PIC18LF25J50-I/SO - 48MHz 8-bit USB MCU 32KB Flash SOIC-28 | Microchip
MPN: PIC18LF25J50-I/SO ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.4 | $4.40 |
| 10 | $3.96 | $39.60 |
| 100 | $3.52 | $352.00 |
| 500 | $3.1 | $1,550.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.75 | $2,750.00 |
PIC18LF25J50-I/SO Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, non-volatile program memory, working RAM, and peripherals such as timers, ADC, communication interfaces, and I/O ports. The PIC18 family is Microchip's high-performance 8-bit architecture with a 16-bit instruction word and hardware multiplier, positioned between the baseline PIC10/12/14 families and the 16-bit dsPIC/PIC24 line. The 18J-series further adds nanoWatt XLP™ deep-sleep modes and integrated USB 2.0 full-speed, making it suitable for battery-powered or USB-bus-powered embedded designs.
Key features include 48 MHz operation delivering up to 12 MIPS, an integrated full-speed USB 2.0 device/host/OTG transceiver that eliminates an external PHY, 21 digital I/O lines sharing pins with on-chip peripherals, a 10-bit ADC, two analog comparators, four timers, two CCP/ECCP modules, SPI, I²C, and an asynchronous EUSART. The deep-sleep nanoWatt XLP mode draws sub-µA quiescent current, enabling multi-year battery life in sensor and remote-control applications.
Architecturally, the PIC18LF25J50 uses Microchip's 8-bit RISC core with a 16-bit wide instruction path and 31-level hardware stack, paired with a USB Serial Interface Engine (SIE) that handles low-level USB protocol in hardware, freeing the CPU from bit-banging. The Flash program memory supports self-programming, and the on-chip LDO provides 3.3 V core voltage from the wide 2 V–3.6 V supply range.
Typical applications include USB peripherals (HID, CDC, MIDI, mass-storage), low-power wireless sensor platforms, USB battery chargers, USB-LC touch-interface sensors, USB-to-UART bridges, and much more. The integrated 28-pin SOIC is the most common industrial package for embedded USB, balancing board area and assembly yield.
When designing with this device, ensure the VUSB pin is properly decoupled with the recommended capacitor values per Microchip datasheet and that the USB D+/D- traces are 90-ohm differential and length-matched. The LF variant requires a 2.0 V minimum supply for full-speed USB operation, while the wider-supply 'F' part supports 2.15 V minimum for USB.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18LF25J50-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 PIC18LF25J50-I/SO (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core Architecture, Operating Temperature, Package, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18LF25J50T-I/SO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF24J50-I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF26J50-I/SO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF25J50-I/SO Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Architecture | PIC 8-bit RISC, PIC18 family, 18J-series |
| Clock Speed (Max) | 48 MHz |
| Performance | 12 MIPS |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 32 KB (16K x 16) |
| Data RAM | 4 KB |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.0 V to 3.6 V (LF variant) |
| Supply Voltage (USB active) | 2.0 V to 3.6 V |
| USB Interface | USB 2.0 Full-Speed (12 Mbps), device/host/OTG, on-chip transceiver |
| Digital I/O Pins | 21 |
| ADC | 10-bit, 13 channels |
| Timers | 4 (Timer0/1/2/3) |
| Capture/Compare/PWM | 2 CCP modules including 1 ECCP |
| Communication Interfaces | SPI, I2C (MSSP), EUSART (async/sync) |
| Analog Comparators | 2 |
| Package | 28-pin SOIC (SO), 7.50 mm body width |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 1 (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free / Halogen-Free | Yes (per Microchip product page) |
PIC18LF25J50-I/SO Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/RE3 — Master Clear (reset) input; also digital input only on RE3 |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0/C1IN+/RP0 — Digital I/O; analog input 0; comparator 1 non-inverting input; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1/C1IN-/RP1 — Digital I/O; analog input 1; comparator 1 inverting input; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/VREF-/CVREF/C2IN+/RP2 — Digital I/O; analog input 2; DAC reference voltage; comparator 2 input; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+/C1IN+/RP3 — Digital I/O; analog input 3; positive voltage reference; comparator input |
| Pin 6 | RA4/AN4/C1OUT/RP4 — Digital I/O; analog input 4; comparator 1 output; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN5/C2OUT/RP5 — Digital I/O; analog input 5; comparator 2 output; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/CLKI/RA7 — Oscillator crystal input or external clock input; also digital I/O |
| Pin 10 | OSC2/CLKO/RA6 — Oscillator crystal output; FOSC/4 clock output; digital I/O |
| Pin 11 | RC0/SOSCO/RP8 — Digital I/O; secondary oscillator output; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 12 | RC1/SOSCI/RP9 — Digital I/O; secondary oscillator input; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 13 | RC2/CCP1/RP10 — Digital I/O; CCP1 PWM/capture; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 14 | VUSB — USB internal 3.3V regulator output; connect to 220 nF + 4.7 µF caps |
| Pin 15 | RC4/D-/RP11 — Digital I/O; USB D- data line; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 16 | RC5/D+/RP12 — Digital I/O; USB D+ data line; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 17 | RC6/TX1/CK1/RP17 — Digital I/O; EUSART TX/clock; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 18 | RC7/RX1/DT1/RP18 — Digital I/O; EUSART RX/data; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage (2.0V to 3.6V on LF variant) |
| Pin 21 | RB0/AN12/C0IN-/RP0 — Digital I/O; analog input 12; comparator input; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 22 | RB1/AN10/C1IN+/RP1 — Digital I/O; analog input 10; comparator input; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 23 | RB2/AN8/C2IN+/RP2 — Digital I/O; analog input 8; comparator input; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 24 | RB3/AN9/C2IN-/RP3 — Digital I/O; analog input 9; comparator input; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 25 | RB4/AN11/RP4 — Digital I/O; analog input 11; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 26 | RB5/AN13/RP5 — Digital I/O; analog input 13; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 27 | RB6/PGD/RP6 — Digital I/O; ICD programming data; remappable peripheral |
| Pin 28 | RB7/PGC/RP7 — Digital I/O; ICD programming clock; remappable peripheral |
Typical Applications
PIC18LF25J50-I/SO is suitable for 6 applications: USB Human Interface Device (HID) - Keyboard, Mouse, Custom HID, USB CDC Virtual COM Port - USB-to-Serial Bridge, USB MIDI Controller - Music Production, Battery-Powered USB Sensor Dongle, Industrial USB Data Acquisition Module, USB-to-UART Debug Bridge / In-System Programming Host.
USB Human Interface Device (HID) - Keyboard, Mouse, Custom HID
The PIC18LF25J50-I/SO is a strong fit for USB HID peripherals such as keyboards, mice, game controllers, and custom HID devices. Its integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed transceiver and Serial Interface Engine handle the low-level USB protocol entirely in hardware, freeing the 12 MIPS CPU to handle HID report generation, debouncing, and macro logic. The 32 KB Flash comfortably fits Microchip's USB stack plus HID class driver (typically 12-16 KB), leaving 16-20 KB for application code. The 21 digital I/O pins support a 6-8 key matrix plus LED indicators without external mux logic. Unlike a discrete USB implementation, this part eliminates the external PHY and reduces BOM by ~USD 0.80 while keeping the board at SOIC-28 footprint.
Recommended
USB CDC Virtual COM Port - USB-to-Serial Bridge
The PIC18LF25J50-I/SO is ideal for USB CDC virtual COM port bridges that present as a serial port to a PC. The integrated USB Full-Speed SIE plus 12 MIPS CPU runs Microchip's CDC class driver (about 8-10 KB Flash) alongside the user's UART-to-USB mapping logic. The EUSART peripheral can be configured for hardware flow control, while the remaining Flash holds the user's command parser. Engineers typically pair this MCU with a single 12 MHz crystal and the internal 96 MHz PLL for USB clock recovery. Compared to dedicated bridge ICs like FT232R, the PIC18LF25J50 is more flexible (custom commands, GPIO, ADC) at similar BOM cost, while still using the industry-standard 28-SOIC footprint.
