PIC18LF13K22-I/SO - 8-bit 64MHz 8KB Flash XLP MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC18LF13K22-I/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.35 | $3.35 |
| 10 | $2.98 | $29.80 |
| 100 | $2.42 | $242.00 |
| 500 | $1.95 | $975.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.68 | $1,680.00 |
PIC18LF13K22-I/SO Overview
A PIC18 8-bit microcontroller is a Harvard-architecture RISC MCU in the broader category of microcontrollers -> embedded microcontrollers -> flash microcontrollers -> 8-bit microcontrollers -> semiconductor ICs. PIC18 devices are widely used for cost-sensitive, low-power embedded applications because they combine the simplicity of an 8-bit core with rich peripherals, C-compiler-optimized instruction set, and Microchip's mature MPLAB X toolchain.
Key features include 10-bit ADC with up to 12 channels, multiple Enhanced USART, MSSP (SPI/I2C) interfaces, up to 17 I/O pins with individual interrupt-on-change capability, and nanoWatt XLP extreme low-power technology with sleep currents as low as sub-uA. The integrated 16MHz internal RC and 31kHz low-power oscillator eliminate external crystals in many designs.
The PIC18LF13K22 architecture pairs a RISC core with a 16-bit wide instruction word and 8-bit data path, enabling single-cycle execution of most instructions and deterministic interrupt latency. The XLP power management provides multiple idle/sleep modes with dedicated deep-sleep and ultra-low-power wake-up sources, making the device suitable for battery-powered sensor and metering nodes.
Typical applications include battery-powered sensor nodes, USB-free consumer peripherals (keyboards, remote controls, toys), low-cost sensor interfaces with on-chip ADC, and industrial control modules requiring extended temperature operation. Designers also use it as an upgrade target from older PIC16 designs needing more code space and a richer peripheral set.
A key design consideration is that the LF core requires VDD between 1.8V and 3.6V; for 5V systems, select the PIC18F13K22 (F-core, 2.3V-5.5V VDD) instead. Always configure unused I/O pins as outputs low to minimize sleep current on XLP designs.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18LF13K22-I/SO — 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 PIC18LF13K22-I/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in I/O Pins, Operating Temperature, Timers, Package, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F13K22-I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF13K22-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.52 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF13K22-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F14K50-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF13K22T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF13K22-I/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit RISC (Harvard) |
| Family | PIC18F1xK22 / PIC18LF1xK22 (nanoWatt XLP) |
| Flash Program Memory | 8 KB (4K x 16) |
| SRAM | 256 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF core) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 12 channels |
| I/O Pins | Up to 17 |
| Serial Interfaces | EUSART + MSSP (SPI / I2C) |
| Timers | 4 x 8/16-bit Timer modules |
| Package | 20-pin SOIC (SO), 7.50 mm body |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited) |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
PIC18LF13K22-I/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA3/AN3/VREF+/T0CKI — Bidirectional I/O / ADC input / positive voltage reference / Timer0 clock |
| Pin 2 | RA4/AN4/C1OUT/SRQ/T1G — Bidirectional I/O / ADC input / comparator output / SR latch Q / Timer1 gate |
| Pin 3 | RA5/AN5/C2OUT/SRQ_n/T1CKI — Bidirectional I/O / ADC input / comparator output / SR latch Q-bar / Timer1 clock |
| Pin 4 | RA6/OSC2/CLKOUT — Bidirectional I/O / oscillator output / clock output |
| Pin 5 | RA7/OSC1/CLKIN — Bidirectional I/O / oscillator input / external clock in |
