EP20K100CF144C9 - APEX-20K FPGA 100K Gates 144-LQFP | Intel
MPN: EP20K100CF144C9 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $78.4 | $78.40 |
| 10 | $70.56 | $705.60 |
| 100 | $62.72 | $6,272.00 |
| 500 | $55.85 | $27,925.00 |
| 1,000 | $49 | $49,000.00 |
EP20K100CF144C9 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a programmable logic device (PLD) category in the broader semiconductor taxonomy: FPGA -> programmable logic device -> logic IC -> integrated circuit. Unlike ASICs, FPGAs are configured post-fabrication via an SRAM-based or antifuse-based configuration bitstream, allowing rapid prototyping and in-system reconfigurability for telecom, industrial control, and DSP applications.
Key features of the EP20K100CF144C9 include four embedded system blocks (ESBs) that can be configured as dual-port RAM, ROM, FIFO, or CAM; 4,160 logic elements (LEs) grouped in Logic Array Blocks (LABs); 53,248 bits of embedded RAM; and 93 user I/O pins compatible with LVTTL, LVCMOS, and other common I/O standards. The device supports in-system programmability (ISP) via the IEEE 1149.1 JTAG interface, allowing configuration bitstream updates in the field without removing the device from the PCB.
The APEX-20K architecture features a MultiCore interconnect routing fabric that links LEs and ESBs across four hierarchical levels (L1-L4), enabling predictable timing closure and high utilization. The die operates from a 2.5 V core supply and supports multi-voltage I/O via separate VCCIO banks. Maximum internal clock frequencies depend on the design's LE utilization and routing but typically reach 100 MHz for combinatorial datapaths and 180 MHz for registered I/O at commercial temperature.
Typical applications for the EP20K100CF144C9 include high-speed glue logic replacement, custom bus interfaces, protocol bridging (PCI to local bus, UART to parallel), industrial control signal conditioning, and prototyping of ASIC-equivalent functions before mask production. The commercial speed grade (-C9) targets moderate-frequency designs where lower-cost packages and the LQFP-144 footprint are preferred over BGA packages for hand-solderable prototyping and field service.
When designing with this device, ensure proper configuration source selection via MSEL pins (EPCS serial configuration devices, JTAG, or CPU-driven passive serial), and provide a clean 2.5 V core rail with adequate decoupling (typically 0.1 µF + 10 µF bulk) near each VCC pin pair. The 144-LQFP package has a 1.0 mm pitch, requiring careful PCB layout to maintain signal integrity at the edge rates typical of APEX-20K I/O.
This page synthesizes distributor stock indicators, drop-in alternatives drawn from the same APEX-20K family and cross-brand pin-compatible equivalents, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet. Lifecycle status, parametric values, and pricing references reflect distributor data as of 2026-09-07 and may shift as Intel continues long-term support for the legacy APEX-20K line.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K100CF144C9 — 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 EP20K100CF144C9 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Speed Grade, Process Technology, Package, Family, Core Voltage.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K100CF144C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$36 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100CF144C8ES
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$26.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100CF144C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$28.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100CF144C7ES
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$171 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100CF144C9 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX-20K |
| Device Logic Elements | 4,160 |
| Typical Gates | 100,000 |
| Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) | 4 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 93 |
| Embedded RAM Bits | 53,248 |
| Package | 144-LQFP |
| Configuration Method | SRAM / JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V |
| Speed Grade | C9 (commercial) |
| Operating Temperature (Commercial) | 0C to +85C |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP20K100CF144C9 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 3 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 4 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 5 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 6 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 7 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 8 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 9 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 10 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 11 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply |
| Pin 12 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 13 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 14 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 15 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 16 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 17 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 18 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 19 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 20 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 21 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 22 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 23 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 24 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 25 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 26 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 27 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 28 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 29 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 30 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 31 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 32 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 33 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 34 | VCCINT — Core supply (2.5 V) |
| Pin 35 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 36 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 37 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 38 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 39 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 40 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 41 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 42 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 43 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 44 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 45 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 46 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 47 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 48 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 49 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 50 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 51 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 52 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 53 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply |
