EP2A40B652C7 - Altera APEX II 40k LE FPGA, BGA-652 | Intel PSG
MPN: EP2A40B652C7 ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
EP2A40B652C7 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a type of programmable logic device (PLD) that sits in the broader hierarchy of integrated circuits: FPGA -> programmable logic -> semiconductor. Unlike ASICs, FPGAs are configured after manufacture via SRAM-based or fuse-based interconnect, allowing engineers to implement arbitrary digital logic, glue functions, datapath pipelines, and full processor subsystems in silicon without a fab cycle. APEX II is Altera's pre-Cyclone/Stratix generation architecture, integrating PLLs, LVDS I/O, and content-addressable memory (CAM) blocks for networking and telecom workloads. The EP2A40B652C7 specifically targets designs that need high logic density plus rich I/O at moderate cost versus larger Stratix-class parts.
Key differentiating features of the EP2A40B652C7 include 40,000 logic elements (LEs), up to approximately 425 kbits of embedded RAM distributed across embedded system blocks, dedicated high-speed LVDS channels, multiple phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management, and configurable I/O standards (LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, GTL+, SSTL, LVDS, LVPECL). The device supports a maximum operating frequency in the hundreds of MHz range depending on design and speed grade, with the "C7" suffix denoting the commercial temperature grade and a specific speed bin.
Architecturally, APEX II devices use a MultiCore architecture that fuses fine-grained LE logic with coarse-grained ESBs. Each ESB can implement dual-port RAM, ROM, FIFO, CAM, or multiplier functions. The BGA-652 footprint provides 652 balls on a FineLine BGA pitch, enabling dense board-level integration while preserving signal integrity for high-speed parallel buses and serializer/deserializer channels.
Typical applications include high-throughput network switches and routers, telecommunications backplane glue logic, ASIC prototyping, PCI/PCI-X bridges, multi-channel DSP datapaths, and military/aerospace signal processing platforms. The combination of high logic density and rich I/O makes the EP2A40B652C7 particularly well-suited to designs that must integrate multiple interface standards on a single board.
When designing with this part, engineers should note that APEX II predates the Cyclone and Stratix series, so Quartus II design tools are required for synthesis and place-and-route. Existing APEX II designs are routinely migrated to newer Cyclone III/IV or Stratix II/III/V devices when active lifecycle support and modern transceivers are required, and the BGA-652 footprint complicates such migrations.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, lifecycle status, drop-in alternative MPNs from the APEX II family, and practical design notes not consolidated in the original Altera datasheet, giving engineers a single reference point for sourcing decisions.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A40B652C7 — 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 EP2A40B652C7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Logic Elements, Package, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Configuration Method.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A40B652C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$94.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40B652C9
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$92.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40B652C7ES
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2A25B652C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$285 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A15B652C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$82.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40B652C7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | APEX II |
| Logic Elements | 40,000 LEs |
| Package | 652-ball FineLine BGA |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Commercial (C suffix) |
| Speed Grade | 7 |
| I/O Standards Supported | LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, GTL+, SSTL, LVDS, LVPECL |
| Configuration Method | SRAM-based, supported via EPC configuration devices |
| RoHS Status | Unknown |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
EP2A40B652C7 652-ball fineline bga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A40B652C7 (652-ball fineline bga 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 EP2A40B652C7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A40B652C7 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Throughput Network Switches, Telecom Backplane Glue Logic, ASIC Prototyping Platforms, Multi-Channel DSP Datapaths, PCI/PCI-X Bridge Controllers, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing.
High-Throughput Network Switches
The EP2A40B652C7 fits network switching designs because its 40,000 logic elements implement multi-gigabit MAC pipelines, packet classifiers, and table lookup engines on a single die. The 652-ball FineLine BGA exposes enough high-speed LVDS channels to drive multiple SGMII/serializer interfaces toward PHY chips, while the embedded system blocks provide dual-port RAM and CAM resources essential for routing table lookups at line rate. Designers typically place this FPGA between a switch ASIC and PHY transceivers, running at 100-200 MHz internal clock while external LVDS runs at 400-800 Mbps. Compared with discrete gate-array implementations, the EP2A40B652C7 reduces BOM and board area while leaving margin for protocol updates via SRAM reconfiguration.
Recommended
Telecom Backplane Glue Logic
The EP2A40B652C7 serves as programmable backplane glue logic in telecom systems, bridging legacy TDM/E1 framers with newer Ethernet MACs and SERDES links. Its 40k logic elements absorb the bridging state machines, while embedded system blocks implement small FIFOs and elastic buffers needed to cross clock domains. The BGA-652 footprint supplies 538 user I/O pins which can be partitioned across multiple I/O standards (LVTTL, LVCMOS, GTL+, SSTL) for compatibility with legacy bus voltages on the backplane. Power dissipation is dominated by I/O switching and stays in the 3-6 W range for typical telecom glue-logic workloads, manageable with a moderate thermal via array under the BGA.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platforms
The EP2A40B652C7 is well suited for ASIC prototyping because its 40,000 logic elements, embedded RAM, and multiplier blocks approximate mid-range ASIC gate counts while supporting rapid design iterations. The SRAM-based configuration lets designers recompile and re-run their RTL within hours rather than waiting for a fab spin, and the LVDS-capable I/O mimics the high-speed pads of many networking and DSP ASICs. The BGA-652 footprint on a multi-layer prototype board exposes enough I/O to bring out full ASIC boundary-scan chains. Speed grade 7 in commercial temperature supports prototyping at 100-150 MHz operating frequency on critical paths, sufficient for functional verification before committing to silicon.
