EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN - 41,250 Cells Stratix GX FPGA | Intel
MPN: EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $256.5 | $2,565.00 |
| 100 | $228 | $22,800.00 |
| 500 | $199.5 | $99,750.00 |
| 1,000 | $175 | $175,000.00 |
EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN Overview
What is an FPGA? An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device whose digital logic function is defined after manufacturing by loading a user-supplied configuration bitstream. FPGAs sit in the programmable-logic branch of digital ICs alongside CPLDs, structured ASICs, and standard-cell ASICs, and trade raw clock frequency and energy efficiency for design flexibility, parallel hardware fabric, and per-chip reconfigurability. Within Intel/Altera's hierarchy, the Stratix GX family targets high-end applications that combine parallel DSP fabric with embedded high-speed serial transceivers.
Key differentiating features include 4,125 LABs/CLBs (Logic Array Blocks / Configurable Logic Blocks) versus the older 1,840 of the original Stratix family, 4 embedded PLLs, and dedicated hardware multipliers for DSP. The 1020-pin FBGA package uses a 33 x 33 mm substrate with 1.0 mm pitch, requiring a multi-layer PCB with controlled-impedance routing. Operating temperature is commercial 0C to +85C.
Technical depth: the Stratix GX architecture combines a TriMatrix memory structure (MRAM blocks of various widths), an embedded row/column interconnect, and per-quadrant high-speed transceivers paired with Clock Data Recovery (CDR) logic. The 'C6' speed grade indicates a -6 commercial speed bin, and the 'N' suffix denotes a Pb-free / lead-free terminal finish. Power architecture requires multiple supply rails (VCCINT core, VCCIO bank I/O, VCCA_PLL analog, VCC_GXB transceiver) with sequencing recommendations documented in the Altera Stratix GX Handbook.
Typical applications include high-speed serial interface bridging (XAUI, PCI Express endpoint, Serial RapidIO), telecom line cards with SERDES aggregation, prototype ASIC replacement, broadcast video processing, and industrial test equipment with parallel ADC/DAC data capture. Designers choose the EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN when design entry needs the embedded 3.125 Gbps transceivers plus ample logic for protocol state machines.
Design consideration: verify DDR2/QDRII SRAM interface timing against the chosen speed grade, plan decoupling on every VCCIO bank, and confirm the multi-gigabit transceiver reference clock architecture before PCB layout because the 1020-BGA package cannot be reworked by hand.
This page synthesizes Intel distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives from the Stratix GX family, and practical PCB design notes not found in the standalone manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN — 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 EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, RoHS Status, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1SGX40GF1020C6N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$980 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40GF1020C5N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1180 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40GF1020C6
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$360 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40GF1020C6B
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1590 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40GF1020C5ES
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40DF1020C6BN
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$188 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix GX |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 41,250 |
| Number of LABs / CLBs | 4125 |
| Embedded Memory | 3,423,744 bits |
| Total RAM Bits | 3,423,744 |
| User I/O Pins | 624 |
| Number of I/O Banks | 12 (per package variant) |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 1.5 V |
| Process Technology | 130 nm |
| Maximum Internal Clock | 5000 MHz |
| Number of PLLs | 4 |
| Package | 1020-BBGA, FCBGA, 33 x 33 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (FBGA, 1.0 mm pitch) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | C6 (-6 commercial) |
| Lead-Free / Pb-Free | Yes (N suffix) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Transceivers | Embedded multi-gigabit transceivers (3.125 Gbps) |
| Multiplier (DSP Blocks) | Yes (dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers) |
| Product Status | Obsolete (per Octopart) |
EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN 1020-bbga, fcbga, 33 x 33 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN (1020-bbga, fcbga, 33 x 33 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 EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Line Card with Serial RapidIO Aggregation, PCI Express Endpoint Bridge / Expansion Card, XAUI / 10 GbE Switch Fabric Interface, Broadcast Video Processing and Format Conversion, Industrial Test & Measurement Instrumentation, ASIC Prototyping for High-Speed Serial Designs.
