PIC16LF18856-E/SS - 8-bit MCU, 32MHz, 28KB Flash, XLP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF18856-E/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.8 | $1.80 |
| 10 | $1.62 | $16.20 |
| 100 | $1.44 | $144.00 |
| 500 | $1.27 | $635.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.1 | $1,100.00 |
PIC16LF18856-E/SS Overview
What is an 8-bit PIC microcontroller? It is a Harvard-architecture RISC MCU optimized for low-power embedded control, sitting within the broader hierarchy of microcontroller -> embedded controller -> semiconductor IC. The PIC16F188xx family specifically targets ultra-low-power (XLP) applications where active current in nanoamps and deep-sleep retention extend battery life by orders of magnitude versus generic 8-bit MCUs.
Key features of the PIC16LF18856-E/SS include eXtreme Low Power (XLP) technology with nanoWatt XLP sleep currents below 60 nA, Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs) such as CWG and SMT, and Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) that remaps digital peripherals to any I/O pin for flexible PCB routing. The 14-bit instruction set, 32 MHz internal oscillator, and on-chip 10-bit ADC2 with hardware averaging accelerate mixed-signal sensor conditioning loops.
Typical applications include battery-powered IoT sensor nodes, low-power wireless remote controls, energy-harvesting edge devices, consumer white goods user interfaces, and automotive body-electronics modules. The 28-SSOP footprint suits compact handheld products that demand long battery life alongside rich peripheral integration.
When designing with this part, ensure the MPLAB X IDE project selects the PIC16LF18856 device and configures the PPS registers before peripheral use. Do not exceed 3.6 V on any I/O pin when operating in LF (low-voltage) mode; for designs above 3.6 V select the PIC16F18856 (F) variant.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives, and engineering design notes drawn from Microchip datasheets and the PIC16LF18856 family reference manual.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18856-E/SS — 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 PIC16LF18856-E/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Operating Temperature, Program Memory (Flash), DAC.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF18857-E/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.73 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18855-E/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.28 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18855-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18855T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.28 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18854-E/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.38 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18856-E/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit RISC, 14-bit instruction set |
| Family | PIC16F188xx (XLP) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 28 KB (16K x 14 words) |
| Data SRAM | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 32 MHz (32 MIPS) |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| DAC | 5-bit and 10-bit |
| Comparators | Yes (integrated) |
| Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) | Yes |
| Signal Measurement Timer (SMT) | Yes |
| Hardware Limit Timer (HLT) | Yes |
| Windowed Watchdog Timer (WWDT) | Yes |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| Zero-Cross Detect (ZCD) | Yes |
| SCAN / CRC | Yes |
| EUSART | 1x |
| SPI / I2C | 2x (SPI or I2C configurable) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +125 C (E = extended) |
| Package | 28-pin SSOP (0.209", 5.30 mm width) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF18856-E/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA5 — Port A bit 5 (I/O) |
| Pin 3 | RA4 — Port A bit 4 (I/O) |
| Pin 4 | RA3 — Port A bit 3 (I/O) |
| Pin 5 | RC5 — Port C bit 5 (I/O) |
| Pin 6 | RC4 — Port C bit 4 (I/O) |
| Pin 7 | RC3 — Port C bit 3 (I/O, PWM) |
| Pin 8 | RC2 — Port C bit 2 (I/O, PWM) |
| Pin 9 | RC1 — Port C bit 1 (I/O) |
| Pin 10 | RC0 — Port C bit 0 (I/O) |
| Pin 11 | RB7 — Port B bit 7 (I/O, ICSP data) |
| Pin 12 | RB6 — Port B bit 6 (I/O, ICSP clock) |
| Pin 13 | RB5 — Port B bit 5 (I/O) |
| Pin 14 | RB4 — Port B bit 4 (I/O) |
| Pin 15 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 16 | RB3 — Port B bit 3 (I/O) |
| Pin 17 | RB2 — Port B bit 2 (I/O) |
| Pin 18 | RB1 — Port B bit 1 (I/O) |
| Pin 19 | RB0 — Port B bit 0 (I/O, INT) |
| Pin 20 | RA0 — Port A bit 0 (I/O, ADC) |
| Pin 21 | RA1 — Port A bit 1 (I/O, ADC) |
| Pin 22 | RA2 — Port A bit 2 (I/O) |
| Pin 23 | RC6 — Port C bit 6 (I/O) |
| Pin 24 | RC7 — Port C bit 7 (I/O) |
| Pin 25 | RA6 — Port A bit 6 (I/O, OSC2) |
| Pin 26 | RA7 — Port A bit 7 (I/O, OSC1) |
| Pin 27 | VSS — Ground reference (alternate) |
| Pin 28 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (alternate) |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18856-E/SS is suitable for 7 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node, Consumer White Goods User Interface, Wireless Remote Control, Automotive Body Electronics Module, Energy-Harvesting Edge Device, Industrial Sensor Conditioning, LED Lighting Controller.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node
The PIC16LF18856-E/SS is well suited for battery-powered IoT sensor nodes because its XLP nanoWatt technology delivers deep-sleep currents below 60 nA with full RAM and EEPROM retention, allowing multi-year operation on a single CR2032 coin cell. The 32 MHz core wakes in microseconds to sample sensors via the 10-bit ADC2, condition the result, and transmit over EUSART or SPI. At 32 MIPS the device can run AES-128 encryption and stack-aware protocols within the 28 KB Flash budget.