| Pin 6 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 7 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 8 | RB0/AN12/INT0 — Bidirectional I/O / ADC input / external interrupt 0 |
| Pin 9 | RB1/AN10/C1IN-/P1C — Bidirectional I/O / ADC input / comparator 1 in- / PWM output |
| Pin 10 | RB2/AN8/C2IN-/P1B — Bidirectional I/O / ADC input / comparator 2 in- / PWM output |
| Pin 11 | RB3/AN9/C2IN+/P1A/CCP2 — Bidirectional I/O / ADC input / comparator 2 in+ / PWM / CCP2 |
| Pin 12 | RB4/AN11/CCP4/P1D — Bidirectional I/O / ADC input / CCP4 / PWM |
| Pin 13 | RB5/CCP5/P2A/T3CKI — Bidirectional I/O / CCP5 / PWM / Timer3 clock |
| Pin 14 | RB6/PGC/TX2/CK2 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSP clock / EUSART2 TX / EUSART2 clock |
| Pin 15 | RB7/PGD/DT2 — Bidirectional I/O / ICSP data / EUSART2 data |
| Pin 16 | RC0/SOSCO/T1CKI — Bidirectional I/O / secondary oscillator out / Timer1 clock |
| Pin 17 | RC1/SOSCI/CCP2 — Bidirectional I/O / secondary oscillator in / CCP2 |
| Pin 18 | RC2/AN6/CVREF/P2B — Bidirectional I/O / ADC input / comparator VREF / PWM |
| Pin 19 | RC3/AN7/C12IN3-/P2C — Bidirectional I/O / ADC input / comparator input / PWM |
| Pin 20 | RC4/C12IN2-/P2D — Bidirectional I/O / comparator input / PWM |
Typical Applications
PIC18LF13K22-I/SO is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes, Industrial Control Modules, Consumer Remote Controls and HMI, Low-Cost Educational and Hobby Projects, Smart Home Sensor Hubs, Portable Medical and Wellness Devices.
Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes
The PIC18LF13K22-I/SO is well suited for wireless and wired battery-powered sensor nodes thanks to its 1.8V-3.6V LF-core VDD range, nanoWatt XLP sleep currents in the sub-microamp region, and integrated 10-bit ADC with up to 12 channels. Placed as the system MCU, it can wake on interrupt-on-change pins, take an ADC reading, transmit via EUSART/MSSP, and return to deep sleep, achieving years of battery life on a single CR2032. Unlike higher-voltage PIC18F parts, the LF core lets the battery discharge below 2.3V before brownout, increasing effective capacity. The 8 KB flash comfortably holds a small RTOS or state-machine firmware with sensor-fusion libraries.
Recommended
Industrial Control Modules
The PIC18LF13K22-I/SO operates across the -40 °C to +85 °C industrial temperature range and is qualified for industrial process control, factory automation I/O modules, and HVAC peripherals. Its 17 GPIO pins, EUSART for RS-232/RS-485 bridges (with external transceiver), and MSSP for SPI sensor front-ends provide the flexibility to interface with industrial sensors. The 16 MIPS performance handles polling loops and protocol framing in real time. Compliance to IEC 61000 ESD robustness at the system level requires external TVS protection, but the on-chip brown-out reset and watchdog timer improve field reliability versus discrete logic.
Recommended
Consumer Remote Controls and HMI
For IR remote controls, small appliances, and human-machine interface (HMI) keypads, the PIC18LF13K22-I/SO delivers low cost, low power, and enough compute for capacitive-touch or matrix-keyboard scanning plus IR or RF transmission. Its 8 KB flash is sufficient for protocol stacks like NEC, RC5, or simple Zigbee sub-GHz host commands. The PWM outputs can drive LED backlighting, buzzers, and haptic feedback directly through MOSFETs. The integrated 31 kHz low-power oscillator and HFINTOSC reduce BOM cost by eliminating external crystals in cost-sensitive consumer SKUs.
Low-Cost Educational and Hobby Projects
The PIC18LF13K22-I/SO is a popular choice for educational boards, maker projects, and hobby robotics thanks to its mature MPLAB X IDE support, free XC8 compiler, and the PICkit 4 in-circuit debugger ecosystem. With 8 KB flash and 256 B SRAM it teaches embedded concepts like GPIO, timers, ADC, and interrupt-driven design without overwhelming beginners. The 20-pin SOIC is breadboard-friendly with adapter PCBs. Students can implement line-following robots, simple oscilloscopes, or PID-controlled motor nodes that scale to industrial designs later.
