PIC18LF4523-I/P - 8-bit 40MHz 32KB Flash MCU | Microchip | DIP-40
MPN: PIC18LF4523-I/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $8.08 | $8.08 |
| 10 | $7.27 | $72.70 |
| 100 | $5.96 | $596.00 |
| 500 | $5.05 | $2,525.00 |
| 1,000 | $4.32 | $4,320.00 |
PIC18LF4523-I/P Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU, RAM, Flash program memory, and peripherals such as timers, ADC, and communication interfaces onto one silicon die. Within the Microchip hierarchy, the PIC18F/LF family sits above the PIC16 baseline and enhanced cores and below the PIC24/dsPIC 16-bit families, providing a balance of processing throughput, peripheral richness, and code density that has made it the workhorse of industrial embedded designs.
Key features of the PIC18LF4523-I/P include 32 KB Flash, 1536 bytes of RAM, 256 bytes of EEPROM, a 12-channel 10-bit ADC, two analog comparators, four 16-bit timers, two capture/compare/PWM (ECCP) modules, MSSP (SPI/I2C), enhanced USART, and two comparators with a reference. The 36 digital I/O pins are 5 V tolerant on the digital inputs when VDD is present, supporting direct interfacing to legacy 5 V logic. The RISC architecture delivers 10 MIPS at 40 MHz, with a hardware multiplier and C-friendly instruction set.
Typical applications include industrial control panels, sensor signal conditioning front-ends, motor-drive companion controllers, USB-to-UART bridges (via MSSP + USART), HVAC thermostats, low-cost instrumentation, and educational/development boards. The wide 2.0-5.5 V operating range allows the same firmware to run from a Li-ion cell or a regulated 5 V rail.
When laying out a board, provide at least 100 nF decoupling on each VDD/AVDD pair close to the pins, route the 40 MHz crystal traces symmetrically with a guard ring, and reserve MCLR with a 10 kohm pull-up plus an inline resistor for in-circuit serial programming (ICSP).
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternative MPNs, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, helping engineers select and qualify the PIC18LF4523-I/P for new designs and legacy maintenance.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18LF4523-I/P — 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 PIC18LF4523-I/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Timers, ADC, Core, Data RAM.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18LF4523-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.12 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF4523T-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F4523-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF4520-I/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.21 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F4520-I/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.35 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF4420-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF4523-I/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC18 (8-bit RISC) |
| CPU Speed | 40 MHz (10 MIPS) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 32 KB (16K x 16) |
| RAM | 1536 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Operating Voltage (VDD) | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 36 |
| ADC | 12-channel, 10-bit |
| Analog Comparators | 2 |
| Timers (16-bit) | 4 |
| ECCP/PWM Modules | 2 |
| MSSP (SPI / I2C) | 1 |
| EUSART | 1 |
| Package | 40-pin PDIP (0.600") |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) |
| Mounting Type | Through Hole |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC18LF4523-I/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR — Master Clear (Reset) input, active low |
| 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 / VREF- |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — PORTA bit 3 / Analog input 3 / VREF+ |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock input |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4 — PORTA bit 5 / Analog input 4 |
| Pin 8 | RE0/RD — PORTE bit 0 / Read control |
| Pin 9 | RE1/WR — PORTE bit 1 / Write control |
| Pin 10 | RE2/CS — PORTE bit 2 / Chip select |
| Pin 11 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 12 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKI — Crystal oscillator input / external clock |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKO — Crystal oscillator output |
