PIC18F44K20-I/PT - 16KB Flash 8-bit 64MHz MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC18F44K20-I/PT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.32 | $4.32 |
| 10 | $3.78 | $37.80 |
| 100 | $3.31 | $331.00 |
| 500 | $2.94 | $1,470.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.62 | $2,620.00 |
PIC18F44K20-I/PT Overview
What is an 8-bit flash microcontroller? An 8-bit flash microcontroller is a small single-chip computer with an 8-bit data path, on-chip Flash program memory that can be reprogrammed in-circuit, RAM, and integrated peripherals such as ADC, timers, and communication interfaces. The PIC18F44K20 belongs to the hypernym hierarchy microcontroller -> MCU -> embedded microcontroller -> 8-bit microcontroller -> PIC18 family -> PIC18F4xK20 sub-family -> semiconductor.
Key differentiating features include Microchip's nanoWatt XLP power management with sleep currents below 100 nA typical, 16 KB of self-programmable Flash with 100K erase/write cycles endurance, 10-bit ADC with up to 14 channels (varying by pin count), and a wide operating voltage range of 1.8 V to 5.5 V (when extended low-voltage operation is enabled) versus the typical 4.2 V to 5.5 V. The 44-pin TQFP package offers 36 GPIO for parallel sensor or keypad interfacing, while the smaller 28- and 40-pin variants share the same register set.
The PIC18F44K20 uses an enhanced Harvard RISC architecture with a 16-bit instruction word and 8-bit data path, allowing single-cycle execution except for branched instructions. Hardware multipliers and a hardware 8x8 multiply engine support efficient math, while peripheral pin select (PPS) is not present on this family (PPS appears in newer K40 and K42 parts).
Typical applications include industrial sensor nodes, low-power battery-powered remote controls, home appliances, motor control signal conditioning, USB/HID bridges via the PIC18 USB stack, and consumer white goods. The 36 GPIO on the 44-pin TQFP variant suits key-matrix scanning or multi-segment LED driving.
When designing with the PIC18F44K20, verify that the supply voltage covers the analog reference range if using the 10-bit ADC; an LDO such as Microchip MCP1700 is a typical companion. For production programming, MPLAB X IDE and the MPLAB PICkit 4 or ICD 4 are recommended.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and design notes that extend beyond the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18F44K20-I/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-I/PT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Core Architecture, MSL Level, EEPROM.
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No drop-in alternatives available for this product.
Request AlternativesPIC18F44K20-I/PT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 8-bit Flash Microcontroller |
| Family | PIC18F2XK20/4XK20 |
| Core Architecture | PIC18 (RISC, enhanced Harvard) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 16 KB (8K x 16) |
| Data RAM | 768 B |
| Max CPU Clock | 64 MHz |
| Performance | 16 MIPS |
| Supply Voltage (Vdd) | 4.2 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C (industrial) |
| I/O Pins | 36 |
| ADC | 10-bit |
| Package | 44-pin TQFP (10x10 mm), 0.8 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 3 (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
PIC18F44K20-I/PT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/Vpp — Master Clear (reset) input / programming voltage |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / analog input 0 |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/Vref- — PORTA bit 2 / analog input 2 / ADC negative reference |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/Vref+ — PORTA bit 3 / analog input 3 / ADC positive reference |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/SS — PORTA bit 5 / analog input 4 / SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | RE0/RD/AN5 — PORTE bit 0 / read signal / analog input 5 |
| Pin 9 | RE1/WR/AN6 — PORTE bit 1 / write signal / analog input 6 |
