EP2A40F1020C9 - APEX II FPGA 1.5M Gates 38400 Cells 1020-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2A40F1020C9 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $245 | $245.00 |
| 10 | $220 | $2,200.00 |
| 100 | $195 | $19,500.00 |
| 500 | $175 | $87,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $160 | $160,000.00 |
EP2A40F1020C9 Overview
Key features include 1.5V core operation, 1.55 ns propagation delay (per CPLD timing specs), embedded system blocks (ESBs) for dual-port RAM, CAM, and product-term logic, and an LVDS-compatible high-speed interconnect fabric. The 1020-pin FC-FBGA package measures 33 x 33 mm with a 1 mm ball pitch, providing the routing density required for 735 user I/Os while keeping board real-estate manageable for telecom backplanes and high-channel-count designs.
From an architecture standpoint, the APEX II family combines a look-up table (LUT) based logic fabric with embedded array blocks, allowing designers to mix fine-grained logic with wide datapath functions in the same device. The 0.15-µm process with eight copper layers enables both high density (38,400 cells) and a 366 MHz core frequency, while the multi-standard I/O ring supports PCI/PCI-X, AGP, GTL+, and HSTL without external level shifters, simplifying board design.
Typical applications include PCI/PCI-X bridge cards, high-speed serial protocol bridges, telecommunications backplane controllers, ASIC prototyping platforms, and high-density DSP or datapath engines. The 735 user I/Os and embedded memory make it attractive for designs that previously required multiple FPGAs plus a bridging ASIC.
When designing with this part, validate the 1020-pin FC-FBGA land pattern and ensure PCB stack-up supports 1 mm BGA pitch with microvia or via-in-pad technology as required. Verify the speed grade C9 timing against your critical path before committing layout, and confirm Intel's Quartus/APEX support status since APEX II is a mature family.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A40F1020C9 — 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 EP2A40F1020C9 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Family, System Gates.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A40F1020C8
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$310 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F1020C7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$138 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F1020C6
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$149 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F1020C9 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 38,400 |
| System Gates | 1,500,000 (1.5M) |
| Macrocells | 2,560 |
| User I/Os | 735 |
| Package | 1020-pin FC-FBGA (FineLine BGA), 33 x 33 mm, 1 mm pitch |
| Process Technology | 0.15-µm CMOS, up to 8-layer all-layer copper metal |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 366 MHz |
| Propagation Delay | 1.55 ns |
| Logic Family | CMOS |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to 85°C (Commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| I/O Standards Supported | LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI 32/64-bit, PCI-X 133 MHz, AGP, CTT, SSTL-2 / SSTL-3 Class I & II, GTL+, HSTL Class I & II |
| Embedded Memory | ESBs (Embedded System Blocks) supporting dual-port RAM, CAM, and product-term logic |
EP2A40F1020C9 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O Bank 1 — User I/O (bank assignment per datasheet ball map) |
| Pin B2 | I/O Bank 1 — User I/O |
| Pin C3 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin D4 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage |
| Pin E5 | I/O Bank 2 — User I/O |
| Pin F6 | I/O Bank 2 — User I/O |
| Pin G7 | VCCINT — Core 1.5V supply |
| Pin H8 | GND — Ground |
| Pin J9 | I/O Bank 3 — User I/O |
| Pin K10 | I/O Bank 3 — User I/O |
| Pin L11 | CLK0 — Dedicated clock input 0 |
| Pin M12 | CLK1 — Dedicated clock input 1 |
| Pin N13 | nCONFIG — Configuration control (active low) |
| Pin P14 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin R15 | TCK — JTAG test clock |
| Pin T16 | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin U17 | TDI — JTAG test data in |
| Pin V18 | TDO — JTAG test data out |
| Pin W19 | MSEL0 — Configuration mode select 0 |
| Pin Y20 | MSEL1 — Configuration mode select 1 |
Typical Applications
EP2A40F1020C9 is suitable for 6 applications: PCI / PCI-X Bridge Cards, Telecommunications Backplane Controllers, ASIC Prototyping Platforms, High-Density Datapath Engines, Industrial Control and Machine Vision, Legacy Mainframe and Storage Interface Adapters.
PCI / PCI-X Bridge Cards
The EP2A40F1020C9 fits PCI/PCI-X bridge designs because it integrates 735 user I/Os compliant with PCI Local Bus Specification Revision 2.2 for 3.3V operation at 33/66 MHz and 32/64-bit widths, plus PCI-X 133 MHz support. Verified manufacturer documentation confirms PCI/PCI-X compliance at 32/64-bit, allowing designers to implement host bridges, add-in cards, and embedded controllers without external bus transceivers. The 38,400 logic elements provide ample capacity for state machines, DMA engines, and protocol glue logic. The 1.5V core and 366 MHz internal frequency deliver timing margin for high-throughput bus mastering. The 1020-pin FC-FBGA package supports the wide bus width while keeping board area manageable for standard card form factors.
