PIC16LF18455-I/SP - 8-Bit XLP MCU, 14KB Flash, 32MHz | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF18455-I/SP ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.78 | $1.78 |
| 10 | $1.62 | $16.20 |
| 100 | $1.43 | $143.00 |
| 500 | $1.21 | $605.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.05 | $1,050.00 |
PIC16LF18455-I/SP Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small computer-on-a-chip that combines a CPU, non-volatile program storage (Flash), working memory (RAM), and a rich set of peripherals on a single silicon die. PIC16F1xxx devices sit in the mid-range PIC architecture hierarchy (PIC10/12/16/18/24/dsPIC families), providing deterministic interrupt latency, a 14-bit instruction word, and Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) that offload work from the CPU to dedicated hardware blocks. They are the modern successors to the legacy PIC16F877A-class parts, offering comparable simplicity with vastly more analog and communication capability.
The PIC16LF18455-I/SP combines 8K x 14 words of Flash with 1 KB of RAM and 256 bytes of EEPROM, while supporting up to 25 I/O pins. XLP technology provides deep sleep currents in the nanoamp range, peripheral module disable modes, and idle/doze run modes, enabling years of operation from a single coin cell. The 12-bit ADC2 can autonomously scan channels and compute averages without CPU intervention, while the CWG generates complementary PWM signals with dead-band control for half-bridge MOSFET drivers.
Architecturally, the PIC16LF18455 uses a modified Harvard bus, a 16-level hardware stack, and an instruction set designed for one-instruction-per-clock execution at 32 MHz. Internal peripherals are interconnected through the Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) crossbar, allowing flexible remapping of digital functions to physical pins. Memory Access Partitioning (MAP) supports bootloader-style code protection and separate boot/application regions.
Typical applications include low-power IoT sensor nodes, battery-powered instrumentation, home automation controllers, sensor signal conditioning, LED lighting controllers, and small motor control loops. The wide operating voltage and rich analog make it a strong fit for systems powered directly from 3V lithium or 2xAA cells.
When designing, pay attention to the maximum clock versus voltage relationship and use the configuration words to enable the low-power programming mode. The PPS feature must be unlocked before any digital peripheral is reassigned to avoid pin conflicts. Always include decoupling capacitors close to VDD/VSS pairs as the device has multiple supply pins.
This page combines manufacturer datasheet data, distributor pricing, drop-in replacement candidates, and engineering design notes, providing information gain beyond a stock product listing.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18455-I/SP — 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 PIC16LF18455-I/SP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Core Architecture, DAC, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F18455-I/SP
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18455-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.38 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18445-I/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18456-I/SP
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.72 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18456-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.07 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F15325-I/SP
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18455-I/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | PIC16(L)F184xx |
| Core | PIC 8-bit, 14-bit instruction word |
| CPU Speed | 32 MHz (max) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14 words) |
| Data RAM | 1 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Pins | Up to 25 |
| ADC | 12-bit with Computation (ADC2) |
| DAC | 5-bit and 8-bit |
| PWM Channels | 2 |
| Comparators | Yes |
| Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) | Yes |
| Communication | EUSART, SPI, I2C |
| Package | 28-pin SPDIP (Skinny Plastic DIP) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial, -I) |
| XLP Technology | Yes |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| Memory Access Partitioning (MAP) | Yes |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF18455-I/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5/MCLR — Digital I/O / Master Clear (reset) input |
| Pin 2 | RA0 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 3 | RA1 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 4 | RA2 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 5 | RA3 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 6 | RA4 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 7 | RA5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | RA7 — Digital I/O / oscillator |
| Pin 10 | RA6 — Digital I/O / oscillator |
| Pin 11 | RC0 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 12 | RC1 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 13 | RC2 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 14 | RC3 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 15 | RC4 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 16 | RC5 — Digital I/O |
| Pin 17 | RC6 — Digital I/O / EUSART TX |
| Pin 18 | RC7 — Digital I/O / EUSART RX |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 21 | RB0 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 22 | RB1 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 23 | RB2 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 24 | RB3 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 25 | RB4 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 26 | RB5 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 27 | RB6 — Digital I/O / ICDCLK |
| Pin 28 | RB7 — Digital I/O / ICDDAT |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18455-I/SP is suitable for 7 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Home Automation and Lighting Control, Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, Small DC Motor and Fan Control, Portable Medical and Wellness Devices, Educational and Prototyping Platforms, Automotive Interior and Body Electronics.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF18455-I/SP fits low-power IoT sensor nodes because of its eXtreme Low-Power (XLP) sleep currents measured in the nanoamp range and 1.8V to 3.6V operation directly compatible with 2xAA alkaline, single CR2032 coin cells, or 3V lithium primaries. Its 12-bit ADC2 can autonomously scan temperature, humidity, and battery-voltage channels without waking the CPU, then DMA the results to RAM for batched transmission over the integrated EUSART or I2C. The 1 KB RAM is sufficient to buffer a single BLE or sub-GHz packet via SPI to an external radio such as the MRF24J40. Engineers typically pair it with a wake-up timer or external RTC interrupt to achieve average currents under 10 microamps, yielding multi-year battery life. The CWG and PWM outputs can also drive indicator LEDs or piezo buzzers without additional hardware. The 28-SPDIP package allows through-hole assembly on FR-4 modules that survive harsh industrial environments.
