EP20K400CF672C8ES - APEX 20KC 400K Gates 672-BGA FPGA | Altera
MPN: EP20K400CF672C8ES ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $245 | $245.00 |
| 10 | $218.5 | $2,185.00 |
| 100 | $192.75 | $19,275.00 |
| 250 | $175 | $43,750.00 |
| 500 | $158.4 | $79,200.00 |
EP20K400CF672C8ES Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a programmable logic device (PLD) that uses a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) connected by programmable interconnect, allowing hardware designers to implement arbitrary digital logic, DSP functions, and system-on-chip architectures after fabrication. The APEX 20KC family pioneered MultiCore™ integration, embedding look-up tables (LUTs), embedded system blocks (ESBs) for memory and arithmetic, and I/O elements on a single die. APEX 20KC belongs to the broader taxonomy: PLD -> FPGA -> SRAM-based FPGA -> high-density CPLD/FPGA hybrid.
Key features include 400,000 typical gates, 16,640 logic cells, 212,992 system gates equivalent, 484 maximum user I/O, 0 dedicated inputs and 484 bidirectional I/O, 301.21 MHz core performance, 1.8 V supply, MultiCore™ architecture with embedded system blocks, in-system programmability via configuration memory, and JTAG boundary-scan support. The 672-BGA package supports high-speed signal fan-out with controlled-impedance routing suitable for backplane and parallel bus designs.
Technical depth: the device combines a 4-input LUT-based logic fabric with embedded dual-port RAM blocks and dedicated arithmetic carry chains. Configuration is loaded from a PROM or via JTAG into the on-chip SRAM configuration memory, allowing unlimited reconfigurability in the field. The APEX 20KC architecture is sometimes referred to as a System-on-a-Programmable-Chip (SOPC) platform, integrating processor interfaces, memory controllers, and high-speed I/O. The 'C8' speed grade denotes a specific Fmax bin, and the 'ES' suffix indicates an engineering sample / non-full-specification offering typically intended for prototype builds.
Typical applications include telecommunications line cards, parallel DSP pipelines, industrial control backplanes, and ASIC prototyping. The high gate count and abundant I/O make this device well suited to data-path and glue-logic consolidation in legacy systems.
When designing with this part, observe decoupling guidelines, controlled-impedance BGA escape routing, and confirm configuration clock and mode pins for the chosen boot source. JTAG programming with a MasterBlaster or USB-Blaster download cable is the standard configuration path. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, lifecycle data, and drop-in alternatives that complement the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K400CF672C8ES — 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 EP20K400CF672C8ES (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Package, Speed Grade, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K400CF672C8
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View Datasheet →EP20K400CF672C8AA
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$95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K200CF672C8ES
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View Datasheet →EP20K400CF672C7
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View Datasheet →EP20K400CF672C8ES Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20KC |
| Series | EP20K400 |
| Logic Cells / Macros | 16,640 |
| System Gates (typical) | 400,000 |
| Bidirectional I/O | 484 |
| Propagation Delay | 2.5 ns |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 301.21 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm CMOS |
| Nominal Supply Voltage | 1.8 V |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.71 V to 1.89 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to 85°C (Commercial) |
| Package | 672-BGA FineLine (FC-FBGA / S-PBGA-B672) |
| Logic Family | CMOS |
| Architecture | MultiCore™ (LUT + Embedded System Block) |
| Programming Method | JTAG / in-system via configuration memory |
EP20K400CF672C8ES Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O Bank 1 — User I/O, Bank 1 (multiple pins) |
| Pin 100 | I/O Bank 2 — User I/O, Bank 2 (multiple pins) |
| Pin 200 | I/O Bank 3 — User I/O, Bank 3 (multiple pins) |
| Pin 300 | I/O Bank 4 — User I/O, Bank 4 (multiple pins) |
| Pin 400 | I/O Bank 5 — User I/O, Bank 5 (multiple pins) |
| Pin 500 | I/O Bank 6 — User I/O, Bank 6 (multiple pins) |
| Pin 672 | VCC/GND — Power and ground pins distributed across the array |
Typical Applications
EP20K400CF672C8ES is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Card Glue Logic, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Parallel DSP Pipeline Implementation, Industrial Control Backplane Bridging, Legacy Military / Aerospace Avionics Retrofit, Medical Imaging Data Path Aggregation.
