PIC18LF46K22-E/P - 64KB Flash 8-bit XLP MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC18LF46K22-E/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.48 | $5.48 |
| 10 | $4.93 | $49.30 |
| 100 | $4.39 | $439.00 |
| 500 | $3.93 | $1,965.00 |
| 1,000 | $3.5 | $3,500.00 |
PIC18LF46K22-E/P Overview
An 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer built around an 8-bit data path, integrating a CPU, non-volatile program memory, volatile RAM, peripherals, and I/O on a single die. The PIC18 architecture is an enhanced 8-bit Harvard RISC core with a hardware multiplier, prioritized interrupts, and a 16-bit instruction word, sitting above the PIC16/PIC12 families in Microchip's 8-bit portfolio. Within the power-management hierarchy, the XLP nanoWatt technology places the PIC18LF46K22 in the ultra-low-power MCU tier, enabling sleep currents in the nanoamp range and active currents in the microamp range.
Key differentiating features include 35 digital I/O pins, two Enhanced USART modules supporting LIN/IrDA, two MSSP (SPI/I2C) ports, a 12-channel 10-bit ADC with computation, five CCP/ECCP modules for PWM/motor control, and dual analog comparators. The device also provides a charge time measurement unit (CTMU) for capacitive touch and a 16-bit timer/counter set, making it well suited for mixed-signal embedded designs.
Typical applications include low-power battery sensor nodes, capacitive touch user interfaces, motor control with ECCP PWM, industrial control panels, USB-less human-interface peripherals, and remote controls where the extended -40C to +125C range is needed. A common design tip is to leverage the multiple low-power modes (Sleep, Idle, Doze) and the RTCC with its dedicated 32 kHz domain to keep average consumption below 1 uA in duty-cycled designs. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-family drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18LF46K22-E/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 PIC18LF46K22-E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Program Memory (Flash), Timers, I/O Pins, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18LF45K22-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F46K22-E/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF46K22-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF43K22-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.74 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18F45K22-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.78 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF46K22-E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Family | PIC18 XLP |
| Core | PIC18 8-bit RISC |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 64 KB (32K x 16) |
| RAM | 3,896 bytes |
| EEPROM | 1,024 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 48 MHz (64 MHz family max) |
| Supply Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| I/O Pins | 35 |
| ADC | 12-channel, 10-bit |
| PWM (CCP/ECCP) | 5 modules |
| Communication | 2x EUSART (LIN/IrDA), 2x MSSP (SPI/I2C) |
| Comparators | 2 analog |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (E grade) |
| Package | 40-pin PDIP |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited floor life) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC18LF46K22-E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/RE3 — Master Clear (reset) input or digital-only RE3 |
| 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 / ADC VREF- |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/VREF+ — PORTA bit 3 / analog input 3 / ADC VREF+ |
| Pin 6 | RA4/T0CKI/C1OUT — PORTA bit 4 / Timer0 clock / Comparator 1 output |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN4/C2OUT — PORTA bit 5 / analog input 4 / Comparator 2 output |
| Pin 8 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 9 | OSC1/CLKI/RA7 — Crystal oscillator input or external clock / PORTA bit 7 |
| Pin 10 | OSC2/CLKO/RA6 — Crystal oscillator output or clock output / PORTA bit 6 |
| Pin 11 | RC0/T1OSO/T1CKI — PORTC bit 0 / Timer1 oscillator output / Timer1 clock |
| Pin 12 | RC1/T1OSI/CCP2 — PORTC bit 1 / Timer1 oscillator input / CCP2 PWM |
| Pin 13 | RC2/CCP1 — PORTC bit 2 / CCP1 PWM |
| Pin 14 | RC3/SCL1/SCK1 — PORTC bit 3 / I2C1 clock / SPI1 clock |
| Pin 15 | RC4/SDA1/SDI1 — PORTC bit 4 / I2C1 data / SPI1 data in |
| Pin 16 | RC5/SDO1 — PORTC bit 5 / SPI1 data out |
| Pin 17 | RC6/TX1/CK1 — PORTC bit 6 / EUSART1 TX / EUSART1 clock |
| Pin 18 | RC7/RX1/DT1 — PORTC bit 7 / EUSART1 RX / EUSART1 data |
| Pin 19 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 20 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 21 | RB0/INT0/FLT0 — PORTB bit 0 / External interrupt 0 / ECCP fault input |
