PIC18F44K20-E/PT - 8-bit 64MHz 16KB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F44K20-E/PT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.45 | $4.45 |
| 10 | $3.96 | $39.60 |
| 100 | $3.45 | $345.00 |
| 500 | $2.98 | $1,490.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.62 | $2,620.00 |
PIC18F44K20-E/PT Overview
A PIC18 microcontroller is an 8-bit RISC MCU from Microchip's enhanced PIC18 architecture family. PIC18 MCUs sit at the intersection of high-performance 8-bit processing and ultra-low power operation, falling within the broader hierarchy of microcontroller -> embedded processor -> semiconductor IC. This family is widely used in cost-sensitive embedded designs that need deterministic real-time response, low sleep current, and rich peripheral integration.
Key features of the PIC18F44K20-E/PT include 36 general-purpose digital I/O pins, 13 channels of 10-bit Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC), nanoWatt XLP extreme low-power technology, and a standard operating voltage range of 1.8V to 3.6V (low-power modes) with full-speed operation from 3.0V to 3.6V. The integrated nanoWatt XLP technology delivers sleep currents in the nanoampere range, making it suitable for battery-powered and energy-harvesting applications.
The device uses an enhanced Harvard RISC architecture with a C-optimized instruction set, supporting up to 16 MIPS throughput at 64MHz. On-chip peripherals include multiple timers, ECCP (Enhanced Capture/Compare/PWM), MSSP (SPI/I2C), EUSART, comparators, and a 10-bit ADC, providing ample I/O and analog integration for sensor nodes, motor control, and human-interface designs.
Typical applications include industrial sensor interfaces, home appliance control panels, low-power remote controls, battery-powered IoT nodes, automotive interior body controllers (non-safety), and portable consumer electronics. The wide operating temperature range also enables use in outdoor and harsh-environment industrial equipment.
When designing with this MCU, ensure the supply voltage aligns with the chosen frequency - Microchip specifies minimum 1.8V at 16MHz and 2.0V at 20MHz for low-power modes, with full 64MHz operation requiring 3.0V to 3.6V. Decoupling should follow Microchip's reference design guidance, with 100nF capacitors placed close to each VDD/VSS pair.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, drop-in alternative MPNs from the same PIC18F family, and practical engineering design notes that extend beyond the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F44K20-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 PIC18F44K20-E/PT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core Architecture, Package, Program Memory (Flash), MSL Level.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F44K20-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F44K20T-E/PT
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F44K20-E/PT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC18 8-bit RISC (Harvard) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 16 KB (8K x 16) |
| Data Memory (SRAM) | 768 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 64 MHz (per Hotenda listing) / 48 MHz (per Microchip product page) |
| Throughput | Up to 16 MIPS |
| Operating Voltage Range | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (low-power); 3.0 V to 3.6 V (full-speed) |
| I/O Pins | 36 |
| ADC | 13 channels x 10-bit |
| Package | 44-pin TQFP (10x10) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +125 C (extended "-E" grade) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Low-Power Technology | nanoWatt XLP |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| MSL Level | 3 |
PIC18F44K20-E/PT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2/AN2/CVREF/VREF- — Digital I/O / Analog input / Comparator voltage reference / DAC negative reference |
| Pin 2 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — Digital I/O / Analog input / DAC positive reference |
| Pin 3 | RA4/T0CKI/RCV — Digital I/O / Timer0 clock input / PWM fault input |
| Pin 4 | RA5/AN4/C1INA/HLVDIN/RC2 — Digital I/O / Analog input / Comparator input / High/Low-Voltage detect input |
| Pin 5 | RA6/OSC2/CLKO — Digital I/O / Oscillator output / Clock output |
| Pin 6 | RA7/OSC1/CLKI — Digital I/O / Oscillator input / Clock input |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | VDD — Positive supply (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 9 | RB0/INT0/AN12/FLT0 — Digital I/O / External interrupt 0 / Analog input / PWM fault |
| Pin 10 | RB1/INT1/AN10 — Digital I/O / External interrupt 1 / Analog input |
| Pin 11 | RB2/INT2/AN8 — Digital I/O / External interrupt 2 / Analog input |
