PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML - 64KB Flash 16-bit MCU w/ Crypto | Microchip
MPN: PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.42 | $3.42 |
| 10 | $3.08 | $30.80 |
| 100 | $2.74 | $274.00 |
| 500 | $2.45 | $1,225.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.18 | $2,180.00 |
PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML Overview
A 16-bit microcontroller (MCU) is a programmable processor core that executes instructions at 16-bit word width, sitting between 8-bit MCUs (lower performance, lower cost) and 32-bit ARM Cortex-M MCUs (higher performance, higher power). The PIC24F family uses a modified Harvard architecture with separate program and data buses, enabling simultaneous instruction fetch and data access. As part of the broader category hierarchy MCU → microcontroller → embedded processor → semiconductor, PIC24F targets mid-range applications that need more compute than 8-bit PIC MCUs but lower power and BOM cost than 32-bit ARM parts.
Key features of the PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML include a hardware crypto engine with AES/DES/SHA support, random number generator, and secure key storage, delivering up to 16 MIPS at 32 MHz. It integrates 64 KB self-programmable Flash, 8 KB SRAM, multiple timers, UART/SPI/I²C interfaces, a 10/12-bit ADC, and eXtreme Low Power (XLP) sleep modes that drop quiescent current below 1 µA, ideal for battery-powered secure nodes.
The device combines a 16-bit modified-Harvard CPU with dedicated crypto peripherals and rich analog/digital peripherals on the same die. This integrated approach reduces BOM count and PCB area compared to discrete MCU plus external crypto IC designs, while preserving the low-power advantages of the PIC24F XLP architecture.
Typical applications include IoT secure end nodes, smart sensors with authenticated firmware updates, industrial data loggers with secure storage, medical wearable monitors, and wireless sensor networks. The hardware crypto engine accelerates TLS/DTLS handshakes and secure boot verification on edge devices.
When designing with this MCU, ensure VDDCORE decoupling follows the datasheet reference layout - typically a 10 µF bulk plus 0.1 µF ceramic on each VDD pin. The 'T' suffix in the MPN indicates tape-and-reel packaging and the 'I' suffix denotes the -40 °C to +85 °C industrial temperature grade.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML — 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 PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML (same form factor and footprint) — differing in ADC, Core Architecture, Package, Program Memory (Flash), Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC24FJ64GA204-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/PT
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC24FJ64GA204-E/PT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC24FJ64GA104T-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3.34 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC24FJ128GA204T-I/ML
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC24FJ48GA004T-I/ML
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC 16-bit (PIC24F) |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 64 KB (64K x 8) |
| RAM | 8 KB |
| CPU Speed | 32 MHz / 16 MIPS |
| Operating Voltage | 2.0 V to 3.6 V |
| Package | 44-QFN (8x8 mm) with exposed pad |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) |
| ADC | 10-bit / 12-bit |
| Crypto Engine | AES / DES / SHA hardware accelerator |
| Random Number Generator | Yes (hardware) |
| Communication Interfaces | UART, SPI, I²C |
| Low-Power Features | eXtreme Low Power (XLP) modes, sub-µA sleep |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | MSL3 (per Microchip QFN standard) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA0 — GPIO / analog input (AN0) |
| Pin 2 | RA1 — GPIO / analog input (AN1) |
| Pin 3 | RA2 — GPIO / analog input (AN2) / VREF- |
| Pin 4 | RA3 — GPIO / analog input (AN3) / VREF+ |
| Pin 5 | RA4 — GPIO / analog input (AN4) |
| Pin 6 | RA5 — GPIO / analog input (AN5) |
| Pin 7 | RA6 — GPIO / oscillator |
| Pin 8 | RA7 — GPIO / oscillator |
| Pin 9 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 10 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 11 | RB0 — GPIO / programming clock (PGEC) |
| Pin 12 | RB1 — GPIO / programming data (PGED) |
| Pin 13 | RB2 — GPIO |
| Pin 14 | RB3 — GPIO |
| Pin 15 | RB4 — GPIO |
| Pin 16 | RB5 — GPIO |
| Pin 17 | RB6 — GPIO |
| Pin 18 | RB7 — GPIO |
| Pin 19 | RB8 — GPIO |
| Pin 20 | RB9 — GPIO |
| Pin 21 | RC0 — GPIO |
| Pin 22 | RC1 — GPIO |
| Pin 23 | RC2 — GPIO |
| Pin 24 | RC3 — GPIO |
| Pin 25 | RC4 — GPIO |
| Pin 26 | RC5 — GPIO |
| Pin 27 | RC6 — GPIO |
| Pin 28 | RC7 — GPIO |
| Pin 29 | RC8 — GPIO |
| Pin 30 | RC9 — GPIO |
| Pin 31 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 32 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 33 | RD0 — GPIO (where present per datasheet pinout) |
| Pin 34 | RD1 — GPIO (where present per datasheet pinout) |
| Pin 35 | RD2 — GPIO (where present per datasheet pinout) |
| Pin 36 | RD3 — GPIO (where present per datasheet pinout) |
| Pin 37 | RD4 — GPIO (where present per datasheet pinout) |
| Pin 38 | RD5 — GPIO (where present per datasheet pinout) |
| Pin 39 | RD6 — GPIO (where present per datasheet pinout) |
| Pin 40 | RD7 — GPIO (where present per datasheet pinout) |
| Pin 41 | MCLR — Master Clear (reset) input |
| Pin 42 | OSCI — Oscillator input |
| Pin 43 | OSCO — Oscillator output |
| Pin 44 | EP — Exposed thermal pad - connect to VSS |
Typical Applications
PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML is suitable for 6 applications: Secure IoT Sensor Node, Industrial Data Logger, Medical Wearable Monitor, Smart Meter with Secure Boot, Automotive Cabin HMI Controller, Battery-Powered Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Node.
