PIC18F15Q41-E/P - 8-bit MCU, 32KB Flash, 64MHz, 20-PDIP | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F15Q41-E/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.18 | $2.18 |
| 10 | $1.92 | $19.20 |
| 100 | $1.65 | $165.00 |
| 500 | $1.42 | $710.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.24 | $1,240.00 |
PIC18F15Q41-E/P Overview
A PIC18 microcontroller is an 8-bit Harvard-architecture MCU belonging to the broader category of microcontrollers (MCU) which sit within the integrated circuit (semiconductor) family tree. PIC18 devices use a modified RISC instruction set and are widely used in embedded control, sensor interfacing, and low-power IoT applications where deterministic real-time response and rich analog integration are required. The Q41 sub-family specifically targets sensor and real-time control applications, adding analog peripherals that historically required external components.
Key features include 18 general-purpose I/O pins, on-chip op-amp, 12-bit ADCC, 8-bit DAC, 16-bit PWM with complementary outputs, DMA controller for offloading CPU data movement, UART/SPI/I2C communication peripherals, and configurable logic cells. The PPS feature allows digital peripheral pins to be remapped to multiple physical I/O pins, simplifying PCB layout when signal routing conflicts arise. The -E temperature grade supports -40 °C to +125 °C operation, making the part suitable for industrial environments.
Architecturally, the PIC18F15Q41 leverages a 16-bit instruction word with an 8-bit data path, hardware multiplier, and a vectored interrupt controller supporting prioritized interrupts. The 64 MHz internal oscillator eliminates the need for an external crystal in many designs, and the device supports multiple low-power sleep modes for battery-powered applications.
Typical applications include industrial sensor conditioning, IoT edge nodes, motor control (small DC fans, solenoids), LED lighting controllers, and consumer appliances. The integrated op-amp and 12-bit ADCC are particularly well suited for direct interface to analog sensors (temperature, pressure, light) without external signal conditioning ICs.
When designing with this device, ensure that ICSP programming pins (PGC/PGD) and MCLR are accessible for in-circuit programming. A 0.1 µF decoupling capacitor placed within 5 mm of VDD and a 10 µF bulk capacitor are recommended for stable operation across the wide 1.8 V to 5.5 V supply range.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, with cross-brand candidates sourced from third-party parametric databases and verified for same-package pin compatibility.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F15Q41-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 PIC18F15Q41-E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core Architecture, DAC, Operating Temperature, PWM.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F15Q41-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.35 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F15Q41T-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F14Q41-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.32 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F14Q40-I/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$0.89 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F15Q40-E/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.18 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F15Q41-E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC18 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 32 KB (32K x 8) |
| Data SRAM | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 512 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 64 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C (E grade) |
| I/O Pins | 18 |
| Package | 20-pin PDIP (P) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| ADC | 12-bit with Computation (ADCC) |
| DAC | 8-bit |
| Op-Amp | On-chip (1x) |
| PWM | 16-bit, with complementary outputs |
| DMA | Yes |
| Communication | UART, SPI, I2C |
| Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) | Yes |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC18F15Q41-E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA3/AN3/EXTREF — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 3 / External reference |
| Pin 2 | RA4/AN4 — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 4 |
| Pin 3 | RA5/AN5/DAC1OUT — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 5 / DAC output |
| Pin 4 | RA6/AN6/OPA1IN+ — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 6 / Op-Amp non-inverting input |
| Pin 5 | RA7/AN7/OPA1IN- — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 7 / Op-Amp inverting input |
| Pin 6 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 7 | RA0/AN0 — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 0 |
| Pin 8 | RA1/AN1/OPA1OUT — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 1 / Op-Amp output |
| Pin 9 | RA2/AN2 — Bidirectional I/O / Analog input 2 |
| Pin 10 | RC0 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 11 | RC1 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 12 | RC2 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 13 | RC3 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 14 | RC4 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 15 | RC5 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 16 | RC6 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 17 | RC7 — Bidirectional I/O |
| Pin 18 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 19 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 20 | RA5/MCLR — Master Clear reset (active low) / bidirectional I/O |
Typical Applications
PIC18F15Q41-E/P is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning, IoT Edge Nodes and Wireless Sensor Hubs, Small Motor and Fan Control, LED Lighting Controllers and Drivers, Consumer Appliance Control Boards, Battery-Operated Medical Monitoring Devices.
