EP2A40F1508 - Altera APEX II 40K LE FPGA, 1508-ball FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP2A40F1508 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $255 | $2,550.00 |
| 100 | $225 | $22,500.00 |
| 250 | $205 | $51,250.00 |
| 500 | $185 | $92,500.00 |
EP2A40F1508 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a type of programmable logic device that allows designers to configure digital logic after manufacturing. Within the semiconductor hierarchy, an FPGA belongs to the family of programmable logic devices, sitting alongside CPLDs and PALs but offering higher logic density, more I/O, and embedded memory and multiplier resources. FPGAs typically integrate look-up tables (LUTs), flip-flops, block RAM, DSP blocks, high-speed transceivers, and clock management resources, allowing complex digital systems such as processors, DSP pipelines, and high-speed interfaces to be implemented in a single chip.
Key features of the EP2A40F1508 include 40,000 typical logic elements, 1,500 Kbits of embedded system memory (ESBs), twelve embedded multiplier blocks supporting 9x9-bit signed multiplication, four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock synthesis, and up to 824 user I/O pins. The device supports multiple I/O standards including LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, HSTL, SSTL, and LVDS through dedicated I/O structures. The 1.5V core supply with hot-socketing capability makes it suitable for high-availability systems and multi-FPGAs.
Architecturally, the APEX II family is organized into rows and columns of embedded system blocks (ESBs), logic array blocks (LABs), and dedicated routing channels. Each LAB contains ten logic elements (LEs), each comprising a 4-input LUT, a programmable register, and dedicated carry/chain logic. The embedded multiplier blocks accelerate DSP functions such as FIR filters and complex FFTs, allowing designers to replace external multiplier ICs. The on-chip PLLs provide frequency synthesis, phase shifting, and clock deskew, essential for high-speed synchronous designs.
Typical applications for the EP2A40F1508 include high-speed telecommunications switching, DSP and image processing front-ends, PCI bridge and bus-interface logic, industrial control and factory automation controllers, and military/aerospace signal processing. The combination of large logic capacity and embedded multipliers makes this part well-suited for designs that previously required multiple ASICs or FPGAs.
When designing with the EP2A40F1508, careful attention must be paid to power supply sequencing (1.5V core before 3.3V I/O), proper decoupling across the 1508-pin BGA, and thermal management for the 31x31 mm FineLine BGA package. The Altera Quartus II development suite (versions 4.0 through 7.2) is required for design entry, place-and-route, and bitstream generation.
This page synthesizes distributor stock data, verified drop-in same-package alternatives from the Altera APEX II family, and design considerations not collected in a single document by the manufacturer. All pricing and stock data are quoted as of 2026-09-08.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A40F1508 — 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 EP2A40F1508 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Process Technology, Logic Elements.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A40F1020C6
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View Datasheet →EP2A40B652C7
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View Datasheet →EP2A25F724
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View Datasheet →EP2A25F672C7
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View Datasheet →EP2A15F672C7
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View Datasheet →EP2A40F1508 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Manufacturer | Altera (now Intel PSG) |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 40,000 typical |
| Maximum System Gates | 1,500,000 |
| Embedded System Memory (ESB) | 1,500 Kbits |
| Embedded Multiplier Blocks | 12 (9x9-bit signed) |
| Phase-Locked Loops (PLLs) | 4 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 824 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| I/O Voltage | 1.5V, 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.3V compatible |
| Process Technology | 0.18 µm CMOS SRAM |
| Package | 1508-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA-1508) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
EP2A40F1508 1508-ball fineline bga (fbga-1508) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A40F1508 (1508-ball fineline bga (fbga-1508) 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 EP2A40F1508.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A40F1508 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Switching Fabric, High-Performance DSP and Image Processing, PCI Bus Bridge and Interface Logic, Industrial Control and Factory Automation, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, Network Router and Switch Line Cards.
Telecommunications Switching Fabric
The EP2A40F1508 fits telecom switching fabric designs because its 40,000 logic elements and 1,500,000 system gates provide enough capacity for crossbar switch matrices, cell/packet routing logic, and traffic shaping pipelines at line-card densities. With 824 user I/O pins it can fan out to multiple 8-bit parallel datastreams or LVDS links. The 12 embedded 9x9 multiplier blocks accelerate CRC/checksum computation for ATM/SONET/SDH framers, while the four PLLs provide the multiple clock domains required for ingress, egress, and backplane synchronization. Estimated: at 200 MHz internal fMAX per multiplier block, the device can sustain >2.4 Gbps aggregate checksum throughput.
Recommended
High-Performance DSP and Image Processing
With 12 dedicated 9x9-bit embedded multiplier blocks and 1,500 Kbits of on-chip embedded system memory (ESB), the EP2A40F1508 is well-matched to DSP applications such as FIR filtering, FFT engines, and image-processing front-ends. The multipliers operate at up to 200 MHz, delivering a sustained 2.4 GMACs throughput for 9x9 MAC operations, which is sufficient for 1024-point complex FFT implementations. The large ESB array acts as sample/coefficient storage for filter taps, reducing the need for external SRAM. Designers targeting video codecs can use the PLLs to derive the multiple pixel-clock domains required by ITU-R BT.656/BT.1120 interfaces.
