Microchip Technology Miniaturizes the Smallest PIC® Microcontrollers
Microchip Technology Inc. announced that all members of its 6-pin PIC10F microcontroller family are now available in ultra-small 2 mm x 3 mm Dual Flat No-lead (DFN) packages for space-constrained applications. Additionally, three members of Microchip's 8-pin Baseline PIC® microcontroller family are also available in a 2x3 DFN, providing additional I/O and functionality with the same footprint. These additions bring programmability and versatility to a wide range of low-cost, non-traditional applications for digital intelligence.
"Since being introduced as the world's first 6-pin microcontroller family over two years ago, the PIC10F family has seen tremendous market acceptance among both traditional and non-traditional microcontroller users," said Steve Drehobl, Vice President of Microchip's Security, Microcontroller and Technology Development Division. "By making the PIC10F and our Baseline families available in even smaller packages, we are continuing to open the door for innovation where space is limited and where electronic intelligence was not previously employed."
The 2x3 DFN packaging requires 30% less board space than the current SOT-23 and provides designers with a reduced height, which is often critical in handheld electronics. Additionally, these families provide ease of use and quick development via a simple and easy-to-learn instruction set, and inexpensive and simple tools. The PIC10F and Baseline PIC microcontrollers are well-suited for any spaced-constrained application requiring integrated intelligence. Handheld devices, such as MP3 players and cell phones, are good examples of applications where these microcontrollers often perform peripheral functions such as flashing an LED, power ON/OFF control or battery authentication.
The PIC10F and Baseline PIC microcontroller families are supported by Microchip's development tools, including the free MPLAB® Integrated Development Environment (IDE) software and all of Microchip's programmers. Additionally, the PICkit™ 2 Starter Kit (DV164120) makes it easy to get started with Microchip's low pin count microcontrollers for only $49.99. In RoHS-compliant 2x3 DFN packages, the PIC10F and Baseline PIC microcontrollers are available now for general sampling. Volume production is available now for all six members of the PIC10F family, starting at $0.44 each in 10,000-unit quantities, while the Baseline PIC12F508/12F509/12F510 microcontrollers in 2x3 DFN are expected to be available for volume orders in the fourth quarter of 2006.
