EP20K600CF672C-7ES - APEX 20KC FPGA 600K Gates 672-BGA | Altera
MPN: EP20K600CF672C-7ES ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2524.76 | $2,524.76 |
| 10 | $2400 | $24,000.00 |
| 100 | $2280 | $228,000.00 |
| 500 | $2150 | $1,075,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $2050 | $2,050,000.00 |
EP20K600CF672C-7ES Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory blocks (ESBs in the APEX 20K family), and programmable interconnect that can be reconfigured after manufacturing to implement arbitrary digital logic. FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable-logic hierarchy alongside CPLDs and are typically deployed where fixed-function ASICs are uneconomical or where in-field reprogrammability is required. The APEX 20KC family uses a MultiCore architecture combining fine-grained LUT-style logic with dual-port SRAM blocks and supports LVDS, PCI, and GTL+ I/O standards.
Key features of the EP20K600CF672C-7ES include a logic-element count in the hundreds of thousands, 24 LAB rows by 24 LAB columns (typical for the 600K gate member), embedded system blocks (ESBs) totaling 248 Kbits of dual-port RAM, 4 phase-locked loops (PLLs), and support for boundary-scan (JTAG) IEEE 1149.1 in-system configuration via EPC configuration devices. The -7ES suffix indicates the commercial temperature grade and the 672-pin FCBGA package used in Enhanced-configuration System-mode applications.
The EP20K600CF672C-7ES is built on a 0.15-micron all-layer copper-metal CMOS process, which provides 35% faster design performance than the APEX 20KE family. This process node enables higher integration, lower core voltage, and improved signal integrity relative to the prior APEX 20K generation. Each embedded system block (ESB) implements true dual-port memory with independent read/write clocks, making the device suitable for high-throughput FIFO and buffer applications.
Typical applications include high-speed telecommunications backplanes, ASIC prototyping, video and image processing pipelines, data-acquisition systems, and legacy industrial-control logic replacement. Designers selecting the EPEX 20KC family typically need hundreds of thousands of gates with significant on-chip memory and high I/O count, and they value the device's mature tool-flow support through Altera Quartus. The 672-ball FCBGA package provides high-density interconnect for designs requiring 488+ user I/Os.
When designing with this device, ensure the PCB has a sufficient number of signal layers (typically 8-12) to route the FCBGA ball grid, and observe Altera's decoupling and ground-pour guidelines from the APEX 20KC handbook. Configuration via an EPC16 or EPC8 serial configuration device is typical for production, while JTAG allows in-system reprogramming during development.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K600CF672C-7ES — 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 EP20K600CF672C-7ES (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Propagation Delay, Speed Grade, Device Type, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K600CF672C-7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1620 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400CF672C-7ES
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$132 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K400CF672C7ES
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$152 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CEF672C7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$98.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CF672C-7ES Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20KC |
| Device Type | Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) |
| Maximum System Gates | 1,560,000 (typical 600K application gates) |
| Typical Logic Elements | 24,320 (per APEX 20KC 600K family) |
| Maximum User I/O | 488 |
| Total I/O Lines | 504 (per Microchip USA listing) |
| Total Inputs | 508 |
| Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) | 248 |
| Embedded RAM | 248 Kbits (dual-port) |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Propagation Delay | 1.48 ns to 1.6 ns |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 1666.6 MHz |
| Speed Grade | -7 |
| Process Technology | 0.15 micron all-layer copper CMOS |
| Package | 672-ball FCBGA (FineLine BGA), 45 x 45 mm, 1.27 mm pitch |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 85 C (Commercial) |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V (typical APEX 20KC, exact value per datasheet) |
| Configuration Mode | EPC serial / JTAG IEEE 1149.1 |
| Compliance | RoHS status unknown (verify with manufacturer datasheet) |
EP20K600CF672C-7ES 672-ball fcbga (fineline bga), 45 x 45 mm, 1.27 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K600CF672C-7ES (672-ball fcbga (fineline bga), 45 x 45 mm, 1.27 mm pitch 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 EP20K600CF672C-7ES.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K600CF672C-7ES is suitable for 6 applications: ASIC Prototyping, Telecommunications Backplane Bridging, Video and Image Processing Pipelines, Data Acquisition Systems, Legacy Industrial Control Logic, Military and Avionics Legacy Systems.
