Microchip Technology Introduces Eight PIC18F Flash Microcontrollers with up to 64K of Flash

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CHANDLER, Ariz., June 21, 2004 [NASDAQ:  MCHP] — Microchip Technology Inc., a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, today expanded its 28- and 40/44-pin PIC™ Flash microcontroller portfolio with eight 8-bit PIC18F devices targeting high-end applications requiring additional memory in low pincounts, such as industrial, computing, telecommunications and consumer.  These cost-effective microcontrollers feature up to 64K bytes of program memory and nanoWatt Technology for optimum power management.

“Microchip is seeing growing design activity in the already popular 28- and 40-/44-pin space of the 8-bit microcontroller market,” said Ganesh Moorthy, vice president of Microchip’s Advanced Microcontroller and Memory Division.  “These new Flash PIC microcontrollers provide the highest density memory available in low pincounts.”

This new PIC microcontroller family offer Standard Flash and Enhanced Flash.  The Enhanced Flash family has self-programming capability, allowing the microcontroller to be programmed after being placed in a circuit board, which provides tremendous flexibility, reduced development time, increased manufacturing efficiency and faster time to market.  The Enhanced Flash devices also contain 1K byte of high-endurance EEPROM data memory.

Example applications for these new devices include:  industrial (TCP/IP controllers, motor control; ballast control); computing (cable modems, POS terminals, voice/fax boards); telecommunications (GPS units); and consumer (MP3 players, security systems, thermostats).
 
With the unique nanoWatt Technology, these microcontrollers offer power-managed modes that make them ideal for battery and low-power applications.  The devices also feature Microchip’s advanced PMOS Electrically Erasable Cell (PEEC) Flash process technology, which enables up to 1,000,000 data memory ERASE/WRITE cycles and up to 100,000 program memory ERASE/WRITE cycles, with 40 years of data retention.  Additional features include:

• PIC18 Core has 8-bit ALU with 16-bit Performance
• External clock with up to 40 MHz (10 MIPS)
• 32 Khz to 32 MHz (8 MIPS) internal oscillator
• Fail-safe clock monitor
• Wide voltage range of 2.0 – 5.5 volts, and a -40°C to +125°C temperature range
• In-Circuit Serial Programmingä (ICSP™)
• 10-bit analog-to-digital converter with up to 13 signal channels and 100k samples-per-second
• Two analog comparators with programmable brownout detect and programmable low-voltage detect
• SPI, I2C, and USART (supports RS485, RS232, LIN)
• Two Capture Compare PWM Modules

Development Tools
All eight microcontrollers are supported by Microchip’s high-performance development systems, including:  MPLABÒ Integrated Development Environment (IDE), MPLAB C18 C Compiler, MPLAB SIM tool, MPLAB ICD 2 In-Circuit Debugger, and MPLAB ICE 2000 In-Circuit Emulator.

Availability
The eight microcontrollers are available today for general sampling and volume production is expected in July, in the package options listed below.  For pricing or additional information, contact any Microchip sales representative.

• PIC18F2620, PIC18F2610, PIC18F2525, and PIC18F2515:  28-pin SDIP, SOIC
• PIC18F4620, PIC18F4610, PIC18F4525, and PIC18F4515:  40-pin PDIP; 44-pin TQFP, QFN

About Microchip Technology
Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:  MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, providing low-risk product development, lower total system cost and faster time to market for thousands of diverse customer applications worldwide. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality.