PIC16LF720-E/P - 8-Bit 16MHz MCU, 3.5KB Flash, 20-PDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF720-E/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.65 | $1.65 |
| 10 | $1.48 | $14.80 |
| 100 | $1.31 | $131.00 |
| 500 | $1.18 | $590.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.05 | $1,050.00 |
PIC16LF720-E/P Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, memory (Flash/RAM/EEPROM), and peripherals on one die. Within the embedded hierarchy, MCUs sit below microprocessors (MPUs) and above discrete logic in the system architecture. The PIC16 family uses a Harvard-architecture RISC core with a 14-bit instruction word, well known for deterministic execution and a compact, easy-to-learn instruction set. The "LF" prefix designates the low-voltage variant operating from 2.3V to 3.6V, while the "F720" part number identifies the 20-pin device with NanoWatt XLP (eXtreme Low Power) technology.
Key features of the PIC16LF720-E/P include 128 bytes of RAM, 256 bytes of EEPROM data memory, up to 18 digital I/O pins, an enhanced USART, MSSP (SPI/I2C), two 8-bit timers, one 16-bit timer, a 12-bit ADC with up to 12 channels, and a 5-bit DAC. XLP technology enables sleep currents below 1 microampere, and the device supports multiple low-power wake events including interrupt-on-change, timer overflow, and peripheral triggers.
The 20-pin PDIP package offers a through-hole footprint that simplifies breadboarding, hand-soldering, and legacy board designs. The -E suffix indicates the Extended operating temperature range of -40C to +125C, qualifying the device for industrial and harsh-environment applications. Internal oscillator options support up to 16MHz without an external crystal, reducing BOM cost and PCB area.
Typical applications include battery-powered sensor nodes, low-power IoT edge devices, consumer remote controls, simple motor control loops, LED lighting controllers, and industrial automation peripherals where the through-hole PDIP package and extended temperature range are advantageous.
Designers should configure the configuration bits (CONFIG) for oscillator selection, watchdog timer, low-voltage programming, and code protection prior to programming. The ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming) interface shares pins with PGED/PGEC, which must be reserved on the PCB.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes that complement the Microchip datasheet, providing engineers with a single reference for sourcing and replacement analysis.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF720-E/P — 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 PIC16LF720-E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Timers, Instruction Set, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16LF721-E/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F720-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.02 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF720-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$0.71 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F721-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.12 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF720-E/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF720-E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC RISC (Harvard) |
| Instruction Set | 14-bit |
| CPU Clock Speed | 16 MHz (max) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 3.5 KB (2K x 14 words) |
| RAM | 128 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Supply Voltage | 2.3 V to 3.6 V |
| Digital I/O Pins | 18 |
| ADC | 12-bit, up to 12 channels |
| DAC | 5-bit |
| Timers | Two 8-bit, one 16-bit |
| Communication | EUSART, MSSP (SPI / I2C) |
| Low-Power Technology | NanoWatt XLP |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) |
| Package | 20-pin PDIP (P) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole (THT) |
| MSL Level | Not Applicable (through-hole) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF720-E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA5/AN4/C2OUT/SRQ/T1CKI — Port A bit 5 / ADC ch4 / Comparator 2 output |
| Pin 3 | RA4/AN3/T1G — Port A bit 4 / ADC ch3 / Timer1 gate |
| Pin 4 | RA3/MCLR/VPP — Port A bit 3 / Master Clear (reset) / Programming voltage |
| Pin 5 | RA2/AN2 — Port A bit 2 / ADC ch2 |
| Pin 6 | RA1/AN1 — Port A bit 1 / ADC ch1 |
