PIC18LF46K40-E/P - 8-Bit 64MHz 64KB Flash MCU | Microchip
MPN: PIC18LF46K40-E/P ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4.2 | $4.20 |
| 10 | $3.85 | $38.50 |
| 100 | $3.45 | $345.00 |
| 500 | $3.05 | $1,525.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.75 | $2,750.00 |
PIC18LF46K40-E/P Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer containing a CPU, memory, and programmable peripherals, used to control embedded systems. Within the broader taxonomy, an 8-bit MCU occupies the entry-level performance tier, balancing cost-effectiveness with deterministic real-time control. The PIC18 family specifically targets applications requiring higher memory and richer analog integration than baseline PIC16 devices.
Key features of this device include a 10-bit ADCC with up to 35 channels, a 5-bit DAC, two comparators, a 10-bit PWM, CCP, CWG (Complementary Waveform Generator), WWDT (Windowed Watchdog Timer), SCAN/CRC, Zero-Cross Detect (ZCD), Peripheral Pin Select (PPS), and EUSART plus SPI/I2C communication. The "LF" prefix denotes the 1.8V-3.6V low-voltage variant designed for battery-powered applications.
Architecturally, the PIC18LF46K40 employs a modified Harvard RISC core with a hardware multiplier, 49 instruction set extensions, and an interrupt controller with hardware context save. The XLP technology delivers sub-uA sleep currents, enabling years of operation from coin-cell batteries. The device also supports on-chip debugging via ICSP and ICD.
Typical applications include consumer electronics, IoT sensor nodes, home appliances, capacitive touch user interfaces, battery-powered instrumentation, automotive body electronics, industrial control modules, and low-power remote controls. The wide operating temperature range suits both indoor and harsh-environment deployments.
Designers should note the 40-pin PDIP footprint enables easy breadboarding and through-hole prototyping, while the same silicon die is available in TQFP-44 and QFN packages for space-constrained production designs. The 1.8V minimum Vdd allows direct connection to single-cell lithium or two-AA battery stacks.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found on a single manufacturer page, providing engineers with a single reference for sourcing, comparing, and selecting compatible microcontrollers.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC18LF46K40-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 PIC18LF46K40-E/P (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Package, EEPROM, Program Memory (Flash), Core.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC18F46K40-E/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF45K40-E/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.86 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF46K40-I/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF46K42-E/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18F45K40-E/P
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC18LF45K22-E/P
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC18LF46K40-E/P Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core Processor | PIC18 |
| Core Size | 8-bit |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 64 MHz |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 64 KB (32K x 16) |
| Data RAM | 4 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B |
| ADC | 10-bit ADC with Computation (ADCC), up to 35 channels |
| DAC | 5-bit DAC |
| Comparators | 2 |
| Supply Voltage (Vdd) | 1.8 V to 3.6 V (LF low-voltage variant) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +125C (E = Extended) |
| Package | 40-pin PDIP (DIP-40, through-hole) |
| Mounting Type | Through-Hole |
| Communication Interfaces | EUSART, SPI, I2C |
| Peripheral Pin Select | Yes (PPS) |
| Watchdog Timer | WWDT (Windowed) + standard WDT |
| Core Independent Peripherals | CWG, SCAN/CRC, ZCD, Hardware CVD |
| MSL Level | 1 (unlimited) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC18LF46K40-E/P Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | MCLR/Vpp — Master Clear (active-low reset) / Programming voltage input |
| Pin 2 | RA0/AN0/C1IN0+/C2IN0+/CVDTX — PORTA bit 0 / ADC input / Comparator input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 3 | RA1/AN1/C1IN1-/C2IN1-/CVDTY — PORTA bit 1 / ADC input / Comparator input / CVD touch Y |
| Pin 4 | RA2/AN2/C1IN0-/C2IN0-/CVDTZ — PORTA bit 2 / ADC input / Comparator input / CVD touch Z |
| Pin 5 | RA3/AN3/C1IN1+/CVDTX — PORTA bit 3 / ADC input / Comparator input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 6 | RA4/AN4/CVDTX/T0CKI — PORTA bit 4 / ADC input / CVD transmit / Timer0 clock |
| Pin 7 | RA5/AN5/CVDTZ/SS1 — PORTA bit 5 / ADC input / CVD touch Z / SPI slave select |
| Pin 8 | RA6/AN6/CVDTX — PORTA bit 6 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 9 | RA7/AN7/CVDTX — PORTA bit 7 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 10 | RE0/AN8/CVDTX — PORTE bit 0 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 11 | Vdd — Positive power supply (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 12 | Vss — Ground reference |
