PIC16C54T-LPE/SS - 8-bit 40MHz 768B OTP MCU 20-SSOP | Microchip
MPN: PIC16C54T-LPE/SS ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.45 | $2.45 |
| 10 | $2.18 | $21.80 |
| 100 | $1.92 | $192.00 |
| 500 | $1.68 | $840.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.45 | $1,450.00 |
PIC16C54T-LPE/SS Overview
An OTP microcontroller is a single-chip microprocessor whose program memory can be written exactly once by the user and then behaves as read-only ROM thereafter. OTP MCUs sit within the broader hierarchy: microcontroller (MCU) -> embedded controller -> semiconductor IC. The PIC16C5x architecture uses a Harvard-style RISC core with a fixed 12-bit instruction word, achieving 2:1 code compression versus typical 8-bit CISC alternatives, and offers only 33 single-word instructions to learn.
Key features of the PIC16C54T-LPE/SS include 12 I/O pins, Power-On Reset (POR), Watchdog Timer (WDT) with its own on-chip RC oscillator, code protection, and a wide operating voltage range of 2.5 V to 6.25 V. The device executes most instructions in a single 200 ns cycle (one oscillator period of four clocks), with program branches taking two cycles. Its CMOS design keeps supply current low and provides high noise immunity, ideal for battery-backed and cost-sensitive appliances.
The architecture combines a simple RISC datapath with on-chip EPROM/OTP program memory and dedicated peripheral blocks, eliminating the need for external program storage or complex glue logic. Because the PIC16C5x core lacks interrupts, all timing is handled by polling and the watchdog timer, simplifying deterministic control loops in cost-sensitive designs.
Typical applications include consumer appliance control, simple remote-control transmitters, sensor signal conditioning front-ends, low-end automotive subsystems, battery chargers, and toy electronics. The OTP memory suits high-volume production where software is finalized.
Designers should allocate a 0.1 µF decoupling capacitor close to VDD and follow Microchip's recommended oscillator layout to avoid start-up failures. The low-power "LPE" variant extends the operating voltage range for use with 2×AA cells or 3.3 V regulated rails.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16C54T-LPE/SS — 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 PIC16C54T-LPE/SS (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Core Architecture, Maximum Clock Frequency, Operating Temperature, Instruction Cycle.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16C54C-20I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.74 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54-LPI/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.41 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54A-20I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.51 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16C54C-04I/SS
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1.34 / Unit
View Datasheet →PIC16F54-I/SS
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16C54T-LPE/SS Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 8-bit Microcontroller (MCU) |
| Core Architecture | PIC16C5x RISC (Harvard) |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (One-Time-Programmable) EPROM |
| Program Memory Size | 768 B (512 × 12-bit words) |
| Data RAM | 25 B (8-bit wide) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 40 MHz (input) |
| Instruction Cycle | 200 ns (single-cycle for most instructions) |
| Number of Instructions | 33 single-word |
| I/O Pins | 12 |
| Operating Voltage Range | 2.5 V to 6.25 V (LPE extended) |
| Package | 20-SSOP (5.30 mm body width, 0.65 mm pitch) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Peripherals | Power-On Reset (POR), Watchdog Timer (WDT) |
| Code Protection | Yes |
| Timer Module | 8-bit RTCC (Timer0) |
PIC16C54T-LPE/SS Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA2 — Bidirectional I/O Port A bit 2 |
| Pin 2 | RA3 — Bidirectional I/O Port A bit 3 |
| Pin 3 | RTCC — Timer0 clock input / RA4 |
| Pin 4 | MCLR — Master Clear reset input (active low) |
| Pin 5 | VSS — Ground reference |
| Pin 6 | RB0 — Bidirectional I/O Port B bit 0 |
| Pin 7 | RB1 — Bidirectional I/O Port B bit 1 |
| Pin 8 | RB2 — Bidirectional I/O Port B bit 2 |
| Pin 9 | RB3 — Bidirectional I/O Port B bit 3 |
| Pin 10 | RB4 — Bidirectional I/O Port B bit 4 |
| Pin 11 | RB5 — Bidirectional I/O Port B bit 5 |
| Pin 12 | RB6 — Bidirectional I/O Port B bit 6 |
| Pin 13 | RB7 — Bidirectional I/O Port B bit 7 |
| Pin 14 | VDD — Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 15 | OSC2 — Oscillator crystal output / CLKOUT |
| Pin 16 | OSC1 — Oscillator crystal input / CLKIN |
| Pin 17 | RA0 — Bidirectional I/O Port A bit 0 |
| Pin 18 | RA1 — Bidirectional I/O Port A bit 1 |
| Pin 19 | T0CKI — Timer0 external clock input |
| Pin 20 | NC — Not connected (reserved) |
Typical Applications
PIC16C54T-LPE/SS is suitable for 6 applications: Consumer Appliance Control, Remote Control Transmitter, Battery Charger Controller, Toy and Hobby Electronics, Sensor Signal Conditioning Front-End, LED Display Driver.
Consumer Appliance Control
The PIC16C54T-LPE/SS fits consumer appliance control boards because its 12 I/O pins can directly drive relays, LEDs, triacs and seven-segment displays without external buffering, while the on-chip Power-On Reset and Watchdog Timer deliver the brownout and lock-up recovery required by IEC 60335 household-appliance safety norms. The 768-byte OTP memory stores a fixed user interface and timing state machine with comfortable headroom for one or two interrupt-free scan loops. Wide 2.5 V to 6.25 V supply range supports direct connection to a rectified mains supply rail. Compared with newer Flash PICs the PIC16C54T-LPE/SS sells at a lower unit price, which matters in high-volume white goods where BOM savings of a few cents per unit compound quickly.
