PIC16LF88T-I/SS - 8-bit 10MHz 7KB Flash MCU | Microchip | SSOP-20
MPN: PIC16LF88T-I/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.45 | $3.45 |
| 10 | $3.1 | $31.00 |
| 100 | $2.79 | $279.00 |
| 500 | $2.49 | $1,245.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.19 | $2,190.00 |
PIC16LF88T-I/SS Overview
Background: An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, non-volatile program memory (Flash), volatile data memory (RAM), non-volatile data memory (EEPROM), and configurable peripheral blocks. The PIC16F family sits in the mid-range tier of Microchip's PIC architecture, providing a balance of performance, peripheral integration, and low cost. It belongs to the broader taxonomy: MCU -> microcontroller -> embedded controller -> semiconductor. Most PIC16F devices incorporate nanoWatt Technology, which combines multiple low-power operating modes (Sleep, Idle, low-power Timer1) with on-chip peripherals that can wake the core asynchronously, enabling battery-friendly designs.
Key features: 7KB flash with 100K erase/write cycle endurance; 10-bit, 7-channel ADC; nanoWatt power management including Run/Idle/Sleep modes and on-the-fly oscillator switching; synchronous/asynchronous serial (USART/SCI) and I2C/SPI (MSSP) interfaces; 16 I/O pins with individually programmable weak pull-ups, interrupt-on-change, and high-current sink/source; Capture/Compare/PWM (CCP) module; two analog comparators with programmable on-chip voltage reference; and Flash self-programming for field upgrades.
Technical depth: The enhanced mid-range core uses a 14-bit instruction word with single-cycle execution (except branches), and the Harvard architecture separates program and data buses. The integrated 8 MHz internal oscillator is factory calibrated to +/-1% (typical), and the chip supports an external crystal/RC oscillator up to 20 MHz. The 16 I/O pins share a common 25 mA source/sink rating with individual 20 mA absolute maxima, allowing direct LED drive on any pin.
Typical applications: Industrial control logic, sensor conditioning front-ends, low-power remote sensor nodes, white goods and HVAC interfaces, automotive body electronics subsystems (non-safety), and small appliances.
Design consideration: The trailing 'T' suffix denotes Tape and Reel packaging; the 'I' is the industrial temperature grade; '/SS' specifies the SSOP-20 pin/package. Always verify the desired I/O count and ADC channels against your PCB layout when migrating to other PIC16F family members.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternative MPNs, and engineering design notes compiled from the official Microchip datasheet and live distributor listings, giving engineers a faster sourcing reference than the manufacturer site alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16LF88T-I/SS — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F88T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF88-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16LF88T-I/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Microchip Technology |
| Series | PIC16F |
| Core | 8-bit PIC enhanced mid-range |
| Instruction Word | 14-bit |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 7 KB (4K x 14) |
| RAM | 368 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 10 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 16 |
| ADC | 10-bit, 7 channels |
| Package | 20-pin SSOP (5.30 mm) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Packaging | Tape and Reel (T suffix) |
| Connectivity | I2C, SPI, USART |
| Data Converters | A/D 7x10b; D/A 0 |
| Oscillator Type | Internal 8 MHz (calibrated), external up to 20 MHz |
| Peripherals | Brown-out Detect/Reset, POR, PWM, WDT, CCP, Comparators |
| RoHS | Compliant |
PIC16LF88T-I/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/AN0 — Digital I/O RA0 / ADC channel 0 |
| Pin 2 | RA1/AN1 — Digital I/O RA1 / ADC channel 1 |
| Pin 3 | RA2/AN2/VREF- — Digital I/O RA2 / ADC channel 2 / ADC negative reference |
| Pin 4 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — Digital I/O RA3 / ADC channel 3 / ADC positive reference |
| Pin 5 | RA4/AN4/T0CKI — Digital I/O RA4 / ADC channel 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 6 | RA5/AN5/SS/HLVDIN — Digital I/O RA5 / ADC channel 5 / SPI slave select / High-Low Voltage Detect input |
| Pin 7 | RA6/OSC2/CLKO — Digital I/O RA6 / crystal oscillator output / clock output |
| Pin 8 | RA7/OSC1/CLKI — Digital I/O RA7 / crystal oscillator input / clock input |
| Pin 9 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 10 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (2.0V to 5.5V) |
| Pin 11 | RB0/INT — Digital I/O RB0 / external interrupt input |
| Pin 12 | RB1 — Digital I/O RB1 |
| Pin 13 | RB2 — Digital I/O RB2 |
| Pin 14 | RB3/PGM — Digital I/O RB3 / Low-voltage ICSP programming input |
| Pin 15 | RB4 — Digital I/O RB4 |
| Pin 16 | RB5 — Digital I/O RB5 |
| Pin 17 | RB6/PGC — Digital I/O RB6 / ICSP clock input |
| Pin 18 | RB7/PGD — Digital I/O RB7 / ICSP data input/output |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (2.0V to 5.5V) |
Typical Applications
PIC16LF88T-I/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Conditioning and Control, Battery-Powered Remote Sensor Nodes, White Goods and HVAC User Interface, Small Appliance Control Boards, Automotive Body Electronics Subsystems, Educational and Hobbyist Microcontroller Projects.