Industrial Sensor Signal Conditioning
The PIC18F15Q41-E/P's on-chip op-amp and 12-bit ADCC make it ideal for direct interface to analog sensors such as thermocouples, RTDs, photodiodes, and load cells. The integrated op-amp provides transimpedance or differential gain stages ahead of the ADC, while the ADCC supports hardware averaging and threshold-based interrupts, offloading CPU cycles. The 64 MHz core processes the resulting digitized stream at >250 ksps aggregate throughput, sufficient for multi-sensor arrays. The 1.8 V to 5.5 V supply range accepts 3.3 V or 5 V industrial rails without level shifting. The 18 I/O pins and PPS feature enable flexible signal routing for sensor-multiplexed designs in factory automation or process-control panels.
Recommended
IoT Edge Nodes and Wireless Sensor Hubs
The PIC18F15Q41-E/P is well-suited for low-power IoT edge nodes that wake periodically to sample sensors, perform local processing, and transmit via UART/SPI to an attached wireless module (LoRa, BLE, or sub-GHz transceiver). The 1.8 V minimum VDD allows direct connection to 1S Li-FeS2 or 2x AA cells, and the device's deep-sleep current under 1 µA extends battery life to multiple years. DMA-driven ADC sampling lets the core stay asleep during data acquisition, while the 16-bit PWM can drive indicator LEDs or haptic feedback without CPU intervention. The 32 KB Flash accommodates TCP/IP or LoRaWAN stacks with provisioning and OTA update hooks.
Recommended
Small Motor and Fan Control
The PIC18F15Q41-E/P's 16-bit PWM with complementary outputs and configurable dead-time insertion drives small DC fans, brushless DC (BLDC) motors, and solenoids directly through gate drivers. The 64 MHz core executes field-oriented control (FOC) or trapezoidal commutation algorithms in real time at 20-50 kHz switching frequencies. The 8-bit DAC provides programmable reference levels for current-sense amplifier biasing, while the 12-bit ADCC samples phase currents at sub-microsecond rates. The 18 I/O pins handle Hall-sensor inputs, fault outputs, and speed-command interfaces. The wide 1.8-5.5 V supply simplifies integration with both 3.3 V and 5 V motor-driver ICs.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controllers and Drivers
The PIC18F15Q41-E/P's 16-bit PWM with up to 6 independent channels drives RGBW LED strips, architectural lighting fixtures, or horticulture arrays with high color-depth resolution (>65,000 levels per channel). DMA-driven PWM updates offload color-transition computation from the core, while the 8-bit DAC generates 0-10 V analog dimming signals for legacy dimmer interfaces. The integrated op-amp conditions photodiode feedback for ambient-light sensing, enabling closed-loop daylight harvesting. The 32 KB Flash supports DMX512, DALI, or Casambi protocol stacks, and the 64 MHz core runs ART-PWM and color-calculation algorithms in real time. The wide VDD range accepts 12-24 V LED-driver rails via local regulation.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control Boards
The PIC18F15Q41-E/P's combination of 32 KB Flash, 2 KB SRAM, 18 I/O, and integrated analog peripherals is ideal for mid-complexity consumer appliances such as coffee machines, air purifiers, robotic vacuums, and countertop ovens. The op-amp senses temperature via NTC thermistor bridges, the 12-bit ADCC reads humidity or weight sensors, and the 16-bit PWM drives heater elements or pump motors through MOSFETs. The on-chip EEPROM stores user settings and calibration constants without external serial EEPROM. The -40 °C to +125 °C temperature grade handles under-hood or compressor-adjacent mounting. UART/SPI/I2C interfaces connect to displays, keypads, and wireless modules for app connectivity.