| Pin 22 | RB1/INT1 — PORTB bit 1 / External interrupt 1 |
| Pin 23 | RB2/INT2 — PORTB bit 2 / External interrupt 2 |
| Pin 24 | RB3/INT3/CCP2 — PORTB bit 3 / External interrupt 3 / CCP2 |
| Pin 25 | RB4/KBI0 — PORTB bit 4 / Keyboard interrupt 0 |
| Pin 26 | RB5/KBI1/PGM — PORTB bit 5 / Keyboard interrupt 1 / LVP program |
| Pin 27 | RB6/KBI2/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / Keyboard interrupt 2 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 28 | RB7/KBI3/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / Keyboard interrupt 3 / ICSP data |
| Pin 29 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 30 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 31 | RD0/PSP0 — PORTD bit 0 / Parallel Slave Port bit 0 |
| Pin 32 | RD1/PSP1 — PORTD bit 1 / Parallel Slave Port bit 1 |
| Pin 33 | RD2/PSP2 — PORTD bit 2 / Parallel Slave Port bit 2 |
| Pin 34 | RD3/PSP3 — PORTD bit 3 / Parallel Slave Port bit 3 |
| Pin 35 | RD4/PSP4 — PORTD bit 4 / Parallel Slave Port bit 4 |
| Pin 36 | RD5/PSP5 — PORTD bit 5 / Parallel Slave Port bit 5 |
| Pin 37 | RD6/PSP6/TX2/CK2 — PORTD bit 6 / Parallel Slave Port bit 6 / EUSART2 TX |
| Pin 38 | RD7/PSP7/RX2/DT2 — PORTD bit 7 / Parallel Slave Port bit 7 / EUSART2 RX |
| Pin 39 | RE0/RD/AN5 — PORTE bit 0 / Parallel Slave Port read / analog input 5 |
| Pin 40 | RE1/WR/AN6 — PORTE bit 1 / Parallel Slave Port write / analog input 6 |
Typical Applications
PIC18LF46K22-E/P is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes, Capacitive Touch User Interfaces, Industrial Control Panels, Motor Control with ECCP PWM, Remote Controls and HMI Peripherals, Automotive Body Electronics (Under-hood Auxiliary).
Battery-Powered Sensor Nodes
The PIC18LF46K22-E/P is well suited for wireless sensor node designs running from 2x AA alkaline cells, where its 1.8V to 3.6V supply range, nanoWatt XLP sleep currents below 100 nA, and 64KB Flash provide ample room for sensor fusion algorithms. Typical configurations combine the on-chip 12-channel 10-bit ADC with the EUSART or MSSP port to interface an XBee, LoRa, or Bluetooth Low Energy module, with the CPU spending most of its life in Sleep mode between periodic wake-ups. Compared with switching regulator-based MCU designs, the XLP architecture eliminates the quiescent draw of a buck converter and can extend battery life by 30-50% in duty-cycled applications.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch User Interfaces
The PIC18LF46K22-E/P's on-chip Charge Time Measurement Unit (CTMU) provides deterministic sub-picofarad capacitance measurements needed for capacitive touch buttons, sliders, and proximity sensing. Combined with the 35 available I/O pins and the 12-bit ADC computation mode, designers can implement up to 24 touch electrodes while leaving headroom for LED drivers and an LCD interface. The Microchip mTouch reference library (AN1250) provides ready-to-port firmware, and the 64KB Flash accommodates proprietary touch tuning algorithms alongside the application logic. Compared with dedicated touch ICs, the integrated approach reduces BOM cost by approximately $1 per channel.
Recommended
Industrial Control Panels
The PIC18LF46K22-E/P delivers the reliability and peripheral set needed for industrial control panels, with its extended -40C to +125C temperature range covering under-hood automotive and outdoor factory environments. The 5 CCP/ECCP modules generate precise PWM signals for valve, motor, or heater control, while the two EUSARTs (with LIN support) interface industrial networks and the dual MSSP ports drive SPI displays or I2C sensors. The 64KB Flash supports full Modbus RTU or CANopen-style protocol stacks, and the hardware CRC engine in the K22 family accelerates industrial checksum verification. Compared with 32-bit ARM Cortex-M0 alternatives, the PIC18LF46K22 offers a lower BOM cost (~$1.50 less per node) and simpler 8-bit toolchain integration.
Recommended
Motor Control with ECCP PWM
The PIC18LF46K22-E/P's five CCP/ECCP modules produce up to 10 complementary PWM outputs suitable for single- or three-phase motor control in BLDC, stepper, and small PMSM drives up to 200W. Combined with the 35 I/O pins, designers can drive half-bridges via external gate drivers and integrate Hall-sensor or back-EMF feedback through the on-chip comparators and 12-bit ADC. The PIC18's hardware multiplier executes Field-Oriented Control loops in approximately 8 us per iteration, enabling 20 kHz PWM rates without software bottlenecks. Compared with dedicated motor control ICs, the integrated approach reduces component count from 3 ICs to 1, saving roughly $2.50 per drive.
