PIC16LF648AT-I/ML - 8-bit PIC MCU, 7KB Flash, 256B RAM | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF648AT-I/ML ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.2215 | $4.22 |
| 10 | $3.79 | $37.90 |
| 100 | $3.42 | $342.00 |
| 500 | $3.07 | $1,535.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.74 | $2,740.00 |
| 3,300 | $2.45 | $8,085.00 |
PIC16LF648AT-I/ML Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, non-volatile program memory, working RAM, and a rich set of peripheral blocks (timers, ADC, comparators, communication modules) into one IC. PIC microcontrollers from Microchip sit in the broader category of 8-bit microcontrollers, which sit in turn under embedded microcontrollers, then microprocessors, and finally semiconductors. The 16F family is the workhorse "mid-range" PIC line, positioned between the 8-bit baseline PIC10/12/16F5xx and the 16-bit PIC24/dsPIC families.
Key features of the PIC16LF648AT-I/ML include the on-chip USART for asynchronous/synchronous serial communication, a 10-bit ADC with up to 8 channels, two analog comparators, capture/compare/PWM modules for motor and LED control, an internal oscillator with software-tunable frequency, and an on-chip ICD debug interface for in-circuit programming. The 256-byte data EEPROM supports non-volatile parameter storage across power cycles, eliminating external storage ICs in many designs.
Architecturally, the device uses a 14-bit instruction word RISC core with a hardware multiplier for fast math on byte and bit operations, a 2-stage pipeline allowing most instructions to execute in a single 200 ns cycle, and an enhanced flash program memory interface supporting self-programming and ICSP. Brown-out reset, power-on reset, and a programmable watchdog timer with its own on-chip low-power oscillator provide robust unsupervised operation in fielded systems.
Typical applications include industrial sensor signal conditioning, low-power remote-control handsets, simple home appliances, battery chargers, motor and fan controllers, low-end digital thermostats, and automotive interior accessories (non-safety). The 28-QFN footprint suits compact handheld designs where board area is at a premium.
When designing with this part, plan the trace layout to route the exposed thermal pad to a copper pour to keep the junction temperature within the industrial -40C to +85C operating range, since at 20 MHz the core draws several milliamps and the small QFN body has limited heat dissipation without the pad's copper area. Configure the configuration word carefully - especially the oscillator source, watchdog enable, and code-protect bits - because changing watchdog or oscillator settings later requires re-flow with a different binary.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-family drop-in alternatives, application context, and practical design notes that you will not find on the bare manufacturer datasheet's front page.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF648AT-I/ML — 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 PIC16LF648AT-I/ML (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Core Architecture, Internal Oscillator, Operating Temperature, ADC.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F648AT-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F648A-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF648A-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F648AT-E/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.66 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF628AT-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF648AT-I/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC16 enhanced mid-range 8-bit RISC |
| Instruction Word Width | 14 bits |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Program Flash Memory | 7 KB (4K x 14 words) |
| RAM (SRAM) | 256 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Digital I/O Pins | 16 |
| Supply Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 8 channels |
| Analog Comparators | 2 |
| Capture/Compare/PWM | 1 ECCP + 1 standard CCP |
| USART | 1 (addressable, with TX/RX) |
| Internal Oscillator | Yes (4/8 MHz, software-selectable) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes (with dedicated 31 kHz internal source) |
| Brown-out Reset | Yes |
| In-Circuit Programming / Debug | Yes (ICSP / ICD) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
| Package | 28-VQFN EP (6 x 6 x 0.9 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free / Terminal Finish | Yes, NiPdAu (no-lead QFN) |
PIC16LF648AT-I/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / analog input channel 0 |
| Pin 2 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / analog input channel 1 |
| Pin 3 | RA2/AN2 — PORTA bit 2 / analog input channel 2 |
| Pin 4 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — PORTA bit 3 / analog input / positive VREF |
