PIC18F43K20-E/PT - 8KB Flash 8-bit MCU 44-TQFP | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F43K20-E/PT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.92 | $3.92 |
| 10 | $3.53 | $35.30 |
| 100 | $3.14 | $314.00 |
| 500 | $2.81 | $1,405.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.51 | $2,510.00 |
PIC18F43K20-E/PT Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a small, self-contained computer-on-a-chip that combines a CPU, non-volatile program memory (Flash), volatile data memory (SRAM), peripheral set, and I/O on a single silicon die. The PIC18F family sits within Microchip's 8-bit PIC architecture hierarchy (PIC10 -> PIC12 -> PIC16 -> PIC18) and is widely used in low-power, deterministic embedded control applications where simple firmware and rich peripheral integration outweigh raw CPU throughput. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, the PIC18F43K20 belongs to the microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor device family.
Key features of the PIC18F43K20-E/PT include 64 MHz maximum clock speed (16 MIPS internal execution), a wide 1.8V to 3.6V operating voltage range, nanoWatt XLP technology with sub-microamp sleep currents, two analog comparators, two 8-bit timers and three 16-bit timers, an EUSART, an MSSP (SPI/I2C), and a 10-bit ADC with up to 14 input channels. The '-E' suffix indicates the extended temperature grade (-40C to +125C) and the '/PT' suffix denotes the 44-pin TQFP package.
Internally, the device uses a 16-bit RISC-style modified Harvard architecture with a single accumulator (WREG) and an instruction pipeline, giving it deterministic interrupt latency that is well-suited to real-time control loops. The internal oscillator can be calibrated to ±1% across 8 MHz to 32 MHz, eliminating external crystal cost on cost-sensitive designs. The 10-bit ADC uses a sample-and-hold architecture with a 1.2V bandgap reference.
Typical applications include industrial sensor interface boards, HVAC controllers, automotive body modules, battery-powered remote sensors, and consumer white-goods control boards. The combination of nanoWatt XLP sleep currents (as low as 20 nA typical), wide voltage range, and 36 I/O pins makes it well matched to space-constrained, energy-harvesting, or always-on designs. Designers typically pick this part when they need more I/O and peripheral than PIC16F parts can deliver but do not require the 16-bit DSP or ARM-class throughput of dsPIC33/PIC32 families.
For new designs prefer the PIC18F43K20-I/PT (industrial grade -40C to +85C) unless extended temperature is explicitly required, since 'E' parts are now mainly used for replacement of legacy designs. Verify in your design that your toolchain (MPLAB X IDE, XC8 compiler) supports the 'E' silicon revision before committing to volume production.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F43K20-E/PT — 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 PIC18F43K20-E/PT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Package, Timers, Communication, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F43K20-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.69 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F46K22-I/PT
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F47K40-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F43K20-I/ML
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$2.46 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F43K20-E/PT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Architecture | 8-bit PIC18 (RISC modified Harvard) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 8 KB (4K x 16 words) |
| Data SRAM | 512 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Pins | 36 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 14 channels |
| Timers | 2x 8-bit, 3x 16-bit |
| Communication | EUSART, MSSP (SPI/I2C) |
| Comparators | 2 |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +125C (extended, '-E') |
| Package | 44-pin TQFP ('/PT') |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | MSL3 (JEDEC J-STD-020) |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Yes (lead-free finish); RoHS status see compliance_info |
| Core Series | PIC18F43K20 family (nanoWatt XLP) |
PIC18F43K20-E/PT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/RE3 — Master Clear (reset) input, also PORTE bit 3 |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0, analog input channel 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1, analog input channel 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/VREF- — PORTA bit 2, analog input channel 2, ADC VREF- |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — PORTA bit 3, analog input channel 3, ADC VREF+ |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4, Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS — PORTA bit 5, analog input channel 4, SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/RA7/CLKIN — External oscillator input or PORTA bit 7 |