| Pin 7 | RA0/AN0 — Port A bit 0 / ADC ch0 |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | RA7/OSC1/CLKIN — Port A bit 7 / Oscillator input / External clock in |
| Pin 10 | RA6/OSC2/CLKOUT — Port A bit 6 / Oscillator output / Clock out |
| Pin 11 | RC0 — Port C bit 0 |
| Pin 12 | RC1 — Port C bit 1 |
| Pin 13 | RC2 — Port C bit 2 |
| Pin 14 | RC3 — Port C bit 3 |
| Pin 15 | RC4 — Port C bit 4 |
| Pin 16 | RC5 — Port C bit 5 |
| Pin 17 | RC6 — Port C bit 6 |
| Pin 18 | RC7 — Port C bit 7 |
| Pin 19 | RB7/ICSPDAT — Port B bit 7 / ICSP data |
| Pin 20 | RB6/ICSPCLK — Port B bit 6 / ICSP clock |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF720-E/P is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Consumer Remote Controls and HIDs, LED Lighting Controllers, Industrial Automation Peripherals, Simple Motor Control Loops, Educational and Prototyping Platforms.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF720-E/P is ideally suited for battery-powered IoT sensor endpoints where the 2.3V to 3.6V supply range matches 2x AA alkaline or single-cell Li-ion chemistries directly, eliminating boost converters. The NanoWatt XLP technology delivers sub-microampere sleep current (typical 20 nA), enabling multi-year battery life on a single CR2032 coin cell for periodic sensor sampling. The 12-bit ADC with up to 12 channels supports temperature, humidity, and battery voltage monitoring in a single chip. Its 16 MHz CPU clock provides ample throughput for sensor linearization, calibration math, and UART-based reporting to a host radio. Designers can wake the MCU on interrupt-on-change or timer overflow, perform a sensor read, transmit, and return to deep sleep with a total system current draw below 5 uA average.
Recommended
Consumer Remote Controls and HIDs
The PIC16LF720-E/P serves as the core MCU in handheld remote controls and human-interface devices (HIDs) thanks to its 3.5 KB Flash accommodating IR protocol encoding, button-debounce logic, and low-battery detection. The 18 digital I/O pins easily handle 4x4 matrix keypads, rotary encoders, or capacitive touch buttons, while the integrated EUSART enables UART-based firmware debug during development. Sleep current below 1 uA from NanoWatt XLP extends shelf life of battery-powered remotes to several years. The 20-pin PDIP through-hole package also supports rapid prototyping on breadboards before transitioning to SOIC or SSOP surface-mount variants for high-volume production.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controllers
For low-cost LED lighting controllers, the PIC16LF720-E/P provides 16 MHz of processing throughput, hardware PWM (via the 16-bit timer) for smooth dimming, and a 12-bit ADC for ambient light sensing and color-mixing feedback loops. The MSSP peripheral drives SPI-addressable LED strips (WS2812, APA102) or I2C-based LED drivers, while the 5-bit DAC enables smooth analog dimming on constant-current driver references. The Extended temperature range (-40C to +125C) supports outdoor and industrial luminaire environments. Low sleep current benefits always-on standby lighting controllers that listen for motion sensor triggers before waking the LED string driver.
Recommended
Industrial Automation Peripherals
The PIC16LF720-E/P is well matched to industrial automation peripherals such as sensor hubs, isolated signal conditioners, and simple PLC I/O modules. Its Extended operating temperature range (-40C to +125C) supports cabinet-mounted equipment in factory environments, while the 2.3V to 3.6V supply aligns with 3.3V industrial bus architectures. The 12-bit ADC handles 4-20 mA loop current sensing and bridge transducer readout, and the EUSART supports RS-232/RS-485 communication via external transceivers. Industrial-grade ESD performance and the through-hole PDIP package simplify field replacement and ruggedized assembly.
Recommended
Simple Motor Control Loops
For cost-sensitive motor control applications such as small DC fans, brushless pumps, or stepper indexers, the PIC16LF720-E/P delivers adequate processing for trapezoidal commutation and PID loop execution at modest PWM frequencies. The 16-bit timer generates hardware PWM with fine duty-cycle resolution, while the 12-bit ADC samples back-EMF or current-sense signals for closed-loop speed regulation. The MSSP peripheral drives stepper driver chips via SPI, simplifying software stacks. Operating voltage from 2.3V to 3.6V suits direct battery or 3.3V regulated supplies used in portable and IoT-connected motor systems.