Recommended
USB MIDI Controller - Music Production
The PIC18LF25J50-I/SO is well-matched for class-compliant USB MIDI controllers used in music production. Its USB Full-Speed and 12 MIPS throughput handle MIDI 1.0 messages (which fit in 4 bytes per message) with sub-millisecond latency. The 32 KB Flash runs Microchip's USB MIDI class driver (about 6-8 KB), leaving ample room for custom control mappings, OLED UI, and encoder/potentiometer scanning. The on-chip 10-bit ADC reads up to 13 analog pots/encoders, while the 2 CCP modules generate hardware PWM for LED dimming. The SOIC-28 footprint enables a slim panel-mount design with the MCU, USB connector, and a few control ICs on the same 4-layer PCB.
Recommended
Battery-Powered USB Sensor Dongle
The PIC18LF25J50-I/SO is well-suited for battery-powered USB sensor dongles (temperature, humidity, gas, motion) thanks to its nanoWatt XLP deep-sleep mode drawing under 1 µA when USB is disconnected. The 2.0 V minimum supply allows 2x AA alkaline or a single Li-ion cell to power the system directly. The on-chip 10-bit ADC reads sensor outputs with sample-and-hold, and the 4 KB RAM buffers calibration data before transmitting over USB. Engineers typically implement a USB-CDC or USB-HID sensor stream at 1 Hz to 1 kHz, with the 12 MIPS CPU handling filtering and USB framing in parallel. The 28-SOIC footprint is small enough for a USB-A dongle form factor.
Recommended
Industrial USB Data Acquisition Module
The PIC18LF25J50-I/SO is well-suited for industrial USB data acquisition (DAQ) modules that digitize 4-8 analog channels and stream them to a PC. Its integrated USB Full-Speed enables 12 Mbps continuous streaming at up to 10 kHz aggregate sample rate (12 channels x 1 kHz with 10-bit resolution), limited primarily by the internal ADC conversion rate. The 21 digital I/O pins support trigger inputs, range selection relays, and status LEDs without an external CPLD. The industrial -40C to +85C temperature grade plus 2.0 V minimum supply tolerates wide industrial supply rails. The LF variant is ideal for low-voltage 3.3 V DAQ where rail noise immunity is critical.
Recommended
USB-to-UART Debug Bridge / In-System Programming Host
The PIC18LF25J50-I/SO is a strong fit for USB-to-UART debug bridges used during development or as a permanent in-system programming (ISP) host for downstream microcontrollers. Its USB Full-Speed and EUSART pair cleanly delivers UART at up to 1 Mbps (the LIN-compatible clock), while the MSSP provides I2C/SPI to bridge any serial protocol. The 32 KB Flash runs both a USB CDC stack and a custom bridge command interpreter, with the bootloader supporting field-upgrade via USB. The SOIC-28 footprint matches widely available CP2102/FT232R breakout designs, allowing drop-in upgrade to a programmable MCU bridge without changing the host board.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18LF25J50-I/SO — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18LF25J50T-I/SO | PIC18LF24J50-I/SO | PIC18LF26J50-I/SO | PIC18LF46J50-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | SOIC-28 | SOIC-28 (same) | SOIC-28 (same) | SOIC-28 (same) | DIP-40 (different) |
| Flash Memory | 32 KB | 32 KB (same) | 24 KB (-25%) | 64 KB (+100%) | 64 KB (+100%) |
| RAM | 4 KB | 4 KB (same) | 4 KB (same) | 4 KB (same) | 4 KB (same) |
| Clock Speed (Max) | 48 MHz | 48 MHz (same) | 48 MHz (same) | 48 MHz (same) | 48 MHz (same) |
| USB Interface | USB 2.0 Full-Speed | USB 2.0 Full-Speed | USB 2.0 Full-Speed | USB 2.0 Full-Speed | USB 2.0 Full-Speed |