| Pin 10 | OSC2/RA6/CLKOUT — External oscillator output or PORTA bit 6 |
| Pin 11 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0, Timer1 oscillator output or clock input |
| Pin 12 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1, Timer1 oscillator input or CCP2 |
| Pin 13 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2, Capture/Compare/PWM 1 |
| Pin 14 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3, SPI clock or I2C clock |
| Pin 15 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4, SPI data in or I2C data |
| Pin 16 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5, SPI data out |
| Pin 17 | RC6/TX/CK — PORTC bit 6, EUSART TX or clock |
| Pin 18 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7, EUSART RX or data |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 21 | RB0/INT0/FLT0 — PORTB bit 0, external interrupt 0, PWM fault |
| Pin 22 | RB1/INT1 — PORTB bit 1, external interrupt 1 |
| Pin 23 | RB2/INT2 — PORTB bit 2, external interrupt 2 |
| Pin 24 | RB3/CCP2 — PORTB bit 3, alternate CCP2 |
| Pin 25 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 |
| Pin 26 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 |
| Pin 27 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6, ICSP clock |
| Pin 28 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7, ICSP data |
| Pin 29 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 30 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 31 | RD0 — PORTD bit 0 |
| Pin 32 | RD1 — PORTD bit 1 |
| Pin 33 | RD2 — PORTD bit 2 |
| Pin 34 | RD3 — PORTD bit 3 |
| Pin 35 | RD4 — PORTD bit 4 |
| Pin 36 | RD5 — PORTD bit 5 |
| Pin 37 | RD6 — PORTD bit 6 |
| Pin 38 | RD7 — PORTD bit 7 |
| Pin 39 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 40 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 41 | RE0/RD — PORTE bit 0, alternate parallel port read |
| Pin 42 | RE1/WR — PORTE bit 1, alternate parallel port write |
| Pin 43 | RE2/CS — PORTE bit 2, alternate parallel port chip select |
| Pin 44 | AVDD — Analog positive supply |
| Pin 45 | AVSS — Analog ground reference (refer to datasheet for exact TQFP pin) |
Typical Applications
PIC18F43K20-E/PT is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Sensor Interface Boards, HVAC and Building Automation Controllers, Automotive Body and Interior Modules, Battery-Powered Remote Sensor Nodes, Consumer White Goods Control Boards, Medical Point-of-Care Devices, Educational Development and Prototyping.
Industrial Sensor Interface Boards
The PIC18F43K20-E/PT is well matched to multi-channel industrial sensor hubs that aggregate 4-20 mA loops, thermistors, and digital inputs. Its 10-bit ADC with up to 14 channels handles analog sensors directly, while the 36 I/O pins drive relay coils, opto-isolators, and indicator LEDs without external mux logic. The nanoWatt XLP sleep current (sub-microamp typical) allows battery-backed installations to ride out plant power interruptions. The 64 MHz CPU (16 MIPS) runs MODBUS RTU or proprietary sensor polling protocols at 1-10 ms loop times with margin.
Recommended
HVAC and Building Automation Controllers
Building automation thermostats and HVAC damper controllers benefit from the PIC18F43K20-E/PT's mix of analog inputs (temperature, humidity), PWM outputs (fan/valve control), and serial communication. The extended -40C to +125C temperature grade supports rooftop equipment and unconditioned plant rooms. Two analog comparators enable zero-crossing detection for triac-driven loads, and the EUSART links to wireless or wired BMS gateways. The 1.8V-3.6V supply range is compatible with 3.3V HVAC controller rails.
Recommended
Automotive Body and Interior Modules
The PIC18F43K20-E/PT extended-temperature grade makes it suitable for non-safety automotive body control such as seat position controllers, ambient lighting drivers, mirror adjusters, and HVAC panel modules. The 36 I/O pins multiplex with LIN slaves via the EUSART, PWM outputs for LED dimming, and switch matrix inputs. The 10-bit ADC reads current sense and potentiometer inputs. For ASIL-classified systems Microchip recommends AEC-Q100-qualified dsPIC33A or PIC32CK parts instead.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Remote Sensor Nodes
Energy-harvesting or coin-cell-powered remote sensors rely on the PIC18F43K20-E/PT's nanoWatt XLP sleep currents (sub-microamp typical) and 1.8V minimum supply to operate for years from a CR2032 cell. Sleep current is so low that wake-on-interrupt from the comparators or watchdog timer becomes practical. The internal 32 MHz oscillator eliminates external crystal cost. The 10-bit ADC reads battery voltage, sensor output, and temperature at 100 kSPS, sufficient for most environmental monitoring tasks.
