PIC18F23K20-E/MV - 8-bit 48MHz 8KB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F23K20-E/MV ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.42 | $3.42 |
| 10 | $3.05 | $30.50 |
| 100 | $2.68 | $268.00 |
| 500 | $2.4 | $1,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.18 | $2,180.00 |
PIC18F23K20-E/MV Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program memory (Flash/ROM), data memory (RAM), and a rich set of peripherals such as ADC, timers, communication interfaces, and I/O ports. Within the broader taxonomy, the PIC18F family belongs to Microchip's 8-bit PIC18 architecture, a Harvard-RISC core optimised for deterministic interrupt response, low power consumption, and a C-friendly instruction set. nanoWatt XLP technology further reduces active and sleep currents, making these parts suitable for battery-powered or energy-harvesting designs.
Key features of the PIC18F23K20-E/MV include 25 I/O pins, three 16-bit timers, four 8-bit timers, two analog comparators, a 10-bit ADC with 11 input channels, an enhanced USART, MSSP (I2C/SPI), two rail-to-rail analog comparators with programmable reference, and three programmable external interrupts with interrupt-on-change. The integrated 16-level deep hardware stack, 8x8 hardware multiplier, and self-programmable Flash support flexible firmware upgrades in the field.
Architecture depth: the device implements Microchip's enhanced PIC18 RISC core with a C compiler-optimised instruction set, 16-bit instructions, and a vectored interrupt controller. The internal oscillator block supports 31 kHz to 16 MHz via software tuning, eliminating many external crystals. Brown-out Reset (BOR), Power-on Reset (POR), and Watchdog Timer (WDT) with on-chip low-power oscillator improve system robustness.
Typical applications include industrial sensor nodes, low-power IoT edge devices, consumer appliances, motor control signal conditioning, USB-to-UART bridges, smart thermostats, and battery-powered metering. Its small footprint and XLP current profile also suit wearable health and asset tracking devices.
When designing with this part, allocate adequate PCB copper for thermal dissipation of the UQFN exposed pad; for noisy environments add a 100 nF decoupling capacitor close to each VDD pin and keep analog/digital grounds separated. The PIC18F23K20-E/MV differs from the I-grade PIC18F23K20-I/MV by its industrial/extended operating temperature range and from the I/SP package variant only in pinout and footprint.
This page synthesises XAIPART distributor pricing, package-matched drop-in alternatives, and application design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F23K20-E/MV — 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 PIC18F23K20-E/MV (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Core Architecture, Package, Timers, Analog Comparators, ADC.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F23K20-I/MV
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.72 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F23K20-E/ML
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$2.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F24K20-E/MV
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F25K20-E/MV
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F26K20-E/MV
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F23K20-E/MV Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 8-bit Microcontroller (MCU) |
| Core Architecture | PIC18 Enhanced RISC (Harvard) |
| Program Memory | 8 KB Flash |
| SRAM | 512 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 48 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +125 C (industrial / extended, 'E' grade) |
| I/O Pins | 25 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 11 channels |
| Analog Comparators | 2 (rail-to-rail input, programmable reference) |
| Timers | 3 x 16-bit + 4 x 8-bit |
| Communication Interfaces | 1x EUSART, 1x MSSP (I2C/SPI) |
| Package | 28-UQFN (MV) 4x4 mm with exposed pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (No-Lead) |
| Low-Power Technology | nanoWatt XLP |
| Internal Voltage Reference | 1.2 V fixed FVR |
| Interrupt-on-Change | Yes (4 programmable) |
| Hardware Multiplier | 8x8 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| MSL Level | 3 (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
PIC18F23K20-E/MV Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 — Digital I/O / analog input / CVREF |
| Pin 2 | RA3 — Digital I/O / analog input / VREF+ |
| Pin 3 | RA4 — Digital I/O / analog input / comparator input |
| Pin 4 | RA5 — Digital I/O / analog input |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RA7 — Digital I/O / oscillator output |
| Pin 7 | RA6 — Digital I/O / oscillator input |
| Pin 8 | RC0 — Digital I/O / PWM / comparator output |
| Pin 9 | RC1 — Digital I/O / PWM / analog input |
| Pin 10 | RC2 — Digital I/O / PWM / analog input / comparator input |
| Pin 11 | RC3 — Digital I/O / analog input / SPI clock (SCK) |
| Pin 12 | RC4 — Digital I/O / analog input / SPI data (SDI) |
| Pin 13 | RC5 — Digital I/O / analog input / SPI data (SDO) |
| Pin 14 | RC6 — Digital I/O / TX (EUSART asynchronous transmit) |
| Pin 15 | RC7 — Digital I/O / RX (EUSART asynchronous receive) |
| Pin 16 | VSS — Ground reference (secondary) |
| Pin 17 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 18 | RB0 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change / analog input |
| Pin 19 | RB1 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change / analog input |
| Pin 20 | RB2 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change / analog input |
| Pin 21 | RB3 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change / analog input |
| Pin 22 | RB4 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 23 | RB5 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change |
| Pin 24 | RB6 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change / ICSP clock |
| Pin 25 | RB7 — Digital I/O / interrupt-on-change / ICSP data |
| Pin 26 | VSS — Ground reference (exposed pad) |
| Pin 27 | VDD — Positive supply (exposed pad / secondary) |
| Pin 28 | RA0 — Digital I/O / analog input |
Typical Applications
PIC18F23K20-E/MV is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Sensor Node, Battery-Powered IoT Edge Device, Consumer Appliance Control, Motor Control Signal Conditioning, Smart Thermostat / HVAC, USB-to-UART Bridge / Debug Dongle, Battery-Powered Metering (Water/Gas/Energy).
