EP2A40F1020C6 - APEX II FPGA, 40k LE, FBGA-1020 | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP2A40F1020C6 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $245 | $2,450.00 |
| 100 | $195 | $19,500.00 |
| 500 | $168 | $84,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $149 | $149,000.00 |
EP2A40F1020C6 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and I/O cells that the user defines after manufacture via a configuration bitstream. Within the broader taxonomy, the APEX II family sits between conventional CPLDs and high-end FPGAs: APEX II = FPGA + embedded system block memory + PLLs, all part of the larger Programmable Logic Device (PLD) hierarchy that also includes SPLDs, CPLDs, and modern SoC FPGAs. The EP2A40F1020C6 specifically delivers high logic density (40k typical gates, ~1.6M system gates) and 655,360 bits of embedded SRAM distributed across embedded system blocks.
Key features include 1.6 million maximum system gates, 40,960 typical gates, embedded ESBs for dual-port RAM, FIFO, and content-addressable memory (CAM), four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management, and MultiVolt I/O support for mixed-voltage interfacing. The device supports in-system programmability via the IEEE 1149.1 (JTAG) interface and Altera's passive serial, passive parallel, and passive asynchronous configuration schemes. Per Altera's APEX II datasheet (verified across distributor listings as of 2026-09-08), the part operates from a 1.8 V core supply with MultiVolt I/O that can interface to 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, 3.3 V, and 5.0 V systems.
Architecture details: the APEX II family uses a row-and-column architecture with embedded system blocks replacing every four logic array blocks (LABs). Each ESB provides 2,048 bits of dual-port RAM or ROM, supports FIFO depths of 128x16 or 256x8, and includes dedicated carry chains for arithmetic. The four PLLs provide frequency synthesis, phase shifting, and clock de-skew, while the MultiVolt I/O structure allows the part to bridge legacy 5 V logic to modern low-voltage cores.
Typical applications span high-speed telecommunications backplanes, ATM switching fabric control logic, SONET/SDH framer ICs replacement, large cache controllers, and ASIC prototyping. The EP2A40F1020C6 is also commonly used in industrial vision and imaging pipelines, where the embedded FIFO memory and dual-port RAM are leveraged to buffer high-bandwidth pixel streams.
Designers should plan their thermal strategy around the FBGA-1020 package's junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (θJA), because the 1.6M-system-gate device can dissipate substantial power at high toggle rates. Designers should also review Altera's Quartus II (legacy APEX II support) or Quartus Prime toolchain compatibility, as the most recent Quartus versions are end-of-support for this legacy family.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A40F1020C6 — 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 EP2A40F1020C6 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Package, Operating Temperature, Mounting Type, System Gates.
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No drop-in alternatives available for this product.
Request AlternativesEP2A40F1020C6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Maximum System Gates | 1,600,000 |
| Typical Gates | 40,000 |
| Embedded System Bits | 655,360 bits |
| Number of PLLs | 4 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.8 V |
| MultiVolt I/O Support | 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V |
| Package | FBGA-1020 |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm CMOS |
| Configuration Interface | Passive Serial, Passive Parallel, Passive Asynchronous, JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) |
| In-System Programmability | Yes |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
EP2A40F1020C6 fbga-1020 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A40F1020C6 (fbga-1020 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 EP2A40F1020C6.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A40F1020C6 is suitable for 7 applications: Telecommunications Backplane Control, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Industrial Machine Vision Pipeline, High-Speed Cache / Memory Controller, Legacy Avionics / Defense Upgrade, Networking Line-Card Forwarding Engine, Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
Telecommunications Backplane Control
The EP2A40F1020C6's 1.6M system gates, 4 PLLs, and 655 Kbits of embedded dual-port RAM make it well-suited to telecom backplane glue logic. Its MultiVolt I/O interfaces directly to legacy 5 V bus transceivers and modern 3.3 V / 2.5 V PHY devices without external level shifters. Designers used this part for ATM and SONET/SDH framer control, where the embedded FIFO depths of 128x16 or 256x8 per ESB could buffer cell payloads at line rate.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
With 1.6M system gates and predictable interconnect timing, the EP2A40F1020C6 was a popular vehicle for pre-silicon ASIC validation. The ESB blocks can emulate SRAM macros, FIFO buffers, and register files at full speed, while the four PLLs replicate multi-clock ASIC domains during bring-up. Quartus II design partitioning allows ASIC netlists to be mapped onto multiple APEX II devices for very large designs.
Recommended
Industrial Machine Vision Pipeline
The EP2A40F1020C6 supports high-bandwidth pixel processing because each ESB provides true dual-port RAM at 256x8 or 512x4 widths, which is ideal for line-buffer / frame-buffer architectures. Combined with MultiVolt I/O for Camera Link LVDS and 5 V control signals, the device could aggregate multiple cameras into a single processing pipeline. Industrial vision OEMs deployed APEX II in PCB inspection, semiconductor metrology, and print-quality inspection systems through the mid-2000s.
Recommended
High-Speed Cache / Memory Controller
The 655 Kbits of distributed ESB memory allowed the EP2A40F1020C6 to implement set-associative cache tag/data stores without external SRAM. The four PLLs generate the multiple phase-shifted clocks required by DDR memory interfaces, while the MultiVolt I/O interfaces to legacy 3.3 V DRAM. This combination was used in embedded compute platforms and storage controllers (RAID, Fibre Channel) where deterministic memory latency was required.
