Specifications
ATMEGA168PA-AU is an 8-bit picoPower AVR RISC microcontroller originally developed by Atmel, now manufactured by Microchip Technology. Suffix breakdown: PA = enhanced ultra-low-power variant, AU = 32-pin thin quad flat pack (TQFP) surface-mount package, industrial temperature grade (-40°C ~ +85°C)Microchip Technology.
1. Core & Memory Specifications
AVR RISC Architecture
- 131 powerful single-cycle instructions, 32 × 8-bit general-purpose working registers
- Max operating clock frequency: 20 MHz, delivering up to 20 MIPS throughput
- Integrated 2-cycle hardware multiplier for fast arithmetic computation
- Fully static design with zero idle power draw in deep sleep modes
Non-Volatile Memory
- Program Flash: 16 KB in-system self-programmable memory with read-while-write support
- Data SRAM: 1 KB high-speed volatile data storage
- Data EEPROM: 512 bytes for persistent parameter storage
- Endurance rating: 10,000 Flash erase/write cycles; 100,000 EEPROM erase/write cycles
- Data retention: 100 years at 25°C, 20 years at 85°C
- Independent bootloader section with hardware code lock bits for IP protection
2. Integrated Peripherals
Analog Modules
- 8-channel 10-bit successive approximation ADC (6 channels for PDIP package)
- On-chip temperature sensor for internal die thermal monitoring
- Single high-speed analog comparator with interrupt trigger function
- Native QTouch library support for capacitive touch buttons, sliders and wheel interfaces
Timer & PWM Controllers
- Two independent 8-bit Timer/Counters with compare match and prescaler
- One 16-bit Timer/Counter with input capture, compare output and dedicated prescaler
- Standalone asynchronous real-time counter (RTC) with separate low-power oscillator
- Total 6 hardware PWM channels for LED dimming, DC motor and switch power regulation
Serial Communication Interfaces
- Full-featured USART with hardware framing error detection
- Master/slave SPI synchronous serial port for high-speed peripheral communication
- I2C (Two-Wire Interface) byte-oriented bus for sensor and EEPROM connection
I/O & Power Management
- 23 multi-function general-purpose digital I/O pins with individual pull-up resistors
- Wide supply voltage range: 1.8 V ~ 5.5 V, compatible with 3.3 V and 5 V industrial circuits
- Six configurable low-power sleep modes: Idle, ADC Noise Reduction, Power-save, Power-down, Standby, Extended Standby
- Built-in power-on reset (POR) and programmable brown-out detection circuit
- Factory-calibrated internal RC oscillator eliminates external crystal for cost-sensitive designs
- Programmable watchdog timer with dedicated low-frequency oscillator for system fault recovery
3. Electrical & Environmental Ratings
- Operating temperature range: Industrial grade -40°C to +85°C
- MSL 3 moisture sensitivity level (168-hour floor life before reflow)
- Fully RoHS lead-free and halogen-free compliant
- Tray standard packaging; tape-and-reel variant ATMEGA168PA-AUR available for mass SMT assembly
4. Package Information
- Package form factor: 32-pin TQFP surface mount, compact footprint for dense PCB layouts
- All I/O pins support external interrupt and pin-change wake-up trigger for low-power sensor nodes
Typical Applications
- Low-power wireless sensor nodes for industrial and smart building monitoring
- Capacitive touch control panels for household appliances and consumer electronics
- Portable battery-powered handheld test & measurement instruments
- Small DC fan, solenoid and low-current BLDC motor closed-loop control
- LED lighting constant-current dimming and decorative light controller boards
- Hobby robotics, Arduino compatible embedded prototype development platforms
- HVAC temperature & humidity signal acquisition modules
- Automotive auxiliary lighting and low-current actuator control circuits
- Educational embedded electronics training kits and demo systems
LXB Semicon supplies original Microchip ATMEGA168PA-AU ultra-low-power industrial 8-bit AVR microcontroller
