EP20K30EFC144-1N - APEX-20KE 30K Gates FPGA | Intel
MPN: EP20K30EFC144-1N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $185 | $185.00 |
| 10 | $168 | $1,680.00 |
| 100 | $152 | $15,200.00 |
| 500 | $138 | $69,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $125 | $125,000.00 |
EP20K30EFC144-1N Overview
What is an APEX-20KE device? The APEX-20KE family belongs to the broader Programmable Logic Device (PLD) hierarchy - PLD -> CPLD/FPGA -> SOPC (System-On-a-Programmable-Chip) -> SRAM-based programmable logic. APEX-20KE combines MultiCore architecture, integrating LUT-based logic for data-path and DSP-intensive functions with product-term-based logic for glue-logic and control, plus embedded memory blocks for system-level integration in a single chip.
Key features include a MultiCore architecture combining LUT and product-term logic, 24,576 bits of embedded SRAM distributed across the fabric, in-system programmability via an IEEE 1149.1 JTAG interface, and dedicated high-speed I/O support including LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, and GTL+ signalling. The device supports hot-socketing and multi-voltage I/O operation, allowing mixed-voltage interfacing in heterogeneous designs.
From a technical standpoint, the EP20K30EFC144-1N leverages SRAM-based configuration memory - the device must be configured at power-up from an external PROM or flash. The MultiCore architecture pairs up to 1,200 Logic Elements (LEs), each containing a 4-input LUT, programmable register, and carry chain, with Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) that can be used as either dual-port SRAM or product-term logic. This dual nature makes APEX-20KE well-suited for designs requiring both high-density datapath processing and traditional state-machine control.
Typical applications include telecommunications line-card interfaces, industrial control glue logic, PCI bus interface bridges, and legacy ASIC replacement in networking and test equipment. The 1.8 V core, multi-voltage I/O, and integrated memory make it particularly suitable for designs previously implemented with discrete logic and small SRAM banks.
Design consideration: SRAM-based configuration means the EP20K30EFC144-1N requires an external configuration device (EPC2, EPC4, or compatible flash) and loses its configuration on power-down. Designers must budget board space and BOM cost for the configuration memory and account for the configuration time during system startup.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in APEX-20KE alternatives sharing the 144-pin FBGA footprint, and practical design notes not found in the standalone datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K30EFC144-1N — 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 EP20K30EFC144-1N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Family, Propagation Delay, Speed Grade, Typical Gates.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K30EFC144-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$51.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K30EFC144-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$10.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K30EFC144-2
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP20K60EFC144-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$12.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K100EFC144-1
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$61.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K160ETC144-2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$82 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K30EFC144-1N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | APEX-20KE |
| Device Family | APEX-20K MultiCore (LUT + Product-Term + ESB) |
| Gates | 30,000 |
| Logic Elements | 1,200 |
| Embedded SRAM Bits | 24,576 |
| User I/Os | 93 (per Mouser/Kynix listing); 408 (per alternate datasheet listing - see note) |
| Package Type | 144-pin FineLine BGA (FBGA) |
| Internal Frequency (max) | 160 MHz |
| Propagation Delay | 1.68 ns |
| Logic Family | CMOS |
| Core Technology | 0.22 µm CMOS, SRAM-based configuration |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 1.71 V to 1.89 V (1.8 V nominal) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial, N suffix) |
| Configuration Interface | IEEE 1149.1 JTAG + serial configuration (external EPCx required) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Unknown - not stated in verified sources |
EP20K30EFC144-1N 144-pin fineline bga (fbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K30EFC144-1N (144-pin fineline bga (fbga) 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 EP20K30EFC144-1N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K30EFC144-1N is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Line-Card Interface Logic, Industrial Control and Glue Logic, Legacy PCI Bus Interface Bridge, ASIC Replacement and Glue Logic, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Networking Backplane Glue Logic.
Telecom Line-Card Interface Logic
The EP20K30EFC144-1N's 1,200 logic elements, 24,576 bits of embedded SRAM, and 93 user I/Os make it well-suited for telecom line-card glue logic. In this role, the FPGA implements protocol framing, ATM cell delineation, and backplane glue between network processors and PHYs. Its 160 MHz internal frequency and 1.68 ns propagation delay comfortably support E1/T1 and Fast Ethernet rates, while the integrated ESB SRAM absorbs small packet buffers and lookup tables, eliminating external RAM. The MultiCore architecture allows designers to mix LUT-based datapath blocks with product-term control logic on the same die, and the 144-FBGA footprint keeps the part compact enough for high-density line-card layouts.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Glue Logic
The EP20K30EFC144-1N's commercial 0 °C to 85 °C range, JTAG in-system programmability, and 30K-gate capacity make it a strong fit for industrial control designs where it replaces discrete logic and small ASICs. In motor-control and process-instrumentation boards, the FPGA implements encoder decoding, PWM timing, sensor-signal conditioning, and custom serial protocols. The 93 user I/Os accommodate many sensor inputs and actuator outputs, while the MultiCore product-term blocks handle state machines efficiently. SRAM-based configuration via an external EPC2 or EPC4 PROM keeps BOM cost low and enables field firmware updates via the JTAG port - a major advantage over masked ROM ASICs in low-volume industrial designs.
Recommended
Legacy PCI Bus Interface Bridge
The EP20K30EFC144-1N was widely deployed in PCI bus bridges and I/O expansion cards where it acts as a protocol converter between a host CPU bus and downstream peripherals. Its 160 MHz internal frequency and 1.68 ns propagation delay meet the 33 MHz, 33 MHz PCI timing requirements with margin, while the 1,200 logic elements support full PCI target and initiator state machines plus DMA engines. The 93 user I/Os are enough to expose a 32-bit PCI bus plus an 8-bit local bus. Engineers should note that new designs should migrate to Cyclone or Cyclone II with PCI compiler support because APEX-20K is obsolete, but the EP20K30EFC144-1N continues to support legacy PCI designs in long-life-cycle applications.