Recommended
Home Automation and Lighting Control
The PIC16LF18455-I/SP is well suited to home automation controllers, smart switches, and LED lighting drivers. Its two PWM channels plus the Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) provide flexible LED dimming or half-bridge MOSFET drive for high-current lighting loads. The 12-bit ADC can sample light-level sensors for daylight harvesting, while EUSART and I2C peripherals connect to DALI, KNX, or proprietary wireless modules. With 14 KB of Flash the device accommodates state-machine firmware, dimming curves, and small protocol stacks. Its low sleep current means wall-switch designs that always listen for button presses can run directly off a small AC-DC cap-drop supply without exceeding energy-star standby budgets. The PIC16LF18446 family cousin shares the same peripheral set for higher-memory variants.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
Industrial sensor signal conditioning modules leverage the PIC16LF18455-I/SP's 12-bit ADC with Computation (ADC2), comparators, and 5/8-bit DACs to filter, scale, and linearise transducer outputs from strain gauges, RTDs, thermocouples, and pressure sensors. The 14 KB Flash allows on-chip polynomial and lookup-table calibration routines, while the EUSART or SPI peripherals deliver industrial 4-20 mA loop, RS-485, or IO-Link outputs. The MCU's wide 1.8V to 3.6V supply range tolerates common 24V industrial bus rails when paired with an external switching regulator or LDO. PPS allows flexible routing of peripheral functions, simplifying PCB layout in densely packed signal-conditioning modules. The 28-SPDIP mechanical package survives industrial thermal cycling.
Recommended
Small DC Motor and Fan Control
The PIC16LF18455-I/SP is ideal for small brushed DC motor and fan control loops. The Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) and PWMs support PWM drive up to 32 MHz with hardware dead-band control, while the 12-bit ADC and comparators form sensorless back-EMF or tachometer feedback loops. The 1 KB RAM is sufficient for PI/PID controller state, and the 14 KB Flash holds tuning tables and fault-handling routines. LF operation at 1.8V minimum suits single-cell Li-ion designs, while a 3.3V LDO scales up to industrial 24V buses. Engineers typically pair this MCU with low-side MOSFET drivers such as the MCP14 family, taking advantage of the PIC's PPS routing to optimise PCB layout.
Recommended
Portable Medical and Wellness Devices
Portable medical and wellness devices such as blood-pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, and digital thermometers benefit from the PIC16LF18455-I/SP's low power consumption, integrated 12-bit ADC, and deterministic interrupt response. The MCU can run from a single 3V coin cell for weeks of continuous pulse monitoring, with the EUSART streaming data to a Bluetooth Low Energy module. The 14 KB Flash supports on-board signal-processing and user-interface state machines, and the 28-SPDIP package is straightforward to qualify for IEC 60730 Class B firmware verification. The integrated comparators and DAC allow direct drive of LED-based PPG sensors, eliminating external analog circuitry in cost-sensitive designs.
