PIC18LF4220T-I/PT - 8-bit MCU 4KB Flash 36 I/O | Microchip
MPN: PIC18LF4220T-I/PT ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.67 | $3.67 |
| 10 | $3.45 | $34.50 |
| 100 | $3.05 | $305.00 |
| 500 | $2.74 | $1,370.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.45 | $2,450.00 |
PIC18LF4220T-I/PT Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, program memory (Flash/ROM), working memory (RAM), non-volatile data memory (EEPROM), and a configurable set of peripherals (ADC, timers, communication ports, I/O). Within the broader semiconductor hierarchy, an MCU belongs to the category of microcontrollers, which sit under microprocessors and embedded processors, which themselves are a subset of logic and computing ICs. The PIC18 family uses an enhanced Harvard RISC architecture with a 16-bit instruction word and an 8-bit data path, executing most instructions in a single cycle.
Key features include a 10-bit ADC with up to 13 channels, nanoWatt power management with multiple low-power modes (Sleep, Idle, Run), four timer modules (Timer0/1/2/3), two capture/compare/PWM modules, an enhanced USART, an MSSP peripheral that supports SPI and I²C, and a programmable watchdog timer with its own on-chip RC oscillator for maximum reliability.
The 'LF' prefix designates the low-voltage variant of the PIC18F4220, identical in die and pinout but optimized for operation down to 2.0 V, suitable for battery-powered designs. The device is built on Microchip's enhanced FLASH self-programming architecture, allowing field firmware upgrades without external programming voltage. The 'T' suffix indicates tape-and-reel packaging for high-volume assembly.
Typical applications include industrial control nodes, low-power sensor interfaces, HVAC thermostat controllers, battery chargers, LED lighting controllers, and consumer appliance subsystems. The 2 V minimum supply and nanoWatt Sleep current (typically under 100 nA with peripherals disabled) make this device well suited for portable and energy-harvesting designs.
When designing with this MCU, ensure the ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming) pins PGC/PGD are accessible on the PCB to allow firmware updates in production. Decouple VDD/VSS with a 100 nF ceramic placed within 5 mm of the pins, and route MCLR through a 10 kΩ pull-up unless the configuration register disables this pin.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18LF4220T-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 PIC18LF4220T-I/PT (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Timers, Operating Temperature, Core, Program Memory (Flash).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F4220-I/PT
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF4320-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF4420-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.71 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF4520-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.21 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF4220T-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.45 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF4220-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.61 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F4520-I/PT
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF4220T-I/PT Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC18 (8-bit RISC) |
| Program Memory | 4 KB Flash |
| Data RAM | 512 B |
| EEPROM | 256 B |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 40 MHz |
| Operating Supply Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Number of I/O | 36 |
| ADC | 10-bit, 13 channels |
| Package | TQFP-44 (PT) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (Tape & Reel) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C |
| Data Bus Width | 8 bit |
| Timers | 4 (Timer0/1/2/3) |
| CCP Modules | 2 (ECCP + CCP) |
| Communication | EUSART + MSSP (SPI/I2C) |
| Watchdog Timer | Yes (dedicated on-chip RC oscillator) |
| ICSP | In-Circuit Serial Programming supported |
| MSL Level | 3 (168 hours) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC18LF4220T-I/PT Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0/AN0 — PORTA bit 0 / Analog input channel 0 |
| Pin 2 | RA1/AN1 — PORTA bit 1 / Analog input channel 1 |
| Pin 3 | RA2/AN2/VREF- — PORTA bit 2 / Analog input / DAC/ADC VREF- |