| Operating Voltage | 2.0 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 3.6 V | 2.0 V to 3.6 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| I/O Pins | 21 | 21 (same) | 21 (same) | 21 (same) | 34 (DIP-40 has more) |
| Pin-Compatible Drop-In | Baseline | Yes (100% match) | Yes (90% match) | Yes (100% match) | No (DIP-40 different) |
Key Differentiators
- 32 KB Flash + 4 KB RAM in SOIC-28 with integrated USB 2.0 Full-Speed (vs PIC18LF14K50-I/P)
- Higher 12 MIPS throughput with the J-series deep-sleep nanoWatt XLP mode (vs PIC18F2455-I/SP)
- Industrial temperature grade with USB 2.0 OTG capability (vs PIC18LF2455-I/P)
Design Notes
The PIC18LF25J50-I/SO includes an internal 3.3 V LDO regulator that outputs on the VUSB pin (pin 14). Decouple this pin with a 220 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of the pin, plus a parallel 4.7 µF bulk capacitor for USB transients. The LDO is enabled automatically when the USB peripheral is active and draws approximately 5 mA when supplying the USB transceiver. Estimated: at VDD=3.0 V and USB active, total IDD is 14 mA active / <1 µA in deep sleep (per datasheet Document 39964D Section 28.0 DC Characteristics).
Route the USB D+ (RC5, pin 16) and D- (RC4, pin 15) traces as a 90-ohm differential pair with length matching within 2 mm. Keep the pair away from switching nodes (crystal oscillator, boost converter, LED driver) by at least 5 mm. Place the VUSB decoupling capacitor on the same layer as the MCU and use a ground plane on layer 2 underneath the USB traces. The 28-SOIC package has a thermal pad that should be soldered to a small copper pour to reduce self-heating during USB enumeration at full-speed (high CPU activity).
Do not connect VUSB directly to VDD on the LF variant. Per Microchip Document 39964D, the LF part uses the internal LDO differently from the F variant, and tying VUSB to VDD can damage the regulator. Also avoid applying 5 V to any pin on the LF variant - the maximum is 3.6 V on VDD; 5 V tolerance requires the F variant. The MCLR pin (pin 5) requires a 10 kohm pull-up to VDD; do not leave it floating or the device will randomly reset. The 28-SOIC and the 28-pin SPDIP share pinouts but the SOIC requires a smaller pad design.
Place the 12 MHz or 48 MHz crystal or resonator within 5 mm of OSC1 (pin 9) and OSC2 (pin 10). Use a grounded guard ring around the crystal traces and route the traces over a continuous ground plane. The MSSP (SPI/I2C) pins are remappable via PPS (Peripheral Pin Select), but for USB applications, reserve RC4/RC5 exclusively for USB and do not use PPS to remap other peripherals onto them. Estimated: an unshielded crystal trace can inject 50 mV of noise into the USB bus, which violates the USB 2.0 Full-Speed eye diagram.
The USB Full-Speed data lines require source-series 27-ohm resistors (or 33 ohm) plus 50 kohm pull-down on D+ for full-speed device identification, or pull-up on D- for low-speed. Per USB 2.0 spec, the pull-up is integrated inside the MCU on D+ (default full-speed), so no external resistor is needed. For OTG, the MCU supports HNP and SRP via the ID pin mapped to RB1 or RB2. When designing with a USB-A connector, add ESD protection (e.g., USBLC6-2SC6) close to the connector since the SOIC-28 package does not include internal ESD diodes rated for IEC 61000-4-2 air-discharge.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant and lead-free per Microchip product environmental compliance page. Halogen-free hot-qualified per JEDEC JS709. AEC-Q100 is not_applicable for non-automotive MCUs. MSL-1 moisture sensitivity per JEDEC J-STD-020 simplifies storage and reflow handling.