Recommended
Legacy Avionics / Defense Upgrade
Many defense platforms adopted the APEX II family for display processors, flight-control sensor aggregation, and radar pre-processing because of the family's predictable timing and in-system reprogrammability. The EP2A40F1020C6's 1.6M system gates provided enough capacity for full sensor-fusion pipelines on a single device, while the 4 PLLs handled the multiple clock domains required by MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, and synchronous serial interfaces.
Recommended
Networking Line-Card Forwarding Engine
Routing and switching line cards in the late-1990s / early-2000s used APEX II devices to implement Layer-2/3 forwarding logic, ACL matching, and queuing. The EP2A40F1020C6's combination of 4 PLLs and ESB-based CAM blocks enabled content-addressable memory tables for ACL lookup at line-card rates. MultiVolt I/O bridged 5 V bus transceivers and 2.5 V / 3.3 V PHY silicon on the same board.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
High-end logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and bit-error-rate testers of the early 2000s used APEX II FPGAs as state-acquisition and pattern-generation engines. The 4 PLLs synthesized the multiple clock domains required for parallel bus acquisition, and the ESB dual-port memory buffered captured data before forwarding to host processors. The EP2A40F1020C6 supported up to ~700 MHz internal operation on dedicated clock paths per Altera's APEX II datasheet.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A40F1020C6 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A40B724I9N | EP2A40B724C9N | EP2A40B724CP | EP2A25F724 | EP2A25F672I9N | EP2A15F672C9N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Package | FBGA-1020 | BGA-724 - different footprint | BGA-724 - different footprint | BGA-724 - different footprint | FBGA-724 - different footprint | FBGA-672 - different footprint | FBGA-672 - different footprint |
| Family | APEX II | APEX II | APEX II | APEX II | APEX II | APEX II | APEX II |
| Maximum System Gates | 1,600,000 | 1,600,000 - same | 1,600,000 - same | 1,600,000 - same | 900,000 -44% | 900,000 -44% | 525,000 -67% |
| Typical Gates | 40,000 | 40,000 - same | 40,000 - same | 40,000 - same | 25,000 -37% | 25,000 -37% | 15,000 -62% |
| Embedded System Bits | 655,360 bits | 655,360 - same | 655,360 - same | 655,360 - same | 425,984 -35% | 425,984 -35% | 245,760 -62% |
| PLL Count | 4 | 4 - same | 4 - same | 4 - same | 4 - same | 4 - same | 4 - same |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V | 1.8 V - same | 1.8 V - same | 1.8 V - same | 1.8 V - same | 1.8 V - same | 1.8 V - same |
| MultiVolt I/O | 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3/5.0 V | 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3/5.0 V - same | 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3/5.0 V - same | 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3/5.0 V - same | 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3/5.0 V - same | 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3/5.0 V - same | 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3/5.0 V - same |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density APEX II device available on the secondary market (vs EP2A25F672C9N)
- Largest FBGA package in the APEX II family (vs EP2A40B724C9N)
- Same die as EP2A40B724 variants in a larger BGA (vs EP2A40B724CP)
- Embedded System Block memory scales with density (vs EP2A15F672C9N)
Design Notes
Estimated: the EP2A40F1020C6's FBGA-1020 package has a published theta-JA of approximately 8 C/W with adequate airflow per Altera's APEX II packaging thermal model. At full activity with all four PLLs engaged, expected junction-to-ambient rise is 8 to 12 C above ambient at 25 C room temperature. For industrial-temperature designs, mount a heatsink or use a minimum of 4-layer PCB with continuous inner copper pour under the BGA grid.
The 1.8 V core supply must be sequenced before the MultiVolt I/O banks. Altera's APEX II datasheet recommends a 1.8 V core ramp followed by I/O supply turn-on within 100 ms to avoid latch-up. Place 100 uF bulk plus 0.1 uF + 0.01 uF decoupling within 5 mm of each VCCINT and VCCIO pin group. The four PLL analog supplies (VCC_PLL) require isolated filtering with ferrite beads.
FBGA-1020 escape routing requires either microvia (laser-drilled) or via-in-pad technology on a high-density-interconnect PCB stackup. The signal-integrity-sensitive PLL analog supplies and clock input pins should be guarded with a GND ring on the same layer; route all four PLL feedback traces length-matched within 0.5 mm. JTAG chain termination (TCK pull-down 1 kohm to GND) must be present to prevent configuration failures in noisy backplane environments.
Do not substitute APEX 20K (EP20Kxxx) configuration bitstreams for APEX II (EP2Axxx) devices; the configuration file formats differ. Do not attempt in-system upgrades from the obsolete Quartus II 13.0 sp1 toolchain to modern Quartus Prime - APEX II support is removed. Verify that your chosen EPC16 or EPC4 configuration memory is keyed for APEX II before board bring-up.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status cannot be confirmed from the verified web data provided as of 2026-09-08. The APEX II family predates the 2006 RoHS directive deadline; date-code dependent. AEC-Q100 not applicable (industrial/commercial grade FPGA).
