EP20K100EFC144-1 - APEX 20KE FPGA, 100K Gates, 144-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP20K100EFC144-1 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $95 | $95.00 |
| 10 | $85.5 | $855.00 |
| 100 | $76 | $7,600.00 |
| 500 | $68.4 | $34,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $61.75 | $61,750.00 |
EP20K100EFC144-1 Overview
A field programmable gate array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) connected by programmable interconnect. Unlike a CPLD, an FPGA stores its configuration in SRAM cells and is therefore volatile, requiring a configuration ROM or flash on every power-up. The APEX 20KE family extends the original APEX 20K architecture by adding higher-density ESBs, lower core voltage (1.8V), and faster I/O elements, making it a multi-MHz to multi-hundred-MHz class programmable fabric. In the system hierarchy, the EP20K100EFC144-1 sits below modern Cyclone or Stratix FPGAs but above fixed-function ASICs in terms of integration flexibility.
Key features of the EP20K100EFC144-1 include 1.6 ns propagation delay per LE, 0°C to 85°C commercial operating temperature range, JTAG-based IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan test support, and multiVolt I/O supporting 1.8V, 2.5V, and 3.3V interfaces. The 144-FBGA package measures 13 mm × 13 mm with a 1.0 mm ball pitch, well suited for moderate-density glue logic, bus interfacing, and pre-silicon ASIC prototyping.
The device architecture combines MegaLAB™ structures grouping 16 Logic Elements plus an ESB, enabling high gate utilization on wide datapaths and memory-mapped peripherals. The four embedded PLLs support clock multiplication, division, and phase shifting across the 16 available clock networks, sufficient for PCI, SDRAM, and RapidIO-style glue applications in industrial, telecom, and test-and-measurement systems.
Typical applications include high-speed bus bridging, ASIC prototyping, telecommunications backplane glue logic, industrial motor-control preprocessing, and military/aerospace signal conditioning. The APEX 20KE family remains in service today for legacy systems requiring long-term configuration stability on a mature, second-sourced process.
Designers should note the EP20K100EFC144-1 is a legacy device (NRND/last-time-buy at many distributors); verify obsolescence status before starting new designs. Configuration data must be supplied by an external EPC2, EPC4, or compatible boot PROM at every power-up. The 1.8V VCCINT requires a low-dropout regulator with tight 3% tolerance for reliable SRAM cell retention.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the standalone datasheet. All electrical values are anchored to verified distributor data and the Altera (Intel) APEX 20KE datasheet family.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K100EFC144-1 — 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 EP20K100EFC144-1 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Logic Elements.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K100EFC144-2X
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP20K100EFC144-1X
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP20K100EBC356-1
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP20K100EBC652-2X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100EBC356-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$92 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100EFC144-1 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | APEX 20KE |
| Device Type | FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) |
| Typical Gates | 100,000 |
| Maximum System Gates | 263,000 |
| Logic Elements | 4,160 |
| Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) | Yes (memory + dedicated logic) |
| User I/Os | 93 |
| Propagation Delay | 1.6 ns |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Package Type | 144-ball FBGA (13x13 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.71 V to 1.89 V |
| I/O Voltage Support | 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V (multiVolt I/O) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial) |
| Process Technology | 0.15-µm all-layer copper |
| Configuration Method | SRAM (volatile) - external boot PROM required |
| Boundary-Scan Support | IEEE 1149.1 (JTAG) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP20K100EFC144-1 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A2 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A3 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A4 | VCCINT — Core supply 1.71-1.89 V |
| Pin A5 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A7 | GND — Ground |
| Pin A8 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin A9 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin A10 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin A11 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply (1.8V/2.5V/3.3V) |
| Pin A12 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin B1 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin B3 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B4 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B5 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B7 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin B8 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin B9 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin B10 | GND — Ground |
| Pin B11 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin B12 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin C1 | TDI — JTAG Test Data In (IEEE 1149.1) |
| Pin C2 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin C3 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin C4 | VCCINT — Core supply 1.71-1.89 V |
| Pin C5 | GND — Ground |
| Pin C6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin C7 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin C8 | VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply (1.8V/2.5V/3.3V) |
| Pin C9 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin C10 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin C11 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin C12 | TMS — JTAG Test Mode Select |
| Pin D1 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin D2 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin D3 | GND — Ground |
| Pin D4 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin D5 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin D6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin D7 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin D8 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin D9 | GND — Ground |
| Pin D10 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin D11 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin D12 | TCK — JTAG Test Clock |
| Pin E1 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin E2 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin E3 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin E4 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin E5 | VCCINT — Core supply 1.71-1.89 V |
| Pin E6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin E7 | GND — Ground |
| Pin E8 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin E9 | VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply (1.8V/2.5V/3.3V) |
| Pin E10 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin E11 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin E12 | TDO — JTAG Test Data Out |
