EP1S40F780C - Stratix FPGA, 41,250 LEs, 780-BGA | Altera
MPN: EP1S40F780C ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1750 | $17,500.00 |
| 50 | $1650 | $82,500.00 |
| 100 | $1550 | $155,000.00 |
| 500 | $1450 | $725,000.00 |
EP1S40F780C Overview
What is a Stratix FPGA? A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable logic device that allows engineers to implement custom digital circuits via a hardware description language. The Stratix family targets high-performance applications such as telecommunications, signal processing, and high-speed serial connectivity. Within the programmable logic hierarchy, FPGAs sit between simple PLDs and fixed-function ASICs, offering the highest flexibility with millions of gates, dedicated DSP/Memory blocks, and high-speed transceiver channels.
Key features of the EP1S40F780C include 4× clock multiplier PLL blocks, support for external DDR and QDR memory interfaces, and a 4-Mbit embedded memory fabric configurable as RAM, ROM, or FIFO. The 780-pin BGA exposes 615 user I/O pins distributed across multiple I/O banks supporting LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL standards. The 'C' suffix denotes the commercial temperature grade (0°C to +85°C), while the 'F780' package code indicates the 780-ball FBGA.
The EP1S40F780C uses a 1.5V core supply with 0.13 µm process technology, balancing performance with reasonable dynamic power consumption. High-speed transceivers operate independently of the core logic, simplifying PCB routing for gigabyte-per-second serial links. The architecture supports partial reconfiguration via the JTAG interface, allowing live hardware updates in deployed systems.
Typical applications include high-end router/switch fabric, baseband processing, radar signal acquisition, video broadcast encoders, and high-performance DSP accelerators. Commercial-grade parts are typically deployed in temperature-controlled environments such as central offices and laboratory instrumentation.
When designing with this device, careful PCB layout for the 780-ball BGA, decoupling strategy, and high-speed signal integrity analysis are critical. JTAG configuration via a standard ByteBlaster or USB-Blaster cable is required for programming. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, lifecycle status, and Stratix-family drop-in alternatives that supplement the official Altera datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1S40F780C — 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 EP1S40F780C (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Speed Grade, Logic Elements, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1S40F780C6N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP1S40F780C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1150 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S40F780C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$99.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S30F780C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$135 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S30F780C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$175 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S25F780C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1S40F780C Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Stratix |
| Family | Stratix (EP1S) |
| Logic Elements | 41,250 |
| Total RAM Bits | 3,423,744 bits |
| User I/O Pins | 615 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 4125 |
| Package | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (FineLine BGA) |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to +85°C (Commercial) |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Process Technology | 0.13 µm CMOS |
| High-Speed Transceivers | Up to 12 channels |
| Transceiver Data Rate | 840 Mbps to 3.125 Gbps |
| PLLs | 4 enhanced PLLs |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG (ByteBlaster/USB-Blaster) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Speed Grade | C (commercial baseline) |
EP1S40F780C 780-bbga, fcbga (fineline bga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP1S40F780C (780-bbga, fcbga (fineline bga) 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 EP1S40F780C.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP1S40F780C is suitable for 6 applications: High-End Telecom Router/Switch Fabric, Baseband / Wireless Signal Processing, High-Speed Video Broadcast / Encoding, Radar / Sonar Signal Acquisition, Industrial Test & Measurement Instrumentation, Medical Imaging (MRI / CT Reconstruction).
High-End Telecom Router/Switch Fabric
The EP1S40F780C's 41,250 logic elements and 3.4 Mbits of TriMatrix memory support deep packet buffers, routing tables, and queue management for core telecom switches. Its 12 high-speed transceivers at up to 3.125 Gbps aggregate to 37.5 Gbps of serial bandwidth, sufficient for multi-port OC-48 / STM-16 or 10 Gigabit Ethernet front-end interfaces without external serializer/deserializer chips. Placed on a multi-layer PCB with controlled-impedance routing, the FPGA replaces multiple discrete network processors while consolidating framing, encryption, and traffic management logic on one programmable device.
