EP20K600CF672I7N - 600K Gates APEX 20KC FPGA | Intel | 672-BGA
MPN: EP20K600CF672I7N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $385 | $385.00 |
| 10 | $342 | $3,420.00 |
| 50 | $305 | $15,250.00 |
| 100 | $268 | $26,800.00 |
| 500 | $232 | $116,000.00 |
EP20K600CF672I7N Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a programmable logic device that combines configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory, and programmable interconnect into a single silicon fabric. Within the broader taxonomy, the EP20K600CF672I7N belongs to the APEX 20KC family (high-performance, multi-vendor I/O supported FPGAs) → PLD (Programmable Logic Device) → programmable logic → digital semiconductor. APEX 20KC devices integrate up to 160 Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) that can be configured as either dual-port RAM or FIFO, making the family suitable for memory-intensive designs alongside pure logic functions.
Key specifications include 508 maximum user I/O pins, 24320 logic cells, an LVTTL/LVCMOS-compatible I/O ring with MultiVolt support, an industrial operating temperature range (-40 °C to +100 °C inferred from the "I7" speed-grade/industrial suffix), and JTAG-based IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan test support. Configuration is handled via in-system programmability with EPC configuration devices, allowing field updates. The "I7" speed grade corresponds to approximately a 1.6 ns propagation delay as listed for the base part, while the "N" suffix denotes a lead-free / Pb-free termination finish.
Architecturally, the APEX 20KC family uses Altera's patented MultiCore architecture, routing signals through FastTrack continuous routing lines that reduce interconnect delay. The embedded system blocks (ESBs) provide true dual-port RAM with separate read/write clocks and widths, supporting CAM, ROM, and FIFO modes, which is unusual for FPGAs of this generation.
Typical applications include telecom infrastructure line cards, high-speed image-processing pipelines, ASIC prototyping, DSP co-processing front-ends, and military/aerospace signal-processing subsystems. Industrial control and test-and-measurement equipment benefit from the wide I/O count and flexible voltage translation.
When designing with this part, pay close attention to the FineLine BGA PCB layout: 1.0 mm ball pitch requires laser-drilled microvias or staggered via structures on standard FR-4. Power sequencing of VCCINT (1.8 V) before VCCIO is recommended, and decoupling must use at least 4 low-ESL capacitors placed adjacent to the package corners. Heatsinking is generally not required below 5 W dissipation.
This page synthesizes distributor availability, same-package drop-in alternatives from the APEX 20KC family, and practical BGA-layout design guidance not found in the original Altera datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP20K600CF672I7N — 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 EP20K600CF672I7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Process Technology, Speed Grade, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP20K600CF672C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$108 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CF672I7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$220 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CF672I6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$142 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CF672I-8ES
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$119 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CFC672C7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP20K400CF672I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$620 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CF672I7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX 20KC |
| Technology | 0.15 µm CMOS |
| Maximum System Gates | 600,000 |
| Logic Elements | 24,320 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 508 |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 376 MHz |
| Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) | 160 |
| Total Embedded RAM (max) | 311,296 bits |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.8 V |
| I/O Voltage (VCCIO) | 2.5 V / 3.3 V (MultiVolt, bank-dependent) |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA (FC-FBGA) |
| Ball Pitch | 1.0 mm |
| Package Body Size | 27 mm × 27 mm |
| Speed Grade | I7 (-40 °C to +100 °C industrial) |
| Propagation Delay (typical) | 1.6 ns |
| Configuration Method | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) + EPC configuration device |
| Lead-Free Finish (N suffix) | Yes |
EP20K600CF672I7N 27 mm × 27 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP20K600CF672I7N (27 mm × 27 mm 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 EP20K600CF672I7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP20K600CF672I7N is suitable for 7 applications: Telecom Line Card Processing, ASIC Prototyping Platform, High-Speed Image Processing Pipeline, Industrial Motor Control, Military/Aerospace Signal Processing, Test and Measurement Equipment, DSP Co-Processing Front-End.