| Pin 10 | RE2/CS/AN7 — PORTE bit 2 / chip select / analog input 7 |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (4.2 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKI/RA7 — Oscillator crystal input / external clock input / PORTA bit 7 |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKO/RA6 — Oscillator crystal output / clock output / PORTA bit 6 |
| Pin 15 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock input |
| Pin 16 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 PWM output |
| Pin 17 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 PWM output |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 19 | RD0/PSP0 — PORTD bit 0 / parallel slave port data |
| Pin 20 | RD1/PSP1 — PORTD bit 1 / parallel slave port data |
| Pin 21 | RD2/PSP2 — PORTD bit 2 / parallel slave port data |
| Pin 22 | RD3/PSP3 — PORTD bit 3 / parallel slave port data |
| Pin 23 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 24 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 25 | RC6/TX/CK — PORTC bit 6 / EUSART TX / clock |
| Pin 26 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7 / EUSART RX / data |
| Pin 27 | RD4/PSP4 — PORTD bit 4 / parallel slave port data |
| Pin 28 | RD5/PSP5 — PORTD bit 5 / parallel slave port data |
| Pin 29 | RD6/PSP6 — PORTD bit 6 / parallel slave port data |
| Pin 30 | RD7/PSP7 — PORTD bit 7 / parallel slave port data |
| Pin 31 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 32 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 33 | RB0/INT0/FLT0 — PORTB bit 0 / external interrupt 0 / PWM fault input |
| Pin 34 | RB1/INT1 — PORTB bit 1 / external interrupt 1 |
| Pin 35 | RB2/INT2 — PORTB bit 2 / external interrupt 2 |
| Pin 36 | RB3/INT3/CCP2 — PORTB bit 3 / external interrupt 3 / CCP2 alt |
| Pin 37 | RB4/KBI0 — PORTB bit 4 / keyboard interrupt 0 |
| Pin 38 | RB5/KBI1/PGM — PORTB bit 5 / keyboard interrupt 1 / LVP program |
| Pin 39 | RB6/KBI2/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / keyboard interrupt 2 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 40 | RB7/KBI3/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / keyboard interrupt 3 / ICSP data |
| Pin 41 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 42 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 43 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 44 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
PIC18F44K20-I/PT is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Nodes, Low-Power Battery Remote Controls, Home Appliance Control Boards, Motor Control Signal Conditioning, USB HID Bridge Devices, Consumer White Goods and Smart Toys.
Industrial Sensor Nodes
The PIC18F44K20-I/PT fits industrial 4 mA to 20 mA sensor transmitters and Modbus RTU slaves because it offers 36 GPIO for multiple sensor channels, 16 MIPS for filtering math, and nanoWatt XLP sleep currents below 100 nA enabling multi-year battery life. Designers typically connect the 10-bit ADC directly to bridge sensor outputs (load cell, RTD) and use the EUSART for RS-485 link to a PLC. The 44-pin TQFP exposes enough I/O for keypad scanning plus a 4x20 LCD interface without external drivers.
Recommended
Low-Power Battery Remote Controls
Battery-powered IR/RF remote controls benefit from the PIC18F44K20-I/PT's nanoWatt XLP technology, achieving sleep currents below 100 nA and enabling coin-cell operation for 5+ years. The 16 MIPS performance is sufficient for IR RC5/RC6 or simple RF encoding protocols. Designers connect the MCU to a 16-button key matrix via 8 GPIO using charlieplexing, then wake on interrupt-on-change. The 64 MHz internal oscillator eliminates external crystals, reducing BOM cost and PCB area in the compact TQFP44 form factor.
Recommended
Home Appliance Control Boards
Washing machines, dishwashers, and microwave ovens commonly use the PIC18F44K20-I/PT because its 36 GPIO drive seven-segment displays, keypads, relay drivers, and triac interfaces concurrently. The 16 KB Flash holds application state machines plus a small RTOS or scheduler, while 768 B RAM is ample for sensor queues. The 10-bit ADC reads temperature (NTC), water level, and motor current. Industrial -40 C to +85 C temperature grade suits unheated appliance enclosures near motors.
