EP1C20F324C7N - Cyclone FPGA 20K LEs 324-BGA | Intel | Altera
MPN: EP1C20F324C7N ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $93.39 | $93.39 |
| 10 | $84.05 | $840.50 |
| 100 | $74.71 | $7,471.00 |
| 500 | $65.37 | $32,685.00 |
| 1,000 | $56.04 | $56,040.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1C20F324C7N — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1C20F324C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$42.36 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C20F324I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$53.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C20F324C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$17.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C20F324C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C12F324C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$37.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1C20F324C7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 20060 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 2006 |
| Total RAM Bits | 294912 |
| Maximum User I/O | 233 |
| Package | 324-BGA (FBGA-324, 19 x 19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) |
| Speed Grade | C7 (commercial) |
| Lead-Free Status | Yes (N suffix = Pb-free) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Process Technology | 0.13 um CMOS, SRAM-based |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| Memory Type | M4K embedded SRAM blocks |
| Configuration Scheme | SRAM-based, external flash |
| Soft-core Support | Nios II embedded processor |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lifecycle Status | Last Time Buy (Cyclone I family EOL announced by Intel/Altera) |
EP1C20F324C7N 324-bga (fbga-324, 19 x 19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EP1C20F324C7N (324-bga (fbga-324, 19 x 19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for EP1C20F324C7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Safe Operating Area (SOA) & Thermal Characteristics
No official SOA curve available for this digital IC. Always operate within absolute maximum ratings specified in the datasheet. Ensure adequate cooling and derate as needed.
Typical Applications
EP1C20F324C7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control and PLC, Digital Signal Processing Front-End, Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Embedded Nios II Processor System, Video Processing and Display Pipelines.
Industrial Motor Control and PLC
The EP1C20F324C7N's 20,060 logic elements and 233 user I/Os suit industrial PLC backplanes driving stepper motors and process control loops. The device integrates up to 294,912 bits of embedded SRAM, which holds encoder state machines and PWM lookup tables for closed-loop torque control, while LVDS-capable I/O pairs cleanly to industrial encoder feedback lines. The Cyclone I PLL count is sufficient to generate the multi-axis PWM frequencies needed for 3-phase inverters. Because the C7 commercial speed grade meets factory-floor temperatures inside an enclosure, designers can avoid the cost premium of an industrial variant. The BGA-324 package keeps the footprint small enough for DIN-rail-mounted controller boards.
Recommended
Digital Signal Processing Front-End
With 20,060 logic elements and embedded M4K memory blocks, the EP1C20F324C7N efficiently implements FIR filters, FFT engines, and modulation pipelines for audio and baseband DSP. Each M4K block provides 4 Kbits plus dual-port access, which accelerates the butterfly structures common in 256- to 1024-point FFTs without requiring external SRAM. The 233 I/Os include LVDS-capable pairs suitable for high-speed ADC/DAC interfacing. Although Cyclone I lacks dedicated DSP multiplier blocks, the LE fabric still reaches usable clock rates for audio-band DSP at C7 speed grade. Nios II soft-core integration enables a complete DSP controller plus algorithm accelerator on one die.
Recommended
Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic
Telecom line cards historically depend on FPGAs for protocol bridging, TDM aggregation, and clock-domain crossing. The EP1C20F324C7N's 20,060 LEs handle STS-1/STM-0 framing alongside HDLC controllers, while the 233 I/Os interface directly to framer ICs, LIUs, and backplane serials. Embedded M4K blocks store de-skew FIFOs and elastic store buffers at multi-MHz rates. The Cyclone I PLL count synchronizes the line card to T1/E1 or SONET/SDH references without external clock generators. Intel/Altera Cyclone I FPGAs saw broad adoption in telecom line cards during the 2000s, and many sustaining designs still ship today.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
Engineers use the EP1C20F324C7N as a fast-turnaround ASIC prototype because 20,060 LEs map most sub-million-gate ASIC designs, and Quartus II / Quartus Prime synthesis completes in minutes. The 324-FBGA package exposes enough I/O for functional pads plus JTAG and trace ports, which accelerates bring-up versus gate-array ASICs that need a multi-month fab turn. Re-spin cycles cost only programming time, not mask sets. Nios II soft-core integration lets designers test custom CPU subsystems before taping out the ASIC. The C7 speed grade hits clock rates typical of mid-speed ASIC prototypes.
Recommended
Embedded Nios II Processor System
Cyclone I devices natively support the Nios II soft-core embedded processor, and the EP1C20F324C7N's 20,060 LEs fit Nios II/f plus substantial peripheral fabric. Designers instantiate Nios II/f, on-chip peripherals, custom logic accelerators, and external memory controllers all within one FPGA, eliminating an external microcontroller. The 294,912 bits of M4K embedded RAM back the Nios II instruction and data caches, removing the need for separate cache SRAM. Custom instructions accelerate DSP or packet processing in the same fabric. Commercial temperature grade is sufficient for most embedded control products that live in benign enclosures.