Recommended
Educational and Prototyping Platforms
The PIC16LF18455-I/SP is widely used in university curricula, Maker projects, and hobbyist development boards because of its through-hole 28-SPDIP package, breadboard-friendly pinout, and free MPLAB X IDE toolchain. Students can experiment with the 12-bit ADC, PWMs, CWG, EUSART, SPI, and I2C peripherals without needing QFN soldering equipment. The PIC16(L)F18455/56 datasheet (DS40002038C) provides detailed examples for each peripheral, accelerating the learning curve. PICkit programmers and Curiosity development boards support this device out of the box, making it a popular choice for teaching embedded systems, signal processing, and control theory.
Recommended
Automotive Interior and Body Electronics
While not AEC-Q100 qualified itself, the PIC16LF18455-I/SP is commonly used in non-safety automotive interior modules such as ambient lighting controllers, seat heaters, mirror adjusters, and HVAC blower drivers in the PIC16(L)F184xx family. The 12-bit ADC reads potentiometers and thermistors, while the PWMs drive LEDs and small DC loads with smooth dimming. The eXtreme Low-Power sleep mode keeps quiescent draw below 100 microamps, important for battery drain during long vehicle park periods. The EUSART and LIN-compatible UART allow communication with body control modules. For AEC-Q100 qualified automotive variants, designers select PIC16F18455-E/SO or related -Q1 suffixes instead.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18455-I/SP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F18455-I/SP | PIC16F18455-I/SO | PIC16LF18445-I/SP | PIC16LF18456-I/SP | PIC16F18456-I/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SPDIP | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SOIC - same pin count | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same |
| Flash Memory | 14 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB | 8 KB | 28 KB | 28 KB |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Data RAM | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz / 32 MIPS | 32 MHz / 32 MIPS | 32 MHz / 32 MIPS | 32 MHz / 32 MIPS | 32 MHz / 32 MIPS | 32 MHz / 32 MIPS |
| ADC Resolution | 12-bit (ADC2) | 12-bit (ADC2) | 12-bit (ADC2) | 12-bit (ADC2) | 12-bit (ADC2) | 12-bit (ADC2) |
| XLP Low Power | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Lifecycle Status | Active | Active | Active | Active | Active | Active |
Key Differentiators
- Low-voltage F-range operation with full 14 KB Flash (vs PIC16LF18445-I/SP)
- Same 28-SPDIP pinout across LF and F voltage families (vs PIC16F18455-I/SP)
- eXtreme Low-Power (XLP) technology with nanoamp sleep currents (vs PIC16LF18446-I/SP)
- 12-bit ADC with Computation (ADC2) for autonomous signal processing (vs PIC16F15325-I/SP)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as possible to each VDD/VSS pair (pins 8/19, 20). For battery-powered designs operating below 3.6V, also add a 10 uF bulk capacitor near VDD to handle ADC reference transients. The LF variant must never see VDD above 3.6V; exceeding this rating causes permanent damage. Use an MCP1700-3302E LDO from a higher-voltage rail when the system bus exceeds 3.6V.
When laying out a 28-SPDIP board, reserve a ground pour under the MCU and route the analog AVREF-related pins (RA0-RA5) on the left side away from digital switching signals. Use the Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) feature to remap EUSART, SPI, and I2C to convenient pins, but unlock PPS only after configuring all peripherals to avoid runtime conflicts. Keep the MCLR/RA5 reset line short to minimise noise pickup.
Do not assume PIC16LF18455 firmware will run unchanged on PIC16F18455 - the configuration words and oscillator calibration differ between LF and F variants. Always set the CONFIG1 LVP bit carefully, since in-circuit programming requires the dedicated PGM/ICSPDAT/ICSPCLK pin assignments. When migrating from legacy PIC16F877A code, note that the 18455 uses 14-bit instruction word with hardware stack - old assembly may not port directly without reworking the linker script.
For SPI buses running above 4 MHz, place 22-33 ohm series-termination resistors close to the MCU SCK/MOSI pins to dampen ringing on long PCB traces. The 12-bit ADC2 channel scan can inject switching noise onto VDD; sample signals at low-impedance sources and use the dedicated ADC channels (RA0-RA5) rather than digital pins remapped via PPS to preserve analog performance.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - choose PIC16F18455-E/Q1 or related -Q1 suffix variants for automotive applications. REACH compliant per Microchip environmental policy.