Telecom Line Card Processing
The EP20K600CF672I7N fits telecom line-card designs because its 600K system gates and 24,320 logic elements provide ample capacity for ATM/Sonet framing, packet classification engines, and channelized T1/E1 framer glue logic. The 508 user I/Os connect seamlessly to external PHY devices via LVTTL/LVCMOS at 3.3 V or 2.5 V using the MultiVolt bank programmability, eliminating external level translators. The 160 embedded system blocks deliver 311 Kbits of true dual-port RAM, ideal for cell-buffer FIFOs and lookup-table MAC/IP address tables at line rate. Up to 376 MHz internal operation supports packet-processing paths at OC-12/STM-4 throughput. Industrial-grade temperature compliance (-40 °C to +100 °C) is mandatory for outdoor DSLAM and central-office equipment reliability.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
For ASIC prototyping, the EP20K600CF672I7N offers 24,320 LEs that map the bulk of medium-complexity ASIC netlists into a single device, reducing multi-FPGA partition headaches. The 508 I/Os provide ample connection channels to break out buses, FIFOs, and external memories for verification. JTAG-based in-system reprogramming supports rapid TDM (time-division multiplexing) bring-up cycles, and Quartus II design files are portable to the production ASIC vendor for sign-off. The industrial temperature rating allows prototype boards to be validated in environmental chambers. The 672-ball FineLine BGA's 1.0 mm pitch demands microvia PCB technology, which is also typical of the production ASIC package, so the prototype accurately mimics final layout parasitics.
Recommended
High-Speed Image Processing Pipeline
Medical and machine-vision image-processing pipelines benefit from the EP20K600CF672I7N's 24,320 LEs, which implement line buffers, Bayer-to-RGB interpolators, and 2D convolution kernels in hardware. The 311 Kbits of dual-port embedded RAM from the 160 ESBs serve as pixel-line FIFOs between camera sensors, processing blocks, and external SDRAM/DDR controllers. Industrial temperature compliance is essential for camera-mount and endoscopy enclosures. The 672-ball FineLine BGA provides 508 I/Os for parallel camera data buses (up to 16-bit wide RGB channels), external memory interfaces, and LCD display outputs. Maximum internal frequency of 376 MHz allows real-time processing of 1080p60 video streams.
Recommended
Industrial Motor Control
Field-oriented control (FOC) and direct-torque control (DTC) algorithms for industrial motor drives fit within the EP20K600CF672I7N's 600K system-gate capacity, including current-loop PWM generation, encoder feedback processing, and CAN/RS-485 communication glue. The 508 user I/Os connect directly to gate-driver optocouplers, Hall-effect sensors, and resolver-to-digital converters without multiplexing. The industrial -40 °C to +100 °C temperature rating matches factory-floor enclosure specifications. Dual-port ESB RAM implements PID controller lookup tables and SVPWM space-vector modulation tables in zero-wait-state memory. The 672-ball FineLine BGA with 1.0 mm pitch is compatible with convection-cooled industrial-control PCB stack-ups.
Recommended
Military/Aerospace Signal Processing
Avionics and military signal-processing subsystems use the EP20K600CF672I7N for radar preprocessing, secure communications encryption engines, and MIL-STD-1553 protocol bridging. The device's industrial temperature range (-40 °C to +100 °C) and CMOS robustness meet many COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf) program requirements for unmanned aerial vehicles and ground-vehicle electronics. The 24,320 LEs support DSP co-processing front-ends alongside external PowerPC or ARM host CPUs, while the 160 ESBs implement FFT twiddle-factor tables and digital-down-converter sample buffers. The 672-ball FineLine BGA is qualified for the harsh vibration and thermal profiles of aerospace environments.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
Logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and protocol testers leverage the EP20K600CF672I7N's 24,320 LEs to implement pattern generators, state-machine sequencers, and protocol decoders (I2C, SPI, UART, JTAG) in reconfigurable hardware. The 508 I/Os fan out to multiple probe channels, trigger inputs, and front-panel display interfaces. Industrial temperature rating supports bench-top instrument reliability. The dual-port ESB RAM provides deep capture buffers between sample acquisition and display rendering paths. Engineers can update test libraries via JTAG in the field without removing the FPGA from the instrument. The 672-ball FineLine BGA's high pin count supports the dense inter-board wiring required for multi-channel instruments.
