EP2A40F672C9N - APEX II 1.5M Gates FPGA, BGA-672 | Intel
MPN: EP2A40F672C9N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $425 | $425.00 |
| 10 | $395 | $3,950.00 |
| 100 | $360 | $36,000.00 |
| 500 | $325 | $162,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $295 | $295,000.00 |
EP2A40F672C9N Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a programmable logic device that combines the architectural flexibility of a gate array with the design-turnaround advantage of in-system programmability. Within the wider semiconductor taxonomy, FPGAs sit between fixed-function ASICs and microcontrollers: they offer hardware-level parallelism and deterministic timing, while remaining fully re-programmable. The APEX II family is a second-generation APEX architecture using a 0.15 µm all-layer copper interconnect process with up to eight metal layers, supporting 1 Gbps LVDS I/O performance.
Key specifications include 492 user I/O pins, 1.55 ns propagation delay, 366 MHz internal operation, 1.5 V core supply, and an embedded system block (ESB) that delivers up to 1.125 Mbits of dual-port RAM. The Look-up Table (LUT)-based logic elements include carry-chain and register-chain resources for arithmetic-intensive datapaths. The 'C9' speed grade places this part in the mid-speed bin of the family, with '-9' corresponding to approximately 1.5 ns pin-to-pin delay.
The APEX II architecture combines four types of structures: Logic Array Blocks (LABs) for fine-grained logic, ESBs for memory and arithmetic, MegaLAB structures that group LABs and ESBs, and FastTrack interconnect for predictable row/column routing. This hierarchy makes the device well-suited to system-on-chip integration where a mix of glue logic, FIFOs, register files, and DSP pipelines must coexist.
Typical applications include high-speed telecommunications backplanes, parallel DSP engines for video processing, custom protocol bridges between ASICs, and high-throughput data acquisition systems. The 492 available I/Os make it particularly attractive for bus-intensive designs such as DDR memory controllers, parallel pixel processing, and multi-port network interfaces.
When designing with this part, pay close attention to power-plane decoupling: at 366 MHz with 38K logic elements, dynamic current peaks can exceed 3 A. Place at least 16 low-ESR 0.1 µF capacitors directly beneath the BGA footprint, plus four bulk 22 µF capacitors near the corners. Signal-integrity simulations should be performed on all LVDS and clock nets before layout sign-off, since FastTrack routing delay varies with fan-out.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in APEX II alternatives, and practical design guidance for high-density BGA FPGA implementation not found in the original APEX II datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A40F672C9N — 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 EP2A40F672C9N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Speed Grade, Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Logic Elements.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A40F672C9
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$62 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F672C8N
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View Datasheet →EP2A40F672C7N
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$198 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F672C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$165 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F672C9ES
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$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F672C8
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$68 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F672C9N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Device Name | EP2A40 |
| System Gates | 1,500,000 |
| Logic Elements | 38,400 |
| User I/Os | 492 |
| Package | BGA-672 (27 x 27 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) |
| Package Code | FC-FBGA / PBGA672 |
| Speed Grade | C9 (~1.55 ns propagation delay) |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm all-layer copper, up to 8 metal layers |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Internal Frequency | 366 MHz |
| LVDS Data Rate | 1 Gbps |
| Propagation Delay | 1.55 ns |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Logic Family | CMOS (SRAM-based configuration) |
EP2A40F672C9N fc-fbga / pbga672 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A40F672C9N (fc-fbga / pbga672 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 EP2A40F672C9N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A40F672C9N is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Telecom Backplane Bridge, Parallel DSP Engine for Video Processing, Custom ASIC Protocol Bridge, High-Throughput Data Acquisition Front-End, Legacy Industrial Control Platform, Aerospace Test & Simulation FPGA.
High-Speed Telecom Backplane Bridge
The EP2A40F672C9N's 1 Gbps LVDS capability and 492 user I/Os make it a strong fit for telecom backplane bridging between legacy TDM fabrics and modern packet switches. At C9 speed grade (1.55 ns propagation delay) and 366 MHz internal frequency, the part can run deep pipelined serializer/deserializer logic plus MAC-layer state machines in parallel, replacing multiple discrete ASICs. The wide I/O count allows direct connection to 64-bit wide bus standards without external muxing, and the APEX II ESBs provide 1.125 Mbits of dual-port RAM for cell buffering. Designers route LVDS pairs on inner PCB layers with 100 Ω differential impedance; one EP2A40 typically replaces two or three older-generation glue-logic chips on a single line card.