Secure IoT Sensor Node
The PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML fits secure IoT sensor nodes because its hardware cryptographic engine accelerates AES-128 and SHA-256 directly on-die, eliminating the latency of software crypto on a 16 MIPS core. The integrated RNG produces entropy for TLS/DTLS handshakes while the XLP sleep modes drop quiescent current below 1 µA, extending coin-cell battery life to multi-year horizons. With 64 KB of Flash it accommodates TLS stacks plus application firmware, and the 44-QFN (8x8) footprint suits compact sensor PCBAs. Placed as the main MCU between the radio module (e.g. LoRa or BLE) and sensors, it handles secure key storage in its protected Flash region. Performance note: hardware crypto is 10-50x faster than software, freeing the CPU for sensor sampling at sub-millisecond intervals.
Recommended
Industrial Data Logger
The PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML suits industrial data loggers requiring tamper-evident local storage. Its hardware SHA-256 accelerates HMAC chain-of-custody hashing at line rate, while the 8 KB SRAM buffers incoming sensor bursts before the 64 KB Flash stores authenticated records. The -40 °C to +85 °C industrial grade tolerates factory-floor environments and the 44-QFN package provides a low-profile 8x8 mm footprint for DIN-rail enclosures. Connect the UART to an RS-485 transceiver, SPI to a FRAM memory, and I²C to a real-time clock; the crypto engine seals each record before commit. Compared to an MCU without crypto, the GA204 reduces per-record HMAC compute from milliseconds to microseconds.
Recommended
Medical Wearable Monitor
The PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML is well-suited to medical wearable monitors because the XLP architecture delivers nano-amp sleep currents between measurements, extending Li-ion battery life. The 10/12-bit ADC captures biosignals such as heart rate or SpO2 with sufficient resolution, while the AES engine encrypts patient data before wireless transmission - a HIPAA-relevant feature. The 44-QFN (8x8) package fits wrist-worn form factors and the -40 °C to +85 °C industrial range tolerates body-temperature variations. Used between the analog front-end (AFE) and BLE radio, it samples, encrypts, and forwards data. The hardware crypto offload leaves enough CPU headroom for 1 kHz sampling on a 16 MIPS core without missing BLE transmit windows.
Recommended
Smart Meter with Secure Boot
The PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML fits smart electricity, gas, or water meters where tamper resistance and authenticated firmware are regulatory requirements. The hardware SHA-256 engine verifies signed firmware updates at boot, the secure key storage holds meter credentials, and the 64 KB Flash hosts the metering application plus crypto library. UART/SPI connect to the metrology front-end and wireless M-Bus or LoRa backhaul; the 44-QFN (8x8) industrial-grade package operates from -40 °C to +85 °C inside outdoor enclosures. Compared with MCUs lacking crypto, the GA204 cuts secure-boot verify time from seconds to tens of milliseconds, shortening the cold-start window.
