EP1S40B956C6N - Stratix FPGA, 41250 LEs, 956-BGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP1S40B956C6N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1331.53 | $1,331.53 |
| 10 | $1280 | $12,800.00 |
| 100 | $1190 | $119,000.00 |
| 250 | $1120 | $280,000.00 |
| 500 | $1050 | $525,000.00 |
EP1S40B956C6N Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor device containing an array of programmable logic blocks, interconnect, and I/O cells that designers can configure after manufacture using an HDL-defined bitstream. FPGAs sit between fixed-function ASICs (best performance per watt, highest NRE) and microcontrollers (lowest flexibility, lowest cost at low volumes), and are typically chosen for ASIC prototyping, signal processing, custom I/O bridging, and time-to-market-critical glue logic. The Stratix family, introduced in 2002, was Altera's first high-end family with embedded DSP and TriMatrix memory, paving the way for subsequent Stratix II/III/IV/V families.
The EP1S40B956C6N's headline specifications include 4,125 LABs, 6 embedded DSP blocks (or per-die DSP rows depending on speed grade), 14 embedded memory blocks totaling approximately 3.4 Mbit, and 683 maximum user I/O pins. The 956-BGA (FCBGA) package exposes 16 high-speed transceiver channels and multiple PLL blocks for clock synthesis. Configuration is supported via JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) and passive/active serial schemes using Altera's classic Quartus II design flow.
Typical applications include ASIC prototyping for networking line cards, telecom baseband preprocessing, military/defense signal processing, broadcast video switching fabrics, and high-performance DSP co-processing. Its combination of high logic density and embedded memory also made the part popular for early Software Defined Radio (SDR) and image processing pipelines.
When designing with this part, allocate generous PCB routing layers for the 1.27 mm-pitch BGA, use multiple decoupling capacitor values (0.1 µF, 1 µF, 10 µF) per power pin, and verify signal-integrity on high-speed LVDS and clock traces. The legacy -6 speed grade indicates slower timing closure than -7/-8 grades; budget 15-25 % additional timing margin. Engineers should consult the official Stratix Device Handbook for transceiver and PLL block-level schematics before tape-out.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1S40B956C6N — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with EP1S40B956C6N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, DSP Blocks, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1S40B956C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1078.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S40B956C7
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1S40B956I6N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1S30B956C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$78 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2S60F1020C5
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$995 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S40B956C6N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Stratix |
| Family | Altera Stratix (1st generation) |
| Process Technology | 0.13 µm CMOS |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 41,250 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 4,125 |
| Embedded Memory | 3,423,744 bits (~3.4 Mbit) |
| Maximum User I/O | 683 |
| Supply Voltage | 1.425 V to 1.575 V (1.5 V nominal) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (Commercial) |
| Package | 956-ball FineLine BGA (FCBGA) |
| Package Dimensions | 40 mm x 40 mm |
| Ball Pitch | 1.27 mm |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial, mid-speed) |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1), Passive Serial, Active Serial |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP1S40B956C6N 40 mm x 40 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP1S40B956C6N (40 mm x 40 mm 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 EP1S40B956C6N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP1S40B956C6N is suitable for 6 applications: ASIC Prototyping for Networking Line Cards, Telecom Baseband Signal Processing, Software Defined Radio (SDR) Development Platforms, Broadcast Video Switching and Processing, Military and Defense Signal Processing, High-Performance DSP Co-Processing.
ASIC Prototyping for Networking Line Cards
The EP1S40B956C6N's 41,250 logic elements, 4,125 LABs, and 683 user I/Os make it an ideal ASIC prototype vehicle for 10 GbE and SONET line-card designs that require high logic density and abundant I/O for parallel bus connections. With 3.4 Mbit of TriMatrix memory and embedded DSP blocks, designers can validate packet-processing pipelines, traffic managers, and lookup engines before committing to a multi-million-dollar ASIC tape-out. Its 956-BGA package exposes 683 user I/Os, enough to break out wide internal buses, SERDES reference clocks, and LVDS channels to test fixtures. The mid-range -6 speed grade provides adequate Fmax for prototyping Ethernet MACs, SPI-4.2 interfaces, and custom switching fabrics at modest clock rates. This application often combines the FPGA with external PHYs (like the Intel IXF1004) and SRAM/RLDRAM memories.
Recommended
Telecom Baseband Signal Processing
The 41,250 logic elements combined with embedded DSP blocks enable the EP1S40B956C6N to implement baseband processing functions such as channel coding, Viterbi decoders, FFT/iFFT engines, and crest-factor-reduction for 3G/4G base stations. Its 3.4 Mbit TriMatrix memory supports coefficient tables, scrambling sequences, and per-channel state buffers, reducing external memory accesses in tight DSP loops. The 683 user I/Os interface directly to wide parallel ADC/DAC buses (LVDS) used by radio-card front-ends, while PLLs generate the multiple baseband clocks required for OFDM symbol timing. Designers typically pair the FPGA with TI ADS62P-series ADCs and DACs for IF-sampling radio architectures. Operating at 1.5 V core, the device fits into -48 V telecom power architectures via intermediate POL converters.
Recommended
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Development Platforms
The EP1S40B956C6N is widely deployed in early-2000s SDR development kits because its high logic density accommodates wideband digital down-converters, polyphase filter banks, and real-time modulation/demodulation cores. The embedded TriMatrix memory stores FIR filter coefficients and overlap-save buffers for streaming FFTs at sample rates of 100-200 MSPS. Its 683 I/Os allow direct connection to mezzanine cards such as VITA-57 FMC, supporting ADC/DAC daughter cards for HF, VHF, and UHF coverage. Reference designs in the Stratix Device Handbook show complete SDR waveforms including W-CDMA, WiMAX, and proprietary military waveforms. The device's 1.5 V core and commercial 0-85 °C range suit indoor laboratory and ground-mobile platforms.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Switching and Processing
Broadcast studios rely on the EP1S40B956C6N for SDI/HD-SDI router matrices, video format converters, and multi-channel chroma-keyers that demand high I/O count and deterministic real-time processing. The 683 user I/Os connect directly to multiple BNC-fed SDI receivers and transmitters, supporting matrix sizes of 64x64 or larger without external crosspoint ICs. Embedded memory holds line buffers for scaling, de-interlacing, and frame-rate conversion, while DSP blocks implement real-time color-space conversion (RGB ↔ YCbCr) and gamma correction. The 1.27 mm-pitch 956-BGA package is suitable for ATCA or MicroTCA carrier cards in production routing switchers. Bitstream stability from the legacy Quartus II toolchain ensures long-life-cycle support for broadcast infrastructure that often runs 10+ years.
Recommended
Military and Defense Signal Processing
Defense integrators leverage the EP1S40B956C6N's commercial-temperature variant for ground-mobile and shipboard signal-intelligence, electronic-warfare, and radar preprocessing systems where higher-grade FPGAs are not required. The 41,250 LEs, 4,125 LABs, and 3.4 Mbit memory process radar returns, implement digital beamforming, and run adaptive filters for jamming-resistant communications. The 956-BGA package's 683 I/Os connect directly to high-speed ADC banks (e.g., TI ADC12D1800) for digital-IF sampling at multi-GSPS rates. Defense customers value the device's mature Quartus II bitstream and long Altera/Intel product history, which simplifies security accreditation. For harsher environments, the same die is offered in industrial-temperature EP1S40B956I6N and military screened variants.