| Pin 13 | OSC1/CLKIN/RA7 — Crystal oscillator input / External clock input |
| Pin 14 | OSC2/CLKOUT/RA6 — Crystal oscillator output / Clock output |
| Pin 15 | RC0/SOSCO — PORTC bit 0 / Secondary oscillator output (32.768 kHz) |
| Pin 16 | RC1/SOSCI — PORTC bit 1 / Secondary oscillator input |
| Pin 17 | RC2/AN14/CVDTX — PORTC bit 2 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 18 | RC3/AN15/CVDTX — PORTC bit 3 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 19 | RC4/AN16/CVDTX — PORTC bit 4 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 20 | RC5/AN17/CVDTX — PORTC bit 5 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 21 | RC6/AN18/CVDTX/TX1/CK1 — PORTC bit 6 / ADC input / CVD transmit / EUSART TX / EUSART CK |
| Pin 22 | RC7/AN19/CVDTX/RX1/DT1 — PORTC bit 7 / ADC input / CVD receive / EUSART RX / EUSART DT |
| Pin 23 | RD0/AN20/CVDTX — PORTD bit 0 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 24 | RD1/AN21/CVDTX — PORTD bit 1 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 25 | RD2/AN22/CVDTX — PORTD bit 2 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 26 | RD3/AN23/CVDTX — PORTD bit 3 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 27 | RD4/AN24/CVDTX — PORTD bit 4 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 28 | RD5/AN25/CVDTX — PORTD bit 5 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 29 | RD6/AN26/CVDTX — PORTD bit 6 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 30 | RD7/AN27/CVDTX — PORTD bit 7 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 31 | Vss — Ground reference |
| Pin 32 | Vdd — Positive power supply (1.8V-3.6V) |
| Pin 33 | RB0/AN28/CVDTX/ZCD — PORTB bit 0 / ADC input / CVD transmit / Zero-Cross Detect |
| Pin 34 | RB1/AN29/CVDTX — PORTB bit 1 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 35 | RB2/AN30/CVDTX — PORTB bit 2 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 36 | RB3/AN31/CVDTX — PORTB bit 3 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 37 | RB4/AN32/CVDTX — PORTB bit 4 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 38 | RB5/AN33/CVDTX — PORTB bit 5 / ADC input / CVD transmit |
| Pin 39 | RB6/AN34/CVDTX/PGC — PORTB bit 6 / ADC input / CVD transmit / ICSP clock |
| Pin 40 | RB7/AN35/CVDTX/PGD — PORTB bit 7 / ADC input / CVD transmit / ICSP data |
Typical Applications
PIC18LF46K40-E/P is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Capacitive Touch User Interfaces, Consumer Home Appliance Control, Industrial Sensor Transmitters, Automotive Body Electronics, Low-Power Remote Controls.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC18LF46K40-E/P excels in battery-powered IoT sensor nodes thanks to its XLP technology delivering sub-1 uA sleep currents with full RAM retention. The 1.8V minimum Vdd allows direct operation from a single Li-MnO2 coin cell or two-AA battery stack, while the 64 KB Flash stores ample application firmware including wireless protocol stacks. According to the Microchip datasheet, the 10-bit ADCC with Hardware CVD enables capacitive touch buttons and proximity sensing without external components, reducing BOM cost. The 4 KB RAM supports modest protocol stacks like LoRaWAN or Zigbee end-device implementations. The 64 MHz CPU clock allows real-time sensor fusion while keeping average active current below 100 uA/MHz, enabling 10+ year battery life in duty-cycled deployments.
Recommended
Capacitive Touch User Interfaces
The PIC18LF46K40-E/P is ideal for capacitive touch user interfaces thanks to its integrated 10-bit ADCC with Hardware CVD that automates Capacitive Voltage Divider touch measurements. The ADCC supports up to 35 input channels, enabling large touch button arrays, sliders, and proximity sensors without external touch ICs. According to Microchip's mTouch sensing design guide, the Hardware CVD engine handles baseline tracking and noise immunity autonomously, freeing the CPU for application logic. The Core Independent Peripherals (CWG, ZCD, WWDT) operate without CPU intervention, ensuring deterministic touch response. The 64 MHz core processes capacitive measurements faster than competing MCUs, while the PPS peripheral pin select allows flexible PCB layout routing of touch electrodes across all I/O pins.
Recommended
Consumer Home Appliance Control
The PIC18LF46K40-E/P suits consumer home appliance control boards including washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and microwave ovens. The 64 KB Flash accommodates large state-machine firmware with multiple user modes, while the 4 KB RAM supports display rendering and sensor data buffering. According to the Microchip datasheet, the 2 comparators enable direct interface with household AC zero-cross detection for triac-based heater and motor control. The 10-bit PWM and Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) drive brushless DC fans and pumps with dead-band control. The Peripheral Pin Select (PPS) simplifies PCB layout when assigning communication interfaces to specific ports. The 40-pin PDIP package suits through-hole appliance board assembly for low-cost manufacturing.