| Pin 5 | RA4/AN4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / analog input / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 6 | RA5/AN5/SS/C2OUT — PORTA bit 5 / analog input / SPI slave-select / comparator 2 output |
| Pin 7 | RA6/OSC2/CLKO — PORTA bit 6 / crystal output / clock output |
| Pin 8 | RA7/OSC1/CLKI — PORTA bit 7 / crystal input / clock input |
| Pin 9 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 10 | RB0/INT — PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt input |
| Pin 11 | RB1/RX/DT — PORTB bit 1 / USART RX / sync data |
| Pin 12 | RB2/TX/CK — PORTB bit 2 / USART TX / sync clock |
| Pin 13 | RB3/CCP1 — PORTB bit 3 / CCP1 PWM/capture/compare |
| Pin 14 | RB4/SCK/SCL — PORTB bit 4 / SPI/I2C clock |
| Pin 15 | RB5/SDI/SDA — PORTB bit 5 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 16 | RB6/ICSPCLK — PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock (PGEC) |
| Pin 17 | RB7/ICSPDAT — PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data (PGED) |
| Pin 18 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | MCLR/VPP — Master clear / programming voltage (active-low reset) |
| Pin 21 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 output / Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 22 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 input / CCP2 |
| Pin 23 | RC2/CCP1/P1A — PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 output / PWM P1A |
| Pin 24 | RC3 — PORTC bit 3 |
| Pin 25 | RC4/C2OUT — PORTC bit 4 / comparator 2 output |
| Pin 26 | RC5/C1OUT — PORTC bit 5 / comparator 1 output |
| Pin 27 | RC6 — PORTC bit 6 |
| Pin 28 | RC7 — PORTC bit 7 |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF648AT-I/ML is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, Battery-Powered Remote Control Handsets, Low-Power Home Appliance Controllers, Small BLDC and DC Motor Controllers, Solar Charge Controllers and Battery Managers, Automotive Interior Accessories, Smart Home Edge Sensor Nodes.
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
PIC16LF648AT-I/ML suits industrial sensor conditioning because its 10-bit ADC with up to 8 channels digitizes analog signals from RTDs, thermocouples via front-end amps, and 4-20 mA loops with adequate resolution for control loops. The 2.0 V to 5.5 V supply lets it run from a regulated 24V bus drop or a 3.3V rail in fan-less PLC I/O modules. The USART bridges to RS-485 transceivers for long cable runs to a master PLC.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Remote Control Handsets
PIC16LF648AT-I/ML is a strong fit for battery-powered remote controls because the LF process variant operates down to 2.0 V from a single CR2032 or 2xAA cell, and the sleep current falls to single-digit microamps. The internal 31 kHz oscillator plus interrupt-on-change wake-up preserves coin-cell life for months, and the 16-bit CCP in PWM mode drives IR LEDs for IR remote protocols. The 256-byte EEPROM stores paired device IDs across battery swaps.
Recommended
Low-Power Home Appliance Controllers
PIC16LF648AT-I/ML serves as the main controller in microwaves, rice cookers, coffee machines, and air purifiers because its 7 KB Flash holds full-featured user-interface code while the capture/PWM modules directly drive TRIAC and SSR gates through MOC/SSR couplers. The two analog comparators support line-voltage zero-crossing detection to phase-control resistive loads. The 16 I/O pins accept keypad scanning, 7-segment LED multiplexing, and buzzer tones without glue logic.
Recommended
Small BLDC and DC Motor Controllers
PIC16LF648AT-I/ML handles small DC and BLDC motor control in fans, pumps, and toys with its on-chip CCP/PWM module generating a high-resolution duty cycle and the analog comparator providing back-EMF sensing for sensorless BLDC commutation. The 256-byte EEPROM is suitable for storing calibrated speed/torque profiles per product variant. The 20 MHz CPU budget is enough for trapezoidal commutation at speeds well above 30,000 RPM with prescalers.
Recommended
Solar Charge Controllers and Battery Managers
PIC16LF648AT-I/ML is widely used in PWM solar charge controllers and standalone battery managers because its 10-bit ADC measures V/I for both the PV input and the battery with cycle-by-cycle load regulation in firmware. The internal oscillator saves an external crystal on cost-sensitive 5A/12V panels, and the wide 2.0 V to 5.5 V supply range handles a 6V solar cell directly. Brown-out reset protects deeply discharged lead-acid and Li-ion packs from corruption.
Recommended
Automotive Interior Accessories
PIC16LF648AT-I/ML is deployed in non-safety automotive interior accessories such as seat heaters, ambient lighting controllers, mirror adjusters, and trim lighting. The industrial -40C to +85C range covers most cabin thermal environments; for harsh locations select the PIC16F648AT-E/ML extended -40C to +125C automotive part. The USART interfaces to LIN bus via external transceiver ICs (MCP2003) for body modules wired to the BCM.