Recommended
Video Processing and Display Pipelines
The EP1C20F324C7N's 233 user I/Os interface to BT.656, BT.1120, or RGB video sources, while 20,060 LEs implement deinterlacers, scalers, and on-screen-display overlays. Embedded M4K blocks serve as line buffers with widths up to 36 bits, fitting 16-bit video plus chroma key. LVDS I/O pairs drive flat-panel display connectors directly. Video pipelines running at pixel-clock rates of 54-148 MHz are achievable at the C7 speed grade. Designers historically used Cyclone I for surveillance DVRs, medical imaging, and industrial machine-vision controllers - many of those products still ship.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1C20F324C7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1C20F324C8N | EP1C20F324I7N | EP1C20F324C7 | EP1C20F324C6N | EP1C12F324C7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 324-FBGA (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | 324-FBGA (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 324-FBGA (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 324-FBGA (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 324-FBGA (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 324-FBGA (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 20060 | 20060 | 20060 | 20060 | 20060 | 12060 (-40%) |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 294912 | 294912 | 294912 | 294912 | 294912 | 239616 (-19%) |
| Speed Grade | C7 | C8 (slower) | I7 (industrial temp) | C7 (non-Pb-free) | C6 (faster) | C7 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Yes (Pb-free, RoHS) | Yes | Yes | No (non-Pb-free) | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum User I/O | 233 | 233 | 233 | 233 | 233 | 249 (different pin map) |
Key Differentiators
- Mid-density Cyclone I with full 233 I/O availability (vs EP1C12F324C7N)
- C7 commercial speed grade balanced for general use (vs EP1C20F324C8N)
- Lead-free / RoHS compliant (N suffix) (vs EP1C20F324C7 (no N suffix))
- Last-time-buy stock still widely available from authorized distributors (vs Cyclone IV EP4CE22F29C8N)
Design Notes
Estimated: the 324-FBGA at 1.0 mm pitch requires a 4-6 layer PCB stackup with microvias or via-in-pad to escape the inner balls. Outer-row balls should escape on the top layer with microvias to inner planes; deeper balls need buried vias. Use a 0.8 mm ball pad diameter with non-solder-mask-defined (NSMD) pads for reliable reflow. Maintain 50-ohm controlled impedance on clock and DDR traces that exit the BGA.
The 19 x 19 mm FBGA package has a typical theta-JA around 25-30 C/W on a standard JEDEC 4-layer test board. At 20,060 LEs running at moderate toggle rates (say 25% utilization), typical core power ranges 0.5-1.5 W - well within thermal limits. Use Intel's PowerPlay Early Power Estimator before committing to a heatsink or thermal via design. For high-utilization designs, add thermal vias beneath the BGA's center thermal pad.
Cyclone I bitstreams are NOT compatible with Cyclone II/III/IV devices even if LE counts match - each generation has a unique configuration bitstream format. Programming files generated for EP1C20 will not load onto a Cyclone IV EP4CE22, even at the same LE count. Use the Quartus II software version that targets Cyclone I (typically Quartus II 9.1 or earlier; later Quartus Prime versions dropped Cyclone I support). Do not assume newer Quartus versions will accept Cyclone I designs.
Estimated: Cyclone I requires four power rails - 1.5 V core (VCCINT), 3.3 V I/O (VCCIO, bank-dependent), 2.5 V auxiliary (VCCAUX for PLL/JTAG), and a 1.5 V or 3.3 V configuration voltage. Decoupling caps: place one 0.1 uF per VCCINT pin, plus 4.7 uF bulk caps every 10-15 power pins. PLL power requires filtered ferrite-bead-isolated 2.5 V. Ramp all rails monotonically within 100 ms to avoid configuration failure on power-up.
Differential pairs (LVDS) require matched-length routing within 20 mils (0.5 mm) for clock rates above 100 MHz, with 100-ohm differential impedance. Single-ended I/O should use 50-ohm traces with series termination at the FPGA pin. Keep PLL filter components within 1 cm of the PLL power pin and isolated from noisy digital signals. JTAG chain signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) should be guarded by ground traces to prevent noise-induced configuration errors.
Compliance Information
Pb-free (N suffix) per Altera/Intel package marking. Halogen-free status and conflict-minerals compliance not explicitly stated in the verified distributor data; set to unknown pending manufacturer datasheet confirmation. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is a commercial-grade FPGA not intended for automotive safety-critical applications.