ASIC Prototyping
The EP20K600CF672C-7ES is widely used as an ASIC prototyping vehicle where 600K gates of APEX 20KC logic provide enough capacity to map mid-complexity ASIC RTL prior to tape-out. With 24,320 logic elements, 248 Kbits of true dual-port embedded SRAM, and 504 user I/Os in the 672-ball FCBGA, designers can host multi-million-gate ASIC-equivalent functions including processor cores, peripherals, and custom accelerators. The -7 speed grade and 1666.6 MHz maximum clock frequency support verification at near-ASIC clock rates, and the embedded ESBs allow high-throughput FIFO buffering between IP blocks during validation. Compared to modern FPGAs the APEX 20KC runs hotter and consumes more power, but its mature Quartus flow and abundant I/O still make it a cost-effective legacy prototyping platform.
Recommended
Telecommunications Backplane Bridging
Telecom backplanes often require wide bus aggregation, serial-to-parallel conversion, and protocol bridging - all roles where the EP20K600CF672C-7ES fits naturally. Its 504 user I/Os support 64-bit and wider parallel buses common in OC-3/OC-12 line cards, and the 4 on-chip PLLs derive multiple clock domains from a single backplane reference. The 672-ball FCBGA package provides the pin density required for LVDS and GTL+ signaling common to telecom backplane standards. APEX 20KC I/O banks support LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, GTL+, SSTL, and LVDS, enabling direct interface to legacy line-card ASICs. Though now obsolete, many installed telecom systems still run on APEX 20KC parts because of the cost of re-qualifying replacement silicon.
Recommended
Video and Image Processing Pipelines
The EP20K600CF672C-7ES implements real-time video processing such as color-space conversion, scaling, de-interlacing, and overlay generation in broadcast and surveillance equipment. The 248 Kbits of dual-port embedded SRAM provide line buffers and frame-store memory without external SRAM, while 504 user I/Os drive parallel video buses (BT.656, BT.1120, VGA) and connect to external DDR memory controllers. The 0.15-micron CMOS process and -7 speed grade support pixel clocks up to ~150 MHz, sufficient for 1080i HD processing. The 672-ball FCBGA package's thermal performance (theta_JA ~10 C/W with proper heatsinking) keeps junction temperatures in spec at full processing load. The mature Quartus toolchain provides pre-verified IP cores for SDI, DVI, and HDMI interface logic.
Recommended
Data Acquisition Systems
High-channel-count data-acquisition systems rely on FPGAs for sample buffering, triggering, and protocol offload, where the EP20K600CF672C-7ES fits with its high I/O count and embedded dual-port memory. The 504 user I/Os interface to multiple parallel ADC/DAC channels, while the 248 Kbits of ESB RAM implement deep FIFO buffers between the converter front-end and a downstream DSP or processor. Four PLLs generate independent sample clocks for each ADC channel, and the -7 speed grade supports 1666.6 MHz internal logic rates for digital downconversion. Industrial test equipment vendors standardized on APEX 20KC parts in the early 2000s, and many instruments still in service rely on this part for maintenance and repair.
Recommended
Legacy Industrial Control Logic
Industrial controllers, PLCs, and machine-vision systems installed in the 2000s frequently use the EP20K600CF672C-7ES as their main logic engine, and many of these systems remain in service for 15-20 years. The 600K gates of APEX 20KC logic handle ladder-logic translation, motion-control loops, and fieldbus interfaces (Profibus, DeviceNet, CAN), while the 672-ball FCBGA package supports the dense I/O required for parallel backplane connections. The commercial 0C to 85C temperature range covers most factory-floor environments, though extended-temperature variants exist for harsher installations. For legacy support, design engineers keep the APEX 20KC in their BOM and source through secondary-market channels rather than redesigning a 15-year-old controller.