| Pin 4 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — PORTA bit 3 / Analog input / DAC/ADC VREF+ |
| Pin 5 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 6 | RA5/AN4/SS — PORTA bit 5 / Analog input / SPI slave select |
| Pin 7 | RE0/RD/AN5 — PORTE bit 0 / Read control / Analog input |
| Pin 8 | RE1/WR/AN6 — PORTE bit 1 / Write control / Analog input |
| Pin 9 | RE2/CS/AN7 — PORTE bit 2 / Chip select / Analog input |
| Pin 10 | VDD — Positive supply (2.0 V to 5.5 V) |
| Pin 11 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 12 | OSC1/CLKIN/RA7 — Crystal oscillator input / External clock in |
| Pin 13 | OSC2/CLKOUT/RA6 — Crystal oscillator output / Clock out |
| Pin 14 | RC0/T1OSO/T13CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator / Timer3 clock |
| Pin 15 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator / CCP2 |
| Pin 16 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 (PWM/ECCP) |
| Pin 17 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 18 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 19 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / SPI data out |
| Pin 20 | RC6/TX/CK — PORTC bit 6 / EUSART TX / clock |
| Pin 21 | RC7/RX/DT — PORTC bit 7 / EUSART RX / data |
| Pin 22 | RB0/INT0/FLT0 — PORTB bit 0 / External interrupt 0 / ECCP fault |
| Pin 23 | RB1/INT1 — PORTB bit 1 / External interrupt 1 |
| Pin 24 | RB2/INT2 — PORTB bit 2 / External interrupt 2 |
| Pin 25 | RB3/CCP2 — PORTB bit 3 / CCP2 (alt) |
| Pin 26 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 27 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 28 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock (programming) |
| Pin 29 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data (programming) |
| Pin 30 | VDD — Positive supply |
| Pin 31 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 32 | RD0/PSP0 — PORTD bit 0 / Parallel Slave Port bit 0 |
| Pin 33 | RD1/PSP1 — PORTD bit 1 / Parallel Slave Port bit 1 |
| Pin 34 | RD2/PSP2 — PORTD bit 2 / Parallel Slave Port bit 2 |
| Pin 35 | RD3/PSP3 — PORTD bit 3 / Parallel Slave Port bit 3 |
| Pin 36 | RD4/PSP4 — PORTD bit 4 / Parallel Slave Port bit 4 |
| Pin 37 | RD5/PSP5 — PORTD bit 5 / Parallel Slave Port bit 5 |
| Pin 38 | RD6/PSP6 — PORTD bit 6 / Parallel Slave Port bit 6 |
| Pin 39 | RD7/PSP7 — PORTD bit 7 / Parallel Slave Port bit 7 |
| Pin 40 | AVDD — Analog supply voltage |
| Pin 41 | AVSS — Analog ground |
| Pin 42 | MCLR/VPP/RE3 — Master clear reset / Programming voltage / PORTE bit 3 |
| Pin 43 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
| Pin 44 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
PIC18LF4220T-I/PT is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Control Nodes, Battery-Powered Sensor Interfaces, HVAC Thermostat Controllers, LED Lighting Controllers, Consumer Appliance Subsystems, Automotive Body Electronics, USB Bootloader / Field-Upgradeable Devices.
Industrial Control Nodes
The PIC18LF4220T-I/PT's 40 MHz core, 36 I/O lines, and 4 KB of Flash with self-programming support make it a strong fit for distributed industrial controllers and sensor hubs in factory automation. The wide 2.0 V to 5.5 V supply range accepts both 24 V-bucked 5 V rails and battery-backed 3.3 V domains, simplifying supply design across mixed-voltage cabinets. Its nanoWatt Sleep modes keep idle nodes below 100 nA, which is critical for thousands of distributed sensor endpoints. The integrated 10-bit ADC with 13 channels handles analog sensor reads (temperature, pressure, current) without an external ADC. Pair with a PIC18LF26K80 for the CAN backbone and a PIC18LF25K50 for USB diagnostics.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Sensor Interfaces
The PIC18LF4220T-I/PT's 2.0 V minimum supply and sub-100 nA Sleep current allow a single LiSOCl2 primary cell or 2× alkaline AA batteries to power multi-year sensor endpoints. Its 4 KB Flash holds a typical firmware stack for I2C temperature/humidity sampling, EEPROM logger, and BLE/Sub-GHz transmit control, while 512 B RAM is sufficient for sensor buffering. The 10-bit ADC delivers 0.5% absolute accuracy for battery voltage monitoring, enabling accurate state-of-charge estimation. The 40 MHz burst mode lets the MCU wake, sample, transmit, and return to Sleep in well under 10 ms, hitting average currents below 5 µA. Pair with PIC18LF14K22 for an ultra-low-cost node slave and MCP9700 for temperature sensing.