Industrial Sensor Conditioning and Control
The PIC16LF88T-I/SS fits industrial sensor-conditioning front-ends because of its 7-channel 10-bit ADC, 2.0V-5.5V supply range, and nanoWatt Technology low-power modes. Placed on a 3.3V or 5V rail with 4-20mA current-loop signal conditioning, the chip reads thermocouple, RTD, or pressure-sensor inputs through the ADC and drives a relay or optocoupler output via its PWM/CCP peripheral. The SSOP-20 footprint supports up to 16 I/O pins, allowing a single chip to handle multiple analog inputs plus isolated digital outputs. Compared with a 32-bit MCU the 8-bit core is less expensive and simpler to deploy in volume industrial nodes.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Remote Sensor Nodes
The PIC16LF88T-I/SS is ideal for battery-powered remote sensor nodes because it operates down to 2.0V, supports nanoWatt sleep currents in the microampere range, and has an integrated 10-bit ADC for battery monitoring. Placed between a 3V lithium coin cell and a wireless sensor front-end, the chip samples its ADC on a sleep/wake cycle and transmits via USART or MSSP SPI to a low-power RF module. The internal 8 MHz calibrated oscillator removes the need for an external crystal, lowering BOM cost. Against a 32-bit MCU, the PIC16LF88T-I/SS trades compute headroom for a much lower active current draw and simpler toolchain.
Recommended
White Goods and HVAC User Interface
The PIC16LF88T-I/SS is a strong fit for white-goods and HVAC user-interface modules that need 7KB of flash for menu and firmware logic, plus PWM outputs for buzzer and LED brightness control. Powered from a 5V supply with the internal 8 MHz oscillator, it drives a 7-segment display or character LCD, scans a 4x4 keypad, and reads the room-temperature NTC via the ADC. Compared with a dedicated display driver, the PIC16LF88T-I/SS adds programmability for OEM branding variants and field serviceability. The SSOP-20 package is easy to hand-solder and rework in white-goods service centres.
Recommended
Small Appliance Control Boards
The PIC16LF88T-I/SS handles small-appliance control tasks such as toaster-oven or coffee-machine logic with its 7KB flash (enough for the menu schedule and safety interlocks) and 16 I/O pins to drive relays, triacs, and LED indicators. The Capture/Compare/PWM module produces zero-cross triac timing signals for AC load control, while the ADC monitors temperature and line voltage via a divider. Powered from a 3.3V or 5V rail after a small offline supply, the chip benefits from the SSOP-20's small footprint and the nanoWatt sleep mode for standby energy compliance. The PIC16LF88T-I/SS offers clear cost advantages over higher-end MCUs in this price-sensitive segment.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics Subsystems
The PIC16LF88T-I/SS (industrial-grade) is well-suited to non-safety automotive body subsystems such as interior lighting controllers, seat-position memory, and accessory timers. Its 7KB flash stores the lighting-pattern and debounce tables, and the PWM/CCP block drives MOSFETs for dimming LED interior lights. The 16 I/O pins accept LIN or CAN transceivers via UART or SPI, and the 10-bit ADC reads ambient-light sensors or potentiometers. Designers targeting AEC-Q100 should select the PIC16F88T-I/SS -QML variant instead; the LF88T-I/SS serves commercial vehicles and aftermarket modules without that requirement.