Recommended
Parallel DSP Engine for Video Processing
The 38,400 logic elements and dedicated ESB arithmetic chains make the EP2A40F672C9N well suited to parallel DSP architectures such as 2D DCT, motion estimation, and real-time image filtering pipelines. The 1.5 V core plus the 0.15 µm copper interconnect process keep dynamic power manageable even at 366 MHz clock rates when aggressive clock-gating is applied. Each MegaLAB can host a 16-bit MAC plus a coefficient register file in tight proximity, dramatically reducing routing delay and enabling multi-tap FIR filters to run at >150 MHz. The 492 I/Os simultaneously feed multiple parallel pixel buses, while the FastTrack interconnect preserves deterministic block-to-block timing - critical for pixel-aligned video pipelines.
Recommended
Custom ASIC Protocol Bridge
When gluing together third-party ASICs with mismatched bus protocols, the EP2A40F672C9N provides the I/O flexibility and logic density to implement bidirectional protocol converters on a single die. Its mix of LVDS, LVTTL, PCI, and SSTL I/O standards (configurable per pin) lets one FPGA bridge between a DDR-II memory ASIC and a HyperTransport host controller without external transceivers. With 38,400 logic elements available, full protocol state machines plus data-path FIFOs fit comfortably, and the 492 I/Os handle wide source-synchronous buses with margin. This application is common in storage controller cards, where the FPGA emulates legacy register sets while transparently forwarding commands to modern NAND controllers.
Recommended
High-Throughput Data Acquisition Front-End
The combination of 492 user I/Os and 1.55 ns propagation delay makes the EP2A40F672C9N a natural choice for digitizer front-ends that aggregate many ADC channels at 200+ MSPS. Each APEX II ESB can implement a per-channel FIFO, allowing the FPGA to buffer samples from up to 16 dual-channel ADCs before forwarding them over a parallel LVDS link to a host processor. The 1.5 V core keeps per-channel power below 50 mW at full utilization, and the FC-FBGA-672 package's center-bond die attach supports efficient thermal dissipation when paired with a moderate aluminum heatsink. This architecture is widely used in medical imaging, sonar arrays, and radar digitizer designs where channel count directly determines system performance.
Recommended
Legacy Industrial Control Platform
Many long-lifecycle industrial platforms still rely on the APEX II family because the design is field-proven over decades and the configuration bitstream is stable. The EP2A40F672C9N provides 38,400 logic elements for motor-control state machines, encoder feedback handling, deterministic Ethernet MAC implementations, and safety-rated logic redundancy. Its 0 °C to +85 °C commercial operating range covers most indoor industrial cabinets; for outdoor or automotive enclosures, the industrial-temperature variant EP2A40F672I9N is preferred. The 672-ball FC-FBGA package also supports high-vibration environments when BGA underfill is applied during PCB assembly.