Recommended
HVAC Thermostat Controllers
The PIC18LF4220T-I/PT fits HVAC wall thermostats and zone controllers that need a 40 MHz CPU, 36 I/O for keypad scanning, LCD drive, relay control, and a 10-bit ADC for thermistor readings. Its 4 KB Flash comfortably holds scheduling, hysteresis control, and a simple UI state machine. The ECCP module generates PWM outputs for modulating damper/valve actuators, while the MSSP peripheral drives SPI LCDs or I2C temperature/humidity sensor pairs. Operating from 2.0 V supports two-AA-cell backup for retaining time-of-day during power outages. Pair with MCP9808 for outdoor temperature, ENC28J60 for Ethernet connectivity, and PIC18LF26K22 for the main UI processor if more code room is needed.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controllers
The PIC18LF4220T-I/PT drives addressable LED strips and dimmable constant-current LED drivers with its ECCP module and 4 timers, generating accurate PWM dimming up to 20 kHz for flicker-free output. Its 36 I/O are sufficient to drive up to 6 channels of PWM, plus DMX or DALI reception on the EUSART or MSSP peripheral. The 4 KB Flash holds color-mixing, dimming curves, and remote-receiver firmware. Operating from 2.0 V supports battery-powered or USB-powered LED fixtures for portable and stage lighting. Pair with PIC18LF25K22 for slave nodes and MCP2515 for CAN-based stage lighting networks.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance Subsystems
The PIC18LF4220T-I/PT serves as the control core in small kitchen appliances, washing-machine sub-modules, dishwasher pumps, and other consumer appliance subsystems where 4 KB of Flash, 36 I/O, and 10-bit ADC are sufficient. Its nanoWatt technology keeps standby power low enough to meet Energy Star and EU EcoDesign standby limits (often under 0.5 W). The integrated EUSART links to a host UI panel, while the MSSP talks to I2C sensors for temperature, water level, or motor current feedback. The wide 2.0-5.5 V supply simplifies design across universal-input buck converters. Pair with PIC18LF26K42 for the UI processor and a TLP281 optocoupler for mains isolation.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
Although the PIC18LF4220T-I/PT is not AEC-Q100 qualified, it is widely used in non-critical automotive body-electronics modules such as interior lighting, mirror adjusters, seat-position memory, and accessory controllers. Its wide 2.0-5.5 V supply survives load-dump transients when paired with a TVS, and the -40 to +85 °C industrial temperature range covers cabin-mounted electronics. The 40 MHz CPU runs LIN-stack firmware easily, and the EUSART implements LIN master/slave on a single wire with a small external transceiver. For AEC-Q100-grade parts, PIC18F46K22-I/PT and PIC18F67K22-I/PT are automotive-grade drop-in alternatives. Pair with MCP2551 for CAN, MCP2515 for CAN controllers, and TLE4271 for 5V automotive LDO.