Telecommunications Line Card Glue Logic
The EP20K400CF672C8ES's 400,000-gate capacity and 484 I/O pins fit telecommunications line cards where parallel bus bridges, TDM framers, and protocol converters must be consolidated onto a single device. At 301.21 MHz Fmax with 2.5 ns propagation delay, the part handles high-speed channel aggregation and ATM/Packet-over-Sonet mapping functions in legacy Class-4/5 switching platforms. The 1.8 V core and JTAG-based field reconfiguration suit deployed central-office equipment where in-service firmware updates extend product life. Compared with discrete TTL glue, this device replaces dozens of 74-series logic parts with a single BGA, cutting board area and power while preserving the existing bus architecture.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
With 400,000 system gates and 16,640 logic elements, the EP20K400CF672C8ES is widely used as an ASIC prototype to validate pre-silicon RTL before committing to NRE. The MultiCore™ architecture combines 4-input LUTs, embedded dual-port RAM blocks, and arithmetic carry chains that mirror common ASIC cell libraries, giving a representative timing model. Engineers typically partition a 1- to 2-million-gate ASIC across one or two APEX 20KC devices for bring-up verification. The 672-BGA package exposes enough I/O to probe the ASIC's external interfaces at full speed. Quartus II software supports incremental compile and gate-level timing simulation, enabling verification against SDC constraints.
Recommended
Parallel DSP Pipeline Implementation
The 301.21 MHz Fmax and MultiCore™ ESB (Embedded System Block) arithmetic resources make EP20K400CF672C8ES suitable for parallel DSP pipelines such as FIR filters, FFT engines, and Reed-Solomon codecs in baseband processing. The ESBs provide dedicated multipliers and accumulators that close timing much faster than LUT-based implementations, fitting video processing and software-defined radio baseband chains. 484 user I/O allows multiple parallel data streams to be ingested simultaneously, supporting multi-channel radar and image processing arrays. The 1.8 V core supply keeps power consumption reasonable for air-cooled chassis in industrial DSP cards.
Recommended
Industrial Control Backplane Bridging
In industrial automation backplanes, EP20K400CF672C8ES bridges legacy VME, PCI, and proprietary parallel buses to modern industrial Ethernet and PCIe fabrics. Its 488 I/O lines accommodate multiple parallel bus widths simultaneously, and the 2.5 ns propagation delay enables deterministic bus turnaround critical for real-time control loops. The MultiCore™ embedded memory blocks implement dual-port FIFOs that decouple asynchronous bus domains without external logic. Industrial chassis benefit from the 0–85°C commercial temperature range, which covers factory-floor and control-room environments.
Recommended
Legacy Military / Aerospace Avionics Retrofit
For retrofit programs extending the life of military and aerospace platforms, the EP20K400CF672C8ES implements display drivers, radar-timing controllers, and navigation-data multiplexers originally built from multiple CPLDs. Its SRAM-based configuration supports in-the-field updates through JTAG, enabling rapid anomaly resolution during depot maintenance. The 672-BGA package's thermal envelope suits ruggedized conduction-cooled chassis. While the part is commercial-grade, it has been qualified in many legacy avionics systems where the host platform's long service life justifies the lifecycle extension.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Data Path Aggregation
The 400,000-gate capacity and abundant I/O let EP20K400CF672C8ES aggregate multi-channel ultrasound, MRI, or CT data streams into a host processing engine, performing channel synchronization, beamforming pre-processing, and DMA staging in a single device. The 301.21 MHz fabric and embedded memory blocks support parallel pixel pipelines at diagnostic frame rates. Medical imaging OEMs value the long-term availability and mature Quartus II tool flow, which accelerates FDA submission documentation with stable design versions. The 0–85°C commercial temperature range suits controlled clinical environments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K400CF672C8ES — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K400CF672C8 | EP20K400CF672C8AA | EP20K400CF672C-8 | EP20K200CF672C8ES | EP20K400CF672C7ES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 672-BGA (FC-FBGA) | 672-BGA (FC-FBGA) - same | 672-BGA (FC-FBGA) - same | 672-BGA (FC-FBGA) - same | 672-BGA (FC-FBGA) - same | 672-BGA (FC-FBGA) - same |
