PIC18F23K20-E/SS - 8KB Flash 8-bit MCU, 48MHz, 28-SSOP | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F23K20-E/SS ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.42 | $3.42 |
| 10 | $3.07 | $30.70 |
| 100 | $2.61 | $261.00 |
| 500 | $2.28 | $1,140.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.95 | $1,950.00 |
PIC18F23K20-E/SS Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, program memory (Flash), data memory (RAM), EEPROM, and a rich set of peripherals such as ADC, timers, comparators, and communication modules onto one die. The PIC18 family sits in Microchip's higher-performance 8-bit tier (above PIC10/12/16), offering a C-compiler-optimized instruction set with an optional extended instruction set for re-entrant code, nanoWatt XLP (eXtreme Low Power) technology for sleep currents below 100 nA typical, and up to 16 MIPS throughput. This positions the PIC18F23K20 between baseline 8-bit MCUs and 16-bit PIC24/dsPIC parts.
Key features include 25 general-purpose I/O pins (high-current sink/source 25 mA/25 mA), two rail-to-rail analog comparators with programmable reference (1.2V FVR channel), one 10-bit ADC with up to 11 input channels, three programmable external interrupts, four programmable interrupt-on-change ports, two 8-bit timers and three 16-bit timers, and a 256-byte data EEPROM. Communication peripherals comprise one enhanced USART (EUSART) with auto-baud detect, one MSSP supporting SPI and I2C (Master/Slave), and an SR Latch for power-saving peripheral operation.
Architecturally, the device uses a Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, 16-bit instructions, an 8-bit data path, and an 8x8 hardware multiply engine. nanoWatt XLP technology provides multiple idle and sleep modes plus ultra-low-power watchdog and RTCC operation, making the part attractive for battery-powered sensor nodes. The PLL allows the internal 16 MHz oscillator to drive the CPU up to 64 MHz, enabling tighter timing resolution while keeping external crystal requirements minimal.
Typical applications include low-power IoT sensor nodes, portable battery-powered instruments, consumer white-goods control panels, automotive body electronics (non-AEC-Q100 due to E-grade only), lighting control, and small home appliances. The wide operating voltage and robust peripherals also suit industrial data loggers and remote control transmitters. Engineers choose this part when 8 KB of Flash and 25 I/O lines are sufficient, the SSOP-28 footprint is acceptable, and ultra-low sleep current is critical for energy harvesting or battery-life targets.
Design consideration: an external decoupling capacitor of 100 nF (plus 10 uF bulk) should be placed within 5 mm of VDD, and the MCLR pin requires a 10-50 kohm pull-up to VDD if unused internal pull-ups are not enabled. The ICSP/ICD pins (RB6/RB7) must not be loaded heavily in target applications to preserve in-circuit debug operation.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, SSOP-28 drop-in alternatives, and practical nanoWatt design notes not consolidated in any single manufacturer document.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F23K20-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 PIC18F23K20-E/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Timers, ADC, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F23K20-I/SS
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F24K20-I/SS
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1.92 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F25K20-I/SS
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F26K20-I/SS
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F23K20-E/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.94 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F23K20-E/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC18 RISC (Harvard) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 8 KB |
| Data SRAM | 768 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 64 MHz (48 MHz without PLL) |
| MIPS | 16 MIPS |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Pins | 25 |
| Analog Comparators | 2 (rail-to-rail) |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 11 channels |
| Timers | Two 8-bit, three 16-bit |
| Communication | 1x EUSART, 1x MSSP (SPI / I2C) |
| Package | 28-pin SSOP |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (E-grade) |
| Low-Power Technology | nanoWatt XLP |
| RoHS Status | Pb-Free Compliant |
PIC18F23K20-E/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP/RE3 — Master Clear reset input or programming voltage; also serves as digital input RE3 |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0/C12IN0- — PORTA bit 0; analog input AN0; comparator 1 negative input |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1/C12IN1- — PORTA bit 1; analog input AN1; comparator 2 negative input |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/VREF-/CVREF — PORTA bit 2; analog input AN2; negative voltage reference; comparator voltage reference output |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — PORTA bit 3; analog input AN3; positive voltage reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/AN4/C1OUT/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4; analog input AN4; comparator 1 output; Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN5/C2OUT/SS/HLVDIN — PORTA bit 5; analog input AN5; comparator 2 output; SPI slave select; high/low voltage detect input |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | RA7/OSC1/CLKI — PORTA bit 7; oscillator input or clock input |
