PIC16LF1906T-I/SO - 8-bit MCU, 14KB Flash, LCD, XLP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF1906T-I/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.28 | $1.28 |
| 10 | $1.21 | $12.10 |
| 100 | $1.05 | $105.00 |
| 500 | $0.86 | $430.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.68 | $680.00 |
| 3,000 | $0.52 | $1,560.00 |
PIC16LF1906T-I/SO Overview
A PIC16F-series microcontroller is an 8-bit RISC-based MCU using a modified Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, which lets the CPU fetch the next instruction while accessing data memory in the same cycle. Within the broader taxonomy, PIC16LF1906 belongs to the PIC16F family, which itself sits under the PIC microcontroller hierarchy, then to 8-bit microcontrollers, MCUs, microprocessors, and finally to embedded semiconductors. The 'LF' prefix denotes the low-voltage (1.8V-3.6V) process variant, while 'XLP' (eXtreme Low Power) is Microchip's branded nanoWatt technology that delivers sub-microamp sleep currents.
Key features include 14KB (8K x 14 words) of self-programmable Flash, 512 bytes of data SRAM, 256 bytes of EEPROM, an integrated segmented LCD driver with charge pump, a 10-bit ADC with up to 17 channels, and multiple serial interfaces (I2C/SPI, EUSART). The 'T' suffix designates a Tape & Reel packaging option for high-volume SMT assembly, while 'I' indicates the industrial -40C to +85C operating temperature range, and 'SO' specifies the 28-pin 7.50 mm wide SOIC package.
The architecture combines a 16-level hardware stack, 49 instructions, and a 31 kHz to 20 MHz internal oscillator that supports PLL operation. Peripherals include multiple 8-bit and 16-bit timers, comparators, a master synchronous serial port (MSSP) configurable as SPI or I2C, and an enhanced universal synchronous/asynchronous receiver/transmitter (EUSART). The integrated LCD driver supports up to 116 segments with variable contrast and a charge pump for low-voltage operation.
Typical applications include battery-powered consumer products such as thermostats and remote controls, industrial metering and sensor front-ends with on-glass LCD readouts, IoT edge nodes that sleep for years on a single cell, white-goods user interfaces, and portable medical monitoring devices. The wide -40C to +85C industrial temperature range and XLP nanoWatt sleep modes below 1 uA make it particularly attractive for always-on, energy-harvesting, or coin-cell powered designs.
When designing with this part, allocate PCB area for the ICSP/ICD programming/debug header because every PIC16LF1906 ships blank and requires Microchip's MPLAB X IDE plus a programmer (PICkit, ICD, or Snap) to load firmware. Plan decoupling: a 100 nF ceramic on VDD close to the pin, plus a bulk 1-10 uF on AVDD, is a safe baseline. Total Flash endurance is rated at 100K erase/write cycles, so reserve EEPROM for frequently-changed parameters.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing (Heisener, LCSC, DigiKey), drop-in package alternatives (28-SOIC), and practical design notes not found in the standalone manufacturer datasheet to help engineers evaluate the PIC16LF1906T-I/SO in days rather than weeks.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF1906T-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 PIC16LF1906T-I/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, LCD Driver, Package, Maximum CPU Speed, Core Architecture.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF1906-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1906-E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.48 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F1906T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF1906T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.21 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF1906T-I/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC16 (modified Harvard, RISC) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14 words) |
| Data SRAM | 512 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 20 MHz (8 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial, 'I' suffix) |
| Package | 28-SOIC (7.50 mm / 0.295" body width) |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 17 channels |
| LCD Driver | Integrated segmented LCD, up to 116 segments |
| Timers | Multiple 8-/16-bit (Timer0, Timer1, Timer2, etc.) |
| Communication Interfaces | EUSART, MSSP (SPI / I2C) |
| Low-Power Technology | nanoWatt XLP (sleep current sub-uA) |
| Instruction Set | 49 instructions, 16-level hardware stack |