Recommended
Multi-Channel DSP Datapaths
The EP2A40B652C7 supports multi-channel DSP datapaths where each channel runs FIR filters, FFT kernels, or codec functions implemented in the embedded system blocks (ESBs) configured as multiplier/accumulator units. The 40k logic elements plus ESB multipliers allow 8-16 parallel DSP channels at audio sample rates, while the rich I/O panel connects ADCs, DACs, and SHARC-style companion processors. The BGA-652 footprint distributes signal integrity across short LVDS traces, which is critical for multi-channel sigma-delta and audio routing in broadcast and instrumentation gear. Power consumption scales with channel count and typically stays within 5-8 W with proper clock gating.
Recommended
PCI/PCI-X Bridge Controllers
The EP2A40B652C7 is commonly used as a PCI/PCI-X bridge controller because its embedded system blocks implement the required transaction FIFOs and its LVTTL I/O banks handle 33/66 MHz PCI signaling directly. The 40k logic elements comfortably absorb the 64-bit PCI-X bridge state machine and downstream arbiter logic, with margin left for proprietary side-band interfaces. The 652-ball FineLine BGA offers enough I/O for both the primary PCI bus, secondary PCI-X bus, and a local processor bus, all on one chip. Engineers typically pair this FPGA with a standard northbridge chipset, reducing the bill of materials compared with a discrete PCI-X bridge ASIC.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
The EP2A40B652C7 is deployed in military and aerospace signal-processing payloads where a single programmable device must handle multiple digital functions: channelization, beamforming, encryption pre-processing, and telemetry framing. The 40k logic elements plus ESB-based RAM and multipliers run 50-100 MHz of FIR-filter throughput per channel, while the BGA-652 footprint supports ruggedized board stack-ups with thermal management. For aerospace programs where APEX II is already qualified, this part remains in long-term support through independent distributors. New aerospace designs typically migrate to radiation-hardened Virtex-5QV or Microsemi RTG4 families because APEX II is on Last Time Buy as of 2026-09-08.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A40B652C7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A40B652C8 | EP2A40B652C9 | EP2A40B652C7ES | EP2A25B652C7 | EP2A15B652C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 652-ball FineLine BGA | 652-ball FineLine BGA - same | 652-ball FineLine BGA - same | 652-ball FineLine BGA - same | 652-ball FineLine BGA - same | 652-ball FineLine BGA - same |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Logic Elements | 40,000 LEs | 40,000 LEs | 40,000 LEs | 40,000 LEs | 25,000 LEs | 15,000 LEs |
| Speed Grade | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 (ES) | 7 | 7 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial (ES) | Commercial | Commercial |
| Configuration Memory | SRAM-based | SRAM-based | SRAM-based | SRAM-based | SRAM-based | SRAM-based |
| Lifecycle Status (2026-09-08) | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy |
| Param Match vs EP2A40B652C7 | 100% (reference) | 95% (speed grade +1) | 90% (speed grade +2) | 95% (ES variant) | 75% (LEs -37.5%) | 70% (LEs -62.5%) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest density APEX II in the BGA-652 footprint (vs EP2A25B652C7)
- Commercial speed grade 7 is more available than -8/-9 bins (vs EP2A40B652C9)
- FineLine BGA supports more I/O than plastic BGA in same family (vs EP2A40FBGA-484 variants (if any))
Design Notes
Estimated: the EP2A40B652C7 in BGA-652 typically dissipates 3-6 W in commercial networking/glue-logic workloads. With FineLine BGA thermal resistance around 12-15 C/W (estimated; refer to the APEX II packaging thermal model for the exact theta-JA), a 5 W load yields a 60-75 C junction temperature rise above ambient. For non-airflow enclosures, route thermal vias directly under the center BGA balls and add a moderate heat spreader for sustained workloads. Verify with a thermocouple during bring-up.
Per the Altera APEX II BGA-652 footprint reference design, place a continuous GND plane on layer 2 directly under the BGA, and stitch the inner power planes around the device to provide low-impedance return paths for LVDS and PCI signals. Use 1.0 mm-pitch escape routing on the top layer with via-in-pad where the PCB house permits, and route matched-length LVDS pairs to within 150 mils. Decoupling: 0.1 uF X7R capacitors on every VCCIO/VCCINT pin pair, plus bulk 10-47 uF tantalums per power plane. JTAG chain must include the EPC configuration device and the EP2A40B652C7 in the same scan order.
Do not assume APEX II designs port to Quartus Prime - Quartus II version 9.1sp2 (or earlier) is the last supported toolchain. Pinout differences: when migrating to a different speed grade (C7 -> C8 -> C9), confirm in the APEX II datasheet that the BGA ball map is identical for your specific variant, since some speed-grade bins change pin assignments. Avoid mixing industrial and commercial temperature parts on the same board - they share the same ballout but the silicon timing is screened differently.
LVDS pairs on EP2A40B652C7 must be length-matched within 150 mils (about 25 ps of skew) for reliable operation above 400 Mbps, per Altera's APEX II signal integrity guidelines. Use a 100 ohm differential impedance stack-up and avoid crossing LVDS pairs over power plane splits. PCI 66 MHz interfaces require series-damping resistors near the FPGA driver to control simultaneous-switching-output (SSO) noise; the APEX II handbook lists recommended values per I/O bank.
EP2A40B652C7 is on Last Time Buy status as of 2026-09-08. Plan to qualify a drop-in replacement (EP2A40B652C8 or EP2A40B652C9 from this same family) or schedule a board redesign migration to Cyclone IV GX/Stratix II. Stock brokers list 1,440-4,774 pieces each, but do not assume indefinite supply - new orders should be accompanied by lifecycle risk analysis and a multi-year procurement buffer.
Compliance Information
Compliance data not present in the verified web sources for EP2A40B652C7. APEX II predates widespread RoHS transition for BGA FPGAs, so many variants are non-RoHS unless marked explicitly. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs.