Recommended
Military and Avionics Legacy Systems
Avionics subsystems and military communications equipment certified with the EP20K600CF672C-7ES continue to operate in long-lifecycle platforms, where re-certification of new silicon is prohibitively expensive. The APEX 20KC family was widely adopted in MIL-STD-1553 interfaces, radar signal preprocessing, and navigation subsystems. The 672-ball FCBGA package meets shock and vibration requirements when properly underfilled, and the commercial temperature grade is augmented by industrial and military temperature variants in the same package. Design teams supporting these platforms source APEX 20KC parts through authorized military-component distributors and maintain bitstream compatibility with legacy firmware.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K600CF672C-7ES — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K600CF672C-7 | EP20K400CF672C-7ES | EP20K400CF672C7ES | EP20K600CB652C7ES | EP20K600CEF672C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 672-ball FCBGA (45x45mm) | 672-ball FCBGA - same | 672-ball FCBGA - same | 672-ball FCBGA - same | 652-pin BGA - DIFFERENT | 672-ball FCBGA - same |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Family | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC | APEX 20KC |
| System Gates | ~600K (max 1.56M) | ~600K (same) | ~400K | ~400K | ~600K | ~600K |
| User I/Os | 504 (488 usable) | 504 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 |
| Speed Grade | -7 | -7 | -7 | -7 | -7 | -7 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to 85C (Commercial) | 0C to 85C | 0C to 85C | 0C to 85C | 0C to 85C | 0C to 85C |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Higher logic capacity than 400K family siblings (vs EP20K400CF672C-7ES)
- Enhanced-configuration System-mode support (vs EP20K600CF672C-7)
- Largest gate-count member in the 672-ball FCBGA family (vs EP20K300EFC672-2)
Design Notes
The 672-ball FCBGA package (45 x 45 mm, 1.27 mm pitch) requires an 8-12 layer PCB with microvia or via-in-pad construction to fan out the BGA. Use a continuous ground plane on layer 2 directly beneath the package to provide a low-inductance return path and thermal dissipation. Decoupling: place 0.1 uF X7R capacitors within 100 mils of every power ball, with bulk 10-100 uF tantalum or ceramic caps at the package corners. VCCINT (core) and VCCIO (I/O) must be brought up simultaneously or core-first within 1 ms to avoid latch-up; consult the APEX 20KC handbook power-sequencing section.
Estimated: at typical APEX 20KC core voltage ~1.8V and 600K-gate utilization around 70%, the EP20K600CF672C-7ES dissipates approximately 3-5 W. The FCBGA package has theta_JA around 10 C/W with proper PCB thermal design (8 thermal vias in a 3x3 array under the die, connected to internal copper planes), so junction temperature rises 30-50 C above ambient. A small heatsink or top-side airflow is recommended for closed enclosures. Use the Altera PowerPlay early-power estimator in Quartus to refine the estimate for your specific design utilization and clock frequencies.
Critical pitfall #1: never substitute an EP20K400CF672C-7ES or EP20K400CF672C7ES when your design requires 600K gates - the bitstream is die-specific and a larger design will fail fitting. Pitfall #2: configuration mode matters - the 'ES' suffix indicates Enhanced-configuration System-mode; verify your EPC configuration PROM (EPC8, EPC16) supports this mode before substituting with a non-ES variant. Pitfall #3: the APEX 20KC family uses 1.8V core, not the 2.5V of APEX 20KE - substituting across families will damage the device. Pitfall #4: obsolete parts sourced from secondary markets may be counterfeit or refurbished; insist on lot-date code, factory seal, and ideally an X-ray inspection for high-value orders.
Signal-integrity layout for the 672-ball FCBGA requires matched-length traces within each LVDS pair (skew less than 50 ps) and 50 ohm single-ended impedance for LVCMOS/LVTTL. Use a 4-layer stack-up with 8-mil dielectric between layers 1-2 and 3-4 for controlled impedance. Avoid routing high-speed signals over power-plane splits. Place the JTAG chain components (TCK pull-up, TMS pull-up, TDO series resistor) close to the device, and provide a dedicated test header for boundary-scan access during manufacturing test.
Compliance Information
APEX 20KC family predates mandatory RoHS; RoHS/REACH compliance status not specified in distributor data. Request supplier certificates for production builds. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (commercial grade only).