Recommended
Educational and Hobbyist Microcontroller Projects
The PIC16LF88T-I/SS is an excellent teaching platform because of its 7KB flash, 16 I/O pins, integrated ADC, USART, and MSSP peripherals in a hobbyist-friendly SSOP-20 package. Students can drive LEDs and 7-segment displays from the I/O pins, read a potentiometer with the ADC, communicate with sensors over I2C, and program over the ICSP interface using a PICkit 4 - all without external peripherals. Compared with breadboard-friendly DIP parts, the SSOP-20 requires a breakout PCB but gives access to the full peripheral set at lower cost and smaller size.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16LF88T-I/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F88T-I/SS | PIC16LF88-I/SS | PIC16LF88T-I/ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-pin SSOP (5.30 mm) | 20-pin SSOP - same | 20-pin SSOP - same | 28-pin QFN - different |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | 8-bit PIC16 enhanced mid-range | 8-bit PIC16 enhanced mid-range | 8-bit PIC16 enhanced mid-range | 8-bit PIC16 enhanced mid-range |
| Program Memory | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash | 7 KB Flash |
| RAM | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 368 bytes | 368 bytes |
| Maximum Clock | 10 MHz | 10 MHz | 10 MHz | 10 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 2.0V to 5.5V | 4.0V to 5.5V | 2.0V to 5.5V | 2.0V to 5.5V |
| ADC | 10-bit, 7 channels | 10-bit, 7 channels | 10-bit, 7 channels | 10-bit, 7 channels |
| I/O Pins | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Packaging | Tape & Reel | Tape & Reel | Tube | Tape & Reel |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest voltage operation in the PIC16F88 family (vs PIC16F88T-I/SS)
- Factory-calibrated internal oscillator at 8 MHz (vs PIC16LF87T-I/SS)
- On-chip 10-bit ADC with 7 channels (vs PIC16LF872-I/SS)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1uF ceramic decoupling capacitor directly across VDD and VSS (both pin pairs on the SSOP-20) within 5 mm of the MCU pins, and add a bulk 10uF tantalum or aluminum capacitor on the main supply rail. The PIC16LF88T-I/SS can source/sink 25 mA on each I/O pin (20 mA absolute maximum), so do not exceed that envelope on multiple pins simultaneously or the on-chip LDO may enter drop-out and trigger a brown-out reset.
Route the ICSP clock (RB6) and data (RB7) lines away from switching power and high-current traces to avoid coupling noise into the debugger signal. The internal 8 MHz oscillator is factory calibrated to within +/-1% (typical), but if your design requires better than 2% timing accuracy over temperature, configure an external crystal on RA6/OSC2 and RA7/OSC1 with the recommended load capacitors shown in the datasheet.
Do not exceed the absolute maximum voltage on any I/O pin (VDD + 0.3V). The analog reference inputs (RA2/AN2/VREF-, RA3/AN3/VREF+) are particularly sensitive - injecting a voltage above VDD will damage the ESD protection diodes and can cause long-term ADC drift. When migrating from PIC16F88 to PIC16LF88, verify that any 5V-only peripherals have proper level shifters; the 'LF' core supports 2.0V to 5.5V but the I/O levels track VDD.
Estimated: The PIC16LF88T-I/SS draws approximately 8 mA at 5V/10MHz active and roughly 1 uA in Sleep mode (typical). At maximum supply voltage and 10 MHz active operation, the SSOP-20 (theta_JA ~ 89 C/W on a 4-layer JEDEC test board) dissipates about 0.04W, producing a junction temperature rise of roughly 4C above ambient - well within the 125C junction limit. Always check thermal behavior at the actual PCB copper area of your product, which can vary theta_JA significantly.
Compliance Information
Industrial temperature grade -40C to +85C (I suffix). Standard variant is not AEC-Q100 qualified; choose PIC16F88T-I/SS-QML or PIC16F88T-I/SS-VAO for AEC-Q100 automotive applications. RoHS and lead-free compliance confirmed per Microchip product documentation.