| Pin 12 | RB3/INT3/AN9 — Digital I/O / External interrupt 3 / Analog input |
| Pin 13 | RB4/KBI0/AN11 — Digital I/O / Interrupt-on-change / Analog input |
| Pin 14 | RB5/KBI1/PGM — Digital I/O / Interrupt-on-change / ICSP programming input |
| Pin 15 | RB6/KBI2/PGC — Digital I/O / Interrupt-on-change / ICSP clock |
| Pin 16 | RB7/KBI3/PGD — Digital I/O / Interrupt-on-change / ICSP data |
| Pin 17 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 18 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 19 | RC0/SOSCO — Digital I/O / Secondary oscillator output |
| Pin 20 | RC1/SOSCI — Digital I/O / Secondary oscillator input |
| Pin 21 | RC2/CCP1 — Digital I/O / Enhanced CCP1 output |
| Pin 22 | RC3/SCL/SCK — Digital I/O / I2C clock / SPI clock |
| Pin 23 | RC4/SDA/SDI — Digital I/O / I2C data / SPI data in |
| Pin 24 | RC5/SDO — Digital I/O / SPI data out |
| Pin 25 | RC6/CK/TX — Digital I/O / EUSART clock / EUSART TX |
| Pin 26 | RC7/DT/RX — Digital I/O / EUSART data / EUSART RX |
| Pin 27 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 28 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 29 | RD0/C1INA-/ECCP2/PSP0 — Digital I/O / Comparator input / Enhanced CCP2 / Parallel slave port |
| Pin 30 | RD1/C1INB-/ECCP3/PSP1 — Digital I/O / Comparator input / Enhanced CCP3 / Parallel slave port |
| Pin 31 | RD2/C1INC-/PS/PSP2 — Digital I/O / Comparator input / PWM syncrate / PSP |
| Pin 32 | RD3/SSPP/PSP3 — Digital I/O / Slave select / PSP |
| Pin 33 | RD4/SDO2/PSP4 — Digital I/O / SPI2 data out / PSP |
| Pin 34 | RD5/SDI2/PSP5 — Digital I/O / SPI2 data in / PSP |
| Pin 35 | RD6/SCK2/PSP6 — Digital I/O / SPI2 clock / PSP |
| Pin 36 | RD7/SS2/PSP7 — Digital I/O / SPI2 slave select / PSP |
| Pin 37 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 38 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 39 | RE0/AN5/C1INA+/RD — Digital I/O / Analog input / Comparator input / Parallel slave read |
| Pin 40 | RE1/AN6/C1INB+/WR — Digital I/O / Analog input / Comparator input / Parallel slave write |
| Pin 41 | RE2/AN7/C1OUT+/CS — Digital I/O / Analog input / Comparator output / Parallel slave chip select |
| Pin 42 | RE3/MCLR/VPP — Digital input / Master clear (reset, active low) / ICSP programming voltage |
| Pin 43 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 44 | VDD — Positive supply |
Typical Applications
PIC18F44K20-E/PT is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Sensor Interface, Battery-Powered IoT Nodes, Home Appliance Control Panels, Automotive Interior Body Controllers, Low-Power Remote Controls, Portable Consumer Electronics, HVAC Control and Thermostat Systems.
Industrial Sensor Interface
The PIC18F44K20-E/PT fits industrial sensor interface designs because its 13-channel 10-bit ADC and 36 digital I/O pins can aggregate multiple analog sensors (temperature, pressure, flow) and discrete signals on a single MCU. Its nanoWatt XLP technology drops sleep current into the nanoampere range, letting battery or energy-harvested sensor nodes achieve multi-year service life. The extended -40 C to +125 C temperature grade tolerates factory-floor and outdoor enclosures without derating.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Nodes
For battery-powered IoT endpoints, the PIC18F44K20-E/PT delivers a balanced combination of 16 MIPS processing throughput and nanoWatt XLP ultra-low sleep current, enabling edge-processing and wireless protocol handling while sipping power between transmissions. The 1.8V to 3.6V supply range accepts single-cell Li-coin or 2xAA battery chemistries directly. The on-chip EUSART and MSSP peripherals natively support UART, SPI, and I2C radios such as LoRa or sub-GHz transceivers.
Recommended
Home Appliance Control Panels
The PIC18F44K20-E/PT is well matched to home appliance control panels (washing machines, dishwashers, ovens) because its 36 I/O pins drive keypads, LED/LCD displays, relay arrays, and triac-trigger outputs from a single chip. The 16KB Flash accommodates state-machine firmware plus menu logic, while nanoWatt XLP modes reduce standby power to meet global energy regulations. Extended-temperature operation supports under-counter and garage-appliance thermal environments.
Recommended
Automotive Interior Body Controllers
The PIC18F44K20-E/PT addresses non-safety automotive interior body functions such as seat controllers, mirror adjusters, ambient lighting, and HVAC blend-door actuators. The -40 C to +125 C extended temperature grade covers cabin and under-dash thermal extremes, while the 13-channel 10-bit ADC reads position feedback and analog switches. Note that safety-critical functions like airbag or ABS require AEC-Q100-qualified parts, not this general-purpose MCU.