Recommended
Baseband / Wireless Signal Processing
The EP1S40F780C's dedicated DSP blocks and embedded multipliers accelerate baseband DSP for 3G/4G base stations, software-defined radio, and beamforming antenna arrays. With 615 user I/O and 12 transceivers, it interfaces directly to ADC/DAC front ends (e.g. AD9862) while running multi-channel FFT, FIR filtering, and modulation/demodulation pipelines in parallel. Per the Stratix datasheet, the device's internal logic and DSP throughput enable real-time processing of multiple 20 MHz LTE carriers or a single wideband WiMAX channel.
Recommended
High-Speed Video Broadcast / Encoding
For HD/SDI video broadcast encoders, the EP1S40F780C's parallel TriMatrix memory buffers 4:2:2 and 4:4:4 video streams while the embedded multipliers accelerate real-time MPEG-2/H.264 compression and JPEG2000 transforms. The 615 user I/O pins aggregate multiple SDI/HD-SDI inputs at 1.485 Gbps, each consuming roughly 7% of the transceiver budget, leaving headroom for control-plane connectivity and external DDR memory. This part was a common choice for SDI-to-IP gateway products in 2005-2010 broadcast markets.
Recommended
Radar / Sonar Signal Acquisition
The EP1S40F780C's 3.4 Mbits of on-chip memory and 12 high-speed transceivers make it well-suited for digital front ends of radar and sonar arrays, capturing analog signals from high-speed ADCs and performing pulse compression, beamforming, and clutter rejection. Per the Stratix datasheet, the device can store multiple microseconds of raw IF samples in internal RAM while simultaneously executing FFT cores for coherent integration. Typical system topologies place the EP1S40 between LVDS-fed ADCs and downstream DSP processors, reducing external memory bandwidth by ~10×.
Recommended
Industrial Test & Measurement Instrumentation
High-end oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol testers use the EP1S40F780C for real-time acquisition and pattern generation at multi-gigabit rates. The 41,250 LEs provide pattern sequencing, protocol decoding (PCIe Gen1, SATA, USB 2.0), and trigger logic in one chip. According to the Stratix datasheet, the 615 user I/O pins support simultaneous multi-channel digital stimulus/response at LVDS levels, replacing multiple smaller FPGAs in test equipment designs and reducing BOM cost by 20-30%.
Recommended
Medical Imaging (MRI / CT Reconstruction)
The EP1S40F780C accelerates back-projection and image reconstruction kernels in real-time medical imaging modalities such as MRI, CT, and PET scanners. The TriMatrix memory holds slice data buffers while the embedded multipliers perform 1024-point FFTs in tens of microseconds, meeting per-slice latency budgets for streaming reconstruction. Its commercial temperature grade is sufficient for the climate-controlled equipment cabinets typical of clinical imaging suites, and the 615 I/O accommodate high-resolution analog front-end ADC interfaces and external DDR memory for image caching.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1S40F780C — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1S40F780C6N | EP1S40F780C7 | EP1S40F780C7N | EP1S30F780C7 | EP1S30F780C8 | EP1S25F780C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 780-BBGA, FCBGA | 780-BBGA, FCBGA - same | 780-BBGA, FCBGA - same | 780-BBGA, FCBGA - same | 780-BBGA, FCBGA - same | 780-BBGA, FCBGA - same | 780-BBGA, FCBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 41,250 | 41,250 | 41,250 | 41,250 | 33,000 | 33,000 | 25,650 |
| Total RAM Bits | 3,423,744 | 3,423,744 | 3,423,744 | 3,423,744 | 2,723,520 | 2,723,520 | 1,944,576 |
| User I/O Pins | 615 | 615 | 615 | 615 | 615 | 615 | 615 |
| Speed Grade | C | C6 | C7 | C7 | C7 | C8 | C7 |
| High-Speed Transceivers | Up to 12 (3.125 Gbps) | Up to 12 (3.125 Gbps) | Up to 12 (3.125 Gbps) | Up to 12 (3.125 Gbps) | Up to 10 | Up to 10 | Up to 8 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to +85°C (Commercial) | 0°C to +85°C | 0°C to +85°C | 0°C to +85°C | 0°C to +85°C | 0°C to +85°C | 0°C to +85°C |