Recommended
Remote Control Transmitter
For infrared remote controls, the PIC16C54T-LPE/SS delivers the small footprint, low cost and low standby current that battery-powered handheld transmitters demand. Its 25 bytes of RAM are sufficient for a keypad matrix scanner and a learned-key buffer, while 768 bytes of OTP hold the encoding table for protocols such as RC-5, NEC or SIRC. The wide 2.5 V to 6.25 V supply range lets the device run directly from two AAA alkaline cells without a regulator. The 33-instruction RISC core executes in 200 ns at 20 MHz, easily modulating a 38 kHz carrier for IR LEDs at low error rates.
Recommended
Battery Charger Controller
In simple NiCd, NiMH or Li-ion charger designs, the PIC16C54T-LPE/SS provides the timing precision, GPIO count and price point required for a smart charger. The 8-bit RTCC (Timer0) generates accurate charge, discharge and trickle intervals, while the Watchdog Timer protects against firmware lock-up during long charge cycles. The 12 high-current I/O pins drive status LEDs, relay switching and the sense-MOSFET gate directly. Wide supply range (2.5 V to 6.25 V) lets the same firmware work from a 3 V cell-pack or a 5 V USB input after regulation, simplifying SKU consolidation.
Recommended
Toy and Hobby Electronics
The PIC16C54T-LPE/SS is well suited to toy and hobby products where production volume is high and unit cost dominates BOM decisions. Its 25 mA per-pin drive directly powers small DC motors, buzzers and LEDs, removing external transistors from the schematic. The Watchdog Timer and POR simplify reset hardware so children cannot crash the toy. With only 768 bytes of OTP, designers plan a lean state machine rather than a full RTOS; this constraint actually improves reliability for fixed-function products. The 20-SSOP package allows compact, single-sided PCB layouts ideal for small enclosures.
Recommended
Sensor Signal Conditioning Front-End
In simple sensor interfaces the PIC16C54T-LPE/SS performs polling, threshold comparison and digital filtering in firmware, offloading these tasks from a downstream host MCU. Its 12 I/O bits read multiple digital switches, encoders or comparator outputs, while 25 bytes of RAM provide moving-average buffers and debounce state. The Watchdog Timer and internal POR deliver the brownout robustness that battery-backed sensor nodes require. Because the PIC16C54T-LPE/SS has no ADC, designers pair it with an external comparator such as the MCP6541 for analog thresholding.
Recommended
LED Display Driver
The PIC16C54T-LPE/SS drives multiplexed LED matrices and seven-segment displays efficiently. With 12 I/O pins each sinking or sourcing 25 mA, the part directly drives common-anode or common-cathode displays without driver transistors, while software handles scanning, brightness PWM, and character decoding. The 768-byte OTP memory accommodates font tables and animation patterns for small displays. Wide supply tolerance (2.5 V to 6.25 V) accommodates voltage drop on long LED strings, and the 200 ns instruction cycle keeps flicker-free refresh rates at modest clock frequencies.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16C54T-LPE/SS — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16C54C-20I/SS | PIC16C54-LPI/SS | PIC16F54-I/SS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | 20-SSOP | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same | 20-SSOP - same |
| Program Memory Type | OTP (768 B / 512 × 12) | OTP (768 B) | OTP (768 B) | Flash (1 KB) |
| Maximum Clock | 20 MHz oscillator input | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz |
| Operating Voltage | 2.5 V to 6.25 V (LPE) | 3.0 V to 6.25 V (standard) | 2.5 V to 6.25 V | 2.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Data RAM | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B | 25 B |
| I/O Pins | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| In-Circuit Programmable | No (OTP, requires device programmer) | No (OTP) | No (OTP) | Yes (Flash, ICSP) |
Key Differentiators
- Extended low-power voltage range (LPE) down to 2.5 V (vs PIC16C54C-20I/SS)
- Industry-standard Microchip PIC16C5x toolchain support (vs PIC16F648A-I/SS)
- Compatible with drop-in Flash equivalent for prototype-to-production migration (vs PIC16F54-I/SS)
Design Notes
Place a 0.1 µF ceramic decoupling capacitor as close as possible to the VDD pin (pin 14) and a bulk tantalum or aluminum capacitor on the same supply rail within 25 mm. The PIC16C54T-LPE/SS draws typical supply currents in the 1 mA to 10 mA range during execution depending on oscillator frequency and load; place VSS return paths directly under the SSOP package to minimise switching-noise injection on the analog supply used for sensor reads.
Because the PIC16C54T-LPE/SS uses OTP memory, every firmware revision consumes a physical part. Prototype on the pin-compatible PIC16F54-I/SS (Flash, ICSP) and only commit to OTP units after firmware is frozen. Also note that the PIC16C5x core lacks interrupts: a polled main loop is mandatory, and design must never rely on asynchronous event response within a fixed number of cycles.
Keep the OSC1/OSC2 traces short (under 10 mm) and surround them with a ground guard ring to reduce EMI susceptibility. The MCLR pin should be tied to VDD through a 10 kΩ resistor with a 100 nF cap to ground for a proper Power-On Reset rise time; omitting the cap can cause intermittent reset behaviour at cold start. Place the crystal (or resonator) and its load capacitors within 5 mm of pins 15 and 16.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status for PIC16C54T-LPE/SS not explicitly stated in the verified web data; Microchip's PIC16C5x family datasheet is the authoritative source. AEC-Q100 not applicable to this commercial-grade OTP MCU.
