Microchip PIC16F1824-E/ML 8-Bit Microcontroller: Features, Applications, and Development Tools
The Microchip PIC16F1824-E/ML is a versatile 8-bit microcontroller from the enhanced mid-range PIC16F family, offering a compelling blend of performance, integration, and cost-effectiveness. Housed in a compact 4x4mm 28-pin QFN (ML) package, it is designed for space-constrained and power-sensitive embedded applications.
Key Features
At its core, the PIC16F1824 is built around Microchip's enhanced nanoWatt XLP architecture, enabling exceptionally low power consumption, which is critical for battery-operated devices. It operates at up to 32 MHz, delivering a solid 8 MIPS of performance.
Its standout features include:
Enhanced Core with 49 Instructions: Offers greater code efficiency and faster execution compared to the standard mid-range core.
Ample Memory: Features 7 KB of Flash program memory, 256 bytes of EEPROM, and 512 bytes of SRAM.
Advanced Peripherals: It is rich with integrated peripherals, including:
mTouch capacitive sensing module for implementing touch interfaces without external components.
Complementary Waveform Generator (CWG) for advanced motor control and power conversion applications.
Two Configurable Logic Cells (CLC) allow for the creation of custom logic functions directly in hardware, offloading simple tasks from the CPU.
5-channel 10-bit ADC, two 8-bit DACs, and multiple timers including a 16-bit timer.
Enhanced Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (EUSART) and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) & Inter-Integrated Circuit (I²C™) for communication.
Primary Applications
The integration of these features makes the PIC16F1824-E/ML suitable for a wide array of applications:
Consumer Electronics: Remote controls, touch-sensitive panels, toys, and small appliances.
Automotive: Sensors, interior lighting control, and basic body control modules.
Industrial: Low-power sensors, actuators, fan controllers, and simple motor control units.
Internet of Things (IoT): Ideal for simple, battery-powered sensor nodes requiring a robust feature set.
Medical: Portable devices such as blood glucose meters and wearable monitors where low power is paramount.
Development Tools and Ecosystem
Microchip provides a comprehensive and user-friendly development ecosystem for the PIC16F1824, accelerating design and prototyping.
MPLAB X Integrated Development Environment (IDE): A powerful, free software suite for writing, debugging, and programming code in C or assembly.
MPLAB XC8 Compiler: The standard C compiler for optimizing code for 8-bit PIC MCUs.
Hardware Tools:
PICkit™ 4 and MPLAB Snap: Affordable and powerful in-circuit debuggers/programmers.
Curiosity Development Board (DM164137): A low-cost evaluation platform for experimenting with 8-bit PIC MCUs.
Custom Design: The small QFN package is well-suited for custom PCBs in final products.
The Microchip PIC16F1824-E/ML stands out as a highly integrated and energy-efficient solution for modern embedded designs. Its unique combination of core-independent peripherals like the CLC and CWG, along with its nanoWatt XLP technology, provides designers with the flexibility to create complex, responsive, and low-power applications while minimizing external component count and total system cost.
Keywords:
1. nanoWatt XLP
2. Configurable Logic Cells (CLC)
3. Capacitive Sensing (mTouch)
4. 8-bit Microcontroller
5. Low-Power Applications
