PIC18LF25J11-I/SP - 32KB Flash MCU, 4KB RAM, 12 MIPS nanoWatt | Microchip
MPN: PIC18LF25J11-I/SP ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.95 | $2.95 |
| 10 | $2.74 | $27.40 |
| 100 | $2.42 | $242.00 |
| 500 | $2.18 | $1,090.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.97 | $1,970.00 |
PIC18LF25J11-I/SP Overview
What is a PIC microcontroller? PIC (Peripheral Interface Controller) is a family of 8-bit Harvard-architecture RISC microcontrollers from Microchip. PIC18 series parts add enhanced 16-bit-wide instructions, hardware multiply and C-compiler-friendly addressing; the "J" sub-family targets low-voltage battery-powered designs with nanoWatt sleep modes. Within this taxonomy, the PIC18LF25J11 sits as: 8-bit MCU -> PIC18 family -> J-series low-voltage line -> nanoWatt power-managed sub-line -> 28-pin SPDIP form factor.
Key features include 32 KB self-programmable Flash program memory, 4 KB SRAM, 256 bytes of EEPROM-style data, 34 digital I/O pins multiplexed with analog and peripheral functions, a 10-bit ADC with up to 13 input channels, two analog comparators, two USART modules, two MSSP (SPI/I2C) modules, two CCP modules, an 8-bit/16-bit timer block and a 10-bit ADC providing roughly 3.2 mV LSB at a 3.3 V reference.
Architecturally, the PIC18LF25J11 uses a 16-bit-wide instruction word, an 8-level hardware stack, a priority interrupt controller and a nanoWatt power manager with multiple low-power sleep modes. The LF silicon revises the analog and oscillator blocks for low-voltage operation, while sharing the same peripheral set as the 5V PIC18F25J11.
Typical applications include USB-LCD modules, smart-card readers, tethered wearables, sensor interfaces for industrial control, low-power data loggers and battery-powered consumer peripherals. The combination of nanoWatt sleep, 32 KB code space and 4 KB RAM is well matched to RTOS-light protocols such as Modbus-RTU over RS-485 or I2C-based sensor hubs.
A core design consideration is supply rail discipline: although the LF device is qualified for 2.0V-3.3.6V, 5V-tolerant I/O behavior must be confirmed against the latest datasheet revision before stacking with legacy 5V sensors. Designers should also budget for the 28-pin SPDIP through-hole footprint, which favours prototyping and rugged industrial enclosures over miniaturized wearables.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-family drop-in alternatives sourced from Microchip's published catalog, and practical design notes not typically surfaced by manufacturer datasheets alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18LF25J11-I/SP — 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 PIC18LF25J11-I/SP (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, ADC, Core Architecture, Operating Temperature, Timers.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F25J11-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF24J11-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF25J10-I/SP
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF45J11-I/P
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F46J50-I/PT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF25J11-I/SP Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | 8-bit PIC18 RISC (Harvard, 16-bit instruction word) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 32 KB |
| SRAM | 4 KB |
| Data EEPROM | 256 bytes (emulated) |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 40 MHz (12 MIPS) |
| Supply Voltage (VDD) | 2.0 V to 3.6 V (LF low-voltage variant) |
| Number of I/O Pins | 34 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 13 channels |
| ADC LSB @ 3.3 V | 3.2 mV (typ.) |
| Analog Comparators | 2 |
| USART | 2 |
| MSSP (SPI/I2C) | 2 |
| CCP Modules | 2 |
| Timers | Multiple 8-bit and 16-bit timers |
| Package | SPDIP-28 (SP), through-hole |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial -I) |
| Low-Power Modes | nanoWatt sleep, run, idle, and deep sleep |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free / Halogen-Free | Per Microchip product page |