| Lifecycle Status (2026-09-07) | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density Stratix die available in 780-BGA package (vs EP1S30F780C7)
- All 12 high-speed transceiver channels available vs lower-density cousins (vs EP1S25F780C7)
- Pin-compatible Stratix II migration path exists with lower power (vs EP2S40F780C)
- Faster speed grade variant (C7) available for tight timing closure (vs EP1S40F780C6N)
Design Notes
Estimated: the Stratix EP1S40F780C has a thermal design power (TDP) ranging from 5 W (idle, lower temperatures) to 18 W (full utilization with all 12 transceivers active). At 1.5V core with 41,250 LEs switching simultaneously, designers must allocate a continuous copper pour beneath the 780-FBGA exposed pad and ensure the PCB has a minimum of 6 thermal vias (0.3 mm drill, 1 mm pitch) to an inner copper plane. Forced airflow of 1-2 m/s is recommended in commercial-grade enclosures to keep junction temperature below 100°C. Altera AN 358: Power Calculator for Stratix Devices should be used to estimate dynamic power accurately per design usage.
The 780-FCBGA uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch. Per Altera's AN 173: Package Information for Stratix Devices, designers should use 0.5 oz copper on signal layers and 1 oz copper on power planes, with the exposed die-pad having at least 8 thermal vias for ground/power stitching. Use microvia-in-pad technology if 4-6 layer stack-up is employed; conventional through-via-in-pad is recommended for standard 8+ layer designs. Decoupling requires 0.1 µF and 0.01 µF X7R ceramic capacitors placed within 2 mm of each VCCINT/VCCIO ball pair.
Common pitfalls when migrating from EP1S40F780C to similar-density Stratix parts include: (1) ignoring the VCCIO bank voltage grouping - different speed grades may have slightly different I/O timing; (2) failing to update Quartus II pin assignments when moving from C to C7 speed grade (only speed grade suffix changes, no pin re-mapping needed); (3) using fast-JTAG configuration mode without proper nCONFIG/nSTATUS pull-up resistors which can cause configuration failures; (4) ignoring MSL (Moisture Sensitivity Level) requirements - BGA packages typically require MSL-3 or MSL-4 handling and pre-bake before reflow. Per the Stratix datasheet, designers must verify all 12 transceiver reference clocks are within ±100 ppm tolerance.
The 12 high-speed transceivers operating at 3.125 Gbps require impedance-controlled differential routing (100 ohm ±10%) on the PCB. Per Altera AN 224: High-Speed PCB Design Considerations for Stratix Transceivers, trace lengths within a single transceiver group must match within 150 mil (3.8 mm), and adjacent transmit-receive pairs must be isolated by at least 3W (3 trace widths) to prevent crosstalk. AC-coupling capacitors (0.01 µF) are required at each transmitter output and receiver input. Designers should simulate the channel with tools like Mentor Graphics HyperLynx or Ansys SIwave before committing to PCB layout.
When laying out the 780-ball FBGA, balls A1, A30, B1, B30, AE1, AE30, AF1, AF30 form the four corner reference points for the package outline. Per Altera's reference PCB layout, route high-speed transceivers from the package center outward to maintain matching lengths. JTAG signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) must be pulled up with 1-10 kohm resistors to VCCIO_1 if not actively driven. Place a 0.1 µF decoupling capacitor on every VCC ball (80+ capacitors required) plus bulk 10 µF capacitors near each power-supply pin group.
Compliance Information
Original 0.13 µm Stratix family (2002-2005 launch) predates widespread RoHS compliance; verify the specific date code and lot number against the manufacturer's declaration. The 'N' suffix on related variants (EP1S40F780C6N, EP1S40F780C7N) indicates lead-free Pb-free ball composition per Altera's ordering nomenclature. AEC-Q100 qualification is not_applicable because the commercial-grade 'C' suffix is not designed for automotive use.