PIC16F1516-E/ML - 14KB Flash 8-bit MCU, 20MHz, 28-QFN | Microchip
MPN: PIC16F1516-E/ML β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.92 | $1.92 |
| 10 | $1.73 | $17.30 |
| 100 | $1.54 | $154.00 |
| 500 | $1.36 | $680.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.21 | $1,210.00 |
PIC16F1516-E/ML Overview
A microcontroller (MCU) is a single-chip computer that integrates a CPU core, program memory (Flash), data memory (RAM), and peripherals such as timers, ADCs, and communication interfaces. The PIC16F1516 belongs to the PIC16 family, an enhanced mid-range 8-bit architecture that sits between basic PIC10/12/14 devices and the higher-performance PIC18/dsPIC families. It serves general-purpose embedded control roles across consumer, industrial, and IoT applications where low power, modest compute, and small footprint matter more than raw processing speed.
Key specifications include 14KB (8K x 14) Flash program memory, 256 bytes EEPROM data memory, 512 bytes RAM, 17 I/O pins, an internal 31kHz to 16MHz oscillator, and a 10-bit ADC with up to 17 channels. The XLP technology delivers typical sleep currents below 50nA, making the part suitable for battery-powered applications. The -E temperature grade supports -40C to +125C operation, qualifying the device for extended industrial and automotive cabin environments.
The PIC16F1516 implements a 14-bit instruction word with a 49-instruction set, 8-level hardware stack, and direct/indirect addressing modes. The device supports in-circuit serial programming (ICSP) via two pins and in-circuit debugging through MPLAB ICD tools. Built-in peripherals include multiple timers, enhanced PWM modules, USART, MSSP (SPI/I2C), and a configurable logic cell (CLC), providing flexible peripheral configuration for mixed-signal designs.
Typical applications include low-power IoT sensor nodes, battery-powered HVAC controls, portable medical monitoring, LED lighting controllers, automotive body electronics, and consumer appliance user interfaces. The device also fits HVAC fan controllers and small motor drive signal conditioning blocks.
When designing with this part, allocate decoupling capacitors close to VDD/AVDD/VSS pins and follow Microchip's QFN land pattern with a central thermal pad connected to ground. Programming and debugging require Microchip's MPLAB X IDE and a compatible programmer such as PICkit 3, PICkit 4, MPLAB Snap, or MPLAB ICD 3/4.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, with data anchored to verified distributor and manufacturer sources.
Drop-in alternatives for PIC16F1516-E/ML β 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 PIC16F1516-E/ML (same form factor and footprint) β differing in ADC, Package, Timers, Brown-Out Reset, Communication.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PIC16F1517-E/ML
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F1518-E/ML
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F1519-E/ML
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F1513-I/ML
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F1516-I/ML
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1.49 / Unit
View Datasheet βPIC16F1789-I/ML
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PIC16F1516-E/ML Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Core | PIC 8-bit RISC |
| Series | PIC16F XLP 16F |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB (8K x 14 words) |
| RAM | 512 bytes |
| EEPROM | 256 bytes |
| Maximum CPU Frequency | 20 MHz |
| Instruction Cycle Time | 200 ns |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| I/O Pins | 17 |
| ADC | 10-bit, up to 17 channels |
| Timers | Multiple 8/16-bit timers |
| Communication | USART, MSSP (SPI/I2C) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (E grade) |
| Package | 28-pin QFN (6x6 mm) with exposed pad |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
PIC16F1516-E/ML Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | RA5 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 5 |
| Pin 2 | RA4 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 4 |
| Pin 3 | RA3 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 3 |
| Pin 4 | RC5 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 5 |
| Pin 5 | RC4 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 4 |
| Pin 6 | RC3 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 3 |
| Pin 7 | RC2 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 2 |
| Pin 8 | RC1 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 1 |
| Pin 9 | RC0 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 0 |
| Pin 10 | VSS β Ground reference |
| Pin 11 | RA2 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 2 |
| Pin 12 | RA1 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 1 |
| Pin 13 | RA0 β Bidirectional I/O port A bit 0 |
| Pin 14 | VDD β Positive supply voltage |
| Pin 15 | RB7 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 7 |
| Pin 16 | RB6 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 6 / ICSP clock |
| Pin 17 | RB5 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 5 |
| Pin 18 | RB4 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 4 |
| Pin 19 | RB3 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 3 |
| Pin 20 | RB2 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 2 |
| Pin 21 | RB1 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 1 / ICSP data |
| Pin 22 | RB0 β Bidirectional I/O port B bit 0 |
| Pin 23 | VDDIO β I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 24 | AVDD β Analog positive supply |
| Pin 25 | AVSS β Analog ground |
| Pin 26 | RC7 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 7 |
| Pin 27 | RC6 β Bidirectional I/O port C bit 6 |
| Pin 28 | RE3 β Input-only port E bit 3 (MCLR optional) |
| Pin 29 | EP β Exposed thermal pad - connect to VSS |
Typical Applications
PIC16F1516-E/ML is suitable for 6 applications: Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes, Industrial HVAC Control Boards, Portable Medical Monitoring Devices, LED Lighting Controllers, Automotive Body Electronics, Consumer Appliance User Interfaces.