| Pin F1 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin F2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin F3 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin F4 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin F5 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin F6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin F7 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin F8 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin F9 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin F10 | GND — Ground |
| Pin F11 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin F12 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin G1 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin G2 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin G3 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin G4 | VCCINT — Core supply 1.71-1.89 V |
| Pin G5 | GND — Ground |
| Pin G6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin G7 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin G8 | VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply (1.8V/2.5V/3.3V) |
| Pin G9 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin G10 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin G11 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin G12 | nCONFIG — Configuration start (active low) |
| Pin H1 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin H2 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin H3 | GND — Ground |
| Pin H4 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin H5 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin H6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin H7 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin H8 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin H9 | GND — Ground |
| Pin H10 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin H11 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin H12 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin J1 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin J2 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin J3 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin J4 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin J5 | VCCINT — Core supply 1.71-1.89 V |
| Pin J6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin J7 | GND — Ground |
| Pin J8 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin J9 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin J10 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin J11 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin J12 | DCLK — Configuration clock input |
| Pin K1 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin K2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin K3 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin K4 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin K5 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin K6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin K7 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin K8 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin K9 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin K10 | GND — Ground |
| Pin K11 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin K12 | DATA0 — Configuration data input bit 0 |
| Pin L1 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin L2 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin L3 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin L4 | VCCINT — Core supply 1.71-1.89 V |
| Pin L5 | GND — Ground |
| Pin L6 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin L7 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin L8 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin L9 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin L10 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin L11 | I/O — General-purpose user I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin L12 | nCE — Chip enable (active low, tied to GND for single-device config) |
Typical Applications
EP20K100EFC144-1 is suitable for 6 applications: ASIC Prototyping, Telecommunications Backplane Glue Logic, Industrial Motor-Control Preprocessing, Military & Aerospace Signal Conditioning, Test & Measurement Instrumentation, Legacy Bus Bridge / Protocol Converter.
ASIC Prototyping
The EP20K100EFC144-1's 100K typical gates and 4,160 logic elements provide enough capacity to map most mid-complexity ASIC designs (up to 50K ASIC gates) for pre-silicon verification. Its 1.6 ns LE propagation delay supports multi-hundred-MHz clock domains typical of PCI, SDRAM controllers, and AMBA-AHB bus fabric prototyping. Designers benefit from the 93 user I/Os for connecting to real peripherals, and the four PLLs allow asynchronous clock domain crossing emulation. Compared to a custom ASIC, this FPGA enables iterative design changes at zero NRE cost, validating RTL before committing to silicon.
Recommended
Telecommunications Backplane Glue Logic
In telecom backplanes, the EP20K100EFC144-1 implements bus bridges, protocol converters, and clock-domain crossing logic between legacy TDM buses (H.110, MVIP) and newer packet fabrics. Its multiVolt I/O (1.8V/2.5V/3.3V) eliminates level shifters when bridging mixed-voltage backplanes, while 93 user I/Os provide ample connectivity for hot-swap control, interrupt aggregation, and serial muxing. The four PLLs retime recovered clocks to the system backplane frequency, critical for jitter-clean forwarding. Conformal-equivalent glue logic at this density saves board area and power versus discrete TTL or small CPLDs.
Recommended
Industrial Motor-Control Preprocessing
The EP20K100EFC144-1 conditions sensor inputs (Hall sensors, resolvers, encoders) and generates PWM waveforms for industrial motor drives up to 50 kW. Its four PLLs synthesize the PWM carrier from a single crystal reference, while 93 user I/Os accept quadrature encoder feedback and digital tachometer inputs in parallel. The 0°C to 85°C commercial operating range suits cabinet-mounted drives; industrial-grade designs should migrate to the EP20K100EFI144 or migrate to a Cyclone IV E for a longer supply window.
Recommended
Military & Aerospace Signal Conditioning
Ruggedized platforms (radar front-ends, avionics databuses, naval communications) rely on the APEX 20KE family for its radiation tolerance and long lifecycle. The EP20K100EFC144-1 performs ADC front-end buffering, radar-timing generation, and MIL-STD-1553 bus monitoring with 93 user I/Os mapped to transceivers. The 1.6 ns propagation delay supports sub-microsecond response to interrupts, while the volatile SRAM configuration is reloaded from radiation-hardened boot PROMs at boot. Industrial-temperature and military-screened variants (e.g., EP20K100EFC144-1X) are required for deployed systems.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
In bench-top instruments (logic analyzers, protocol exercisers, BERT testers), the EP20K100EFC144-1 implements pattern generators, error counters, and trigger sequencers. Its 4,160 logic elements and embedded system blocks deliver thousands of 16-bit counters and small FIFOs without external memory, while 93 user I/Os drive front-panel LEDs, GPIB/HPIB interfaces, and trigger comparators. Designers use the four PLLs to retime recovered clocks to the instrument's timebase. Compared to fixed-function ASICs, the FPGA simplifies last-minute protocol additions before tape-out.