Recommended
ASIC Replacement and Glue Logic
For low-to-medium-volume products originally designed around masked ASICs, the EP20K30EFC144-1N provides 30K gates and 1,200 logic elements that closely match the cost-and-complexity sweet spot of ASICs in the late 1990s. The MultiCore architecture integrates LUT-based logic with product-term blocks, allowing engineers to replace both data-path glue and traditional PLA-style state machines on a single device. In-system programming via JTAG eliminates the NRE cost of mask ASICs, and the 144-FBGA footprint fits the same land pattern used by many legacy ASIC designs, simplifying PCB migration. With 24,576 bits of embedded SRAM, it can absorb small register-file or FIFO requirements that previously required a companion SRAM chip.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP20K30EFC144-1N's 160 MHz fMAX, embedded SRAM, and 93 user I/Os make it a useful pattern-generator and timing-block component in test equipment. The device implements stimulus generation, result capture, and protocol-format conversion for digital and mixed-signal testers. The MultiCore architecture allows test vectors and analysis state machines to coexist on one die, while 24,576 bits of embedded SRAM absorb captured sample buffers. For ATE-style systems with extended reliability requirements, the 0 °C to 85 °C commercial temperature grade is sufficient for most lab-bench environments, and JTAG in-system programming speeds bench-to-bench firmware updates between test campaigns.
Recommended
Networking Backplane Glue Logic
The EP20K30EFC144-1N is well-suited to networking backplane glue logic between switch fabrics, traffic managers, and PHY devices. Its 1,200 logic elements and 93 user I/Os support backplane protocol conversion, clock-domain crossing, and board-level diagnostics. The 24,576 bits of embedded ESB SRAM are sufficient for small FIFOs and table lookups without needing external memory, simplifying PCB layout. Multi-voltage I/O support (LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, GTL+) enables the device to bridge between different logic standards on a single mixed-voltage backplane, a common requirement in legacy telecom and enterprise switching platforms.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K30EFC144-1N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K30EFC144-1 | EP20K30EFC144-3 | EP20K30EFC144-2 | EP20K60EFC144-2 | EP20K100EFC144-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 144-FBGA (FineLine BGA) | 144-FBGA - same | 144-FBGA - same | 144-FBGA - same | 144-FBGA - same | 144-FBGA - same |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Family | APEX-20KE | APEX-20KE | APEX-20KE | APEX-20KE | APEX-20KE | APEX-20KE |
| Gates | 30,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 30,000 | 60,000 | 100,000 |
| Logic Elements | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 1,200 | 2,560 | 4,160 |
| Embedded SRAM Bits | 24,576 | 24,576 | 24,576 | 24,576 | 40,960 | 53,248 |
| User I/Os | 93 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 93 | 93 |
| Speed Grade | -1 (fastest) | -1 | -3 (slowest) | -2 (mid) | -2 | -1 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C (N suffix) | 0 °C to 85 °C | 0 °C to 85 °C | -40 °C to 85 °C (industrial) | -40 °C to 85 °C | 0 °C to 85 °C |
Key Differentiators
- Same-density drop-in without temperature-suffix change (vs EP20K30EFC144-1 (without N))
- Higher gate density in identical footprint (vs EP20K60EFC144-2)
- Step-function density upgrade in same package (vs EP20K100EFC144-1)
Design Notes
The EP20K30EFC144-1N is SRAM-based and loses configuration at every power-down. Designers must include an external configuration memory (EPC2, EPC4, EPC8, or compatible flash) on the board, and must budget tens to hundreds of milliseconds for the configuration sequence during system startup. Hot-socketing is supported on the APEX-20KE family, but be sure to verify I/O state during insertion to avoid back-driving a powered host.
Estimated: at typical APEX-20KE 1.8 V core operating currents around 200-400 mA and 0 °C to 85 °C ambient, the 144-FBGA package dissipates 0.4 W to 0.7 W. The junction-to-ambient thermal resistance of a 144-FBGA is typically 25-35 C/W, so junction rise above ambient is modest (~10-25 C) - no heatsink is required. However, in enclosed chassis with restricted airflow, derate by observing max junction temperature of 125 °C and verify with a thermocouple on the part.
Decoupling the EP20K30EFC144-1N 1.8 V core supply requires at least one 100 µF bulk capacitor and four to six 0.1 µF ceramic capacitors placed within 5 mm of each power pin group. The MultiCore architecture can switch many logic elements simultaneously, so inadequate decoupling causes ground-bounce and logic errors. Use a continuous ground and 1.8 V plane under the BGA, and route the JTAG signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) away from clock edges to avoid coupling.
The 144-FBGA land pattern uses 1.0 mm pitch BGA pads - ensure the PCB has a microvia or via-in-pad process to break out the inner balls. Route clock signals with controlled impedance (typically 50 Ω microstrip on a 4-layer FR-4 board), keep traces short, and isolate the configuration clock (DCLK) from the system clock to avoid crosstalk. Designers should also ensure the CONF_DONE signal is pulled high before system logic starts driving the FPGA I/O.
Compliance Information
EP20K30EFC144-1N predates widespread RoHS/REACH enforcement and the datasheet does not state compliance; many APEX-20K parts ship in lead-bearing BGA finishes. Treat as unknown and verify with the actual lot's certificate of conformance before use in restricted-substance applications.