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Nodes
The PIC16F1516-E/ML's XLP sleep currents below 1 uA and 1.8V to 5.5V operation align directly with coin-cell or 2x AA battery packs powering wireless sensor nodes. With 14KB Flash accommodating Zigbee/BLE stack fragments and simple application logic, the MCU spends most of its life in deep sleep and wakes periodically to take sensor readings and transmit. The 10-bit, 17-channel ADC handles multi-sensor analog front ends, while MSSP drives I2C/SPI sensors and USART links to a wireless co-processor. Typical designs place the MCU between a 3V coin cell and an NTC, light, or gas sensor front end; dissipation during sleep is dominated by the wireless chip, so the MCU's role is low-duty-cycle measurement.
Recommended
Industrial HVAC Control Boards
HVAC fan and damper controllers benefit from the PIC16F1516-E/ML's -40C to +125C (E grade) operating range and 17 I/O pins for triac drive signals, NTC temperature inputs, and rotary encoder interfaces. The 14KB Flash is sufficient for PID loops driving blower motors and modulating damper servos, while the 10-bit ADC digitizes multiple thermistor inputs for indoor and outdoor air temperature. The 28-QFN (6x6mm) footprint fits compact control boards mounted inside air-handler units, and the exposed thermal pad dissipates heat when the device runs continuously at 20MHz while switching triacs.
Recommended
Portable Medical Monitoring Devices
Portable medical monitors such as pulse oximeters and thermometers use the PIC16F1516-E/ML for low-power signal conditioning and display driving. The XLP sleep mode allows the device to idle between measurements, extending battery life across days of intermittent use. The 10-bit ADC with 17 channels samples photodiode currents (SpO2) or thermistor bridges (temperature), while PWM drives an LCD or LED indicator. The 1.8V to 5.5V range lets the MCU share a single-cell Li-ion or 2x AAA supply with the analog front end, eliminating the need for multiple rails.
Recommended
LED Lighting Controllers
Smart LED drivers and architectural lighting controllers leverage the PIC16F1516-E/ML's enhanced PWM modules and configurable logic cells (CLC) to generate accurate dimming waveforms without external timers. The 14KB Flash supports DMX, DALI, or 0-10V lighting protocol stacks, while the 10-bit ADC reads ambient light sensors for daylight harvesting. The 1.8V to 5.5V range is compatible with both 3.3V MCU rails and 5V dimmer interfaces, and the small 28-QFN footprint fits inside compact downlight canisters. Unlike larger PIC18 parts, the PIC16F1516 minimizes BOM cost while still offering CLC for fail-safe dimming logic.
Recommended
Automotive Body Electronics
Automotive body controllers such as door modules, seat controllers, and mirror adjusters rely on the PIC16F1516-E/ML's -40C to +125C operating range and small 28-QFN footprint. The 14KB Flash holds CAN/LIN gateway logic and PWM-driven motor control for mirror folding and seat position memory. The MCU's 1.8V to 5.5V range tolerates automotive 12V battery transients when paired with an external LDO, and the exposed thermal pad helps dissipate heat in door-mounted enclosures that experience solar loading.