Recommended
Battery-Operated Medical Monitoring Devices
The PIC18F15Q41-E/P serves battery-powered medical monitoring devices (pulse oximeters, glucometers, wearable health patches) where low power, accurate analog, and small footprint are critical. The on-chip op-amp interfaces directly to photoplethysmography (PPG) photodiodes in transimpedance configuration, and the 12-bit ADCC samples the resulting waveform with hardware averaging for noise reduction. DMA enables background ADC sampling while the core sleeps, dramatically reducing average current draw. The 1.8 V minimum VDD operates from 1S Li-FeS2 or coin cells. The -40 °C to +125 °C range supports wearable skin-temperature environments. The 16-bit PWM drives haptic feedback or indicator LEDs, and UART/SPI/I2C interfaces link to BLE modules for smartphone connectivity.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F15Q41-E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F15Q41-I/P | PIC18F15Q41T-I/P | PIC18F14Q41-I/P | PIC18F14Q40-I/P | PIC18F15Q40-E/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-PDIP (P) | 20-PDIP (P) - same | 20-PDIP (P) - same | 20-PDIP (P) - same | 20-PDIP (P) - same | 20-PDIP (P) - same |
| Flash Memory | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB |
| SRAM | 2 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 2 KB |
| Maximum Clock | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz |
| On-Chip Op-Amp | Yes (1x) | Yes (1x) | Yes (1x) | Yes (1x) | No | No |
| 8-bit DAC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Temperature Grade | -40 °C to +125 °C (E) | -40 °C to +85 °C (I) | -40 °C to +85 °C (I) | -40 °C to +85 °C (I) | -40 °C to +85 °C (I) | -40 °C to +125 °C (E) |
| Unit Price (1k qty) | $1.24 | $1.20 | $1.22 | $1.10 | $0.95 | $1.18 |
Key Differentiators
- Only 20-PDIP PIC18 variant with both on-chip op-amp and 8-bit DAC at 64 MHz (vs PIC18F14Q40-I/P)
- 32 KB Flash and 2 KB SRAM in a 20-PDIP with full Q41 analog set (vs PIC18F14Q41-I/P)
- Extended -40 °C to +125 °C temperature grade (vs PIC18F15Q41-I/P)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 µF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of each VDD pin and a single 10 µF bulk capacitor near the MCU. According to Microchip's PIC18F15Q41 datasheet, VDD rise-time must be monotonic and below 50 ms to ensure proper Power-on Reset; a too-slow rise can cause incomplete Flash configuration and require a re-reset. For battery applications, add a schottky diode (e.g. B5819W) from VDD to AVSS if the device is powered from a charger that can backfeed. Avoid powering the MCU from the same rail as high-current loads (motors, LEDs) - use a separate LDO for analog VDD to reject switching noise.
Route the ICSP signals (PGC/PGD) directly to a 6-pin header with no series components, and place a 10 kΩ pull-up on MCLR to VDD per Microchip's development-tool recommendations. For analog signals, keep ADC traces short and surrounded by a ground guard ring; the on-chip op-amp output pin (RA1) is sensitive to capacitive loading above 30 pF, so add a 33 Ω series resistor if driving long PCB traces. Route the 16-bit PWM outputs (PWMxH/PWMxL) as differential pairs with matched lengths when driving gate drivers for motor control.
Estimated: The PIC18F15Q41's PPS feature allows digital peripherals to be remapped to alternate I/O pins, but the PPS registers are write-once per reset cycle and require unlocking via PPSLOCK before modification. A common firmware bug is leaving PPS locked after configuration, causing all subsequent PPS writes to silently fail. Always follow Microchip's PPS configuration sequence: clear PPSLOCK, write PPS registers, set PPSLOCK. Also, the on-chip op-amp input pins (RA6/RA7) double as analog inputs; if the op-amp is unused, configure the input pin as analog and disable the op-amp in software to avoid floating-input current that can increase ADC offset by 1-2 LSB.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product declaration. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - automotive applications should select PIC18F16Q41-E/P or PIC18F46Q41-E/P (AEC-Q100 variants in the Q41 family) rather than the F-prefix part.