Recommended
Motor Control Signal Conditioning
The PIC18F44K20-I/PT is widely deployed as a supervisory MCU in BLDC and stepper motor systems, where it commands gate drivers via GPIO, monitors back-EMF via the 10-bit ADC, and closes the speed/torque loop at 16 MIPS. Engineers benefit from the configurable PWM/CCP module that generates complementary switching signals with dead-band control. The 64 MHz clock provides 62.5 ns PWM resolution at 8 kHz switching frequency, fine enough for sensorless FOC trapezoidal commutation.
Recommended
USB HID Bridge Devices
Although the PIC18F44K20-I/PT has no native USB, designers use Microchip's bit-banged USB firmware stack with the CCP module to implement low-speed USB HID bridges (keyboards, mice, custom game controllers). The 64 MHz clock and 16 MIPS sustain the 1.5 Mb/s low-speed USB polling rate with margin for HID report processing. The 36 GPIO are sufficient for matrix-scanned keyboards up to 110 keys without external scan logic.
Recommended
Consumer White Goods and Smart Toys
The PIC18F44K20-I/PT powers interactive consumer products because the 16 KB Flash holds voice prompts, LED animations, and Bluetooth pairing state machines while keeping unit cost below $4 in 1K quantities. Its 36 GPIO directly drive 12+ RGB LEDs via charlieplexing, eliminating LED driver ICs. The industrial temperature range withstands enclosure heating in coffee machines or hair dryers, and the nanoWatt XLP sleep current extends battery life in cordless toys.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18F44K20-I/PT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F44K20T-I/PT | PIC18F44K20-E/PT | PIC18F46K20-I/PT | PIC18F44K22-I/PT | PIC18F43K20-I/PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same | 44-TQFP (10x10 mm) - same |
| Flash Memory | 16 KB | 16 KB | 16 KB | 64 KB | 16 KB | 8 KB |
| RAM | 768 B | 768 B | 768 B | 3.8 KB | 768 B | 512 B |
| Max CPU Clock | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V |
| Temperature Grade | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +125 C (Extended) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) | -40 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| I/O Pins | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
Key Differentiators
- Largest memory in the PIC18F2XK20/4XK20 family at 44 pins (vs PIC18F43K20-I/PT)
- Drop-in pin compatibility with K22 family migration path (vs PIC18F44K22-I/PT)
- Industrial temperature range suited for unheated enclosures (vs PIC18F44K20-E/PT)
Design Notes
Decouple both Vdd pins (11 and 32) with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed within 3 mm of each pin, plus a single 10 uF bulk tantalum or ceramic at the supply entry. The PIC18F44K20-I/PT draws peak transient currents above 50 mA when the internal oscillator and ADC start simultaneously; without bulk capacitance the Vdd rail can sag and trigger spurious brown-out resets. For battery applications add a ferrite bead between battery and Vdd to suppress inrush.
Route the 44-pin TQFP escape with 0.2 mm (8 mil) traces and 0.4 mm (16 mil) clearance to fit between TQFP pins on a 0.8 mm pitch. Place the ICSP header (PGC/PGD/MCLR/Vss/Vdd) at the board edge so the PICkit 4 or ICD 4 can clip on without removing the MCU. The TQFP exposed pad is not present on this package, so no thermal pad stitching is required, simplifying the layout versus QFN equivalents.
Configuration word settings are the most common first-programming failure on the PIC18F44K20-I/PT. Enable the internal oscillator (INTOSC) before disabling external crystal pins, and always set the WDTEN, BOREN, and LVP bits explicitly rather than relying on defaults. Forgetting to disable the low-voltage programming (LVP) bit on production builds locks the PGC/PGD pins as programming pins, preventing them from being used as RB6/RB7 GPIO. Estimated power dissipation at 64 MHz, 5.0 V, full GPIO toggle is approximately 65 mW active and 0.5 uW sleep - the latter enables years of battery life.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. PIC18F44K20-I/PT is not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive applications use PIC18F46K20-I/PT or a K22-series Q-qualified part. Lead-free (Pb-free) per Microchip packaging marking. Halogen-free status not stated in provided data.