Recommended
Consumer White Goods User Interface
The PIC16LF18856-E/SS drives capacitive touch button panels, rotary encoders, and 7-segment LED displays in washing machines, dishwashers, and microwave ovens. The on-chip mTouch CVD module supports up to 24 touch channels with hardware auto-calibration, and the integrated CWG and PWM channels generate LED dimming without external drivers. Wide operating temperature range (-40 C to +125 C) suits appliance behind-panel thermal environments.
Recommended
Wireless Remote Control
Infrared and sub-GHz RF remote controls benefit from the PIC16LF18856-E/SS XLP sleep current and fast wake time from interrupt. The integrated SMT (Signal Measurement Timer) accurately captures IR RC5/RC6 protocol timing while keeping the core asleep, extending battery life to several years on AAA cells. Peripheral Pin Select remaps EUSART and PWM outputs to any I/O pin, simplifying single-layer PCB layouts for handheld enclosures.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics Module
The PIC16LF18856-E/SS extends into non-safety automotive body modules such as interior lighting, mirror controllers, and seat-position memory. Its -40 C to +125 C operating range covers AEC-Q100 Grade 1 environments, and the WWDT with windowed mode plus CRC/SCAN hardware diagnostics meet OEM expectations for fault detection. The 28-SSOP footprint enables compact PCB integration behind dashboard trim panels.
Recommended
Energy-Harvesting Edge Device
Energy-harvesting designs harvesting from solar, thermal, or vibration sources rely on the PIC16LF18856-E/SS nanoWatt XLP architecture to operate continuously from millijoules-per-day budgets. The ZCD (Zero-Cross Detect) peripheral synchronizes mains-powered harvesting with AC line cycles, while the HLT (Hardware Limit Timer) prevents over-discharge of storage capacitors. Cold-start from 1.8 V is supported by the on-chip LFINTOSC.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Conditioning
The PIC16LF18856-E/SS conditions analog sensor signals in industrial 4-20 mA loops, RTD bridges, and thermocouple inputs using the integrated 10-bit ADC2 with computation, op-amp-ready comparators, and 5-/10-bit DAC for offset trimming. PPS routing lets designers place ADC inputs close to analog sensor traces, reducing PCB noise pickup. The 32 MIPS core runs calibration and linearization algorithms in real time.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controller
The PIC16LF18856-E/SS drives multi-channel LED strings in architectural and signage lighting using the integrated CWG (Complementary Waveform Generator) for dead-band-controlled half-bridge drive and PWM channels for dimming. SCAN/CRC verifies LED driver integrity at startup, while EUSART accepts DMX-512 or DALI commands from upstream lighting controllers. PPS remaps PWM outputs to optimize PCB routing for current-path separation.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18856-E/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF18857-E/SS | PIC16LF18855-E/SS | PIC16LF18855-I/SS | PIC16LF18855T-I/SS | PIC16LF18854-E/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-SSOP | 28-SSOP (same) | 28-SSOP (same) | 28-SSOP (same) | 28-SSOP (same) | 28-SSOP (same) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 28 KB | 56 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB | 7 KB |
| SRAM | 2 KB | 4 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 512 B |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Max 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 |
| 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 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Temperature Grade | -40 C to +125 C (E) | -40 C to +125 C (E) | -40 C to +125 C (E) | -40 C to +125 C (I) | -40 C to +125 C (I) | -40 C to +125 C (E) |
Key Differentiators
- Balanced Flash size for sensor + connectivity stacks (vs PIC16LF18855-E/SS)
- Higher-memory upgrade path on same footprint (vs PIC16LF18857-E/SS)
- Extended -40C to +125C operating range (vs PIC16LF18855-I/SS)
Design Notes
The PIC16LF18856-E/SS XLP sleep currents drop below 60 nA with full RAM retention when Sleep mode is entered via the SLEEP instruction and the LFINTOSC is held off. Estimated: assuming 50 nA sleep current and a 220 mAh CR2032 battery, theoretical battery life is approximately 220 mAh / 0.00005 mA = 4.4 million hours (over 500 years), bounded by battery self-discharge (~1%/year) and shelf life (~10 years). Verify with the datasheet DC characteristics section before committing to a power budget.
Place a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor within 3 mm of the VDD pin (pin 1 or pin 28) and a bulk 1-10 uF tantalum or ceramic capacitor near the MCU power pin pair. A ferrite bead on VDD reduces noise injection from switching regulators on the same rail. Keep analog ADC traces short and away from PWM or CWG switching nodes; AGND and DGND should share a single point connection under the MCU.
PPS configuration registers are NOT initialized by default - the device boots with no peripheral outputs routed to pins. Configure PPS in firmware before enabling EUSART, SPI, I2C, PWM, or CWG, or peripherals will silently produce no signals. Also note that the LF variant (PIC16LF18856) cannot operate above 3.6 V - applying 5 V damages the part. Select PIC16F18856 (F variant) when 5 V rails are required.
The 28-SSOP 0.65 mm pitch package demands fine-pitch escape routing on the top layer with a ground pour on layer 2. Estimated: at 0.65 mm pitch, route 0.15 mm traces between pads and use 0.25 mm via-in-pad only if assembly supports it; otherwise fan-out to dog-bone vias outside the pad area. Maintain 0.2 mm clearance from pad edges to satisfy standard SSOP land pattern IPC-7351 tolerances.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product declaration. Not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive safety-critical designs consult Microchip automotive-grade PIC16 portfolio. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in verified web data.