| Family | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC |
| Logic Cells / Macros | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 | 16,640 | 8,320 (-50%) | 16,640 |
| Typical System Gates | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 400,000 | 200,000 (-50%) | 400,000 |
| Maximum User I/O | 488 / 484 | 488 / 484 | 488 / 484 | 488 / 484 | 488 / 484 | 488 / 484 |
| Speed Grade | C8 | C8 | C8 | C8 | C8 | C7 (slower) |
| Nominal Core Voltage | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V | 1.8 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to 85°C | 0°C to 85°C | 0°C to 85°C | 0°C to 85°C | 0°C to 85°C | 0°C to 85°C |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete (ES suffix) | Obsolete (production) | Obsolete (AA qualifier) | Obsolete | Obsolete (ES suffix) | Obsolete (ES suffix) |
Key Differentiators
- Engineering-sample vs production status (vs EP20K400CF672C8)
- Full-density 400K gates vs half-density (vs EP20K200CF672C8ES)
- C8 vs C7 speed grade (vs EP20K400CF672C7ES)
- Long-term lifecycle constraint (vs Modern Cyclone IV/V)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 1.8 V core and 100 mA typical IDD, core power is ~180 mW; peak I/O switching current can add another 500–800 mW per bank depending on toggle rate. Use a 4-layer PCB with at least one dedicated VCC plane and a separate VCCIO plane per bank. Place 0.1 µF + 10 µF decoupling pairs within 50 mils of every VCC pin group, and add a bulk tantalum or polymer cap at the regulator output to absorb simultaneous-switching-current transients from the 488 I/O lines.
The 672-BGA package requires microvia or via-in-pad PCB technology for reliable fan-out. A 1.0 mm ball pitch (typical for FineLine BGA of this vintage) demands 6/6 mil line/space rules with stacked-via or laser-drilled microvias. Confirm the manufacturer's recommended land pattern from the APEX 20KC datasheet, and use NSMD (non-solder mask defined) pads with a 0.05 mm solder mask dam. BGA escape should route at least 2 signal layers between the device and the BGA keep-out.
Estimated: at 1 W total package dissipation and typical FC-FBGA thermal resistance of 15 °C/W with a 4-layer JEDEC test board, junction temperature rise above ambient is ~15 °C. For higher-activity designs driving all 488 I/O at 100 MHz, expect ~2–3 W dissipation and 30–45 °C rise. Add a thermal copper pour under the BGA on inner planes and stitch thermal vias (12 × 0.3 mm) to improve spreading. Forced-air cooling or a heatsink is recommended for enclosed chassis.
Configuration-memory volatility is the #1 pitfall: SRAM configuration is lost at power-down, so every board must boot from a configuration PROM (EPC2/4/8) or via JTAG/JIC programming. Second, confirm the JTAG chain order — placing the FPGA before other devices in the chain can complicate boundary-scan tests. Third, I/O bank VCCIO voltages must be set BEFORE VCCINT ramps to avoid latch-up. Finally, the 'ES' suffix denotes engineering-sample material and is generally not suitable for production builds — request production-grade EP20K400CF672C8 instead.
Match-impedance the clock and global signal traces to 50 Ω single-ended (or 100 Ω differential where LVDS is used). Route clocks on inner layers with adjacent GND return paths to control crosstalk. The dedicated clock input pins should be fed from a low-jitter oscillator or clock buffer; keep PLL feedback paths short to minimize jitter accumulation. For multi-FPGA boards, isolate JTAG chains per device to simplify programming and boundary-scan diagnostics.
Compliance Information
RoHS / lead-free / halogen-free status not stated in verified data; APEX 20KC family predates widespread RoHS conversion. AEC-Q100 not applicable — this is a commercial-grade FPGA not qualified for automotive applications.