Recommended
Educational and Prototyping Platforms
The PIC16LF720-E/P is widely used in university microcontroller courses, hobbyist projects, and rapid prototyping labs because of its 20-pin PDIP package that drops directly into breadboards and through-hole prototype PCBs. The 3.5 KB Flash and 128-byte RAM are sufficient for teaching register-level peripheral programming, interrupt-driven design, and assembly-language fundamentals. The low cost (approximately $1.65 unit price as of 2026-09-25) and broad Microchip documentation library make this part a popular learning vehicle for the PIC16 family. The ICSP interface allows in-circuit programming without removing the MCU from the development board.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF720-E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16LF721-E/P | PIC16F720-I/P | PIC16LF720-I/P | PIC16F721-I/P | PIC16LF720-E/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-pin PDIP | 20-pin PDIP (same) | 20-pin PDIP (same) | 20-pin PDIP (same) | 20-pin PDIP (same) | 20-pin SOIC (same die, SMD) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 3.5 KB | 7 KB | 3.5 KB | 3.5 KB | 7 KB | 3.5 KB |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.3 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.3 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.3 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) | -40 C to +125 C | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +125 C |
| CPU Clock Speed | 16 MHz | 16 MHz | 20 MHz | 16 MHz | 20 MHz | 16 MHz |
| RAM | 128 bytes | 256 bytes | 128 bytes | 128 bytes | 256 bytes | 128 bytes |
| ADC Resolution | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit | 12-bit |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost 8-bit MCU in 20-PDIP with XLP (vs PIC16F720-I/P)
- Extended temperature range for harsh environments (vs PIC16LF720-I/P)
- Pin-compatible upgrade path to 7 KB Flash (vs PIC16LF721-E/P)
Design Notes
The PIC16LF720-E/P NanoWatt XLP technology enables sleep currents below 1 uA. To achieve the lowest sleep current, disable the ADC, comparators, and voltage reference before entering SLEEP. Use the internal LFINTOSC oscillator instead of HF modes during sleep and configure the WDT as disabled or long-period (1:128 prescaler) to minimize periodic wake overhead. The 2.3V to 3.6V supply range aligns directly with single-cell Li-ion battery voltage, eliminating the need for a boost converter.
Pin RA3/MCLR/VPP on the PIC16LF720-E/P serves as the Master Clear reset and is also used for programming voltage. If this pin is used as a general-purpose input, you must configure MCLRE=0 in the configuration word; otherwise the MCU will reset unexpectedly on RA3 low. The ICSP pins RB6/ICSPCLK and RB7/ICSPDAT are also multiplexed with Port B, so reserve these pins for the programming interface or accept that in-circuit debugging will not be possible in the final board layout.
Place a 0.1 uF decoupling capacitor as close as possible to the VDD pin (pin 1) with a short trace to VSS (pin 8). For analog accuracy, add a 10 uF bulk capacitor near the MCU and route the analog reference (if used externally) with a guarded trace to minimize ADC noise pickup. The 20-pin PDIP package is forgiving for hand-wired prototypes, but production layouts should still maintain short return paths and isolated analog/digital ground regions if using the ADC at full 12-bit resolution.
The 20-pin PDIP package has a theta_JA of approximately 70 to 90 C/W, but for an MCU that draws only a few milliamperes during active operation and sub-microampere in sleep, thermal management is rarely a concern. Estimated: at VDD=3.3V, Fosc=16MHz, and active current ~5 mA, power dissipation is approximately 16.5 mW, producing a junction temperature rise of 1 C above ambient. No heatsink is required in any practical application of this part.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (consumer/industrial grade). Lead-free 20-PDIP package.