Industrial Sensor Node
The PIC18F23K20-E/MV fits industrial sensor nodes because it integrates 11 channels of 10-bit ADC, two rail-to-rail analog comparators, and a 1.2 V fixed voltage reference on-chip, eliminating most signal-conditioning components. With nanoWatt XLP sleep currents in the nanoamp range plus the 1.8-5.5 V supply range, it can run for years from a 2-cell AA battery while periodically waking to read and transmit sensor data over EUSART or MSSP. The -40 C to +125 C extended temperature grade (E suffix) lets the same PCB operate in unheated outdoor enclosures, factory floors, and process-control cabinets without derating.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Edge Device
Low-power IoT edge nodes benefit from the PIC18F23K20-E/MV's nanoWatt XLP technology, which drops deep-sleep current into the nanoamp range and offers multiple idle/run modes with peripheral gating. The 8 KB Flash holds a typical BLE/Zigbee co-processor command stack or LoRaWAN MAC, while 512 bytes of SRAM is sufficient for sensor buffering. The 25 I/O pins allow direct connection to a UART-attached radio module, an I2C sensor, and a status LED without extra glue logic, reducing BoM cost and PCB area in coin-cell powered devices.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Control
Consumer appliances like coffee machines, washing machines, and rice cookers need a low-cost MCU with enough Flash for state machines and a robust ADC for sensor readout - the PIC18F23K20-E/MV delivers 8 KB Flash, 11 ADC channels, and 25 I/O in a tiny 4x4 mm UQFN. The integrated MSSP supports I2C/SPI displays or keypads, while the EUSART talks to inverter boards or BLE modules. The -40 C to +125 C extended grade covers kitchen and laundry environments where temperature swings are common.
Recommended
Motor Control Signal Conditioning
Small BLDC or stepper motor driver boards can use the PIC18F23K20-E/MV as a low-cost companion MCU to handle analog feedback (back-EMF, current sense) through its 10-bit ADC and rail-to-rail comparators before forwarding torque commands over SPI to a dedicated gate driver. Its 48 MHz core is enough to run a sensorless commutation state machine at typical 1-2 kHz electrical frequencies, and its 1.8-5.5 V supply permits direct operation from the motor bus after a small LDO drop.
Recommended
Smart Thermostat / HVAC
Smart thermostats require precise analog temperature measurement, multiple relay/triac outputs, and an always-on user interface - all of which the PIC18F23K20-E/MV addresses with its 10-bit ADC, two analog comparators, and 25 I/O. The PIC18F23K20-E/MV's -40 C to +125 C grade lets it survive attic-mounted HVAC control boxes, while the nanoWatt XLP sleep modes keep standby power below typical Energy Star limits. I2C connectivity via MSSP ties the MCU to a colour TFT or e-ink display.