Recommended
Remote Controls and HMI Peripherals
The PIC18LF46K22-E/P fits remote control and human-machine-interface designs thanks to its low power consumption, 64KB Flash for protocol stacks, and rich peripheral set. Its two EUSARTs (LIN/IrDA capable) handle IR receiver and wireless modules, the MSSP ports drive LCD displays, and the PWM modules backlight dim with hardware precision. The extended temperature grade makes it suitable for outdoor or automotive cabin remote controls, while the nanoWatt XLP technology extends battery life to multiple years on a coin cell. Compared with dedicated IR-only MCUs, the K22 architecture provides enough headroom to integrate RF4CE, Bluetooth LE, or proprietary sub-GHz protocols on the same die.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics (Under-hood Auxiliary)
The PIC18LF46K22-E/P's -40C to +125C extended temperature range and automotive-grade reliability make it suitable for non-safety-critical automotive body modules such as HVAC blend-door drivers, lighting controllers, and seat-position actuators. Its LIN-compliant EUSART connects directly to a LIN bus via an external LIN transceiver, while its ECCP PWM modules drive small brushed DC motors in seat or mirror actuators. The 64KB Flash supports OEM diagnostic and calibration data, while the 1,024-byte EEPROM stores vehicle-specific configuration across the lifetime of the vehicle. Compared with AEC-Q100 Grade-0 qualified parts, the 'E' temperature grade is a cost-effective option for cabin and under-hood-adjacent locations.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18LF46K22-E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18LF45K22-E/P | PIC18F46K22-E/P | PIC18LF46K22-I/P | PIC18LF43K22-E/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 40-pin PDIP | 40-pin PDIP (same) | 40-pin PDIP (same) | 40-pin PDIP (same) | 40-pin PDIP (same) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 64 KB | 64 KB (same) | 64 KB (same) | 64 KB (same) | 8 KB (-87.5%) |
| RAM | 3,896 bytes | 3,896 bytes (same) | 3,896 bytes (same) | 3,896 bytes (same) | 512 bytes (-86.9%) |
| EEPROM | 1,024 bytes | 1,024 bytes (same) | 1,024 bytes (same) | 1,024 bytes (same) | 256 bytes (-75%) |
| Supply Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (same) | 2.3 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (same) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (same) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +125C (same) | -40C to +125C (same) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +125C (same) |
| Maximum CPU Speed | 48 MHz | 48 MHz (same) | 64 MHz | 48 MHz (same) | 48 MHz (same) |
Key Differentiators
- Largest program memory in 40-pin PDIP PIC18 XLP family (vs PIC18LF43K22-E/P)
- Lower supply voltage for battery designs (vs PIC18F46K22-E/P)
- Extended -40C to +125C temperature grade (vs PIC18LF46K22-I/P)
Design Notes
The PIC18LF46K22-E/P's nanoWatt XLP technology supports Sleep currents below 100 nA with the RTCC running from its dedicated 32 kHz domain. For duty-cycled battery applications, configure the MCU to wake via RTCC alarm, sample the sensor via the on-chip ADC, transmit over EUSART, and return to Sleep. Estimated: at 3.0V supply with 1 wake event per minute and an average active time of 50 ms at 4 mA, average current is approximately 3.4 uA, yielding > 5 years of life from a 2,000 mAh LiSO2 primary cell. Decoupling: place 100 nF X7R ceramic on each VDD/VSS pair as close to the pins as possible, plus 10 uF bulk tantalum or polymer at the package.
For 40-pin PDIP layout, route the ICSP pins (RB6/PGC, RB7/PGD) to a 6-pin header (0.1 inch pitch) accessible from the PCB edge to enable in-circuit programming and debugging with the MPLAB PICkit 4 or Snap. Place the header less than 50 mm from the MCU to avoid signal integrity issues with the PGC/PGD clock pair. Decoupling caps must be located within 3 mm of VDD pins to handle the inrush during Sleep-to-active transitions. For two-layer boards, dedicate a continuous ground plane on the bottom layer under the MCU footprint, and avoid routing digital signals across the analog AVSS/AVDD pair to minimize ADC noise coupling.
Critical pitfalls when using the PIC18LF46K22-E/P: (1) configuring a pin as analog input but leaving the corresponding TRIS bit set to output can cause shoot-through currents and latch-up - always clear TRISx when ANSELx is set; (2) enabling the internal HF oscillator at full speed without first raising the OSCCON to the correct IRCF setting can cause the PLL to fail to lock - ramp IRCF in steps using OSCCON.IRCF; (3) the MCLR pin is configured as a digital-only RE3 input by default and requires MCLRE=0 in CONFIG3H to disable the reset function; (4) ICSP programming requires both VDD and VPP (MCLR) to be properly decoupled - inadequate bulk capacitance on VPP can cause programming failures.
The on-chip 12-bit ADC achieves its rated accuracy only when the analog supply pin AVDD is bypassed with a 10 uF tantalum in parallel with 100 nF ceramic, and the AVSS pin ties directly to the VSS ground plane via a single via. Separate the analog traces (AN0-AN15) from digital switching traces (PWM, EUSART) by at least 3 mm or shield with ground pour. For capacitive touch applications using the CTMU, route the touch electrodes as short traces (less than 50 mm) terminated with guard rings driven by the SLEEP signal to suppress moisture-induced false triggers. The CCP PWM outputs driving power stages should be routed away from the ADC traces to avoid coupling switching noise into the analog conversion.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. E-grade parts (extended temperature) are not formally AEC-Q100 qualified but are commonly accepted in non-safety automotive applications. For AEC-Q100 qualification, Microchip recommends specific -Q1 part variants or the PIC18F K42 family.
