PIC18F15Q40-E/SS - 32KB Flash 64MHz 8-bit MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F15Q40-E/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.84 | $1.84 |
| 10 | $1.62 | $16.20 |
| 100 | $1.39 | $139.00 |
| 500 | $1.21 | $605.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.05 | $1,050.00 |
PIC18F15Q40-E/SS Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that uses an 8-bit data bus and is optimized for embedded control tasks. The PIC18 family sits within the broader taxonomy of microcontroller -> RISC processor -> CMOS logic IC -> semiconductor. 8-bit MCUs remain widely used where cost, deterministic interrupt response, and low power outweigh raw compute throughput, particularly in real-time control loops, capacitive touch sensing, motor control, and sensor signal conditioning.
Key differentiating features include the 12-bit ADCC that automates Capacitive Voltage Divider (CVD) techniques for advanced touch sensing, on-chip oversampling and threshold comparison for noise-robust measurements, and dual 8-bit DACs that eliminate external analog components in closed-loop control. The Direct Memory Access (DMA) engine moves data between peripherals and memory without CPU intervention, freeing cycles for application logic.
Architecturally, the device uses Microchip's enhanced PIC18 RISC core with a hardware multiplier and 16-bit instructions, delivering roughly 16 MIPS at 64MHz. The CLC blocks allow glue-logic functions (AND/OR/XOR gates, flip-flops) to be implemented in silicon rather than in discrete logic, reducing BOM cost and PCB area.
Typical applications include capacitive touch user interfaces, BLDC motor control with sensorless FOC, LED lighting controllers, battery management front-ends, and small sensor hubs. The combination of ADCC + CLC + 16-bit PWM makes it particularly suitable for single-chip mixed-signal designs.
When designing, pay attention to the SSOP-20 thermal envelope and provide adequate decoupling (100nF + 10uF) close to VDD. The E temperature grade (-40C to +125C) supports automotive and industrial environments. The -E suffix indicates the extended temperature grade; the -I suffix covers -40C to +85C industrial.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, pin-compatible PIC18 alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone. Use the comparison table and selection guide to choose the right Q40-family variant for your application.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F15Q40-E/SS — 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 PIC18F15Q40-E/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Program Memory (Flash), DAC, Package, Core.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F15Q40-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.21 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F15Q40T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F14Q40-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F14Q40T-I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.02 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F15Q40-E/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC18 (8-bit RISC, enhanced) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 32 KB |
| Data RAM | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 512 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 64 MHz |
| ADC | 12-bit ADC with Computation (ADCC), CVD-capable |
| DAC | 2 x 8-bit DAC |
| PWM | 16-bit PWM channels (multiple instances) |
| DMA | Yes (peripheral-to-memory, memory-to-memory) |
| Configurable Logic Cells (CLC) | Yes |
| UART | 3 |
| SPI | 2 |
| I2C | Yes |
| Temperature Grade | Extended (-40C to +125C), 'E' suffix |
| Package | 20-pin SSOP |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC18F15Q40-E/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 — Port A bit 5 / analog input |
| Pin 2 | RA4 — Port A bit 4 / analog input |
| Pin 3 | RA3 — Port A bit 3 / analog input / MCLR |
| Pin 4 | RC5 — Port C bit 5 |
| Pin 5 | RC4 — Port C bit 4 |
| Pin 6 | RC3 — Port C bit 3 |
| Pin 7 | RC2 — Port C bit 2 |
| Pin 8 | RC1 — Port C bit 1 |
| Pin 9 | RC0 — Port C bit 0 |
| Pin 10 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 12 | RB7 — Port B bit 7 / ICSCLK |
| Pin 13 | RB6 — Port B bit 6 / ICSDAT |
| Pin 14 | RB5 — Port B bit 5 |
| Pin 15 | RB4 — Port B bit 4 |
| Pin 16 | RB3 — Port B bit 3 |
| Pin 17 | RB2 — Port B bit 2 |
| Pin 18 | RB1 — Port B bit 1 |
| Pin 19 | RB0 — Port B bit 0 |
| Pin 20 | RA0 — Port A bit 0 / analog input |
Typical Applications
PIC18F15Q40-E/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Capacitive Touch User Interface, BLDC and PMSM Motor Control, LED Lighting and Driver Control, Battery Management Front-End, Industrial Sensor Hubs, Automotive Body Electronics.
Capacitive Touch User Interface
The PIC18F15Q40-E/SS is engineered for capacitive touch HMIs through its on-chip 12-bit ADC with Computation (ADCC), which automates Capacitive Voltage Divider (CVD) techniques. The ADCC performs averaging, filtering, oversampling, and threshold comparison in hardware, eliminating the CPU overhead typical of software touch algorithms. Combined with 16-bit PWM channels, the same MCU drives LED backlights and touch sensing for buttons, sliders, and proximity sensors on a single die, reducing BOM cost and PCB area for kitchen appliances, industrial control panels, and automotive interior switches.
Recommended
BLDC and PMSM Motor Control
The PIC18F15Q40-E/SS suits small BLDC and PMSM motor drives up to a few hundred watts, leveraging its 16-bit PWM for center-aligned complementary outputs with dead-band insertion. The 64MHz core delivers the loop bandwidth needed for sensorless FOC or trapezoidal commutation, while the dual 8-bit DACs provide reference waveforms for analog control loops. The CLC blocks implement fault shut-down paths (overcurrent latch, comparator blanking) in hardware, bypassing software latency and protecting the power stage within nanoseconds of a fault event.