PIC18LF25J11-I/SP Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/VPP — Master Clear (reset) / programming voltage input |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0/CVREF — Digital I/O / analog input 0 / comparator reference |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1 — Digital I/O / analog input 1 |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2 — Digital I/O / analog input 2 |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3 — Digital I/O / analog input 3 |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — Digital I/O / timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4 — Digital I/O / analog input 4 |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 9 | RA7/OSC1/CLKI — Oscillator input / digital I/O |
| Pin 10 | RA6/OSC2/CLKO — Oscillator output / digital I/O |
| Pin 11 | RC0/T1OSO/T13CKI — Digital I/O / timer1 clock |
| Pin 12 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — Digital I/O / timer1 oscillator / CCP2 |
| Pin 13 | RC2/CCP1 — Digital I/O / CCP1 output |
| Pin 14 | RC3/SCL/SCK — Digital I/O / MSSP I2C SCL / SPI SCK |
| Pin 15 | RC4/SDA/SDI — Digital I/O / MSSP I2C SDA / SPI SDI |
| Pin 16 | RC5/SDO — Digital I/O / MSSP SPI SDO |
| Pin 17 | RC6/TX/CK — Digital I/O / USART TX / clock |
| Pin 18 | RC7/RX/DT — Digital I/O / USART RX / data |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 21 | RB0/INT0/AN12 — Digital I/O / external interrupt 0 / analog input 12 |
| Pin 22 | RB1/INT1/AN10 — Digital I/O / external interrupt 1 / analog input 10 |
| Pin 23 | RB2/INT2/AN8 — Digital I/O / external interrupt 2 / analog input 8 |
| Pin 24 | RB3/INT3/AN9 — Digital I/O / external interrupt 3 / analog input 9 |
| Pin 25 | RB4/AN11 — Digital I/O / analog input 11 |
| Pin 26 | RB5/AN13 — Digital I/O / analog input 13 |
| Pin 27 | RB6/PGC — Digital I/O / programming clock (ICSP) |
| Pin 28 | RB7/PGD — Digital I/O / programming data (ICSP) |
Typical Applications
PIC18LF25J11-I/SP is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Sensor Hub with Modbus-RTU, USB HID Peripheral (Mouse / Keyboard / Custom HID), Low-Power Data Logger with Sleep Cycling, Smart Card Reader Front-End, Consumer Appliance User Interface, Educational Development Board MCU.
Industrial Sensor Hub with Modbus-RTU
The PIC18LF25J11-I/SP fits industrial 4-20 mA sensor hubs because its 2.0V-3.6V supply rides directly on a 3.3V regulated rail, while the nanoWatt sleep currents let battery-backed panels idle for months. The integrated 10-bit ADC provides roughly 3.2 mV LSB at 3.3V, sufficient for thermocouple and 4-20 mA front ends with auto-zero calibration. Code space at 32 KB comfortably fits a Modbus-RTU slave plus interrupt-driven sampling, while the 4 KB SRAM buffers packet frames without DMA. Use the 28-pin SPDIP footprint when designing rugged enclosures requiring through-hole rework capability.
Recommended
USB HID Peripheral (Mouse / Keyboard / Custom HID)
Although the LF part lacks an integrated USB peripheral, its 8-bit PIC18 core and 12 MIPS throughput handle USB Human Interface Device stacks in firmware via bit-banged or external transceiver designs. The 32 KB Flash fits a basic HID descriptor and interrupt endpoint handler, and the two USARTs plus two MSSP modules give plenty of GPIO multiplexing for custom HID interfaces. Designs stay robust because the SPDIP-28 package tolerates manual rework and field replacement, important for low-volume commercial peripherals.
Recommended
Low-Power Data Logger with Sleep Cycling
The PIC18LF25J11-I/SP excels in battery-powered data loggers thanks to nanoWatt sleep currents measured in microamps, while its 32 KB Flash supports FAT16 or simple ring-buffer logging schemes. Wake sources include RTCC, watchdog and external interrupts on up to 34 I/O pins, letting the part sleep most of the time and burst-sample sensors on a schedule. The 28-pin SPDIP package is friendly to hand-soldered prototype boards, and the 2.0V minimum supply lets the system run directly from a single LiFe cell.
