PIC16LF87-I/P - 8-bit 10MHz MCU 7KB Flash 18-PDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16LF87-I/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $7.21 | $7.21 |
| 10 | $6.58 | $65.80 |
| 100 | $5.84 | $584.00 |
| 500 | $5.32 | $2,660.00 |
| 1,000 | $4.78 | $4,780.00 |
PIC16LF87-I/P Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, non-volatile program memory, working RAM, and configurable I/O peripherals. PIC microcontrollers use a Harvard RISC architecture with separate program and data buses, which lets the CPU fetch the next instruction while reading the current instruction's operand - delivering deterministic instruction throughput of 200 ns per cycle at 20MHz. The PIC16F/LF family targets low-power, low-cost embedded control and sits at the small end of Microchip's 8-bit product line below the PIC18 mid-range and dsPIC digital signal controller families.
Key features include 7KB of self-programmable Flash organized as 4K x 14 words (14-bit instruction word), 368 bytes of data RAM, 256 bytes of EEPROM, an 8-level hardware stack, and a programmable 8MHz internal oscillator that can be calibrated in software via the OSCCAL register. Peripherals include one 8-bit Timer0 and one 16-bit Timer1, an enhanced CCP module, a synchronous serial port configurable for SPI or I2C, an addressable USART, and a 5-channel 10-bit ADC.
The LF variant is the low-voltage, low-power member of the PIC16F87 family - distinguished from the standard PIC16F87 by its 2.0V minimum operating voltage and lower sleep current draw. Compared to the PIC16F87, the PIC16LF87 consumes less power across active and idle modes, making it the preferred choice for battery-powered applications. The architecture is fully upward compatible with the PIC16C7x, PIC16C62xA, PIC16C5X, and PIC12Cxxx devices, allowing designers to migrate code without rewriting core interrupt handlers.
Typical applications include remote-control transmitters, battery-powered sensor nodes, low-end user-interface panels, and educational/hobbyist development boards. The 18-pin PDIP form factor also makes it a strong prototyping and breadboard option for engineers evaluating the PIC16 architecture before moving to surface-mount variants like the PIC16LF87-I/SO (SOIC-18) or PIC16LF87-I/ML (QFN-28).
When designing with this device, note that the /P suffix denotes the PDIP-18 through-hole package - engineers planning surface-mount assembly should source the /SO or /ML suffix variants. The ICSP clock and data pins are shared with RB6 and RB7, so any pull-ups or external circuitry on PORTB must not interfere with programming mode.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives from Microchip's PIC16 family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF87-I/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 PIC16LF87-I/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Operating Temperature, Timers, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F87-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF87-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF87-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF871-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.12 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF88-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.41 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF873A-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16LF87-I/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | PIC16F / PIC16LF |
| Core Architecture | 8-bit RISC Harvard |
| Program Memory Type | Flash (self-programmable) |
| Program Memory Size | 7KB (4K x 14 words) |
| Data RAM | 368 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 20 MHz (200 ns instruction cycle) |
| Internal Oscillator | 8 MHz (software-calibrated) |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 16 |
| Timers | 1 x 8-bit Timer0, 1 x 16-bit Timer1 |
| Communication Peripherals | SSP (SPI/I2C), USART (addressable) |
| ADC | 5-channel, 10-bit |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) |
| Package | PDIP-18 (through-hole) |
| Mounting Type | Through Hole |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC16LF87-I/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master Clear (reset input) / Programming voltage input |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / Analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / Analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 — PORTA bit 2 / Analog input 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — PORTA bit 3 / Analog input 3 / ADC positive reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS — PORTA bit 5 / Analog input 4 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | OSC2/CLKOUT — Oscillator crystal output / Clock output |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/CLKIN — Oscillator crystal input / External clock input |
| Pin 10 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (2.0 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 12 | RB0/INT — PORTB bit 0 / External interrupt input |
| Pin 13 | RB1 — PORTB bit 1 |
| Pin 14 | RB2 — PORTB bit 2 |
| Pin 15 | RB3 — PORTB bit 3 (also PG CCP low-side driver) |
| Pin 16 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 17 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 18 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 18 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF87-I/P is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-powered Remote-Control Transmitter, Industrial Sensor Front-End, Educational and Hobbyist Development Board, User Interface Panel with Character LCD, Automotive Interior LED Driver Module, Portable Data Logger for Field Diagnostics.
Battery-powered Remote-Control Transmitter
The PIC16LF87-I/P fits remote-control transmitters because its 2.0 V minimum VDD allows direct operation from a single 3 V coin cell or 2x AA pack, while its 368 bytes of RAM and 7KB Flash comfortably hold Manchester or pulse-width encoding tables for sub-1GHz links. The nanoWatt sleep mode draws less than 1 µA between button events, giving multi-year battery life on duty-cycled designs; Verified Web Data confirms the 2.0 V to 5.5 V operating range and 16 I/O pins which are adequate for 4x4 key-scanning matrices.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Front-End
The PIC16LF87-I/P fits industrial sensor front-ends because the 5-channel 10-bit ADC handles 4-20 mA loop inputs, the -40 C to +85 C industrial temperature range covers factory-floor conditions, and the nanoWatt idle modes let the MCU drop into sleep between polled measurements. Verified Web Data confirms 16 I/O and 8MHz internal oscillator for mains-independent timing. The 7KB Flash is sufficient for MODBUS-RTU slave stacks or IEC-style point-mapping tables in simple sensor nodes.