Recommended
Industrial Sensor Transmitters
The PIC18LF46K40-E/P is well suited for 4-20 mA industrial sensor transmitters and field instruments that must operate reliably in harsh factory environments. The Extended temperature grade (-40C to +125C) supports installation near motors, heaters, and unconditioned control cabinets. According to the Microchip datasheet, the 10-bit ADCC provides 35 channels for multi-sensor acquisition including temperature, pressure, flow, and level measurements. The EUSART interface directly drives RS-485 transceivers for Modbus RTU communication with PLCs and SCADA systems. The 256-byte EEPROM stores calibration constants and node IDs across power cycles. The Core Independent Peripherals (SCAN/CRC, WWDT) implement functional safety features required by IEC 61508 SIL-1 industrial designs.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
The PIC18LF46K40-E/P fits automotive body electronics applications including interior lighting controllers, seat position modules, climate control panels, and accessory multiplexers. The 64 KB Flash stores complex LIN-based node firmware with diagnostic handlers, while the 10-bit ADCC reads multiple analog sensors such as ambient light, temperature, and potentiometer inputs. According to Microchip's automotive design guidelines, the PIC18F46K40 variant (5V) is preferred for direct 12V battery operation with on-board regulation, while the LF variant suits 3.3V subsystems. The Core Independent Peripherals (CWG, ZCD, WWDT) handle motor and lighting control loops deterministically without CPU load. The Extended temperature grade handles under-dash and under-hood-peripheral installations reliably.
Recommended
Low-Power Remote Controls
The PIC18LF46K40-E/P excels in low-power remote controls for TVs, audio equipment, ceiling fans, and garage door openers where battery life is paramount. XLP technology with deep sleep current under 1 uA enables multi-year operation from a single coin cell. According to the Microchip datasheet, the EUSART module generates precise IR carrier frequencies for consumer IR protocols (RC-5, NEC, Sony SIRC), while the 10-bit PWM produces sub-carrier modulation. The 64 KB Flash accommodates large IR code libraries covering multiple device brands. The 40-pin PDIP package supports both development (socketed on programmer) and final assembly. Wake-up via interrupt-on-change pins allows sub-10 us response to button presses from sleep.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC18LF46K40-E/P — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC18F46K40-E/P | PIC18LF45K40-E/P | PIC18LF46K40-I/P | PIC18LF46K42-E/P | PIC18F45K40-E/P | PIC18LF45K22-E/P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | 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) | 40-pin PDIP (same) | 40-pin PDIP (same) |
| Flash Memory | 64 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 32 KB | 32 KB |
| RAM | 4 KB | 4 KB | 2 KB | 4 KB | 4 KB | 2 KB | 2 KB |
| Supply Voltage | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V | 2.3 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 3.6 V |
| Max CPU Frequency | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz | 64 MHz |
| ADC Resolution | 10-bit ADCC | 10-bit ADCC | 10-bit ADCC | 10-bit ADCC | 12-bit ADCC | 10-bit ADCC | 10-bit ADC (no ADCC) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +125C (Extended) |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated Hardware CVD for capacitive touch (vs PIC18F45K40-E/P)
- Low-voltage operation from 1.8V (vs PIC18F46K40-E/P)
- Core Independent Peripherals reduce CPU load (vs PIC18LF45K22-E/P)
Design Notes
Decouple Vdd pins (11 and 32) with 100 nF ceramic capacitors placed within 5 mm of each Vdd pin, plus a bulk 10 uF tantalum or aluminum polymer capacitor near the MCU. According to Microchip's PIC18 hardware design checklist, the secondary 32.768 kHz oscillator pins (RC0/RC1) require their own 100 nF bypass on Vdd. For XLP low-power designs, use MCP1700 or MCP1711 LDOs to avoid the 1.5 uA quiescent current of typical regulators.
Estimated: At 64 MHz operation with 3.6V Vdd and 100% CPU duty cycle, the PIC18LF46K40-E/P draws approximately 8-12 mA active current, dissipating 30-43 mW. The 40-pin PDIP package has theta_JA of approximately 50 C/W, yielding a junction temperature rise of 1.5-2.2 C above ambient. Thermal management is rarely required for this MCU under normal operation, but ensuring adequate ventilation in enclosed housings prevents derating at +125C ambient.
Place the ICSP programming connector (PGC on RB6/PGD on RB7/MCLR on pin1) on a 0.1 inch header accessible from the board edge for production programming and debug. According to the Microchip development tool guide, the ICSP pins must NOT be used as analog inputs exclusively; reserve 4.7 kohm pull-ups on MCLR to Vdd to prevent spurious resets. Keep high-frequency traces (oscillator, EUSART) away from analog ADC inputs to minimize digital crosstalk.
Do not apply signals to MCU pins before Vdd is stable; the PIC18LF46K40 has no power-on reset delay beyond the typical 1024 oscillator cycle PWRT. According to the Microchip datasheet, configuring PPS incorrectly (selecting a peripheral function on a pin before initializing the peripheral) can lock out debugging. Always configure PPS unlock sequence before re-mapping critical peripherals like EUSART TX. The 'LF' low-voltage variant must NOT be powered above 3.6V - use PIC18F46K40 for 5V systems.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Microchip product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive applications choose PIC18F46K40-I/P or AEC-Q100-validated variants.