Recommended
LED Lighting and Driver Control
The PIC18F15Q40-E/SS drives multi-channel LED lighting systems using its 16-bit PWM channels for smooth dimming and color mixing. The ADCC enables closed-loop current sensing for constant-current LED drivers, while the DMA engine offloads color-transition sequences from the CPU, allowing smooth animations without flicker. The E temperature grade (-40C to +125C) supports outdoor and architectural LED installations where ambient temperatures swing widely, and the CLC blocks implement hardware PWM blanking and synchronization between channels.
Recommended
Battery Management Front-End
The PIC18F15Q40-E/SS serves as a battery-pack monitoring MCU in 4-8 cell Li-ion packs for power tools, e-bikes, and small UPS systems. The 12-bit ADCC provides simultaneous cell voltage and pack current sampling, while the EEPROM stores cycle-count and SoH calibration data that must survive deep discharge. The DMA engine streams ADC samples into RAM for coulomb counting without CPU intervention, freeing cycles for protection logic. UART or SPI links to a higher-level BMS controller over the 3 available UARTs.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Hubs
The PIC18F15Q40-E/SS aggregates analog and digital sensors in factory automation nodes using its 12-bit ADCC, three UARTs, two SPIs, and I2C interface. The CLC blocks perform sensor-fusion glue logic (window comparator, pulse stretching) in hardware, reducing firmware complexity. The 32KB Flash supports Modbus RTU or IO-Link device stacks, while the 2KB RAM is sufficient for buffering measurement packets before transmission over UART or SPI to a gateway. The E temperature grade tolerates cabinet environments above 85C.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
The PIC18F15Q40-E/SS is well-suited to automotive body and interior modules such as seat controllers, mirror adjusters, ambient lighting, and HVAC flaps. Its extended -40C to +125C temperature grade handles under-dash thermal stress, and the 12-bit ADCC reads potentiometer and thermistor inputs directly. Configurable Logic Cells (CLC) implement hardware debounce and watchdog paths in compliance with automotive functional safety expectations, and the on-chip EEPROM stores trim and configuration parameters that must persist across battery disconnects.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F15Q40-E/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F15Q40-I/SS | PIC18F15Q40T-I/SS | PIC18F14Q40-I/SS | PIC18F14Q40T-I/SS | PIC18F05Q40-E/ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-pin SSOP | 20-pin SSOP | 20-pin SSOP | 20-pin SSOP | 20-pin SSOP | 20-pin TSSOP (different footprint) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 16 KB (-50%) | 16 KB (-50%) | 8 KB (-75%) |
| Data RAM | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB (-50%) | 1 KB (-50%) | 512 B (-75%) |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz |
| ADC | 12-bit ADCC with CVD | 12-bit ADCC with CVD | 12-bit ADCC with CVD | 12-bit ADCC with CVD | 12-bit ADCC with CVD | 12-bit ADCC with CVD |
| DAC | 2 x 8-bit | 2 x 8-bit | 2 x 8-bit | 1 x 8-bit | 1 x 8-bit | 1 x 8-bit |
| Temperature Grade | Extended -40C to +125C (E) | Industrial -40C to +85C (I) | Industrial -40C to +85C (I) | Industrial -40C to +85C (I) | Industrial -40C to +85C (I) | Extended -40C to +125C (E) |
Key Differentiators
- Extended temperature grade for automotive and harsh industrial (vs PIC18F15Q40-I/SS)
- Full 32KB Flash density for feature-rich firmware (vs PIC18F14Q40-I/SS)
- Dual 8-bit DACs for closed-loop analog control (vs PIC18F05Q40-E/ST)
Design Notes
Place a 100nF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as physically possible to each VDD pin, with a 10uF bulk capacitor on the same rail within 25mm. The ADCC and CLC blocks can inject high-frequency noise into VDD during CVD scans; if you see ADC self-noise, increase the bulk capacitor or add a small ferrite bead between the analog and digital VDD rails. Estimated: a single CVD scan at 64MHz draws about 5mA additional current for 1ms.
Route the CVD-capacitive-touch traces with a minimum 8mil width and at least 0.5mm clearance to adjacent ground pours. Avoid running digital signals parallel to the touch electrodes, because capacitive coupling can inject false touches. Cover the touch area with at least 2mm of overlay material (glass or plastic) and calibrate the ADCC threshold to account for the overlay thickness - Microchip's MPLAB Code Configurator generates the calibration routine.
The SSOP-20 package has a theta_JA of approximately 95 C/W on a standard 4-layer JEDEC test board. At 64MHz and 5V VDD with all peripherals active, the core draws about 15mA (estimated: 75mW dissipation), which yields a 7C temperature rise above ambient - well within the -40C to +125C operating range. For continuous high-current GPIO sourcing, derate to 70% of the absolute maximum per port pin to stay within package power dissipation limits.
Do not forget to configure the PPS (Peripheral Pin Select) registers before assuming a peripheral pin is active - on PIC18-Q40 devices the UART, SPI, I2C, PWM, and CLC outputs are remappable to specific pins, and the wrong PPS setting is the most common cause of 'dead peripheral' debugging sessions. Also, leave the MCLR pin pulled high through a 10k resistor unless you deliberately want to disable the device; floating MCLR is a frequent source of random resets in noisy environments.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliance from Microchip product page. AEC-Q100 automotive qualification status was not explicitly listed in the verified data; contact Microchip for confirmation if your application requires it. The extended -40C to +125C temperature grade supports automotive environments.