| ICSP/ICD Debug | Yes (In-Circuit Serial Programming + debug) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Programming Toolchain | MPLAB X IDE, MPLAB XC8 compiler, PICkit/Snap/ICD |
| Packaging Form | Tape & Reel ('T' suffix) |
PIC16LF1906T-I/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA7 — General-purpose I/O / SOSC / segment driver (per datasheet) |
| Pin 2 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 3 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8 V to 3.6 V) |
| Pin 4 | MCLR — Master Clear (reset) input, active low |
| Pin 5 | RA0 — General-purpose I/O / analog AN0 / segment driver |
| Pin 6 | RA1 — General-purpose I/O / analog AN1 / segment driver |
| Pin 7 | RA2 — General-purpose I/O / analog AN2 / segment driver |
| Pin 8 | RA3 — General-purpose I/O / analog AN3 / segment driver |
| Pin 9 | RA4 — General-purpose I/O / analog AN4 / segment driver |
| Pin 10 | RA5 — General-purpose I/O / analog AN5 / segment driver |
| Pin 11 | RC0 — General-purpose I/O / analog AN16 / segment driver |
| Pin 12 | RC1 — General-purpose I/O / analog AN17 / segment driver |
| Pin 13 | RC2 — General-purpose I/O / segment driver |
| Pin 14 | RC3 — General-purpose I/O / SCL (MSSP I2C) / segment driver |
| Pin 15 | RC4 — General-purpose I/O / SDA (MSSP I2C) / segment driver |
| Pin 16 | RC5 — General-purpose I/O / SDO (MSSP SPI) / segment driver |
| Pin 17 | RC6 — General-purpose I/O / TX (EUSART) / segment driver |
| Pin 18 | RC7 — General-purpose I/O / RX (EUSART) / segment driver |
| Pin 19 | RB0 — General-purpose I/O / interrupt-on-change / segment driver |
| Pin 20 | RB1 — General-purpose I/O / interrupt-on-change / segment driver |
| Pin 21 | RB2 — General-purpose I/O / interrupt-on-change / segment driver |
| Pin 22 | RB3 — General-purpose I/O / interrupt-on-change / segment driver |
| Pin 23 | RB4 — General-purpose I/O / interrupt-on-change / segment driver |
| Pin 24 | RB5 — General-purpose I/O / interrupt-on-change / segment driver |
| Pin 25 | RB6 — General-purpose I/O / ICSPCLK / segment driver |
| Pin 26 | RB7 — General-purpose I/O / ICSPDAT / segment driver |
| Pin 27 | RA6 — General-purpose I/O / OSCO / segment driver |
| Pin 28 | VSS — Ground reference |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF1906T-I/SO is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Thermostat with LCD, Smart Electricity Meter / Sub-Meter, Industrial Sensor Front-End with Display, Remote Control / Home Appliance UI, Portable Medical Monitoring Device, IoT Edge Sensor Node (Coin Cell).
Battery-Powered Thermostat with LCD
The PIC16LF1906T-I/SO is well suited for wall-mount battery thermostats because it integrates a 116-segment segmented LCD driver with charge-pump, eliminating the need for an external LCD controller and saving both BOM cost and PCB area. Its 1.8 V to 3.6 V VDD range lets it run from two AA alkaline cells while the nanoWatt XLP sleep current below 1 uA allows multi-year battery life when the MCU wakes only every few seconds to read temperature and update the display. The 14 KB Flash and 512 byte SRAM comfortably fit a UI state machine plus a weekly scheduling algorithm, while the 10-bit ADC with up to 17 channels directly digitizes NTC thermistor inputs without a front-end amp.
Recommended
Smart Electricity Meter / Sub-Meter
The PIC16LF1906T-I/SO fits AMI/sub-meter designs where an 8-bit MCU reads a current transformer, computes RMS power, and drives a segmented LCD read-out. The 14 KB Flash stores the energy accumulation algorithm and calibration tables, while the 256-byte EEPROM retains total kWh and tamper counters through power outages. The internal LCD driver supports up to 116 segments to render kWh, voltage, current, and tariff displays on a single glass, and the nanoWatt XLP sleep below 1 uA keeps quiescent draw within IEC 62053-21 standby budgets for line-powered meters.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Front-End with Display
For industrial 4-20 mA loop-powered or 24 V field transmitters, the PIC16LF1906T-I/SO provides the LCD UI, the ADC input for the sensor bridge, and the serial interface for HART or RS-485, all on a single chip. The -40C to +85C industrial temperature range covers outdoor and factory-floor deployment without de-rating, and the 20 MHz core delivers the MIPS headroom needed for linearization, PID compensation, and digital filtering of the sensor signal. Compared to a discrete MCU plus LCD controller, this integration reduces the BOM by 1 IC and shrinks the PCB footprint by roughly 30 percent.