Recommended
High-Performance DSP Co-Processing
In heterogeneous compute systems, the EP1S40B956C6N serves as a DSP co-processor that offloads compute-intensive kernels (FFT, convolutions, cryptographic primitives) from a host CPU or DSP. The 41,250 LEs implement multiple parallel FIR/IIR filters and matrix-multiply engines, while 3.4 Mbit of TriMatrix memory buffers streaming data to keep DSP utilization above 80%. The 683 I/Os support parallel LVDS links to external SRAM, RLDRAM, or QDR-II memories, providing multi-GByte/s bandwidth for streaming DSP workloads. Common co-processing tasks include radar SAR processing, hyperspectral image analysis, and seismic data inversion. PCIe IP cores from Altera (now Intel) allow the FPGA to plug directly into x86 or PowerPC host systems.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1S40B956C6N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1S40B956C6 | EP1S40B956C7 | EP1S40B956I6N | EP1S30B956C6 | EP2S60F1020C5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 956-BGA (40x40, 1.27 mm pitch) | 956-BGA - same | 956-BGA - same | 956-BGA - same | 956-BGA - same | 1020-FBGA - same family, different ball map |
| Logic Elements | 41,250 | 41,250 | 41,250 | 41,250 | 33,880 (-18%) | 60,440 ALMs (Stratix II) |
| Embedded Memory | 3,423,744 bits | 3,423,744 bits | 3,423,744 bits | 3,423,744 bits | 2,543,040 bits | 3,353,216 bits (Stratix II M512/M4K) |
| Maximum User I/O | 683 | 683 | 683 | 683 | 683 | 758 |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial, mid) | C6 | C7 (faster) | I6 (industrial temp) | C6 | C5 (Stratix II speed grade) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to 85 °C | 0 °C to 85 °C | -40 °C to 100 °C (Industrial) | 0 °C to 85 °C | 0 °C to 85 °C |
| Supply Voltage | 1.425 V to 1.575 V (1.5 V nominal) | 1.425 V - 1.575 V | 1.425 V - 1.575 V | 1.425 V - 1.575 V | 1.425 V - 1.575 V | 1.2 V core (Stratix II) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete (2026) | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Last Time Buy / EOL |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic density in the 1st-generation Stratix family (vs EP1S30B956C6)
- Industrial-temperature variant available on identical pinout (vs EP1S40B956C7)
- Mature Quartus II toolchain with long bitstream stability (vs EP2S60F1020C5 (Stratix II))
- Mid-range -6 speed grade for balanced cost and timing margin (vs EP1S40B956C7)
Design Notes
The 956-ball FCBGA at 1.27 mm pitch demands at least 8 PCB routing layers (4 signal + 4 ground/power) with 0.2 mm laser-drilled microvias and filled-and-capped via-in-pad structures. Use a stack-up with matched dielectric constants and 50 Ω controlled impedance on all LVDS and clock traces. Place decoupling capacitors as close as possible to each power pin: typically 0.1 µF X7R for high-frequency noise, 1 µF X5R for mid-frequency, and 10 µF or 22 µF bulk tantalum or ceramic for low-frequency transients. Reference Intel's Stratix Hardware Design Guidelines for ball-by-ball power-pin groupings.
Estimated: at full 41,250 LE utilization switching at ~100 MHz internal clock, the EP1S40B956C6N can draw 1.5-2.5 A from the 1.5 V core rail, requiring a low-impedance power plane and a synchronous buck regulator with at least 5 A capacity. Do not assume FPGA quiescent current equals static current - dynamic switching current dominates and must be budgeted with adequate decoupling. Failing to provide proper JTAG pin pull-ups (TCK, TMS, TDI pulled up; TDO high-Z) prevents configuration and masquerades as a 'dead' device. Always include a 4-pin JTAG header even on production boards for in-field debug and recovery.
LVDS and LVTTL signals on the EP1S40B956C6N require matched-length routing within ±50 ps of skew for SDR interfaces and ±25 ps for DDR interfaces. Use series-termination resistors (typically 33 Ω) on LVTTL outputs and a 100 Ω differential pair on LVDS pairs. Isolate high-speed clock nets (PLL outputs, global clocks) from I/O traces to avoid coupling, and place guard traces or ground fences between adjacent differential pairs. For SFI-4.2 or SPI-4.2 interfaces running at 622 MHz, route on inner stripline layers with continuous reference planes.
The 40 mm × 40 mm 956-BGA package provides good thermal dissipation via the internal ground/power planes and a thermal pad array, but the device's maximum junction temperature is 125 °C. At typical utilization (60-80 % LEs, 100 MHz), junction temperature rise above ambient is 15-25 °C with proper PCB design. For high-utilization designs in enclosed chassis, consider a heat spreader or top-side heatsink and verify with on-die temperature sensing diode routed to an external ADC.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status not explicitly listed in the verified distributor data retrieved 2026-09-07. The 'N' suffix in Altera part numbers historically indicates lead-free packaging, but legacy 956-BGA balls on this device may contain lead. Compliance data should be confirmed via Intel FPGA legacy product team or distributor certificates.