| Pin 54 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 55 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 56 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 57 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin 58 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 59 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 60 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 61 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 62 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 63 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 64 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 65 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 66 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 67 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 68 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 69 | VCCINT — Core supply (2.5 V) |
| Pin 70 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 71 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 72 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 73 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 74 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 75 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 76 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 77 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 78 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 79 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 80 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 81 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 82 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply |
| Pin 83 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 84 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 85 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 86 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 87 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 88 | I/O — User I/O (bank 3) |
| Pin 89 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 90 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 91 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 92 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 93 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 94 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 95 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 96 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 97 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 98 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 99 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 100 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 101 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 102 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 103 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply |
| Pin 104 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 105 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 106 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 107 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 108 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 109 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 110 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 111 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 112 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 113 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 114 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 115 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 116 | I/O — User I/O (bank 4) |
| Pin 117 | VCCINT — Core supply (2.5 V) |
| Pin 118 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 119 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 120 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 121 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 122 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 123 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 124 | MSEL0 — Configuration mode select 0 |
| Pin 125 | MSEL1 — Configuration mode select 1 |
| Pin 126 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (open-drain) |
| Pin 127 | nCONFIG — Configuration control (active-low) |
| Pin 128 | CONF_DONE — Configuration complete (open-drain) |
| Pin 129 | TCK — JTAG test clock |
| Pin 130 | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin 131 | TDI — JTAG test data in |
| Pin 132 | TDO — JTAG test data out |
| Pin 133 | VCCINT — Core supply (2.5 V) |
| Pin 134 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 135 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 136 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 137 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 138 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 139 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 140 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 141 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 142 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 143 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin 144 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
Typical Applications
EP20K100CF144C9 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Glue Logic Replacement, Custom Bus Interface Bridging, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Industrial Control Signal Conditioning, DSP Pipeline Implementation, Telecom Protocol Converter.
High-Speed Glue Logic Replacement
The EP20K100CF144C9 fits glue logic replacement applications because its 4,160 logic elements and 100,000-gate capacity absorb dozens of 74-series TTL parts into a single reconfigurable device. The 93 user I/O pins in the 144-LQFP package comfortably handle the bidirectional buses and control signals typical of legacy board-level glue. Engineers route clock-domain crossings through the ESB dual-port RAM blocks, achieving deterministic timing via the MultiCore interconnect rather than discrete flip-flops and buffers.
Recommended
Custom Bus Interface Bridging
The EP20K100CF144C9 bridges PCI, VME, or proprietary local buses by mapping bus protocols into the 53,248 bits of embedded ESB RAM, with the LAB fabric handling address decoding and bus arbitration. The 144-LQFP package exposes enough user I/O to drive 32-bit data plus control signals on both sides of the bridge. Its C9 speed grade comfortably supports 33 MHz PCI at commercial temperature, while the JTAG interface enables post-deployment protocol updates.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
Engineers prototype ASIC designs on the EP20K100CF144C9 because its 100K-gate capacity emulates mid-complexity ASICs before committing to mask sets. The 4,160 logic elements and 4 ESBs reproduce standard-cell plus compiled-memory designs with predictable timing closure via the MultiCore routing fabric. The 144-LQFP package's 0.5 mm pitch is hand-solderable for prototype boards, and JTAG reprogramming allows rapid RTL iteration between design passes without external programming hardware.
Recommended
Industrial Control Signal Conditioning
The EP20K100CF144C9 handles industrial control signal conditioning by combining logic-level translation, debouncing, and protocol conversion in a single device. The 93 user I/O pins accept mixed-voltage signals via independent VCCIO banks (3.3 V / 2.5 V / 1.8 V), eliminating external level shifters. ESB blocks implement FIFO buffers for UART-to-parallel bridges, while the LAB fabric runs state machines for motor control timing. Commercial temperature range covers most indoor industrial enclosures.
Recommended
DSP Pipeline Implementation
The EP20K100CF144C9 implements moderate-complexity DSP pipelines such as FIR filters, FFT pre-processors, and modulation codecs using the 4,160 logic elements for datapath arithmetic and the 4 ESBs for coefficient storage and delay lines. The MultiCore interconnect fabric supports parallel multiplier trees at 80-100 MHz in C9 speed grade. Its 144-LQFP package fits within the 1.0 mm-pitch PCB area typical of embedded DSP cards, with JTAG enabling post-deployment algorithm updates.
