell battery life to multi-year operation. The 10-bit ADC with computation performs on-chip averaging and threshold detection without waking the CPU, while the integrated EUSART or I2C connects directly to low-power radio or sensor peripherals. The 20-SOIC package is hand-solderable for prototype nodes and supports wave soldering for low-volume production. Recommended companion parts: MCP9808 temperature sensor (I2C), ATA8520 sub-GHz radio.
Recommended
Consumer Remote Control
Consumer IR remote controls benefit from the PIC16LF18345-E/SO's low active current and fast wake-up from sleep. The CWG (Complementary Waveform Generator) drives IR LEDs directly without an external timer IC, while the 10-bit PWM modulates carrier frequency precisely. The 5-bit DAC and comparator support simple battery-voltage monitoring without ADC overhead. PPS remapping allows the same PCB layout to support multiple button matrix configurations, reducing SKUs. Recommended companion parts: TSOP38238 IR receiver, standard ECHO-VELCRO battery harness.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controller
The PIC16LF18345-E/SO serves as a smart LED lighting controller with 10-bit PWM and CWG driving multiple LED channels directly. The CLC (Configurable Logic Cell) implements custom PWM combinator logic in hardware, offloading the CPU. The 5-bit DAC provides analog dimming compatibility with legacy drivers. PPS allows PWM outputs to route to any I/O pin, simplifying multi-channel PCB layouts. The LF voltage range matches 3.3V LED driver rails. Recommended companion parts: TLC5947 7-channel LED driver, MCP1700 LDO regulator.
Recommended
Home Appliance User Interface
Home appliance user interfaces (HMI panels, washing-machine controls, microwave displays) use the PIC16LF18345-E/SO for its CLC-driven capacitive touch sensing and low-power operation. The 10-bit ADC reads multiple capacitive touch channels with computation, while SPI drives segment LCD or LED matrix displays. PPS allows touch channels to be routed around board layout constraints, and EUSART communicates with the main appliance controller. The -40C to +125C E temperature grade meets appliance environmental requirements. Recommended companion parts: AT42QT1010 touch sensor, MCP23S08 I/O expander.
Recommended
Portable Medical Monitoring Device
Portable medical monitoring devices (pulse oximeters, thermometers, wearable patches) leverage the PIC16LF18345-E/SO's XLP sleep current and 10-bit ADC for low-duty-cycle measurement with long battery life. The NCO (Numerically Controlled Oscillator) generates precise stimulation or measurement waveforms without CPU intervention. The 5-bit DAC supports analog output for sensor excitation. I2C/SPI interfaces connect to bio-sensors and BLE modules. The -40C to +125C operating range suits medical-grade environmental specs. Recommended companion parts: MAX30102 pulse oximeter sensor, MCP6002 op-amp.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
Industrial 4-20mA loop-powered transmitters and process sensor signal conditioners use the PIC16LF18345-E/SO for its 10-bit ADC with computation, 5-bit DAC for analog output, and CLC for hardware averaging. The LF 1.8V-3.6V supply range is compatible with 3.3V industrial rails. EUSART supports HART or Modbus communication when paired with a transceivers IC. The 256B EEPROM stores calibration constants without external memory. PPS simplifies routing ADC inputs away from noisy digital traces. Recommended companion parts: MCP6001 op-amp, XTR105 4-20mA current loop transmitter.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18345-E/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF18345-I/SO | PIC16F18345-E/SO | PIC16LF18345-E/P | PIC16LF18345-E/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-SOIC | 20-SOIC (same) | 20-SOIC (same) | 20-PDIP (different package, same die) | 20-SSOP (different package, same die) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8V to 3.6V | 1.8V to 3.6V (same) | 1.8V to 5.5V (wider range) | 1.8V to 3.6V (same) | 1.8V to 3.6V (same) |
| Flash Memory | 14 KB | 14 KB (same) | 14 KB (same) | 14 KB (same) | 14 KB (same) |
| SRAM | 1 KB | 1 KB (same) | 1 KB (same) | 1 KB (same) | 1 KB (same) |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B (same) | 256 B (same) | 256 B (same) | 256 B (same) |
| Maximum Frequency | 32 MHz | 32 MHz (same) | 32 MHz (same) | 32 MHz (same) | 32 MHz (same) |
| Temperature Grade | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +85C (I) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) | -40C to +125C (E) |
| XLP Low-Power | Yes (nanoWatt) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) |
Key Differentiators
- PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) for flexible pin mapping (vs PIC16LF1829-I/SO (predecessor))
- XLP nanoWatt technology with deep sleep retention (vs PIC16F18345-E/SO (F variant))
- Integrated CLC, NCO, CWG peripherals (vs PIC16LF15345-I/SO (different PIC16 family))
Design Notes
Estimated: at VDD=3.3V and active mode at 32 MHz, the PIC16LF18345-E/SO draws approximately 4-5 mA. In sleep mode with WDT disabled, current drops to a few hundred nanoamperes with RAM retention. For battery-powered designs, use the XLP sleep modes (Sleep, Deep Sleep, or Retention modes) and configure the PPS to disable unused peripherals before sleep. Always tie unused I/O to defined logic levels (VDD or VSS) to minimize parasitic current.
Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor as close as possible to each VDD pin (pins 19 and 20) and a bulk 1 uF to 10 uF tantalum or ceramic capacitor at the MCU power input. For analog applications using the ADC or DAC, add a ferrite bead or pi-filter between digital VDD and analog AVDD if separate rails are used. Keep the MCLR/RA3 reset circuit (typically 10 kΩ pull-up) short and away from switching traces to avoid spurious resets.
Use PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) to route digital peripherals away from analog input pins (AN0-AN5 on RA0-RA5). Keep the analog reference (RA4 used as AN4 or reference) trace short and guarded with a ground pour. The internal 32 MHz oscillator needs a short, symmetric trace pattern if using an external crystal on RA6/RA7 - for most applications the internal oscillator eliminates the need for external crystals entirely.
Do not exceed the 3.6V maximum VDD on the LF variant - the F variant is required for 5V designs. Always configure the PPS unlock sequence (PPSLOCK register) before remapping peripherals, and re-lock after configuration to prevent runaway writes. The CLC and NCO peripherals require the appropriate clock source to be enabled in PMCCON. Verify that MCLR is not left floating - either tie to VDD via 10kΩ pull-up or disable MCLR in CONFIG words if not used.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (this is a general-purpose MCU, not automotive-grade). Halogen-free status: [DATA_NEEDED]. Contact Microchip for full material declaration.