Recommended
Legacy Bus Bridge / Protocol Converter
The EP20K100EFC144-1 bridges legacy parallel buses (PCI, VME, ISA) to modern serial fabrics (PCI Express, Serial RapidIO, Ethernet) in long-life industrial controllers. Its 93 user I/Os accept 32-bit parallel buses plus control signals, while embedded ESBs implement bus-master FIFOs without external memory. The 1.71-1.89V VCCINT plus multiVolt I/O enables bridging between 3.3V legacy and 1.8V modern ASICs without level shifters. Designers can re-spin only the FPGA bitstream to support new protocol variants, extending the life of installed controller boards.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K100EFC144-1 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K100EFC144-2X | EP20K100EFC144-1X | EP20K100EBC356-1 | EP20K100EBC652-2X | EP20K100EBC356-3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 144-FBGA (13x13) | 144-FBGA (13x13) | 144-FBGA (13x13) | 356-BGA | 652-BGA | 356-BGA |
| Pin Compatibility with EP20K100EFC144-1 | — | Pin-to-pin compatible | Pin-to-pin compatible | Different package (356-BGA, not pin-compatible at PCB) | Different package (652-BGA, not pin-compatible at PCB) | Different package (356-BGA, not pin-compatible at PCB) |
| Speed Grade | -1 | -2 (faster) | -1X (extended temperature, same Fmax) | -1 | -2 | -3N |
| Logic Elements | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 | 4,160 |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V | 1.71 V to 1.89 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial) | Extended / industrial (per datasheet) | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial) |
Key Differentiators
- Pin-compatible drop-in within the same APEX 20KE family (vs EP20K100EFC144-2X)
- Industrial-temperature variant available for harsh environments (vs EP20K100EFC144-1X)
- Same silicon available in larger packages for higher I/O count (vs EP20K100EBC356-1 / EP20K100EBC652-2X)
Design Notes
EP20K100EFC144-1 requires two distinct supply rails: VCCINT at 1.71-1.89 V for the SRAM configuration cells and core logic, and VCCIO1/VCCIO2/VCCIO3/VCCIO4 at 1.8V/2.5V/3.3V per I/O bank. Use a low-dropout regulator with ±3% tolerance to retain SRAM contents reliably; tighter regulation prevents brown-out reconfiguration glitches. Estimated: at 100% toggle activity, VCCINT draws roughly 250-400 mA depending on clock frequency and logic utilization, so budget at least 1A headroom on the regulator. Add 100 µF + 0.1 µF decoupling on each VCCINT ball and 10 µF + 0.1 µF on each VCCIO bank to suppress simultaneous-switching noise.
The 144-FBGA package uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch on a 13x13 mm body. Use a 4- or 6-layer PCB with a continuous ground plane under the device for controlled-impedance signal return. Estimated: trace width of 0.15 mm with 0.20 mm clearance to adjacent traces is typical for a 1.0 mm BGA escape routing on FR-4. Place JTAG chain resistors (typically 10 kΩ pull-up on nCONFIG, nSTATUS, and TMS) within 50 mm of the device, and route all configuration signals (DCLK, DATA0) away from switching I/O to avoid ground-bounce during configuration. For multi-device configuration chains, add 33 Ω series damping on DCLK.
Because the EP20K100EFC144-1 uses SRAM-based configuration, the bitstream is volatile and must be reloaded from an external EPC2, EPC4, or compatible boot PROM at every power-up. Estimated: configuration time is roughly 50-200 ms for a typical bitstream at 20 MHz DCLK — budget this delay in any boot-time-critical application. Do not leave nCONFIG floating; tie it through a 10 kΩ pull-up to VCCIO. Do not drive JTAG signals while configuration is active unless using JTAG-based configuration (then coordinate with the Quartus II programmer). Finally, this part is NRND at Altera/Intel and lifecycle availability is limited — qualify a drop-in alternative (EP20K100EFC144-2X or a Cyclone IV E) before committing to long-life designs.
Compliance Information
Compliance status not explicitly stated in the verified web data. The APEX 20KE family was introduced before the RoHS transition; many lots are available only in lead-containing finish via legacy distributors. Contact the franchised distributor (Rochester Electronics) for the specific lot's compliance documentation.