Recommended
Telecom Protocol Converter
The EP20K100CF144C9 fits telecom protocol conversion between legacy TDM and packet networks because its 53,248 bits of embedded RAM store frame buffers and lookup tables for protocol translation. The 93 user I/O pins accommodate serial LVDS or TTL links on both TDM and Ethernet sides. Commercial temperature range suits indoor central-office deployments, while JTAG allows remote firmware upgrades via in-system programming. C9 timing supports standard E1/T1 line rates comfortably.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K100CF144C9 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K100CF144C8 | EP20K100CF144C8ES | EP20K100CF144C7 | EP20K100CF144C7ES | EP20K100CB356C9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 144-LQFP | 144-LQFP - same | 144-LQFP - same | 144-LQFP - same | 144-LQFP - same | 356-BGA - different (requires PCB rework) |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 |
| Typical Gates | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 | 100,000 |
| Speed Grade | C9 (commercial) | C8 (faster) | C8 (faster) | C7 (fastest) | C7 (fastest) | C9 (same as target) |
| Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Embedded RAM Bits | 53,248 | 53,248 | 53,248 | 53,248 | 53,248 | 53,248 |
| Configuration Method | SRAM / JTAG | SRAM / JTAG | SRAM / JTAG | SRAM / JTAG | SRAM / JTAG | SRAM / JTAG |
Key Differentiators
- LQFP-144 footprint is hand-solderable for prototyping (vs EP20K100CB356C9 (356-BGA package))
- C9 speed grade is the lowest-cost bin in the family (vs EP20K100CF144C8 (C8 speed grade))
- Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) replace external SRAM/FIFO chips (vs EP20K100CF144C7 with external memory)
Design Notes
The APEX-20K EP20K100 requires a clean 2.5 V ±5% core supply (VCCINT) plus separate VCCIO rails per I/O bank (typically 3.3 V, 2.5 V, or 1.8 V). Place a 0.1 µF X7R ceramic decoupling capacitor within 5 mm of every VCCINT pin pair, and add a 10 µF bulk capacitor per voltage domain. Estimated: at 100% logic utilization with 93 I/O toggling at 50 MHz, ICCINT can reach 250-400 mA - design the regulator with at least 20% headroom and use a low-ESR bulk cap to suppress 100 kHz ripple.
The 144-LQFP package has a 0.5 mm lead pitch requiring fine-pitch PCB layout: keep trace width ≤ 0.15 mm and via pads ≤ 0.3 mm to escape cleanly from inner rows. Match trace lengths on clock and JTAG signals within 2-3 mm to preserve timing margins. Per the APEX-20K datasheet, the LQFP-144 footprint is hand-solderable with a fine-tipped iron, but production assembly should use reflow profiles per JEDEC J-STD-020 for moisture sensitivity level handling.
Do not confuse MSEL0/MSEL1 strapping between Active Serial (AS), Passive Serial (PS), and JTAG-only modes - wrong strapping causes configuration failure with CONF_DONE stuck low. Per the APEX-20K datasheet, the nCONFIG and nSTATUS pins are open-drain and require external pull-ups to VCCIO. Common pitfall: leaving JTAG pins floating - tie TDI and TMS high through 10 kΩ resistors to prevent spurious boundary-scan activity during power-up.
APEX-20K I/O edges are sub-2 ns - route high-speed signals over a continuous reference plane (ground preferred) and use 22-33 Ω series damping resistors at the source for stubs exceeding 25 mm. Per the APEX-20K datasheet, LVTTL outputs can drive 24 mA but produce ground bounce when switched simultaneously; stagger critical clocks by 2-4 ns using the LAB input delay chains to break simultaneity.
Compliance Information
Compliance status not stated in the verified distributor snippets; refer to the official Intel APEX-20K datasheet and material declaration documents for RoHS / lead-free / halogen-free status. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a commercial-grade FPGA, not an automotive-qualified part.