Recommended
Smart Home Edge Sensor Nodes
PIC16LF648AT-I/ML sits well in sub-$1 smart-home edge sensor nodes (door/window sensors, temperature transmitters, water-leak detectors) because the LF silicon draws single-digit microamps in sleep. The 16-bit timer plus the internal 31 kHz oscillator handles periodic wake-and-sample on a duty cycle below 0.1 percent. The USART may be repurposed as an SPI master to drive sub-GHz radio modules for proprietary protocols at sub-milliwatt average power.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF648AT-I/ML — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F648AT-I/ML | PIC16F648A-I/ML | PIC16LF648A-I/ML | PIC16F648AT-E/ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology - same brand | Microchip Technology - same brand | Microchip Technology - same brand | Microchip Technology - same brand |
| Package | 28-VQFN EP (6x6 mm) | 28-VQFN EP (6x6 mm) - same | 28-VQFN EP (6x6 mm) - same | 28-VQFN EP (6x6 mm) - same | 28-VQFN EP (6x6 mm) - same |
| Flash Program Memory | 7 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB | 7 KB |
| Data RAM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.0 V to 5.5 V (LF process) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V (F process) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V (F process) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V (LF process) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V (F process) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +85C (industrial I grade) | -40C to +85C (industrial I grade) | -40C to +85C (industrial I grade) | -40C to +85C (industrial I grade) | -40C to +125C (extended E grade) |
| Reel Quantity | Tape & Reel (suffix T) | Tape & Reel (suffix T) | Tube (no suffix) | Tube (no suffix) | Tape & Reel (suffix T) |
| Stock / Availability | In stock at authorized distributors as of 2026-09-25 | In stock | In stock | In stock | In stock |
Key Differentiators
- Low-voltage LF process variant of the proven PIC16F648A (vs PIC16F648AT-I/ML)
- Same 28-QFN footprint across the entire PIC16F648A family (vs Cross-brand MCUs (e.g. ATmega328P-AI in 28-QFN))
- Extended -40C to +85C industrial grade as standard (vs Commercial-only MCUs in 28-QFN)
Design Notes
The 28-QFN EP exposed pad (pin 0, on the bottom) is the primary heat path; it MUST be soldered to a copper pour with at least 50 thermal vias for industrial -40C to +85C operation. Estimated: at 20 MHz active across 5V supply, the core draws about 10 mA, dissipating 50 mW; with theta_JA under 30 C/W on a 1 sq inch copper pour, junction temperature stays within industrial limits. Without the pad soldered the QFN will overheat at heavy CPU loading.
Place the 100 nF VDD bypass capacitor within 3 mm of pin 18 (VDD), and a 10 to 22 uF bulk decoupling capacitor within 10 mm. Keep the MCLR/VPP trace short and place any ICSP debug header in a way that does not run adjacent to the analog AV lines (RA0 to RA5). Use a guard ring around analog inputs RA0..RA3 and route the ADC reference (pin 4 AN3/VREF+) on its own quiet trace to the common-mode reference point.
The configuration word (CONFIG) defined in the linker is a one-time-set side-channel; if you enable code protection or a particular oscillator source by accident you have to re-flow to change it. Watchdog timer and internal oscillator frequency selection are also in CONFIG and not changeable at runtime. Estimating: the internal oscillator trim drifts roughly 1 percent over the operating range, so null calibration is recommended for USART / LIN work above 9600 baud.
Use a low-dropout regulator such as MCP1700 (3.3V) or MCP1755 (5V) with a 1 uF ceramic capacitor near VDD; the LF silicon process is specifically trimmed for low-quiescent LDO draw, so heavy switching converters near VDD may couple noise into the analog channels via VDD - a pi-filter of LC + ferrite bead is standard. Sleep mode current is rated in single-digit microamps in the electrical characteristics section.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product environmental compliance documentation. The NiPdAu lead-free terminal finish on the no-lead 28-VQFN is widely accepted in automotive and industrial flows. AEC-Q100 is not_applicable for this industrial-grade part - the "E" graded PIC16F648AT-E/ML is the automotive-relevant variant per the PIC16 family product naming.