Recommended
Aerospace Test & Simulation FPGA
Avionics test rigs and hardware-in-the-loop simulators benefit from the EP2A40F672C9N's 492 I/Os and 1.5 M gates, which let a single device replace entire boards of discrete logic. The C9 speed grade (1.55 ns) and 366 MHz internal frequency enable bit-accurate cycle emulation of legacy microprocessors and MIL-STD-1553 bus controllers. Although obsolete in mainstream markets, the APEX II remains in active service for aerospace retrofit programs where re-validation cost dominates device selection. The FC-FBGA-672 package's 1.0 mm pitch and 27 x 27 mm body are compatible with established ruggedized PCB footprints used in MIL-spec boards.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A40F672C9N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A40F672C9 | EP2A40F672C8N | EP2A40F672C7N | EP2A40F672C6N | EP2A40F672C9ES | EP2A40F672C8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | FC-FBGA-672 (27 x 27 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | FC-FBGA-672 - same | FC-FBGA-672 - same | FC-FBGA-672 - same | FC-FBGA-672 - same | FC-FBGA-672 - same | FC-FBGA-672 - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| System Gates | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M |
| Logic Elements | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 |
| User I/Os | 492 | 492 | 492 | 492 | 492 | 492 | 492 |
| Speed Grade | C9 (~1.55 ns) | C9 (~1.55 ns) | C8 (~1.25 ns, faster) | C7 (~1.85 ns, slower) | C6 (~2.25 ns, slowest) | C9 (~1.55 ns) | C8 (~1.25 ns, faster) |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C | 0 °C to +85 °C | 0 °C to +85 °C | 0 °C to +85 °C | 0 °C to +85 °C (engineering sample) | 0 °C to +85 °C |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete (discontinued by Intel) | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete (engineering sample) | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density APEX II in FC-FBGA-672 package with 492 user I/Os (vs EP2A25F672C9N)
- C9 speed grade offers balanced speed/cost for most designs (vs EP2A40F672C8N)
- 1.5 V core minimizes dynamic power versus 1.8 V predecessors (vs EP20K600CF672C7)
Design Notes
At 366 MHz with 38,400 logic elements switching, dynamic current peaks can exceed 3 A on the 1.5 V core rail. Use a 4-layer PCB with one dedicated ground plane and one 1.5 V power plane cut directly under the FC-FBGA-672 footprint. Place at least sixteen 0.1 µF X7R 0402/0201 decoupling capacitors in the ball-grid array cavity beneath the package (one per four I/O balls), plus four 22 µF bulk ceramic or low-ESR tantalum capacitors near the four corners of the BGA. Estimated: with all logic toggling, average ICC = 1.2 A at 50% toggle rate; designers should budget 1.5 x headroom for transient spikes. Add an RC snubber (10 Ω + 100 nF) on each PLL supply pin to suppress sub-harmonic spurs.
The 27 x 27 mm FC-FBGA-672 has a thermal resistance (θJA) of approximately 12 °C/W with a 1 oz copper inner plane and still air. Estimated: at 2 W total dissipation, junction rises about 24 °C above ambient; at 5 W (worst-case hot design), junction rises about 60 °C. For continuous commercial-temperature operation at full 492-I/O utilization, attach a 1 mm thick aluminum heatsink with thermal pad and use forced-air cooling if ambient exceeds 50 °C. The exposed die-attach pad must be soldered to a copper pad with thermal vias (0.3 mm drill, 1.2 mm pitch) for proper heat extraction.
The 1.0 mm ball-pitch BGA-672 requires 0.4 mm-wide traces between balls and 4 mil (0.1 mm) laser-drilled microvias for signal escape. Use a high-density-interconnect (HDI) PCB stack-up with at least 6 layers: top + GND + SIG1 + SIG2 + PWR + bottom. Matched-length tuning (±25 mil) is required for all LVDS pairs and DDR source-synchronous byte groups. Place configuration PROM (EPC2LC20) within 50 mm of the FPGA's DATA pins and route the nCONFIG, nSTATUS, and CONF_DONE signals with 1.5 kΩ pull-up resistors to VCCIO. Do NOT route high-speed signals over the PLL power islands - keep PLL analog supplies (VCCA_PLL) on a separate filtered net.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EP2A40F672C9N: (1) forgetting to apply BGA underfill - this part has a known field-reliability issue without underfill when exposed to mechanical shock or thermal cycling, so always dispense corner-bond or full-array underfill during assembly; (2) using the wrong configuration mode - the APEX II supports several modes (passive serial, passive parallel, JTAG) and selecting the wrong MSEL[2:0] strap will result in configuration failure with no error code; (3) neglecting signal-integrity pre-layout simulation on LVDS - the 1 Gbps LVDS requires controlled-impedance routing (100 Ω differential) and length matching within 5 mil; (4) mixing 1.5 V VCCINT with 3.3 V VCCIO without proper power-up sequencing - Intel recommends VCCIO stabilize before VCCINT ramp.
Compliance Information
Part is obsolete; full compliance documentation no longer published by Intel. RoHS and lead-free status for the C9N variant was not retrievable from the verified web data - refer to APEX II family compliance summary if available.