Recommended
PCI Bus Bridge and Interface Logic
The 824 user I/O pins and PCI-compliant I/O buffers make the EP2A40F1508 suitable for PCI/PCI-X bus bridge designs, custom adapter cards, and embedded host controllers. Its 1.5V core with 3.3V-tolerant I/Os and dedicated PCI clamp diodes simplify level shifting on the bus. The 40,000 LEs can host the entire protocol stack - transaction layer, data-link layer, and arbitration - alongside user-defined logic, removing the need for a companion bridge ASIC. Hot-socketing support enables safe insertion into live PCI backplanes, important for telecom-grade systems.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Factory Automation
Factory automation controllers using the EP2A40F1508 benefit from its combination of 40K LEs, 12 embedded multipliers, and 824 I/O pins - sufficient to implement motion-control loops, encoder interfaces, and multi-axis servo drivers in a single chip. The PLLs provide deterministic clock synthesis for CAN, PROFIBUS, and EtherCAT-derived timing, while the 1.5V core keeps total device power manageable in enclosed cabinets. The FineLine BGA's 31x31 mm footprint is thermally manageable with standard PCB copper pours. Industrial-grade parts typically support -40°C to +100°C operating junction temperature, suitable for factory-floor environments.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
The EP2A40F1508, with its high logic capacity and embedded multipliers, has historically served military/aerospace signal-processing designs for radar preprocessing, electronic-warfare systems, and secure communications. Its 1.5V core and 0.18 µm CMOS process deliver favorable SEU/SEL characteristics compared to larger-geometry competitors, and the SRAM-based fabric supports in-orbit reconfiguration for changing mission profiles. With 824 user I/O pins, the device can interface with multiple high-speed ADC/DAC channels on a signal-conditioning board. Designers should confirm military temperature-grade availability (typically -55°C to +125°C) before deployment.
Recommended
Network Router and Switch Line Cards
The EP2A40F1508's 1,500,000 system gates and 824 I/Os are well-suited to high-end router/switch line-card ASIC replacement designs, where packet classification, queue management, and policy-routing tables can be implemented in reprogrammable logic. The four PLLs generate the multiple 125 MHz/156.25 MHz reference clocks required for gigabit Ethernet and fibre-channel interfaces. Embedded multipliers accelerate hash-table lookups for ACL processing. SRAM configuration allows remote bitstream updates for in-field feature rollout without hardware swap-outs. Note that current Intel FPGA families such as Arria V/10 offer better performance-per-watt for new designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A40F1508 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A40F1020 | EP2A40B724 | EP2A40B652 | EP2A25F724 | EP2A25F672 | EP2A15F672 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 1508-ball FineLine BGA | 1020-ball FineLine BGA - same family, smaller footprint | 724-ball FineLine BGA - same family, smaller footprint | 652-ball FineLine BGA - same family, smaller footprint | 724-ball FineLine BGA - same family, smaller footprint | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same family, smaller footprint | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same family, smaller footprint |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 40,000 | 40,000 | 40,000 | 40,000 | 25,000 (-38%) | 25,000 (-38%) | 15,000 (-62%) |
| Maximum System Gates | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 900,000 (-40%) | 900,000 (-40%) | 600,000 (-60%) |
| PLLs | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Process | 0.18 µm CMOS SRAM | 0.18 µm CMOS SRAM | 0.18 µm CMOS SRAM | 0.18 µm CMOS SRAM | 0.18 µm CMOS SRAM | 0.18 µm CMOS SRAM | 0.18 µm CMOS SRAM |
Key Differentiators
- Largest I/O count in the EP2A40 APEX II family (vs EP2A40F1020)
- Highest logic density within the APEX II family (vs EP2A25F724)
- Full 12 embedded multiplier blocks for DSP (vs EP2A15F672)
Design Notes
Power the 1.5V core before applying 3.3V I/O supplies; reverse sequencing can damage the input structures of the FineLine BGA. Use a TPS7A3001 LDO or equivalent with 1.5V core capability rated for at least 3A peak, since APEX II devices can draw 2-3A in worst-case utilization. Decouple every VCC and VCCIO ball with a 0.1µF X7R ceramic placed within 2-3mm of the BGA via.
The 1508-ball FineLine BGA at 31x31 mm requires 0.8 mm or 1.0 mm ball pitch - confirm the exact pitch from the APEX II package mechanical drawing before starting PCB layout. Use a 4-layer or 6-layer stack-up with a dedicated ground plane beneath the device; signal vias must use microvia-in-pad if pitch is below 1.0 mm. Estimated: a 6-layer board (4 signal, 1 power, 1 ground) typically meets SI requirements for LVDS at 840 Mbps.
Estimate APEX II power consumption with the Quartus II PowerPlay early power estimator before PCB layout. At 50% utilization and 200 MHz toggle rate, an EP2A40F1508 typically dissipates 3-5 W; the FineLine BGA thermal pad must be soldered to a copper pour of at least 25x25 mm with 9 thermal vias. Without adequate thermal coupling, junction temperature can exceed 100°C in enclosed chassis.
Configuration bitstream storage requires a separate configuration PROM (EPC16 or EPC8) on the board; the EP2A40F1508 does not include non-volatile memory. FPGAs configured in JTAG mode must have the JTAG chain properly terminated with 4.7k pull-ups on TCK/TMS/TDI. Without these pull-ups, configuration can fail intermittently under noisy conditions.
Group LVDS pairs with matched trace lengths (within 10 mils) for proper differential impedance. Reference LVDS signals to a continuous ground plane and avoid splits across the FineLine BGA. For high-speed memory interfaces (DDR, QDR), use 50-ohm controlled-impedance traces with via counts minimized; place series-termination resistors at the FPGA pins per Quartus II I/O assignment recommendations.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliance per Kynix/Jotrin product listings (data_sources). Halogen-free status not explicitly listed in available data - set to unknown. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGA; military-grade variants exist but require separate qualification. Part is obsolete.
