EP20K200CQ240C8ES - 200K APEX 20KC FPGA, 240-PQFP | Altera (Intel PSG)
MPN: EP20K200CQ240C8ES ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $132.5 | $1,325.00 |
| 100 | $118 | $11,800.00 |
| 500 | $105.75 | $52,875.00 |
| 1,000 | $95 | $95,000.00 |
EP20K200CQ240C8ES Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, and I/O cells, allowing the hardware functionality to be redefined after manufacturing. The APEX 20KC family sits inside Intel PSG's broader programmable-logic hierarchy: FPGA → SRAM-based LUT architecture → APEX 20K series → high-density, multi-standard I/O device class. APEX 20KC devices combine Look-Up Table (LUT)-based logic with embedded dual-port RAM and True-LVDS capable I/O, supporting system-level integration of glue logic, datapath, and high-speed I/O in a single chip.
Key features of this member include 168 user I/O pins, 8320 logic elements, 106,496 bits of embedded memory, four Phase-Locked Loops (PLLs) for clock management, and support for LVDS, LVTTL, LVPECL, PCI, HSTL and SSTL I/O standards. The 'C8' speed grade and 'ES' engineering-sample suffix indicate a commercial-temperature device in a faster-than-baseline timing bin supplied as an engineering sample.
Architecturally, the EP20K200CQ240C8ES uses Altera's MultiCore architecture, partitioning logic into MegaLAB structures that each contain 16 Logic Array Blocks (LABs) of 10 Logic Elements (LEs) each, sharing a single dual-port RAM block. The four embedded PLLs provide clock multiplication, phase shifting, and skew management for high-speed synchronous designs.
Typical applications include telecommunications infrastructure (ATM switches, SONET/SDH framers), high-speed data acquisition and DSP coprocessor cards, industrial imaging and machine vision pipelines, network routers and switches, and military/aerospace prototyping where mid-density SRAM-based FPGA logic is required.
When designing with this part, plan I/O assignment early because the 240-pin PQFP has a constrained breakout for memory buses; use the Quartus II (or legacy MAX+PLUS II) toolchain and verify pinout against the APEX 20KC datasheet before layout.
This page synthesizes distributor inventory, same-family drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes beyond what the manufacturer datasheet alone provides.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K200CQ240C8ES — 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 EP20K200CQ240C8ES (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package / Case, Process Technology, Total RAM Bits, Speed Grade, Family.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K200CQ240C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$133.39 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200CQ240C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$42.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200CQ240C7ES
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200CQ208C8ES
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$142 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100CQ240C8ES
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$39.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200CQ240C8ES Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20KC |
| Device Logic Elements | 8,320 cells |
| Typical Gates | 200,000 |
| Embedded Memory | 106,496 bits |
| User I/O Count | 168 |
| Maximum Internal Clock Frequency | 301.21 MHz |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm CMOS |
| Package | 240-BFQFP (PQFP) |
| Number of Pins | 240 |
| Speed Grade | C8 |
| Device Variant Suffix | ES (engineering sample) |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP20K200CQ240C8ES 240-bfqfp (pqfp) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K200CQ240C8ES (240-bfqfp (pqfp) 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 EP20K200CQ240C8ES.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K200CQ240C8ES is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Infrastructure (ATM/SONET), High-Speed Data Acquisition, Industrial Imaging & Machine Vision, Network Router/Switch Line Cards, Military & Aerospace Prototyping, DSP Co-Processing Cards.
Telecom Infrastructure (ATM/SONET)
The EP20K200CQ240C8ES is well-suited to telecom line-card and switch-fabric designs because its 8,320 logic elements and 106,496 bits of embedded dual-port RAM are large enough to implement cell-processing state machines, UTOPIA / POS-PHY interfaces, and small packet buffers on-chip. The 168 user I/O comfortably routes 8/16-bit UTOPIA Level-2 buses plus overhead serial links, while the four PLLs multiply recovered clocks and provide per-port phase alignment for SONET/SDH framers. The PQFP-240 package supports the moderate trace lengths typical of cPCI / AdvancedTCMC telecom backplanes.
Recommended
High-Speed Data Acquisition
The 301.21 MHz maximum internal clock combined with True-LVDS I/O support makes the EP20K200CQ240C8ES a strong fit for high-speed ADC front-end digitization pipelines. The 8,320 logic cells implement digital down-conversion, FIR filtering, and trigger logic between the ADC and a host DSP or PCIe bridge, and the 106 Kbit embedded RAM provides the FIFO buffering between conversion bursts and DMA transfers. LVDS pairs minimise skew on parallel ADC buses up to ~600 Mbps, while the four PLLs generate independent ADC and bus clocks from a common reference.
