PIC16LF18857-E/SP - 56KB Flash 8-bit XLP MCU 28-SPDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF18857-E/SP ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.31 | $2.31 |
| 10 | $2.3 | $23.00 |
| 100 | $2.29 | $229.00 |
| 500 | $2.2869 | $1,143.45 |
| 1,000 | $2.2638 | $2,263.80 |
PIC16LF18857-E/SP Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, memory and peripherals; an 8-bit MCU is optimized for deterministic control and low power rather than raw throughput, fitting cost-sensitive embedded designs in the broader hierarchy of microcontrollers -> microprocessors -> semiconductors -> integrated circuits. The 'LF' prefix denotes the low-voltage F-variant, while the 'XLP' label marks silicon and peripherals engineered for nanoWatt sleep currents typical of battery-powered nodes.
Key specifications include 32 MHz maximum CPU clock, 56 KB self-programmable Flash program memory, 4 KB RAM, 256 B EEPROM for non-volatile data, up to 25 GPIO, a 10-bit ADC with computation (ADC2), multiple Enhanced Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitters (EUSART), two SPI and two I2C peripherals, and Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) for flexible signal routing. The device operates over -40 °C to +125 °C (E temperature grade) and is housed in a 28-SPDIP package with 0.1 in pin pitch.
Architecturally, the PIC16LF18857 uses a 14-bit instruction word, a hardware multiplier, a vectored interrupt controller with context save/restore, and a peripheral module disable mechanism that allows unused analog and digital blocks to be shut down individually for deep-sleep optimization. PPS remaps digital peripherals to any I/O pin, simplifying PCB routing when sharing lines between SPI, I2C, EUSART and PWM. The integrated 10-bit ADC with computation performs averaging, oversampling, threshold comparisons and basic filtering in hardware, freeing the CPU for application logic.
Typical applications include IoT sensor nodes, battery-powered handheld instruments, low-energy wireless sensor platforms, home automation and white-goods controls, LED lighting controllers, and small motor control loops where XLP sleep current and ADC2 noise performance are decisive.
When designing with this MCU, place a 0.1 µF decoupling capacitor close to each VDD pin and tie unused I/O to defined logic levels to avoid shoot-through. Choose the 'F' or 'LF' variant carefully - the 'F' runs up to 5.5 V, while this 'LF' is limited to 3.6 V maximum.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in compatible Microchip part numbers, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, giving embedded engineers a faster path from specification to production.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF18857-E/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 PIC16LF18857-E/SP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Program Memory (Flash), Operating Temperature, ADC, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF18857-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F18857-E/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18856-E/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.32 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18855-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18877-E/SP
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF18455-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF18857-E/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Microchip Technology |
| Series | PIC® XLP™ 16F |
| Core | PIC16 8-bit RISC |
| Instruction Word Width | 14-bit |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 32 MHz |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 56 KB (32K x 14) |
| Data Memory (RAM) | 4 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF variant) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 °C to +125 °C (E grade) |
| ADC | 10-bit with Computation (ADC2) |
| GPIO Count | Up to 25 I/O |
| EUSART | Yes |
| SPI | 2x |
| I2C | 2x |
| PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) | Yes |
| Package | 28-SPDIP (0.300 in, 7.62 mm pitch) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Technology | eXtreme Low Power (XLP) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF18857-E/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — I/O port A bit 5 / analog input |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — I/O port A bit 4 / analog input |
| Pin 3 | RA3 — I/O port A bit 3 / analog input / MCLR |
| Pin 4 | RC5 — I/O port C bit 5 / analog input |
| Pin 5 | RC4 — I/O port C bit 4 / analog input |
| Pin 6 | RC3 — I/O port C bit 3 / analog input / SCL |
| Pin 7 | RC2 — I/O port C bit 2 / analog input |
| Pin 8 | RC1 — I/O port C bit 1 / analog input |
| Pin 9 | RC0 — I/O port C bit 0 / analog input |
| Pin 10 | RA2 — I/O port A bit 2 / analog input |
| Pin 11 | RA1 — I/O port A bit 1 / analog input / ICSPCLK |
| Pin 12 | RA0 — I/O port A bit 0 / analog input / ICSPDAT |
| Pin 13 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 14 | RA7 — I/O port A bit 7 / analog input |
| Pin 15 | RA6 — I/O port A bit 6 / analog input |
| Pin 16 | RC6 — I/O port C bit 6 / analog input |
| Pin 17 | RC7 — I/O port C bit 7 / analog input |
| Pin 18 | RB7 — I/O port B bit 7 / analog input |
| Pin 19 | RB6 — I/O port B bit 6 / analog input |
| Pin 20 | RB5 — I/O port B bit 5 / analog input |
| Pin 21 | RB4 — I/O port B bit 4 / analog input |
| Pin 22 | RB3 — I/O port B bit 3 / analog input |
| Pin 23 | RB2 — I/O port B bit 2 / analog input |
| Pin 24 | RB1 — I/O port B bit 1 / analog input |
| Pin 25 | RB0 — I/O port B bit 0 / analog input / interrupt |
| Pin 26 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 27 | AVDD — Analog supply voltage |
| Pin 28 | AVSS — Analog ground reference |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF18857-E/SP is suitable for 6 applications: IoT Battery-Powered Sensor Node, Home Automation and White-Goods Control, Low-Energy Wireless Sensor Platform, Portable Medical and Health Devices, LED Lighting Controllers and Dimmers, Industrial Sensor and Process Control.