Recommended
Remote Control / Home Appliance UI
The PIC16LF1906T-I/SO is a strong fit for white-goods user-interface panels such as washing-machine, dishwasher, and microwave control boards. Its integrated LCD driver displays time, mode, and status on a custom glass, while its PWM outputs and timers drive buzzer, triac-fired load, and rotary encoder inputs. The 14 KB Flash comfortably holds menu trees and fault diagnostics, and 256 byte EEPROM preserves user preferences (spin cycle, language) across power cycles. Industrial -40C to +85C operation handles kitchen environments where temperature swings are common.
Recommended
Portable Medical Monitoring Device
Battery-powered portable medical devices such as pulse oximeters, glucose meters, and handheld spirometers benefit from the PIC16LF1906T-I/SO's combination of low 1.8 V operation, sub-uA sleep current, integrated 10-bit ADC for analog sensor front-ends, and integrated LCD driver for the read-out. The wide -40C to +85C range supports both home and clinical environments, and the EUSART plus MSSP interfaces make it straightforward to add a Bluetooth LE module or wired USB-CDC bridge. Total quiescent current under 1 uA in XLP sleep helps medical devices meet IEC 60601-1 battery-life requirements.
Recommended
IoT Edge Sensor Node (Coin Cell)
The PIC16LF1906T-I/SO is ideal for coin-cell powered IoT edge nodes that sense a parameter every few seconds, transmit briefly, and return to deep sleep. The nanoWatt XLP technology delivers typical sleep currents around 50 nA, so a 220 mAh CR2032 can power a duty-cycled node for 5-10 years. The 1.8 V to 3.6 V supply range matches a single lithium coin cell directly, while the EUSART and MSSP connect to low-power radio modules such as the MRF89XA sub-GHz transceiver. With 14 KB Flash, the firmware can implement a full protocol stack plus local filtering on a low-cost 8-bit core.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF1906T-I/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF1906-I/SO | PIC16LF1906-E/SO | PIC16F1906T-I/SO | PIC16LF1906T-I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-SOIC (7.50mm) | 28-SOIC (7.50mm) - same | 28-SOIC (7.50mm) - same | 28-SOIC (7.50mm) - same | 28-SSOP (5.30mm) - smaller footprint |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB | 14 KB |
| Data SRAM | 512 bytes | 512 bytes | 512 bytes | 512 bytes | 512 bytes |
| VDD Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V (F variant) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial) | -40C to +85C | -40C to +125C (extended) | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
| Packaging Form | Tape & Reel (T) | Tray (no T) | Tube (extended grade) | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated 116-segment LCD driver eliminates external controller IC (vs PIC16LF1906T-I/SS)
- Industrial -40C to +85C rating covers most commercial and field deployments (vs PIC16LF1906-E/SO)
- NanoWatt XLP sleep current below 1 uA enables multi-year coin-cell operation (vs PIC16F1906T-I/SO)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF X7R decoupling capacitor as close as physically possible to the VDD pin (pin 3) of the PIC16LF1906T-I/SO, with a 1 uF to 10 uF bulk cap on the same node. For battery designs running from a single CR2032, also place a 100 nF cap on AVDD if the ADC is used, since any ripple on the analog supply directly couples into the ADC's last 2-3 LSBs. The XLP nanoWatt sleep current is specified with both VDD and AVDD stable - a missing bulk cap can keep the device in a higher-current mid-power state.
Every PIC16LF1906 ships from the factory with Flash erased and configuration bits blank. A PIC16LF1906T-I/SO will not boot into application code until the configuration words (oscillator selection, watchdog, code protection, brown-out voltage) are programmed and the application Flash is loaded via ICSP using MPLAB X IDE plus a PICkit, MPLAB Snap, or ICD programmer. Plan a 2x5 or 1x6 header on the PCB for ICSP access - leaving it out forces rework on every engineering build.
Keep the LCD glass connector traces short and guarded by a ground ring on the same side, since the segmented LCD driver pins are multiplexed at low frequency and pick up noise easily. Route the SOSC crystal traces (if used instead of the internal oscillator) symmetrically, length-matched, and surrounded by ground copper to keep them below 10 pF of stray capacitance. Avoid routing digital switching signals parallel to the LCD segment traces - cross only at 90 degrees if needed.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Microchip product page; the part is lead-free and halogen-free. PIC16LF1906T-I/SO is not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive designs, contact Microchip about AEC-Q100 grade variants in the PIC16F1906 family.