Recommended
Industrial Imaging & Machine Vision
Machine-vision preprocessing pipelines map naturally onto the EP20K200CQ240C8ES because its 8,320 LEs are large enough to implement Bayer demosaicing, fixed-gain gamma correction, and Camera-Link tap-deserialisation in a single device. The 106 Kbit embedded RAM doubles as line buffers and small LUTs for colour correction, while 168 I/O carry 24-bit RGB plus Camera-Link LVDS pairs. Industrial designers appreciate the PQFP-240 footprint for hand-reworkable prototypes and the rugged -40 °C to +85 °C operating range available on the 'I' speed grade.
Recommended
Network Router/Switch Line Cards
For legacy enterprise router and Layer-2/3 switch line cards, the EP20K200CQ240C8ES supplies the right density of glue logic and high-speed I/O. Its 168 user I/O can carry SPI-4.2 / SFI-4 POS-PHY interfaces plus 32-bit PCI bus bridges, and the embedded dual-port RAM acts as a small reassembly buffer between the PHY and the network processor. The PLLs provide per-port clock recovery for POS links, while the PQFP-240 footprint is fully compatible with backplane card designs of the early-2000s era that are still in service.
Recommended
Military & Aerospace Prototyping
Because the APEX 20KC family supports industrial and military temperature grades and the EP20K200CQ240C8ES retains the legacy footprint favoured by long-lifecycle avionics programs, it remains in active use for prototype builds and obsolescence-management programs. The PQFP-240 package is ruggedised-friendly for flight-certifiable PCB stacks, and the 1.8 V core is compatible with older discrete power trees. Many primes have on-board firmware already ported to this exact part, so reuse avoids costly software re-qualification.
Recommended
DSP Co-Processing Cards
The EP20K200CQ240C8ES is a natural fit as a DSP co-processor on PCI / cPCI cards where it performs FIR/IIR filtering, FFT pre-processing, or video codec assist in parallel to a host DSP or PowerPC. Its 8,320 LEs implement several 16-bit MAC multipliers in parallel, while the 106 Kbit embedded RAM acts as coefficient and circular-sample storage. The four PLLs derive multiple clocks from the backplane to synchronise with the host CPU, and 168 I/O are sufficient to bus a 32-bit datapath plus PCI/PCI-X glue logic.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K200CQ240C8ES — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K200CQ240C7N | EP20K200CQ240C7 | EP20K200CQ240C7ES | EP20K200CQ208C8ES | EP20K100CQ240C8ES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 240-PQFP (BFQFP) | 240-PQFP - same | 240-PQFP - same | 240-PQFP - same | 208-PQFP - different | 240-PQFP - same |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Logic Elements | 8,320 | 8,320 | 8,320 | 8,320 | 8,320 | 4,800 |
| Embedded RAM | 106,496 bits | 106,496 bits | 106,496 bits | 106,496 bits | 106,496 bits | 53,248 bits |
| User I/O | 168 | 168 | 168 | 168 | 136 | 168 |
| Speed Grade | C8 | C7 | C7 | C7 | C8 | C8 |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V |
| Typical Gates | 200K | 200K | 200K | 200K | 200K | 100K |
| Device Variant Suffix | ES (engineering sample) | N (production) | no suffix | ES (engineering sample) | ES (engineering sample) | ES (engineering sample) |
Key Differentiators
- Faster timing bin than C7 alternatives (vs EP20K200CQ240C7N)
- Engineering-sample marking is unique to this suffix (vs EP20K200CQ240C7N)
- Same PQFP-240 footprint as 100K-gate variant (vs EP20K100CQ240C8ES)
Design Notes
The 240-pin PQFP package has 0.5 mm pitch leads, which require careful fan-out routing on a 4-layer board with continuous power and ground planes underneath the device. Per the APEX 20KC datasheet, all unused I/O pins should be left floating or driven low to minimise power-supply noise, and at least four dedicated ground pins must connect directly to the underlying ground plane with short vias. Differential LVDS pairs must be length-matched to within 150 mils to preserve duty cycle at the 301 MHz internal clock rate.
Estimate core current based on logic utilisation: at full 8,320 LE utilisation with all PLLs enabled, ICC_core typically peaks around 350 mA at 1.8 V (Estimated: Icc scales roughly 40 mA per 1,000 LEs at full toggle rate, per APEX 20K family characterisation). Add at least 20 % margin to the regulator, and place decoupling caps (one 0.1 µF per VCC pin, plus 4.7 µF bulk) within 100 mils of the package. Use a separate 3.3 V LDO for VCCIO if the design uses LVTTL I/O on most banks.
Configuration is the #1 source of first-board bring-up failures. The EP20K200CQ240C8ES requires a valid configuration clock on DCLK and the nCONFIG pin must be held low for at least 8 µs after VCC ramp, per APEX 20KC datasheet. If using an EPC16 enhanced configuration device, confirm the .pof bitstream is recompiled for the C8 speed grade - older C7 images will not operate reliably. JTAG chain integrity must be verified before in-system programming, especially on boards with multiple APEX devices.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH status not present in the provided web data; the APEX 20KC family predates widely-applied RoHS compliance documentation. For new designs requiring RoHS, consider migrating to a Cyclone IV/V equivalent.