Recommended
Educational and Hobbyist Development Board
The PIC16LF87-I/P fits educational boards because the 18-pin PDIP through-hole package is breadboard-friendly and supports hand-soldered assembly in teaching labs. Verified Web Data shows the part has 16 I/O and 368 bytes of RAM - enough to run ADC + PWM + UART tutorials in a single semester without forcing students to migrate mid-project. Compatibility with the PIC12Cxxx and PIC16C7x code base lets instructors reuse existing course material developed for prior PIC16 generations.
Recommended
User Interface Panel with Character LCD
The PIC16LF87-I/P fits HD44780-style character LCD panels because the SSP peripheral can drive SPI LCDs directly while Timer1 generates the contrast-PWM and the USART links to a host controller. Verified Web Data confirms 16 I/O for 8-bit LCD bus plus 4-key scan lines, and the 2.0 V to 5.5 V VDD range covers 3.3 V and 5 V logic panels from a single BOM. The 7KB Flash holds compact menu-state machines and 368 bytes RAM supports page-level redraw buffers for 16x2 and 20x4 displays.
Recommended
Automotive Interior LED Driver Module
The PIC16LF87-I/P fits interior LED modules (cabin/cupholder/footwell) because the 5-channel ADC reads ambient-light sensors and potentiometers while the enhanced CCP generates hardware-PWM for the LED channels. Verified Web Data lists 16 I/O, 5 ADC channels, and -40 C to +85 C industrial temperature grade. Note: the industrial-grade /P is NOT AEC-Q100 qualified - for AEC-Q100 applications step up to the PIC16F88-I/ML automotive qualified die option.
Recommended
Portable Data Logger for Field Diagnostics
The PIC16LF87-I/P fits portable data loggers because the 256-byte EEPROM can store calibration constants, the 7KB Flash holds the compression/state-machine code, and the nanoWatt sleep modes let the MCU wake every few seconds to sample and store. Verified Web Data confirms 2.0 V to 5.5 V operation for direct AA-cell drive and a 368-byte RAM adequate for the sample buffer between writes. The 5-channel 10-bit ADC reads thermistor/pressure bridges common in field-portable instruments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF87-I/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F87-I/P | PIC16LF87-I/SO | PIC16LF87-I/ML | PIC16LF871-I/P | PIC16LF88-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | PDIP-18 | PDIP-18 | SOIC-18 | QFN-28 (6x6 mm) | PDIP-40 | PDIP-18 |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory | 7KB Flash | 7KB Flash | 7KB Flash | 7KB Flash | 14KB Flash | 7KB Flash |
| Data RAM | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 368 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Operating Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| I/O Pins | 16 | 16 | 16 | 22 | 33 | 16 |
| ADC Channels | 5 x 10-bit | 5 x 10-bit | 5 x 10-bit | 5 x 10-bit | 8 x 10-bit | 7 x 10-bit |
Key Differentiators
- Low-voltage 2.0 V minimum VDD with nanoWatt sleep (vs PIC16F87-I/P)
- Through-hole PDIP-18 form factor for breadboard and prototyping (vs PIC16LF87-I/ML)
- Self-programmable Flash for in-field firmware updates (vs PIC16C7x OTP predecessors)
Design Notes
When designing a sleep-mode duty-cycled sensor node around the PIC16LF87-I/P, switch the main oscillator off and run from the internal 31 kHz LFINTOSC via the SCS bits of OSCCON before executing the SLEEP instruction. With internal WDT disabled, current drops below 1 µA; with WDT enabled at ~3V, it rises to ~5 µA. A/D of the 256-byte EEPROM write stalls the CPU for ~4 ms at 5V and proportionally longer at 3V - move EEPROM writes outside timed sample windows.
Two PORTB pins (RB6/RB7) double as ICSP clock and data, and the MCLR pin is the programming VPP. If any external pull-up or series resistor is placed on MCLR or on RB6/RB7, in-circuit serial programming may fail at end-of-line production. Keep RB6/RB7 as standard CMOS inputs only - never place more than a few hundred ohms in series and never tie either pin directly to VDD or VSS. Add a programming-test coupon to validate the production environment.
For the PDIP-18 package, place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin (pin 11) and VSS (pin 10). Add a 10 kohm pull-up on MCLR (pin 1) to VDD. The two OSC pins (8, 9) require short traces to the crystal/ceramic resonator - keep ground return paths underneath the crystal can and avoid running signal traces beneath to minimize load-capacitance drift. The /P variant is a through-hole package, so no special SMT land-pattern or thermal-via rules apply.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. Industrial -40 C to +85 C temperature grade; not AEC-Q100 qualified - for AEC-Q100/automotive designs use Microchip's automotive-grade PIC16F equivalent.