Recommended
USB Bootloader / Field-Upgradeable Devices
The PIC18LF4220T-I/PT's 4 KB Flash with self-programming capability and built-in ICSP pins (PGC/PGD) makes it a strong fit for low-cost field-upgradeable devices that need in-application firmware updates without external programming voltage. Designers can hold a small bootloader in a protected Flash block and reflash the application block over UART, I2C, or SPI. The wide 2.0 V supply keeps the device alive during battery-backed firmware update cycles. The 40 MHz CPU runs typical small-packet bootloaders in well under 1 second. Pair with PIC18LF25K50-I/SP if USB bootloading is required, and use 25AA1024 for external configuration storage.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18LF4220T-I/PT — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F4220-I/PT | PIC18LF4320-I/PT | PIC18LF4420-I/PT | PIC18LF4520-I/PT | PIC18F4520-I/PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | TQFP-44 (PT) | TQFP-44 (PT) - same | TQFP-44 (PT) - same | TQFP-44 (PT) - same | TQFP-44 (PT) - same | TQFP-44 (PT) - same |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 4 KB | 4 KB | 8 KB (+100%) | 16 KB (+300%) | 32 KB (+700%) | 32 KB (+700%) |
| Data RAM | 512 B | 512 B | 512 B | 768 B | 1536 B | 1536 B |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Operating Supply Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V (LF) | 4.2 V to 5.5 V (F) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V (LF) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V (LF) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V (LF) | 4.2 V to 5.5 V (F) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 40 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz |
| Number of I/O | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit | 10-bit |
| Operating Temperature | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C | -40 C to +85 C |
Key Differentiators
- Low-voltage (2.0 V) operation for battery-powered designs (vs PIC18F4220-I/PT)
- Cost-optimized 4 KB Flash variant in the same TQFP-44 family (vs PIC18LF4520-I/PT)
- nanoWatt technology with sub-100 nA Sleep current (vs PIC18F46K22-I/PT)
- Parallel Slave Port (PSP) on PORTD for external bus interface (vs PIC18LF26K22-I/SO)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 40 MHz, 5 V, all peripherals on, the PIC18LF4220T-I/PT typically draws ~16 mA from VDD, plus ~5 mA for the ADC. Place a 100 nF X7R ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of each VDD/VSS pin pair (4 pairs total on TQFP-44). Use a bulk 10 µF tantalum or aluminum-polymer at the regulator output to handle in-rush when the ADC reference is enabled. The MCU has an internal 2.5V or 5V selectable bandgap reference; if the application draws heavy analog current from VREF+, add a 10 µF buffer cap to AVREF+.
Route the ICSP pins RB6/PGC and RB7/PGD to a 5-pin header with GND/VPP/VPP/PGD/PGC signals for in-system programming. Keep MCLR high via a 10 kΩ pull-up to VDD and add a 100 nF cap to ground for noise immunity; never leave MCLR floating. The TQFP-44 exposed thermal pad is a no-connect on this part - do not solder it to the ground plane (would alter thermal characteristics and may stress the package). Keep high-speed analog traces (AN0-AN7, VREF+/VREF-) short and shielded by analog ground.
Critical: Configuration bits must be set BEFORE the first instruction fetch. Failing to disable the watchdog timer for development boards locks the part on timeout unless the programmer can clear CONFIG3H. Common pitfalls: (1) selecting an oscillator mode that requires an external crystal without one on the board; (2) using the LF variant on a 3.3 V regulated supply that drops below 2.0 V under battery load - check brown-out settings; (3) running the ADC at 40 MHz with internal reference, which violates the 6 µs minimum acquisition time when sampling high-impedance sources - add wait states or buffer the input.
Recommended: when using the MSSP in SPI mode at 40 MHz (FOSC/4), the EUSART and ADC reference lines should be guarded by ground pours to prevent crosstalk. The PORTB interrupt-on-change feature is sensitive to high-frequency transitions on RB4-RB7; if not used, disable IOC for these bits to avoid spurious interrupts. For long I2C bus runs (>50 mm), add 4.7 kΩ pull-ups and place the PIC's MSSP as the only master, since the PIC18LF4220 has no SMBus voltage-level translation.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product declaration. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive applications, choose PIC18F46K22-I/PT (AEC-Q100 Grade 1) or PIC18F67K22-I/PT (AEC-Q100 Grade 0). Halogen-free per Microchip 2015+ manufacturing transition. Conflict-mineral compliant per Microchip EICC-GeSI declaration.