| Pin 10 | RA6/OSC2/CLKO — PORTA bit 6; oscillator output or clock output |
| Pin 11 | RC0/SOSCO/T1OSO — PORTC bit 0; secondary oscillator output; Timer1 oscillator output |
| Pin 12 | RC1/SOSCI/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1; secondary oscillator input; Timer1 oscillator input; Capture/Compare/PWM 2 |
| Pin 13 | RC2/CCP1/P1A — PORTC bit 2; Capture/Compare/PWM 1; PWM 1 output A |
| Pin 14 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3; SPI clock; I2C clock |
| Pin 15 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4; SPI data in; I2C data |
| Pin 16 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5; SPI data out |
| Pin 17 | RC6/TX/CK — PORTC bit 6; EUSART asynchronous transmit; EUSART synchronous clock |
| Pin 18 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7; EUSART asynchronous receive; EUSART synchronous data |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive power supply |
| Pin 21 | RB0/AN12/INT0/FLT0 — PORTB bit 0; analog input AN12; external interrupt 0; PWM fault input |
| Pin 22 | RB1/AN10/C12IN3-/INT1 — PORTB bit 1; analog input AN10; comparator input; external interrupt 1 |
| Pin 23 | RB2/AN8/C12IN2-/INT2 — PORTB bit 2; analog input AN8; comparator input; external interrupt 2 |
| Pin 24 | RB3/AN9/C12IN1-/INT3 — PORTB bit 3; analog input AN9; comparator input; external interrupt 3 |
| Pin 25 | RB4/AN11/C2OUT — PORTB bit 4; analog input AN11; comparator 2 output |
| Pin 26 | RB5/AN7/C1OUT — PORTB bit 5; analog input AN7; comparator 1 output |
| Pin 27 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6; in-circuit debugger / programmer clock |
| Pin 28 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7; in-circuit debugger / programmer data |
Typical Applications
PIC18F23K20-E/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node, Consumer White-Goods Control Panel, Industrial Data Logger, Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety), Lighting Control and Dimming Module, Remote Control Transmitter (RF/IR).
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Node
The PIC18F23K20-E/SS suits long-life IoT sensor nodes because its nanoWatt XLP technology delivers typical sleep currents below 100 nA, allowing a 2,200 mAh Li-SOCl2 cell to last up to 10+ years in duty-cycled applications. The 8 KB Flash accommodates BLE/Zigbee stackless sensor firmware with interrupt-driven wake-up, while the 25 mA source/sink capability drives LEDs and FET gates directly. The 10-bit ADC handles temperature, light, and humidity transducer interfaces, and the I2C MSSP connects to digital sensors like the Microchip MCP9808 temperature sensor. The 1.8-3.6 V range matches coin-cell and Li-IoT chemistries, while the -40C to +125C E-grade ensures outdoor deployment survivability.
Recommended
Consumer White-Goods Control Panel
The PIC18F23K20-E/SS fits washing machine, dishwasher, and microwave control panels where 8 KB Flash is sufficient for the user-interface state machine, and the 25 GPIO pins drive 7-segment displays, keypads, and relay coils directly. Its 25 mA sink/source rating eliminates driver transistors on the segment lines, reducing BOM cost. The EUSART and MSSP connect to motor control companion MCUs or BLDC drivers, while the 16-bit timers generate PWM for buzzer tones and triac phase control. The -40C to +125C rating tolerates under-cabinet heat soak, and the SSOP-28 footprint reflows cleanly on FR-4 with standard 0.65 mm pitch land patterns used across white-goods manufacturing.
Recommended
Industrial Data Logger
The PIC18F23K20-E/SS supports 4-8 channel industrial data loggers where its 10-bit ADC samples RTDs, thermistors, and 4-20 mA loop shunts with the 1.2 V FVR as a calibration reference, while the 256-byte EEPROM stores non-volatile calibration constants. The MSSP operates in SPI master mode for SD card storage, and the EUSART provides Modbus RTU slave connectivity over RS-485 with the addition of an external transceiver. The E-grade temperature rating tolerates factory-floor -20C to +70C cabinet interiors with margin for self-heating; the low sleep current is essential for battery-backed black-box logging during power outages.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics (Non-Safety)
The PIC18F23K20-E/SS handles non-safety automotive body modules such as seat control switches, ambient lighting drivers, and interior mirror controls where 8 KB Flash and 25 GPIO drive LED arrays and LIN slave interfaces. The -40C to +125C E-grade rating meets the AEC-Q100 temperature range, although full AEC-Q100 conformance requires selecting the PIC18F26K20-I/SS or PIC18FxxQ10 family with explicit Q-grade qualification. The EUSART in LIN mode plus the rail-to-rail analog comparators enable LIN slave protocol stacks and battery voltage supervision without external components.