| Pin 15 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator |
| Pin 16 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / CCP2 I/O |
| Pin 17 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 I/O |
| Pin 18 | RC3/SCK/SCL — PORTC bit 3 / MSSP SPI clock / I2C clock |
| Pin 19 | RD0/PSP0 — PORTD bit 0 / Parallel slave port |
| Pin 20 | RD1/PSP1 — PORTD bit 1 / Parallel slave port |
| Pin 21 | RD2/PSP2 — PORTD bit 2 / Parallel slave port |
| Pin 22 | RD3/PSP3 — PORTD bit 3 / Parallel slave port |
| Pin 23 | RC4/SDI/SDA — PORTC bit 4 / MSSP SPI data in / I2C data |
| Pin 24 | RC5/SDO — PORTC bit 5 / MSSP 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 |
| Pin 28 | RD5/PSP5 — PORTD bit 5 / Parallel slave port |
| Pin 29 | RD6/PSP6 — PORTD bit 6 / Parallel slave port |
| Pin 30 | RD7/PSP7 — PORTD bit 7 / Parallel slave port |
| Pin 31 | VSS — Ground |
| Pin 32 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 33 | RB0/INT0 — PORTB bit 0 / External interrupt 0 |
| Pin 34 | RB1/INT1 — PORTB bit 1 / External interrupt 1 |
| Pin 35 | RB2/INT2 — PORTB bit 2 / External interrupt 2 |
| Pin 36 | RB3/CCP2 — PORTB bit 3 / CCP2 alternate |
| Pin 37 | RB4 — PORTB bit 4 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 38 | RB5 — PORTB bit 5 (interrupt-on-change) |
| Pin 39 | RB6/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 40 | RB7/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC18LF4523-I/P is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control Panels, Battery-Powered Sensor Hubs, Motor Drive Companion Controller, USB-to-UART Bridge Firmware, HVAC Thermostat Controllers, Educational & Development Boards.
Industrial Control Panels
The PIC18LF4523-I/P's 36 I/O pins and 40 MHz CPU deliver responsive panel logic for PLCs and operator interfaces. With 32 KB Flash and 1.5 KB RAM, the part hosts Modbus RTU slave stacks over EUSART plus HMI key-scan routines on PORTB without external memory. The 2.0-5.5 V range lets the panel share a 24 V-to-5 V back-converter with analog sensors. Designers benefit from 10-bit ADC resolution for thermocouple-amplifier readout and dual ECCP modules for PWM-controlled indicator dimming.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Sensor Hubs
Low-voltage LF silicon lets the PIC18LF4523-I/P run from a 2-cell AA or Li-ion pack down to 2.0 V, extending runtime in wireless sensor nodes. The MSSP (SPI/I2C) interfaces directly to sensors like the MCP9808 or LSM6DS, while deep-sleep current (~100 nA typical) preserves battery life. A 10-bit ADC with 12 channels monitors multiple analog inputs simultaneously, and the internal EEPROM (256 bytes) retains calibration constants across sleep cycles.
Recommended
Motor Drive Companion Controller
The PIC18LF4523-I/P works as a supervisory MCU alongside dedicated motor-driver ICs, handling encoder feedback (via CCP), current sensing (via 10-bit ADC), and CAN or RS-485 host comms. Dual ECCP modules can output complementary PWMs for gate-driver signaling in 3-phase inverter bridges. The 40-pin DIP package remains popular for hand-soldered prototype motor boards, while 32 KB Flash fits closed-loop firmware with tuning tables in EEPROM.
Recommended
USB-to-UART Bridge Firmware
The PIC18LF4523-I/P pairs naturally with USB-to-UART converters (FT232R, MCP2200) by handling protocol translation on the EUSART and protocol framing in firmware. With 1.5 KB RAM and 32 KB Flash, designers can implement Modbus, DMX512, or proprietary RS-485 stacks in the same chip. The 40-MIPS throughput handles up to 1 Mbaud UART cleanly. Industrial bridge enclosures use this MCU as the host controller for the converter.
Recommended
HVAC Thermostat Controllers
Wall-mount HVAC thermostats use the PIC18LF4523-I/P for temperature sensing (10-bit ADC + external NTC), relay switching (via ECCP/PWM for TRIAC firing), and backlit LCD driving. The 2.0 V minimum lets the unit survive brownouts on shared 24 VAC transformers, while 1.5 KB RAM supports weekly scheduling tables. EEPROM stores user-setpoints across power cycles, and the wide industrial temperature range (-40C to +85C) suits attic-mounted equipment.