IoT Battery-Powered Sensor Node
The PIC16LF18857-E/SP is well-suited for IoT sensor nodes where multi-year coin-cell battery life is essential. Its XLP nanoWatt technology delivers deep-sleep currents in the nanoamp range while core-independent peripherals (CIPs) such as ADC2 with computation, CLC, and comparators continue sampling sensors without waking the CPU. The 1.8-3.6 V operating range aligns directly with single-coin-cell lithium supplies. PPS allows flexible pin mapping so the SPI/I2C/EUSART can be remapped around sensor placement, and 56 KB Flash supports on-device protocol stacks such as LoRaWAN, BLE-MAC, or Modbus. Drop-in upgrade path to PIC16LF18877-E/SP is available if extra op-amps are needed for analog front-end conditioning.
Recommended
Home Automation and White-Goods Control
The PIC16LF18857-E/SP fits home appliance controllers (washing machines, dishwashers, HVAC thermostats, smart plugs) where motor control, capacitive touch sensing, and multiple communication interfaces must coexist on a small BOM. ADC2 with computation offloads filtering of current/voltage sensing for BLDC motor control; the CLC and PWM blocks implement commutation timing without CPU overhead. PPS enables flexible PCB routing so display, buttons, sensor bus and triac drivers share a 28-SPDIP footprint. With 56 KB Flash the part runs full control loops plus a Wi-Fi/BLE host command interface. The E temperature grade supports under-cabinet or outdoor installations reaching +125 °C.
Recommended
Low-Energy Wireless Sensor Platform
The PIC16LF18857-E/SP is a strong host MCU for sub-GHz or BLE sensor endpoints (LoRa, Zigbee, BLE-MAC). With 32 MHz CPU clock and 4 KB RAM it can run protocol MAC layers while ADC2 reads environmental sensors, and CLC generates wake-up pulses from timer comparators. The EUSART drives an external LoRa/SX1276 or BLE/NRF52 transceiver, while SPI provides configuration. NanoWatt sleep currents allow event-driven wake cycles on battery. PPS keeps the SPI bus off specific pins so a user button or LED can use the same pads. Pin-compatible 28-SPDIP allows simple rework to PIC16LF18877-E/SP if additional analog channels are needed for gas sensors.