Telecom Line Card with Serial RapidIO Aggregation
The EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN's embedded 3.125 Gbps multi-gigabit transceivers make it a natural fit for Serial RapidIO aggregation on telecom line cards. The 4,125 LABs and 18 x 18 multipliers handle the RapidIO packet processing and link-layer state machines, while 3.4 Mbits of TriMatrix memory buffer packets between lanes. With 624 user I/O, the FPGA can drive external SGMII PHYs, DDR2 framing buffers, and the framer/mapper ASICs that sit between the line interface and the network processor. Designers typically instantiate four x1 Serial RapidIO links to a switch-fabric ASIC plus a fast parallel datapath into a DDR2 controller, using the 4 PLLs to derive all required clock domains from a single 156.25 MHz reference.
Recommended
PCI Express Endpoint Bridge / Expansion Card
The EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN is commonly used as a PCI Express endpoint bridge on legacy server, storage, and instrumentation expansion cards. Its 3.125 Gbps transceivers natively support x1 and x4 PCIe Gen1 with the hard IP block, while the 4,125 LABs hold the application-layer DMA engine and scatter-gather list walker. The 3.4 Mbits of block RAM is sufficient for multiple 4 KB DMA descriptors, eliminating an external SRAM. Designers route a 100 MHz differential reference clock to the GX receiver, AC-couple the four transmit pairs, and place a 4-port PCIe edge connector within 25 mm of the BGA for clean 90 ohm differential routing at 2.5 GT/s.
Recommended
XAUI / 10 GbE Switch Fabric Interface
XAUI (10 Gigabit Attachment Unit Interface) is one of the canonical applications for the Stratix GX family. The EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN implements four full XAUI lanes with built-in 8B/10B encoding, lane deskew, and clock-data recovery using its embedded transceivers. The 41,250 logic elements accommodate the XAUI state machine, MAC-layer FIFO, and ingress/egress counters required for 10 GbE switch fabric interfacing. A typical design places the FPGA between an external XENPAK or SFP+ optical module and a network processor, with the 624 user I/O routed to a QDRII SRAM for packet buffering and to an SPI flash for boot configuration.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing and Format Conversion
Broadcast video format converters and SDI (Serial Digital Interface) gateways map directly onto the EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN. The 3.125 Gbps transceivers comfortably carry dual-link HD-SDI (1.485 Gbps) or 3G-SDI (2.97 Gbps) inputs, while the 4,125 LABs and hardware multipliers run real-time color-space conversion, deinterlacing, and scaling algorithms in parallel. The 3.4 Mbits of TriMatrix memory holds several full-HD video frames as line buffers, removing the need for external SDRAM in cost-sensitive designs. With 624 user I/O, designers can route audio embedders, GPIO for front-panel control, and a parallel BT.656 output to an external encoder ASIC.
Recommended
Industrial Test & Measurement Instrumentation
In high-channel-count oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol testers, the EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN serves as the central data capture and reformatting FPGA. Its transceivers aggregate high-speed serial ADC lanes (JESD204B Class 1 / Subclass 1 at up to 3.125 Gbps), while the 41,250 logic elements perform deep acquisition memory control, trigger logic, and on-board DSP. The 3.4 Mbits of block RAM hold pre-trigger samples and decimation filters, with the 4 PLLs providing independent sample-rate clocks for multi-board synchronization. The 624 user I/O connect to front-panel LCD/TFT controllers, USB 2.0 controller chips, and Ethernet PHYs for the instrument's user interface and remote control.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping for High-Speed Serial Designs
The EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN is widely used as a pre-silicon ASIC prototype platform for designs that will eventually be taped out as structured ASICs or standard-cell ASICs with embedded SERDES. Its 3.125 Gbps transceivers allow the same SERDES physical layer to be validated in hardware before the ASIC foundry spin, while 41,250 logic elements provide a capacity cushion for bringing up the full RTL in a real FPGA flow. Engineers prototype XAUI, PCIe, Serial RapidIO, and custom serial protocols using Altera's MegaCore function IP, then port the verified RTL to an ASIC library. The 1020-BGA package and Quartus II toolchain give designers an industrial-grade PCB test bed that maps directly to the eventual ASIC pinout.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1SGX40GF1020C6N | EP1SGX40GF1020C5N | EP1SGX40GF1020C6 | EP1SGX40GF1020C6B | EP1SGX40DF1020C6BN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 1020-BGA (33x33, 1.0 mm pitch) | 1020-BGA (33x33) - same | 1020-BGA (33x33) - same | 1020-BGA (33x33) - same | 1020-BGA (33x33) - same | 1020-BGA (33x33) - same footprint, different transceiver pinout |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Family | Stratix GX | Stratix GX | Stratix GX | Stratix GX | Stratix GX | Stratix (non-GX, no transceivers) |
| Logic Elements | 41,250 | 41,250 | 41,250 | 41,250 | 41,250 | 41,250 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 4125 | 4125 | 4125 | 4125 | 4125 | 4125 |
| Embedded Memory | 3,423,744 bits | 3,423,744 bits | 3,423,744 bits | 3,423,744 bits | 3,423,744 bits | 3,423,744 bits |
| User I/O | 624 | 624 | 624 | 624 | 624 | 624 |
| Embedded Transceivers | Yes (3.125 Gbps GX) | Yes (3.125 Gbps GX) | Yes (3.125 Gbps GX) | Yes (3.125 Gbps GX) | Yes (3.125 Gbps GX) | NO (DF variant, transceiver pins repurposed as GPIO) |
| Speed Grade | C6 (-6 commercial) | C6 (-6 commercial) | C5 (-5 commercial, slower) | C6 (-6 commercial) | C6 (-6 commercial) | C6 (-6 commercial) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
Key Differentiators
- Identical silicon across the EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN family (vs EP1SGX40GF1020C5N)
- Lead-free / RoHS compliance (vs EP1SGX40GF1020C6 (non-N suffix))
- Embedded 3.125 Gbps transceivers (vs EP1SGX40DF1020C6BN)
Design Notes
The EP1SGX40GF1020C6BN requires at least four separate supply rails: VCCINT (1.5 V core), VCCIO (per-bank, 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V), VCCA_PLL (1.5 V analog for PLLs), and VCC_GXB (1.5 V analog for embedded transceivers). Per the Stratix GX Handbook, VCCINT must ramp up before or simultaneously with VCCIO to avoid I/O latch-up, and the ramp time should stay between 1 ms and 100 ms. Estimated: for a typical 40% logic utilization design at 300 MHz core clock, expect ~1.2 A on VCCINT and ~80 mA per active transceiver channel on VCC_GXB - decouple each rail with 4.7 uF bulk plus 0.1 uF / 0.01 uF high-frequency ceramics per pin group.
The 1020-BGA (1.0 mm pitch, 33 x 33 mm) package requires a 6-to-8 layer PCB with continuous GND planes under the BGA field, microvia or via-in-pad escape from inner rows, and 50 ohm single-ended plus 90 ohm differential controlled impedance for the multi-gigabit transceiver lanes. Estimated: a 4 mil dielectric between the top signal layer and GND plane gives ~50 ohm for a 7 mil trace. Power plane islands for VCCINT, VCC_GXB, and VCCA_PLL must be isolated with ferrite beads or moats to prevent 3.125 Gbps switching noise from coupling into the analog supplies. JTAG (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) must be brought to a header for Quartus II programmer access.
Place the 100/156.25 MHz transceiver reference clock within 5 mm of the dedicated GXB refclk pad, route it as a 100 ohm differential pair with length-matching within 0.13 mm (5 ps), and isolate it with GND guard vias every 2 mm. The AC-coupling capacitors on each GXB TX/RX lane must be 0.1 uF 0201-size X7R placed within 5 mm of the BGA pad. Match all four TX pairs and all four RX pairs within 0.5 mm intra-group, with intra-pair skew below 0.05 mm. Per the Stratix GX Handbook, do not route any LVTTL/LVCMOS signal under the BGA field unless it sits on an inner plane between two continuous GND planes.
Do not assume the 'N' (lead-free) and non-'N' terminal-finish versions of EP1SGX40GF1020C6 are interchangeable on existing Pb-free surface-mount lines - the non-'N' variant has SnPb eutectic balls and is not compatible with peak-reflow profiles above 220 C. Confirm receipt of lot-date-code (LDC) and RoHS-coC paperwork before installing either variant. Estimated: a typical Stratix GX design bitstream compiled in Quartus II v9.1 is portable across speed-grade bins (C5/C6) and minor silicon revisions, but will not load on the DF (non-GX) variant because the configuration file embeds the transceiver ID at bitstream generation time.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant confirmed by N-suffix per Altera/Intel datasheet. Lead-free per N suffix; halogen-free status not stated in the verified snippets. AEC-Q100 is not applicable for commercial-grade FPGAs. The part is listed as Obsolete on Octopart as of 2026-09-07.