Recommended
USB-to-UART Bridge / Debug Dongle
Low-cost USB-to-UART debug bridges benefit from the PIC18F23K20-E/MV's Enhanced USART, MSSP, and 8 KB Flash - enough to host a CDC-acm firmware or a vendor-specific protocol for flashing downstream MCUs. The 25 I/O give spare GPIOs for RTS/CTS, reset, and bootloader-mode straps. The 28-UQFN 4x4 mm package keeps the dongle footprint under a typical USB-A connector, and the 1.8-5.5 V supply tolerates either 3.3 V or 5 V target boards without extra level shifters.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Metering (Water/Gas/Energy)
Battery-powered metering endpoints use the PIC18F23K20-E/MV to pulse-count meter outputs, run periodic self-calibration, and transmit readings over an attached radio. The device's 256-byte EEPROM is ideal for storing calibration constants and tamper counters without external memory, while the nanoWatt XLP profile keeps average current low enough for 10+ year lithium-thionyl chloride battery life. The 11 ADC channels are available for battery voltage, temperature compensation, and diagnostic sensors.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F23K20-E/MV — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F23K20-I/MV | PIC18F24K20-E/MV | PIC18F25K20-E/MV | PIC18F26K20-E/MV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 28-UQFN (MV) 4x4 mm | 28-UQFN (MV) 4x4 mm - same | 28-UQFN (MV) 4x4 mm - same | 28-UQFN (MV) 4x4 mm - same | 28-UQFN (MV) 4x4 mm - same |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 8 KB | 8 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB |
| SRAM | 512 bytes | 512 bytes | 768 bytes | 1536 bytes | 3896 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 1024 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz | 48 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +125 C (E) | -40 C to +85 C (I) | -40 C to +125 C (E) | -40 C to +125 C (E) | -40 C to +125 C (E) |
| I/O Pins | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| ADC Channels (10-bit) | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Unit Price @ qty 1 (USD) | 3.42 | approx. 3.10 | approx. 3.65 | approx. 3.95 | approx. 4.40 |
Key Differentiators
- Extended -40 C to +125 C temperature grade in 4x4 mm UQFN (vs PIC18F23K20-I/MV)
- 8 KB Flash with 100% pin-compatibility to higher-memory K20 siblings (vs PIC18F25K20-E/MV)
- nanoWatt XLP technology in 4x4 mm UQFN (vs PIC18F24J10T-I/ML)
Design Notes
The 28-UQFN (MV) package dissipates heat primarily through its exposed pad, which is internally bonded to VSS. Solder the exposed pad to a PCB copper pour of at least 10 mm x 10 mm with multiple thermal vias to the inner/ground plane. At 48 MHz and 5 V, worst-case core current is below 10 mA so thermal rise is negligible; however, if you drive heavy I/O loads (>20 mA per pin) add copper near those pins to spread heat and avoid latch-up.
Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor within 3 mm of each VDD pin (pins 17 and 27) and a bulk 10 uF tantalum or ceramic on the supply rail. For nanoWatt XLP operation, switch peripherals off individually using PMD registers before entering Sleep. Brown-out Reset should be enabled in configuration bits to ensure deterministic restart on weak battery cells; set BOR voltage to match the minimum regulated rail of any analog sensor powered from the same VDD.
Route the ICSP pins (RB6/RB7) directly to a 2x3 or 1x6 header for in-circuit programming and debug; add a 10 kohm pull-up on MCLR to VDD through a diode or 47 kohm resistor per Microchip recommendations. Keep the analog AVREF/AVDD traces short and isolated from switching signals. For the MSSP I2C bus, place 4.7 kohm pull-ups on SCL/SDA near the MCU side and verify against the bus capacitance budget before adding remote nodes.
Do not assume the internal 16 MHz oscillator is precise enough for UART communication; if your application requires tight baud-rate tolerance, configure an external crystal on RA6/RA7 with the appropriate HS or XT oscillator mode in the configuration bits. Watchdog Timer must be either enabled and serviced in firmware or explicitly disabled in configuration bits - leaving WDT unset can cause unintended resets. Finally, when migrating from PIC18F23K20-I/MV to PIC18F23K20-E/MV, recalibrate any temperature-dependent analog paths because the extended grade has a different thermal profile.
For mixed-signal designs, split ground into analog (AGND) and digital (DGND) planes that join only at a single point beneath the MCU VSS pin to avoid ground loops. Keep the analog comparator inputs short and away from PWM edges (CCP/PWM outputs on RC1/RC2) to prevent switching noise coupling into the comparator. Place the 1.2 V FVR bypass capacitor close to the FVR pin and avoid sharing its return path with high-current digital traces.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page; Pb-free packaging per JEDEC J-STD-020 MSL-3. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive applications consider PIC18F family members that carry Q1 suffix.