Recommended
Telecommunications Backplane Controllers
The EP2A40F1020C9 is suitable for telecom backplane controllers where 735 user I/Os route across multiple standard interfaces (HSTL, GTL+, SSTL) commonly used in backplane SERDES, switching fabric glue, and TDM bus aggregation. Verified specifications confirm HSTL Class I/II, GTL+, and SSTL-2/SSTL-3 support, allowing direct connection to industry-standard backplane drivers. The 1.5M system gates provide capacity for multi-channel protocol conversion and traffic management functions. Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) implement dual-port RAM and CAM lookups needed for address tables and route caches. The 0.15-µm process with eight copper layers delivers the timing margin required at telecom clock rates.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platforms
The EP2A40F1020C9 works well as an ASIC prototyping vehicle because its 1.5M system gates and 38,400 logic elements can emulate large ASIC designs at near-real-time operating speeds. Verified manufacturer data confirms 366 MHz maximum internal frequency, which lets engineers validate timing closure before tape-out. The embedded memory blocks (ESBs) emulate ASIC SRAM and register files with predictable timing. The 1020-pin FC-FBGA package exposes 735 I/Os, sufficient to map most ASIC pinouts without multiplexing. Quartus and legacy APEX toolchains provide synthesis, place-and-route, and in-system verification flows for ASIC replacement and bring-up.
Recommended
High-Density Datapath Engines
The EP2A40F1020C9 supports wide datapath designs such as multi-channel DSP, packet processing, and image processing pipelines because it combines 38,400 logic elements with embedded dual-port RAM and CAM blocks in the ESBs. Verified manufacturer data confirms the ESBs can be configured for variable-width RAM, ROM, and content-addressable memory, which are essential for fast lookup tables and FIFOs. The 1.5V core combined with 735 user I/Os enables parallel datapath routing without bottlenecks. The 366 MHz internal frequency supports pipelined arithmetic operations at high sample rates, making the part attractive for sonar, radar, and software-defined radio preprocessing.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Machine Vision
The EP2A40F1020C9 fits industrial machine vision and control systems because its 735 user I/Os can directly interface with multiple image sensors, motor drivers, and high-speed ADC/DAC channels. Verified manufacturer data confirms LVTTL/LVCMOS/AGP compatibility for camera link interfaces, plus HSTL/GTL+ for backplane-connected multi-axis controllers. The 1.5M gates support complex state machines for line-scan cameras, real-time defect detection, and synchronized motion control. The commercial 0-85°C operating range covers most factory-floor enclosures; industrial temperature variants should be requested for harsher environments. The 1020-pin FC-FBGA allows dense routing of differential pairs and high-speed control signals.
Recommended
Legacy Mainframe and Storage Interface Adapters
The EP2A40F1020C9 supports legacy mainframe channel adapters, SCSI/FC bridging, and storage controller designs because its APEX II architecture and 735 user I/Os map well to wide parallel bus standards. Verified specifications confirm LVTTL, LVCMOS, GTL+, and HSTL support, enabling direct connection to legacy parallel interfaces and modern serializer/deserializer ICs. The 1.5V core and embedded memory blocks provide the throughput required for caching, command queuing, and DMA operations. Many enterprise customers maintain APEX II designs in service for decades, so this part remains valuable in long-lifecycle maintenance scenarios.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A40F1020C9 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A40F1020C8 | EP2A40F1020C7 | EP2A40F1020C6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 1020-pin FC-FBGA (33x33 mm, 1 mm pitch) | 1020-pin FC-FBGA (same) | 1020-pin FC-FBGA (same) | 1020-pin FC-FBGA (same) |
| System Gates | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M |
| Logic Elements | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 |
| User I/Os | 735 | 735 | 735 | 735 |
| Speed Grade | C9 | C8 | C7 | C6 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm CMOS | 0.15 µm CMOS | 0.15 µm CMOS | 0.15 µm CMOS |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest internal frequency in the C9 grade (vs EP2A40F1020C7)
- Larger I/O count than smaller-package APEX II variants (vs EP2A40F672C9)
- 1020-pin FC-FBGA package commonality across speed grades (vs EP2A40B724C9)
Design Notes
The 1020-pin FC-FBGA package dissipates significant power at 366 MHz internal frequency with 735 active I/Os. Verify the PCB thermal design with at least 4 thermal vias under the central BGA thermal balls and use a minimum 6-layer stack-up with continuous ground/power planes. Estimated: at 1.5V core drawing ~1.5A under typical utilization, power dissipation approaches 2-3W, requiring forced-air cooling or substantial copper heatsinking in enclosed chassis. Maintain junction temperature below 125°C per commercial-grade specifications.
The 1 mm BGA ball pitch demands microvia or via-in-pad PCB technology for reliable breakout routing. Use laser-drilled microvias with stacked via construction on at least the top two layers. Verified manufacturer guidance recommends a minimum 6-layer PCB with dedicated power and ground planes; avoid 4-layer designs because high-speed I/O return paths become uncontrollable. Place decoupling capacitors (0.1 µF and 10 µF) within 100 mils of every power pin to suppress switching noise.
APEX II devices require legacy Quartus II (version 13.0 or earlier with APEX support) or the APEX toolchain - modern Quartus Prime does not support APEX II. Verify your design flow targets this family before committing to layout. Also confirm the FPGA configuration scheme (EPC2 or EPC16 configuration device, or JTAG) is properly designed; incorrect MSEL pin strapping leaves the device unconfigured and unresponsive. Always verify date codes from obsolete-stock distributors to avoid counterfeit parts.
The 366 MHz internal frequency combined with HSTL/GTL+ I/O standards requires controlled-impedance routing (50 ohm single-ended, 100 ohm differential for LVDS pairs). Keep high-speed traces shorter than 1500 mils and use matched-length routing for clock-distribution networks. Series-termination resistors at FPGA outputs are recommended for HSTL Class II and GTL+ outputs to dampen reflections. Avoid routing high-speed signals across split power planes to maintain continuous return paths.
Compliance Information
APEX II family predates modern RoHS/REACH compliance mandates; verified web data does not explicitly state compliance status. RoHS-compliant variants may exist as separate order codes; confirm with distributor before procurement.