Recommended
Portable Medical and Health Devices
The PIC16LF18857-E/SP is used in portable medical peripherals such as glucose meters, pulse oximeters and personal spirometers. Its 10-bit ADC2 with hardware averaging produces stable readings for pulse-oximetry and spirometry flow sensors; op-amps (siblings with PIC16LF18877) amplify small photodiode signals. PPS allows the SPI display, I2C sensor and UART debug port to be reassigned when the PCB layout evolves. The 1.8-3.6 V supply is ideal for two-AAA or coin-cell power, and XLP sleep modes extend battery life between patient measurements. 56 KB Flash accommodates calibration tables and on-device algorithm code.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controllers and Dimmers
The PIC16LF18857-E/SP drives constant-current LED drivers, RGBW strips, and 0-10 V or DALI dimmers. Multiple PWM channels with dead-band control produce high-resolution color mixing, while ADC2 with computation samples photodiode feedback for closed-loop lumen regulation. CLC blocks can implement hardware over-temperature protection without waking the CPU. PPS remaps SPI for a digital LED driver IC and EUSART for DALI bus interfacing on any I/O. With 1.8-3.6 V operation, the part runs directly from a buck-converter output stage. The 28-SPDIP is breadboard-friendly for prototype dimmer designs.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor and Process Control
The PIC16LF18857-E/SP handles industrial 4-20 mA loop transmitters, RTD/thermocouple readers, and small PLC I/O modules. The -40 to +125 °C E temperature grade survives outdoor cabinet and factory-floor environments; ADC2 with oversampling achieves effective resolution beyond 10 bits for low-rate sensor measurements. PPS keeps SPI isolated from noisy motor lines, and dual UARTs enable RS-485 plus debug console simultaneously. CLC blocks implement alarm comparators in real time. Pin-compatible 28-SPDIP allows migration to PIC16LF18877-E/SP when more analog channels are needed for thermocouple cold-junction compensation.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF18857-E/SP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF18857-I/SP | PIC16F18857-E/SP | PIC16LF18856-E/SP | PIC16LF18855-I/SP | PIC16LF18877-E/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-SPDIP | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same | 28-SPDIP - same |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 56 KB | 56 KB | 56 KB | 28 KB | 14 KB | 56 KB |
| RAM | 4 KB | 4 KB | 4 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB | 4 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz | 32 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 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 3.6 V |
| Temperature Grade | E (-40 to +125 °C) | I (-40 to +85 °C) | E (-40 to +125 °C) | E (-40 to +125 °C) | I (-40 to +85 °C) | E (-40 to +125 °C) |
| On-chip Op-amps / Comparators | 3 op-amps / 2 comparators | 3 op-amps / 2 comparators | 3 op-amps / 2 comparators | 3 op-amps / 2 comparators | 2 op-amps / 2 comparators | 5 op-amps / 4 comparators |
Key Differentiators
- Largest Flash in the 28-SPDIP PIC16 XLP family (vs PIC16LF18856-E/SP)
- XLP nanoWatt deep-sleep operation (vs PIC16F18857-E/SP)
- Pin-compatible upgrade to PIC16LF18877 for extra op-amps (vs PIC16LF18877-E/SP)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 µF decoupling capacitor as close as possible to each VDD/AVDD pin, and add a bulk 1-10 µF tantalum or ceramic capacitor near the package. The PIC16LF18857-E/SP LF variant is rated 1.8 V to 3.6 V; exceeding 3.6 V may cause permanent damage. For battery applications, configure the ADC and CLC blocks to run from internal LF oscillator so the CPU can remain in deep sleep while sensors are sampled - per the Microchip datasheet DS40001802, XLP deep-sleep currents are in the nanoamp range.
Keep analog signal traces short and away from switching nodes. Connect AVSS to VSS at a single point near the IC. Place the ICSP programming footprint (ICSPDAT/ICSPCLK on RA0/RA1, MCLR on RA3) on accessible test points to support in-circuit debugging. PPS allows digital peripherals to be remapped to most I/O pins, so reserve a contiguous I/O cluster for the application bus and assign SPI/I2C/UART pins via PPS in code.
Do not exceed the 3.6 V maximum supply on this LF variant - use PIC16F18857-E/SP for 5 V systems. Tie unused I/O to VSS through a resistor or program them as outputs to avoid floating inputs that can cause shoot-through and excess sleep current. When migrating from PIC16F18857 firmware, verify that CONFIG settings for LVP (low-voltage programming) are reviewed - some legacy .INC files default to LVP enabled which conflicts with high-voltage MCLR programming.
Although the 28-SPDIP package has higher thermal resistance than surface-mount equivalents, the typical MCU current at 32 MHz is ~5 mA, so dissipation is well below 100 mW and no heatsink is required. For continuous 32 MHz operation at 3.6 V across the full -40 to +125 °C temperature range, ensure ambient airflow is sufficient or derate CPU clock. The datasheet DS40001802 specifies thermal resistance typicals in the datasheet family.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 automotive qualified in the standard E/SP variant - contact Microchip for automotive grades. Lead-free and halogen-free per Microchip environmental policy.