Recommended
Consumer Appliance User Interfaces
Consumer appliances such as washing machines, microwaves, and coffee makers use the PIC16F1516-E/ML to drive user interfaces that combine capacitive touch buttons, rotary encoders, and segmented LED or LCD displays. The 14KB Flash holds UI state machines and small embedded graphics, while CLC and PWM generate beeper tones and dimming signals. The 1.8V to 5.5V range accepts either 3.3V logic-level touch ICs or 5V LED displays, and the small 28-QFN footprint fits inside tight appliance front-panel PCBs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PIC16F1516-E/ML β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PIC16F1517-E/ML | PIC16F1518-E/ML | PIC16F1519-E/ML | PIC16F1513-I/ML | PIC16F1516-I/ML | PIC16F1789-I/ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 28-QFN (6x6) | 28-QFN (6x6) - same | 28-QFN (6x6) - same | 28-QFN (6x6) - same | 28-QFN (6x6) - same | 28-QFN (6x6) - same | 28-QFN (6x6) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Program Memory (Flash) | 14 KB | 28 KB | 28 KB | 28 KB | 7 KB | 14 KB | 28 KB |
| RAM | 512 B | 1 KB | 1 KB | 1 KB | 256 B | 512 B | 2 KB |
| EEPROM | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 256 B | 128 B | 256 B | 256 B |
| Operating Voltage | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V | 1.8 V to 5.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +125C (E grade) | -40C to +125C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) | -40C to +85C (I grade) |
| CPU Frequency (max) | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 20 MHz | 32 MHz |
Key Differentiators
- XLP low-power technology with sub-1uA sleep currents (vs PIC16F1513-I/ML)
- Extended -40C to +125C temperature grade for industrial use (vs PIC16F1516-I/ML)
- Configurable Logic Cells (CLC) for hardware state machines (vs PIC16F1509-I/ML)
- Upward-compatible family for in-field firmware upgrades (vs PIC16F1513-I/ML)
Design Notes
The 28-QFN package exposes a central thermal pad that must be soldered to the PCB ground plane. Per Microchip QFN land-pattern guidance, place a via array (typically 4 to 9 thermal vias, 0.3mm drill, 0.5mm pitch) under the exposed pad to stitch the thermal pad to the inner ground plane. Without proper soldering of the thermal pad, mechanical reliability suffers and thermal performance degrades significantly. Decoupling capacitors must be placed as close as possible to VDD/AVDD/VDDIO pins with short, wide traces to VSS/AVSS. A 100nF ceramic decoupling capacitor on each VDD rail is recommended, with a bulk 1uF to 10uF tantalum or ceramic capacitor near the supply input.
For XLP operation the PIC16F1516-E/ML achieves sleep currents below 1 uA when the watchdog and peripherals are disabled. To minimize sleep current, disconnect unused peripherals from the clock tree via PMD registers, switch unused I/O pins to outputs driving low, and avoid leaving floating analog inputs (configure unused ADC channels as digital outputs). When waking from sleep, the LFINTOSC (31kHz) provides a low-power wake source, and the HFINTOSC (up to 16MHz) provides fast wake for active processing. Brown-out reset (BOR) and watchdog timer (WDT) currents should be added to total sleep budgets if enabled.
Keep analog and digital ground separated on the PCB with a single-point connection at the AVSS pin to avoid ground-loop noise on the ADC readings. Route analog traces (sensor inputs to the 10-bit ADC) away from PWM and digital switching traces to minimize coupling noise. If the design uses the ADC at high source impedances, add an external op-amp buffer or sample-hold capacitor to settle the input within the ADC acquisition window. The exposed thermal pad must be connected to VSS/AVSS, not left floating, to avoid unstable ADC readings caused by thermal-EMF pickup on floating metal.
Common pitfalls with the PIC16F1516-E/ML include: (1) forgetting to configure the configuration bits (FOSC, WDTE, PWRTE, BOREN, etc.) - these must be set in the source code and burned during programming; (2) leaving MCLR pin floating - it must be tied to VDD through a 10k pull-up or driven by the programmer; (3) using a 28-QFN land pattern without thermal vias - this can cause solder voids and intermittent failures during thermal cycling; (4) confusing the /ML suffix with /SP or /SO - those are SPDIP and SOIC packages and require different PCB footprints; (5) ignoring the 1.8V minimum VDD at full 20MHz operation - at lower voltages the maximum CPU frequency is derated per the datasheet electrical characteristics table.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Microchip product page. AEC-Q100 not qualified - for automotive applications requiring AEC-Q100, consult Microchip automotive-grade part numbers separately.