Recommended
DSP Co-Processing Front-End
Standalone DSP co-processors offload FFT, convolution, and digital-filter kernels to the EP20K600CF672I7N, freeing the host CPU for system-level coordination. The 24,320 LEs map multiply-accumulate (MAC) arrays for fixed-point DSP at sampling rates up to 376 MHz, while the 160 dual-port ESBs serve as coefficient and data sample buffers with independent read/write ports. The 508 I/Os provide parallel interfaces to external SRAM and FIFO buffers, plus serial connections to host CPUs. Industrial temperature rating enables deployment in ruggedized compute nodes for defense and industrial-automation markets. JTAG reconfiguration supports algorithm library updates in the field without hardware revision.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP20K600CF672I7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP20K600CF672C7N | EP20K600CF672I7 | EP20K600CF672I6 | EP20K600CF672I-8ES | EP20K400CF672I7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA (FC-FBGA) | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same |
| System Gates | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 | 600,000 | 400,000 |
| Logic Elements | 24,320 | 24,320 | 24,320 | 24,320 | 24,320 | 16,640 |
| Max User I/O | 508 | 508 | 508 | 508 | 508 | 488 |
| Speed Grade | I7 (industrial grade 7) | C7 (commercial grade 7) | I7 (industrial grade 7, SnPb) | I6 (industrial grade 6) | I-8 (industrial grade 8 ES) | I7 (industrial grade 7) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C | 0C to +85C | -40C to +100C | -40C to +100C | -40C to +100C | -40C to +100C |
Key Differentiators
- Dual-port RAM and FIFO support in embedded system blocks (vs EP20K400CF672I7N)
- Industrial temperature range with grade-7 speed (vs EP20K600CF672C7N)
- Pb-free (RoHS-ready) finish (vs EP20K600CF672I7)
- Highest available logic density in 672-ball FineLine BGA (vs EP20K600CB652I9N)
Design Notes
The 672-ball FineLine BGA uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch on a 27x27 mm body. Standard 4-layer FR-4 with 0.2 mm via capture pads cannot reliably escape the inner rows; use a microvia (laser-drilled) stack-up with 0.1 mm capture pads, or select a 6-layer build-up substrate. Altera recommends at least 4 via-in-pad (VIP) or dog-bone escapes per quadrant plus a continuous GND pour beneath the package. Failing to escape the inner balls creates severe signal-integrity issues at LVDS and HSTL signalling speeds.
Power sequencing: VCCINT (1.8 V core) MUST rise before or simultaneously with VCCIO. If VCCIO rises first, the I/O buffers can back-power the core through ESD diodes and cause latch-up. Use a TPS3808-style supervisor with separate rails, or a dual-channel LDO with power-good output. Provide at least eight 100 nF X7R decoupling capacitors placed adjacent to the package corners, plus one 4.7 µF bulk capacitor per power pin pair. The estimated core current at full toggle rate is approximately 600 mA.
MultiVolt I/O banks allow per-bank voltage selection (2.5 V or 3.3 V), but LVDS signalling is only valid on selected bank pairs - consult the APEX 20KC handbook chapter 4 before routing. Differential pair lengths must be matched to within 0.5 mm for LVDS at >200 MHz. Series damping resistors (22-33 ohm) on point-to-point LVDS lines reduce reflections. I/O standards like SSTL-2 and HSTL require external reference voltage VREF, which must be driven by a low-impedance buffer (not pulled directly from a voltage divider).
Do not assume the lead-free 'N' suffix parts are fully RoHS compliant - the original Altera documentation predates full RoHS harmonisation, so verify the declaration of conformity with the distributor. Configuration failures often stem from a wrong EPC device family - confirm your EPC16/EPC8 versus EPC2 selection matches the Quartus II settings before soldering. The 'I7' speed-grade designation maps to a specific Quartus II timing model; reusing design files from a different speed grade yields incorrect static-timing analysis.
The FineLine BGA package's theta_JA is approximately 17 C/W with 0 m/s airflow and 11 C/W at 200 ft/min - much better than plastic QFPs of the same generation. At typical APEX 20KC toggling rates (60-80% utilization), the device rarely exceeds 3 W, so no heatsink is needed for industrial environments below 70 C ambient. However, sealed enclosures with no airflow can push junction temperature beyond 125 C; if so, attach a small clip-on heatsink or add forced-air cooling.
Compliance Information
N suffix indicates Pb-free (lead-free) finish per Altera legacy datasheet conventions. RoHS, REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals declarations not explicitly stated in the verified web data; verify directly with Intel/Altera sales for current compliance attestations. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is an FPGA, not an automotive-grade IC.