Recommended
Consumer White Goods Control Boards
Washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, and refrigerators use 8-bit PIC18 controllers for their deterministic real-time behavior, low cost, and proven long-term reliability. The PIC18F43K20-E/PT drives seven-segment or character LCD displays, keypad matrices, motor enable relays, and triac-fired heater elements. The extended temperature grade handles the oven-cavity environment, and the 36 I/O pins accommodate the full switch + indicator matrix without external logic.
Recommended
Medical Point-of-Care Devices
Low-end point-of-care diagnostic devices (glucometers, pulse oximeters, infrared thermometers) use the PIC18F43K20-E/PT for its deterministic ADC sequencing, low sleep current, and small footprint. The 10-bit ADC reads photodiode or electrochemical sensor currents with on-chip op-amp support. The integrated EEPROM stores calibration coefficients and patient records. For new medical designs with IEC 60601-1 isolation requirements, add external isolation barriers and verify IEC 60751/ISO 13485 compliance at the system level.
Recommended
Educational Development and Prototyping
The PIC18F43K20-E/PT (and its industrial sibling PIC18F43K20-I/PT) is a popular choice in university embedded systems courses and hobbyist projects because MPLAB X IDE and the free XC8 compiler provide a complete toolchain without licensing fees. The 44-TQFP package is breadboard-friendly with adapter boards, and the PICkit 4 / MPLAB Snap programmers deliver one-click debug. The Microchip sample code library covers ADC, I2C, SPI, UART, and PWM peripherals.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F43K20-E/PT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F43K20-I/PT | PIC18F46K22-I/PT | PIC18F47K40-I/PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 44-TQFP | 44-TQFP (same) | 44-TQFP (same) | 44-TQFP (same) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 8 KB | 8 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB |
| Data SRAM | 512 bytes | 512 bytes | 768 bytes | 2 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Maximum Clock Speed | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (extended, '-E') | -40C to +85C (industrial) | -40C to +85C (industrial) | -40C to +85C (industrial) |
| I/O Pins | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit (12-bit on select variants) |
Key Differentiators
- Extended -40C to +125C temperature grade (vs PIC18F43K20-I/PT)
- Drop-in migration path to higher-memory PIC18F4xK20 family (vs PIC18F46K22-I/PT)
- nanoWatt XLP sub-microamp sleep current (vs PIC18F47K40-I/PT)
Design Notes
The PIC18F43K20-E/PT operates from 1.8V to 3.6V on VDD. Decouple each VDD pin (pins 20, 30, 40) with a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 3 mm of the pin, plus a bulk 1 uF-10 uF tantalum or ceramic on the main rail. AVDD (pin 44) and AVSS (pin 45) require their own 100 nF decoupling cap to keep ADC readings stable. Estimated: total decoupling budget is approximately 200 nF ceramic + 1 uF bulk per MCU, providing a target 50 mV or less supply ripple for ADC and CPU operation.
Route ICSP lines PGD (pin 28) and PGC (pin 27) to a 6-pin header with no series resistors or capacitors - Microchip programmers drive these directly. Keep the ICSP header within 50 mm of the MCU and avoid stubs on the trace. MCLR (pin 1) requires a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD and a 100 nF cap to ground for power-on-reset; do not omit the cap or the device may reset intermittently. The 44-TQFP exposed thermal pad (if present on the package) should be soldered to a small copper pour connected to ground for thermal relief.
Three common pitfalls with the PIC18F43K20-E/PT: (1) Do not pull MCLR directly to VDD without the 100 nF capacitor - the part will fail to power-on-reset under noise. (2) The configuration bits (CONFIG1L through CONFIG5L) must be set explicitly in code or the device will boot with the wrong oscillator and watchdog settings. (3) The 8 KB Flash is 4K x 16 words, so XC8 compiler `const` data tables consume word-aligned space and can fill the Flash unexpectedly. Use the linker `--rom` map to verify code placement.
Compliance Information
Lead-free TQFP package with matte-tin plating. The PIC18F43K20 family is not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive safety applications use AEC-Q100-grade dsPIC33A or PIC32CK families. RoHS and REACH compliance confirmed per Microchip product declaration.
