Microchip Technology, a leading Flash-IP, microcontroller, and analog solutions vendor, announced the industry’s widest portfolio of high-performance, low power, 8-bit microcontrollers (MCUs). The models available are the PIC18F1XK22, the PIC18F2XK22, the PIC18F4XK22, the PIC18F6XK22, and the PIC18F8XK22.
Key features provided by the PIC18F “K22” MCUs include capacitive touch-sensing applications’ mTouch peripherals, operation from 1.8 to 5.5V, many communication channels, and an 8 to 128 KB flash memory.
Microchip High Performance MCUs
Other features include multiple PWMs, 12-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), and additional timers. These new MCUs incorporate nanoWatt XLP technology to enable eXtreme Low Power operation, using industry-best sleep currents as low as 20 nA. In addition, these MCUs offer an improvement that is more than 50% over earlier generations.
The PIC18F “K22” MCUs’ feature set enables this line to be utilized in a variety of applications. Their 5V capability is very useful for applications that usually need noise immunity or robust operation.
The nanoWatt XLP technology benefits battery-powered applications, resulting in reduced current consumption and extended battery life. For instance, applications include the industrial (e.g., alarm systems, metering, cargo tracking, electronic door locks, lighting); appliance (e.g., HVAC controls, smart energy, refrigerators, dishwashers); medical (e.g., portable medical meters, diagnostic devices); and automotive (e.g., garage-door openers, lighting, dashboard, keyless entry, instrument clusters interior controls) markets, and many more.
Microchip has also announced development tool support for these MCUs. Recently Microchip launched the plug-in-modules (PIMs) for the PIC18F87K22 and PIC18LF45K22. These PIMs can be utilized with the PIC18 Explorer Board.
Designers can also use Microchip's entire standard development tools suite, along with free and user-friendly MPLAB IDE and related suite of emulators, programmers and development boards, as well as the HI-TECH C or MPLAB C18 compilers for PIC18 MCUs of Microtech.