Recommended
Educational & Development Boards
Through-hole 40-pin DIP packaging makes the PIC18LF4523-I/P a favorite for university embedded-systems labs and hobbyist development boards. Students breadboard the MCU directly, program via ICSP, and learn peripherals (ADC, timers, PWM) without reflow equipment. The wide 2.0-5.5 V VDD simplifies lab supply selection, and the same firmware scales to surface-mount siblings (PIC18LF4523-I/ML) once the prototype matures. MPLAB X IDE and XC8 compiler support is mature.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18LF4523-I/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18LF4523-I/ML | PIC18LF4523T-I/PT | PIC18F4523-I/P | PIC18LF4520-I/P | PIC18F4520-I/P | PIC18LF4420-I/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 40-PDIP (0.600") | 44-QFN (ML) | 44-TQFP (PT) | 40-PDIP (P) - same | 40-PDIP (P) - same | 40-PDIP (P) - same | 40-PDIP (P) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core | PIC18 8-bit | PIC18 8-bit | PIC18 8-bit | PIC18 8-bit | PIC18 8-bit | PIC18 8-bit | PIC18 8-bit |
| CPU Speed | 40 MHz (10 MIPS) | 40 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz | 40 MHz |
| Flash Memory | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB | 16 KB |
| RAM | 1536 bytes | 1536 bytes | 1536 bytes | 1536 bytes | 1536 bytes | 1536 bytes | 768 bytes |
| Operating Voltage | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V | 4.2 V to 5.5 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| ADC | 12-ch, 10-bit | 12-ch, 10-bit | 12-ch, 10-bit | 12-ch, 10-bit | 13-ch, 10-bit | 13-ch, 10-bit | 13-ch, 10-bit |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Low-voltage operation down to 2.0 V (vs PIC18F4523-I/P)
- Through-hole PDIP-40 package (vs PIC18LF4523-I/ML (QFN-44))
- Richer peripheral set than PIC18LF4520 (vs PIC18LF4520-I/P)
- 32 KB Flash vs 16 KB on PIC18LF4420 (vs PIC18LF4420-I/P)
Design Notes
Place a 100 nF decoupling capacitor as close as possible to each VDD pin (pins 11 and 32) and another 100 nF at the AVSS/AVDD pair if separate analog rails are used. Estimated total bulk decoupling for 40 MHz operation is one 10 uF tantalum or ceramic bulk capacitor plus two local 100 nF ceramics. Avoid sharing VDD traces with high-current drivers; the MCU can corrupt Flash if the supply droops below 2.0 V during in-circuit programming.
Keep the 40 MHz crystal traces (OSC1/OSC2, pins 13/14) symmetric and short - maximum trace length 5 mm to avoid stray capacitance shifts that push the oscillator off-frequency. Add a guard ring tied to GND around the crystal and load capacitors. For ICSP, dedicate RB6 (PGC) and RB7 (PGD) pins to programming and add 4.7 kohm pull-downs to prevent spurious resets during board bring-up.
Do not substitute PIC18F4523-I/P into a 3.3 V design - the F variant requires VDD >= 4.2 V to start, while the LF variant starts at 2.0 V. Estimated power-on reset (POR) trip for LF silicon is ~1.8 V typical. Always check the CONFIG register settings: a wrong oscillator config (HS vs XT vs RC) is the most common cause of an apparently dead PIC18 after first programming. Verify CONFIG1H bits via MPLAB X before debugging hardware.
The PIC18LF4523-I/P in PDIP-40 has a thermal resistance theta_JA of approximately 50 C/W in still air. Estimated worst-case power dissipation at 40 MHz with all peripherals active is 250 mW, yielding a junction rise of ~12.5 C above ambient - well within the -40C to +85C industrial range. No heatsink is required for normal operation, but air flow is recommended if the part is sealed inside a plastic enclosure.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip material declaration. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - industrial grade only. For automotive designs, select PIC18F4620-I/P or PIC18F46K22-I/P with explicit AEC-Q100 certification.