Recommended
Lighting Control and Dimming Module
The PIC18F23K20-E/SS drives 0-10 V dimming modules and DALI-compatible lighting controllers where its 16-bit timers generate the 100 Hz PWM dimming curve and the EUSART carries the DALI half-duplex protocol over a bridged 5 V interface. The 1.8-3.6 V operation matches the auxiliary supply rail of constant-current LED drivers, and the high-current 25 mA GPIO pins drive optocouplers and triacs directly. The 8 KB Flash stores lookup tables for logarithmic dimming curves and fixture calibration, while the 10-bit ADC monitors feedback from current-sense amplifiers for closed-loop dimming accuracy.
Recommended
Remote Control Transmitter (RF/IR)
The PIC18F23K20-E/SS fits handheld RF remote controls and IR transmitters where the nanoWatt XLP sleep current (under 100 nA typical) enables multi-year battery life from a single CR2032 coin cell. The 8 KB Flash stores protocol encoders for proprietary and standard formats (RC5, NEC, KEELOQ), while the 16-bit timers generate accurate carrier frequencies for 315/433/868 MHz SAW-resonator transmitters and 38 kHz IR carriers. The MSSP in SPI master mode drives a small OLED display for status feedback, and the EUSART handles bi-directional RF transceivers for two-way remote applications.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F23K20-E/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F23K20-I/SS | PIC18F24K20-I/SS | PIC18F25K20-I/SS | PIC18F26K20-I/SS | PIC18F23K20-E/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | SSOP-28 | SSOP-28 - same | SSOP-28 - same | SSOP-28 - same | SSOP-28 - same | SOIC-28 (different footprint, same die) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 8 KB | 8 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB | 8 KB |
| SRAM | 768 B | 768 B | 768 B | 1536 B | 3896 B | 768 B |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 1024 B | 256 B |
| Temperature Grade | E-grade (-40C to +125C) | I-grade (-40C to +85C) | I-grade (-40C to +85C) | I-grade (-40C to +85C) | I-grade (-40C to +85C) | E-grade (-40C to +125C) |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 48 MHz (64 MHz PLL) | 48 MHz (64 MHz PLL) | 48 MHz (64 MHz PLL) | 48 MHz (64 MHz PLL) | 48 MHz (64 MHz PLL) | 48 MHz (64 MHz PLL) |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Pins | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Approx. Unit Price (qty 100, USD) | 2.61 | 2.55 | 2.75 | 3.00 | 3.30 | 2.50 |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost extended-temperature 8-bit PIC18 in SSOP-28 (vs PIC18F25K20-I/SS)
- Same SSOP-28 footprint allows in-family memory scaling (vs PIC18F26K20-I/SS)
- Established nanoWatt XLP pedigree with extensive ecosystem (vs PIC18F25Q10-I/SS)
Design Notes
Estimated: at VDD = 3.3 V and active CPU at 48 MHz (16 MIPS), the PIC18F23K20 draws approximately 6 mA typical and drops below 1 uA in Sleep with RTCC enabled (nanoWatt XLP). Place a 100 nF X7R decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of the VDD pin and a 10 uF bulk capacitor at the board supply input; this prevents inrush IR drop during flash programming and reduces VDD ripple for ADC accuracy. For battery applications, switch to the internal 16 MHz HFINTOSC before Sleep to stop the external crystal, reducing sleep current below 100 nA typical.
Keep the ICSP pins RB6 (PGC) and RB7 (PGD) lightly loaded - no series resistors greater than 100 ohm, no large capacitances above 50 pF, and avoid long trace stubs. This guarantees reliable in-circuit debugging and programming with PICkit 3/4 or ICD 4 tools. Place the MCLR pull-up (typically 10 kohm to VDD) close to the pin, and add a diode from VDD to MCLR if ICSP programming is required - this prevents the programmer's high voltage (typically 12-13 V on MCLR) from feeding into VDD.
The PIC18F23K20 ADC achieves 10-bit accuracy only with proper analog supply decoupling and a low-impedance VREF source. Use the internal 1.2 V FVR with the ADC's FVR channel for ratiometric measurements, or buffer an external reference with an MCP6002 op-amp. Acquire samples with the ADC's dedicated RC acquisition time (TAD > 1.6 us) rather than reading the GO bit immediately - this prevents the channel capacitance from being undercharged, which manifests as non-monotonic or noisy readings at high source impedance.
Compliance Information
Pb-Free Compliant per Mouser part detail listing. E-grade -40C to +125C temperature range only - not AEC-Q100 qualified; for AEC-Q100 automotive applications, select an automotive-grade PIC18 K20 or Q10 family variant.