Smart Home Sensor Hubs
In Zigbee, Thread, or Wi-Fi end-node sensor hubs (with companion radio ICs), the PIC18LF13K22-I/SO acts as the low-cost application processor that wakes on motion or button events, reads environmental sensors, and forwards telemetry to the radio. Its XLP idle currents below 1 uA preserve battery life in door/window sensors and smart thermostats. The MSSP peripheral drives SPI-based sensors and the EUSART handles host-side AT command interfaces. The LF 1.8V minimum VDD lets the design use single-cell alkaline or Li-SOCl2 primaries common in smart-home deployments.
Portable Medical and Wellness Devices
For non-critical portable medical devices such as digital thermometers, pulse oximeter front-ends, pill dispensers, and wearable activity trackers, the PIC18LF13K22-I/SO provides the LF 1.8V operation needed for Li-ion battery monitoring down to cutoff, plus deterministic interrupt response for sensor timing. Its low sleep current extends battery life between charges, and the 10-bit ADC is sufficient for heart-rate and SpO2 sensor signal conditioning. Designers must add the necessary IEC 60601 system-level isolation and EMC protection externally; this MCU handles the digital control plane.
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18LF13K22-I/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F13K22-I/SO | PIC18LF13K22-I/P | PIC18LF13K22-I/SS | PIC18F14K50-I/SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | SOIC-20 | SOIC-20 | PDIP-20 | SSOP-20 | SOIC-20 |
| Flash Program Memory | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 16 KB |
| SRAM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 768 B |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 64 MHz (16 MIPS) | 48 MHz (12 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 5.5 V |
| USB 2.0 FS Support | No | No | No | No | Yes (integrated FS SIE) |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest operating voltage in PIC18F1xK22 family (vs PIC18F13K22-I/SO)
- No USB peripheral but lowest BOM cost in 20-pin class (vs PIC18F14K50-I/SO)
- 20-pin SOIC industrial-grade with full nanoWatt XLP (vs PIC16F1824-I/SO)
Design Notes
For battery-powered designs, configure the PIC18LF13K22-I/SO's VREG to use the LF low-voltage regulator (VREGPM=0) so the part can operate down to 1.8V. Use the BOR (Brown-Out Reset) module to set a brown-out threshold appropriate to your battery chemistry (e.g. 2.0V for 2xAA alkaline systems). Estimated: at typical 3V VDD and 16 MHz HFINTOSC, active current is ~4 mA and deep sleep current is <100 nA, so a 1000 mAh CR2032 could power 1 wake/second duty cycle for years.
Place a 100 nF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as possible to the VDD pin (pin 6) and the VSS pin (pin 7). For noise-sensitive analog designs, add a 10 uF bulk tantalum or ceramic capacitor on VDD as well. Keep the VSS trace short and direct to a low-impedance ground plane to minimize digital switching noise coupling into the ADC reference.
Route the ICSP signals (PGC/RB6, PGD/RB7) away from high-frequency signals to prevent programming glitches. If you use the internal oscillator instead of a crystal, leave OSC1/OSC2 as GPIO (RA6/RA7) for general use, but configure them as outputs in firmware to minimize sleep current. Estimated: floating OSC pins can add several uA of leakage current per pin in XLP sleep modes.
Do not apply 5V to any I/O pin when the LF variant is operating at 3.3V - the absolute maximum VDD is 3.6V. Voltage spikes above this can latch-up the part. Always verify that VDD does not exceed 3.6V during power-up transients; add a TVS diode or in-rush limiter if your upstream supply is unstable.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Industrial temperature grade -40C to +85C. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - choose PIC18F1xK22 automotive variants (suffix V) for automotive applications.