Recommended
Smart Card Reader Front-End
The PIC18LF25J11-I/SP is well suited as a smart-card reader controller: 32 KB Flash fits T=0/T=1 protocol stacks, 4 KB SRAM buffers APDUs, and the two USARTs support both card-side and host-side channels. The 2.0V-3.6V supply matches ISO 7816 VCC requirements directly, eliminating a level shifter. The 28-pin SPDIP through-hole package simplifies iterative prototyping of secure-access hardware.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance User Interface
Kitchen appliances and consumer devices often pair a low-cost 8-bit MCU with character LCDs, capacitive touch and PWM-controlled indicators - exactly the PIC18LF25J11-I/SP design envelope. The two CCP modules drive LED dimming or buzzer tones while MSSP modules drive I2C-controlled LCDs and SPI sensors. The 32 KB Flash fits UI state machines plus simple custom character sets, and the 28-pin SPDIP gives engineers a breadboard-friendly form for design verification before committing to surface-mount.
Recommended
Educational Development Board MCU
The PIC18LF25J11-I/SP is a natural choice for educational dev boards: 28-pin SPDIP pins align with standard 0.1-inch headers, 32 KB Flash accepts hobbyist-scale C projects (XC8 compiler), and the 2.0V-3.6V supply matches USB-powered boards with a single LDO. Students get a real industrial-grade MCU footprint while keeping wiring simple.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18LF25J11-I/SP — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F25J11-I/SP | PIC18LF24J11-I/SP | PIC18LF25J10-I/SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | SPDIP-28 | SPDIP-28 - same | SPDIP-28 - same | SPDIP-28 - same |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 32 KB | 32 KB | 16 KB | 32 KB |
| SRAM | 4 KB | 4 KB | 1 KB | 4 KB |
| Supply Voltage | 2.0 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 3.6 V |
| MIPS | 12 MIPS @ 40 MHz | 12 MIPS @ 40 MHz | 12 MIPS @ 40 MHz | 10 MIPS @ 40 MHz |
| I/O Pins | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 |
| ADC Channels | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Industrial Temp Grade | Yes (-40C to +85C) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Low-voltage nanoWatt core for battery-powered designs (vs PIC18F25J11-I/SP)
- 32 KB Flash + 4 KB RAM balance at 12 MIPS (vs PIC18LF24J11-I/SP)
- Industrial -40C to +85C operating range (vs General-purpose 0-70C variants)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 3.3V VDD and 12 MIPS active load, core current is in the single-digit milliamp range; in nanoWatt sleep the part drops to microamp currents. Decoupling the VDD pin with a 100 nF ceramic placed within 5 mm of the pin and a bulk 10 uF tantalum minimizes ripple on the LF rail. Avoid tying unused I/O to VDD through excessive pull-ups, since internal weak pull-ups are sufficient and reduce leakage.
Place the ICSP header on the same board edge as the SPDIP-28 device so the programming cable does not cross the oscillator traces. Keep the MCLR pin's RC network - typically 10 kOhm to VDD and 100 nF to ground - within 5 mm of the pin. Route the RA6/OSC2 and RA7/OSC1 traces over a continuous ground pour to suppress noise coupling into the ADC reference.
Do not exceed 3.6V on the LF variant - the part is NOT a 5V-tolerant drop-in for the PIC18F25J11. Configure all unused I/O as outputs (not inputs) to avoid floating-pin shoot-through currents. The 10-bit ADC's input source impedance should stay below 2.5 kOhm for full conversion accuracy at the chosen sample rate, otherwise add an op-amp buffer.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Microchip product page. The part is not AEC-Q100 qualified - it is an industrial-grade component, not automotive.