Recommended
Low-Power Remote Controls
Handheld remote controls benefit from the PIC18F44K20-E/PT's nanoWatt XLP technology, which keeps quiescent current under 100nA in Sleep mode - a single CR2032 coin cell can last the shelf life of the product. The 36 I/O pins comfortably drive IR LEDs, multi-button keypads, and status indicators. The 16 MIPS throughput decodes RF or IR protocols with cycle headroom, while the 16KB Flash holds protocol stacks plus user-mode firmware.
Recommended
Portable Consumer Electronics
The PIC18F44K20-E/PT serves portable consumer products like fitness trackers, digital thermometers, and handheld meters where battery life, small footprint, and moderate compute performance matter. The TQFP-44 (10x10 mm) package suits compact PCBs, and the 1.8V to 3.6V range accepts Li-ion or alkaline chemistries. The 13-channel ADC reads sensors (thermistor, strain gauge, battery monitor) without an external analog front end.
Recommended
HVAC Control and Thermostat Systems
The PIC18F44K20-E/PT supports HVAC thermostat and zone-controller designs with its 36 I/O pins for keypad input, LCD drive, relay/triac control of fans and dampers, and 13-channel ADC for temperature and humidity sensors. The nanoWatt XLP modes reduce standby consumption to meet ENERGY STAR limits, while the extended temperature grade handles plenum and outdoor-stat environments. The 16KB Flash accommodates scheduling logic and adaptive control algorithms.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F44K20-E/PT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F44K20-I/PT | PIC18F44K20T-E/PT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 44-pin TQFP (10x10) | 44-pin TQFP (10x10) - same | 44-pin TQFP (10x10) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB |
| RAM | 768 bytes | 768 bytes | 768 bytes |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes | 256 bytes | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 64 MHz / 48 MHz (per source) | 64 MHz / 48 MHz (per source) | 64 MHz / 48 MHz (per source) |
| I/O Pins | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40 C to +125 C (extended) | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) | -40 C to +125 C (extended) |
| ADC | 13 x 10-bit | 13 x 10-bit | 13 x 10-bit |
Key Differentiators
- Extended temperature grade for harsh environments (vs PIC18F44K20-I/PT)
- nanoWatt XLP extreme low-power technology (vs PIC18F44K20T-E/PT)
- 36 I/O pins in a 44-pin TQFP (vs PIC18F43K20-E/PT (40-pin TQFP))
Design Notes
The PIC18F44K20-E/PT operates from 1.8V to 3.6V, but full 64MHz (16 MIPS) operation requires a minimum 3.0V supply. According to the Microchip datasheet, 16MHz operation down to 1.8V is supported for low-power modes. Add a 100nF decoupling capacitor close to each VDD/VSS pin pair (8 pins total), plus a bulk 10uF tantalum or ceramic cap on the main 3.3V rail to handle ADC reference transients.
For the TQFP-44 (10x10 mm) package, follow Microchip's PCB layout guidelines: provide a continuous ground plane beneath the MCU, keep the 64MHz crystal or resonator within 5mm of OSC1/OSC2 (RA6/RA7) with short trace lengths, and place the ICSP header (PGC/PGD on RB6/RB7 plus MCLR/VPP on RE3) at the board edge for programming access. Use guard traces around the analog ADC inputs (AN0-AN12) to isolate from digital switching noise.
Three pitfalls to avoid: (1) The MCLR pin (RE3) must not be left floating - either tie through a 10k pull-up to VDD for normal operation or use Microchip's internal MCLR enable configuration. (2) The ADC reference voltage (VREF+/VREF-) defaults to VDD/VSS; for accurate conversions below VDD, drive VREF+ from a low-noise reference such as MCP1525. (3) Do not enable the ECCP/PWM outputs on the same pin as a sensitive analog input without isolating with a series resistor or buffer, since PWM switching can couple into the ADC.
At 64MHz FCPU the instruction-cycle clock is 16MHz - any external signals entering through INT0-INT3 or ICSP pins should be filtered if they originate from long cable runs (over 50mm). According to Microchip AN1259, add a small RC filter (1kohm + 100pF) on interrupt inputs to debounce mechanical switches and reduce EMI susceptibility. For SPI buses above 5MHz, keep traces matched in length to within 5mm to avoid skew.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. The PIC18F44K20-E/PT is NOT AEC-Q100 qualified - it is a general-purpose MCU; automotive safety applications require AEC-Q100-qualified parts such as PIC18F26K80-I/SO.