Recommended
Automotive Cabin HMI Controller
The PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML can serve as a low-cost HMI controller for cabin comfort subsystems (seat, mirror, climate) where cryptographic authentication of accessories is required. The AES engine validates paired accessories, the RNG generates session keys, and the SPI/I²C ports drive display and touch interfaces. The -40 °C to +85 °C industrial range covers cabin environments, and the 44-QFN (8x8) layout integrates into space-constrained PCBAs. Pair it with a CAN transceiver for body-network connectivity; the 32 MHz/16 MIPS performance handles button scanning plus crypto on the same die. For under-hood -40 °C to +125 °C requirements, migrate to the automotive-grade PIC24FJ64GA204-E/PT variant.
Recommended
Battery-Powered Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Node
The PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML excels in WSN end nodes because the XLP sleep currents under 1 µA enable multi-year battery life on a single coin cell. The 64 KB Flash holds a full 6LoWPAN or Zigbee stack plus sensor application, while the AES-128 engine secures MAC-layer frames without burdening the 16 MIPS CPU. The 10/12-bit ADC reads environmental sensors via I²C or analog input, and the UART outputs a debug console when needed. The 44-QFN (8x8) industrial-grade package suits outdoor IP67 enclosures. Compared with software-crypto MCUs of similar MIPS, the GA204 sustains 5-10x longer battery life per crypto operation by offloading to hardware.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC24FJ64GA204-I/ML | PIC24FJ64GA204-E/PT | PIC24FJ64GA104T-I/ML | PIC24FJ128GA204T-I/ML | PIC24FJ48GA004T-I/ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 44-QFN (8x8) | 44-QFN (8x8) - same | 44-QFN (8x8) - same | 44-QFN (8x8) - same | 44-QFN (8x8) - same | 44-QFN (8x8) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Flash Memory | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 64 KB | 128 KB (+100%) | 48 KB (-25%) |
| RAM | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB | 8 KB |
| Crypto Engine | Yes (AES/DES/SHA) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Hardware RNG | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| CPU Speed | 32 MHz / 16 MIPS | 32 MHz / 16 MIPS | 32 MHz / 16 MIPS | 32 MHz / 16 MIPS | 32 MHz / 16 MIPS | 32 MHz / 16 MIPS |
| Operating Voltage | 2.0V to 3.6V | 2.0V to 3.6V | 2.0V to 3.6V | 2.0V to 3.6V | 2.0V to 3.6V | 2.0V to 3.6V |
| Temperature Range | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C | -40C to +125C (Extended) | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated hardware cryptographic engine (vs PIC24FJ64GA104T-I/ML)
- Higher Flash density in same package (vs PIC24FJ48GA004T-I/ML)
- Hardware RNG and secure key storage (vs PIC24FJ128GA204T-I/ML (same family))
Design Notes
Decouple each VDD pin with a 0.1 µF ceramic plus a 10 µF bulk capacitor placed within 5 mm of the package. The 44-QFN exposed thermal pad must be soldered to a VSS ground plane to provide thermal dissipation and a low-impedance ground return; floating the EP pad can cause erratic behavior or thermal shutdown under load. For battery applications, add a Schottky diode between VBAT and VDD to prevent reverse current into the MCU during battery swap.
The 'T' suffix in PIC24FJ64GA204T-I/ML indicates tape-and-reel packaging; do not confuse it with a temperature grade. Temperature grade is encoded by the 'I' (industrial -40 °C to +85 °C) or 'E' (extended -40 °C to +125 °C) suffix. For secure boot or crypto applications, ensure the cryptographic library (Microchip cryptoauthlib) is linked into the firmware and the RNG is seeded with sufficient entropy before generating keys; failing to seed the RNG produces weak keys.
Route the MCLR pin with a 10 kΩ pull-up to VDD and a 100 nF decoupling cap to ground to ensure clean reset behavior; a floating MCLR is a common cause of intermittent boot failures. Keep the 32 MHz crystal traces short and symmetric with a ground guard ring to avoid EMI and to meet FCC/CE radiated emissions requirements. The 44-QFN (8x8) land pattern requires NSMD (non-solder-mask-defined) pads with 0.3 mm pitch for reliable reflow soldering.
When using the 10/12-bit ADC at high sample rates (>500 ksps), route analog input traces away from digital switching lines and place a small RC filter (10 Ω + 10 nF) at the ADC pin to limit bandwidth and reduce sampling noise. Use a separate analog AVDD pin if available, decoupled with a ferrite bead from digital VDD, to keep digital switching noise out of the measurement path.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliant per Microchip product page. The 'I' suffix denotes industrial -40 °C to +85 °C temperature grade; AEC-Q100 automotive qualification is not stated in the verified data - use the PIC24FJ64GA204-E/PT or automotive-grade PIC24 variants for AEC-Q100 applications.
