Microchip PIC16LF628A-I/SO 8-Bit Microcontroller: Data Sheet and Design Guide

The Microchip PIC16LF628A-I/SO stands as a versatile and power-efficient 8-bit microcontroller, leveraging the enhanced RISC architecture of the PIC16F6xx series. Housed in an 18-pin SOIC (SO) package, this device is engineered for applications demanding compact size, low power consumption, and high integration. Its core operates with a wide voltage range (2.0V to 5.5V), making it particularly suited for battery-powered and portable devices.

Central to its capabilities is an advanced set of peripherals. The microcontroller includes 2048 words of Flash program memory and 224 bytes of RAM, providing ample space for embedded applications. A key feature is its on-board 4MHz internal oscillator, which can be calibrated, eliminating the need for an external crystal in many scenarios and further reducing system cost and board space. Additionally, it offers two versatile timer modules (Timer0 and Timer1), a capture/compare/PWM module, and a USART for serial communication (UART functionality), enabling seamless interfacing with PCs, peripherals, or other microcontrollers.

A significant design advantage is its ultra-low-power performance in the "LF" variant, crucial for extending battery life. The device supports multiple power-saving modes, including SLEEP, where current consumption can drop to microamps. For analog needs, a comparator module is integrated, allowing for basic analog signal comparisons without an external IC.

Design considerations highlighted in the guide emphasize robust system reliability. This includes implementing proper decoupling capacitors near the power pins, careful layout to minimize digital noise affecting analog components, and leveraging the Watchdog Timer (WDT) and Brown-Out Reset (BOR) features to recover from software malfunctions and unstable power conditions. Development is accelerated using Microchip’s MPLAB X IDE and the PICkit programmer, offering a complete ecosystem for coding, debugging, and flashing the microcontroller.

ICGOODFIND: The PIC16LF628A-I/SO is a highly integrated, cost-effective solution for space-constrained and power-sensitive embedded designs, balancing processing capability with an impressive array of onboard peripherals.

Keywords: Low-Power, RISC Architecture, Internal Oscillator, SOIC Package, Embedded Peripherals.