EP2A40F672I7 - APEX II 1.5M Gates FPGA, 672-pin FC-FBGA | Intel/Altera
MPN: EP2A40F672I7 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $256 | $2,560.00 |
| 100 | $228 | $22,800.00 |
| 500 | $205 | $102,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $185 | $185,000.00 |
EP2A40F672I7 Overview
An FPGA is a reprogrammable semiconductor device whose logic function is defined by a user-supplied configuration bitstream rather than by the silicon vendor. APEX II sits in the FPGA taxonomy between traditional CPLDs (low density, glue logic) and high-end SoC FPGAs (multi-million LE with hardened CPUs). Within the broader programmable logic hierarchy, APEX II -> SRAM-based FPGA -> programmable logic -> semiconductor. Its reprogrammability, high pin count, and embedded MultiCore architecture made it popular for telecom line cards, baseband processing, and high-speed data-path prototyping in the early 2000s.
Key features of the EP2A40F672I7 include embedded MultiCore blocks combining lookup tables and product-term logic, a high-bandwidth MultiCore interconnect fabric, support for multiple I/O standards (LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, GTL+, SSTL, HSTL, LVDS), and a configurable JTAG-based configuration port. The APEX II architecture combines fine-grain LUTs with coarse-grain Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) to balance logic density and arithmetic performance.
The 672-ball FC-FBGA package exposes 8 dedicated clock inputs, up to 24 user I/O banks, and a high pin density suitable for dense PCB escape routing. Multiple speed grades are available: -6 (fastest), -7, -8, and -9 (slowest). EP2A40F672I7 is the industrial-temperature speed-grade 7 variant.
Typical applications include telecommunications line interfaces, DSP co-processing, high-speed bus bridging, and legacy industrial control systems that require drop-in compatibility with other EP2A40 F672-pin FPGAs.
Designers should provide a stable 1.5 V core and a separate I/O VCCIO rail (3.3 V or 2.5 V typical), follow Altera's JTAG configuration guidelines, and observe the 220 °C peak reflow temperature limit required by the FC-FBGA's MSL-3 moisture sensitivity rating.
This page synthesizes distributor availability, pin-compatible speed-grade alternatives, and lifecycle observations not consolidated in the original APEX II datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A40F672I7 — 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 EP2A40F672I7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Speed Grade, Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Operating Temperature Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A40F672I-8
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$125 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F672I-9
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$165 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F672C9N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$295 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F672C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$122 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F672C7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$198 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F672I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Logic Elements | 38,400 |
| Maximum System Gates | 1,500,000 |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.5 V |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm CMOS |
| Core Frequency (max) | 562 MHz |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +85 °C (Industrial) |
| Package | 672-ball FC-FBGA |
| Package Family | Fine-pitch Chip-scale BGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Speed Grade | -7 (speed grade 7) |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level (MSL) | 3 |
| Peak Reflow Temperature | 220 °C |
| Configuration Method | JTAG / Passive Serial / Active Serial |
| RoHS Status | unknown |
EP2A40F672I7 fine-pitch chip-scale bga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A40F672I7 (fine-pitch chip-scale 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 EP2A40F672I7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A40F672I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line-Card Aggregation, Legacy DSP Co-Processor / FIR Accelerator, High-Speed Bus Bridge and Protocol Converter, Legacy Industrial Control and SCADA, Telecom Backplane Cross-Point Switch, Aerospace and Defense Avionics (Legacy).
Telecommunications Line-Card Aggregation
The EP2A40F672I7's 1.5M system gates and 38,400 logic elements are well-matched to telecom line-card aggregation duties, where multiple E1/T1 or STM-1 framers, HDLC controllers, and traffic-management state machines must coexist on a single programmable device. The 562 MHz core frequency gives the design enough headroom for high-rate crosspoint switching and packet-classification pipelines. The 672-ball FC-FBGA exposes sufficient user I/O to terminate multi-port PHY interfaces (MII, RMII, GMII, POS-PHY Level 2/3) without external bus muxing. Industrial -40 °C to +85 °C operation (the 'I' suffix) lets the line card populate outdoor cabinets and central-office frames without derating. The MultiCore interconnect fabric and Embedded System Blocks provide deterministic timing for time-division multiplexed backplane traffic.
Recommended
Legacy DSP Co-Processor / FIR Accelerator
The APEX II MultiCore architecture integrates dedicated multiplier chains and Embedded System Block memories that the EP2A40F672I7 can instantiate as parallel FIR filters, FFT butterflies, and image-processing pipelines. At 562 MHz core frequency the device sustains multi-tap FIR throughput sufficient for video-rate DSP front-ends and software-defined radio baseband channels. The 0.15 µm CMOS process node gives balanced power and timing margins at 1.5 V VCCINT, allowing fanless operation with copper-pour-only heatsinking. Industrial temperature rating allows direct deployment in factory-floor DSP controllers and ruggedized signal-conditioning equipment. Designers typically pair the EP2A40F672I7 with external SRAM for coefficient storage and a host processor for control sequencing.
Recommended
High-Speed Bus Bridge and Protocol Converter
Bus-bridging glue logic between legacy PCI/PMC interfaces and modern processors is a classic APEX II use case. The EP2A40F672I7's 672-ball FC-FBGA exposes enough user I/O to terminate a 64-bit PCI bus alongside a parallel RapidIO or POS-PHY interface, with the MultiCore fabric arbitrating between masters without external muxes. Industrial temperature grading permits deployment in factory automation and military vetronics chassis where commercial-only FPGAs fail reliability screens. The 1.5M-system-gate capacity absorbs full protocol stacks including DMA engines, scatter-gather descriptor controllers, and interrupt concentrators. Quartus II place-and-route produces predictable timing closure thanks to deterministic MultiCore routing.
Recommended
Legacy Industrial Control and SCADA
Long-life industrial control platforms built around APEX II continue to operate in chemical, power, and transportation infrastructure. The EP2A40F672I7's industrial -40 °C to +85 °C operating range, 1.5 V regulated core, and 562 MHz timing margin suit deterministic PLC scanning, SCADA telemetry aggregation, and redundant controller supervision tasks. The 672-ball FC-FBGA package supports dense I/O expansion including differential RS-485, isolated 24 V digital inputs, and pulse-counter chains. Its obsolete lifecycle status is offset by long-term reliability records spanning two decades of installed base. Maintenance and refurbishment of these systems is the primary 2026 use case for the EP2A40F672I7.
Recommended
Telecom Backplane Cross-Point Switch
The MultiCore interconnect fabric of the EP2A40F672I7 makes it well-suited for non-blocking crosspoint switches that route STS-1/STM-1 and STS-3/STM-3 streams across redundant backplanes. With 1.5 M system gates the device can switch hundreds of serial lanes in parallel and provide embedded diagnostics for BER monitoring, alarm generation, and protection-switching state machines. Industrial temperature rating ensures operation in uncontrolled central-office environments. The 672-ball FC-FBGA allows high pin-count LVDS links to multiple line cards without external transceivers. Quartus II timing closure is reliable across the -7 speed grade at 562 MHz.
Recommended
Aerospace and Defense Avionics (Legacy)
Many avionics and defense subsystems designed in the early 2000s continue to operate using APEX II FPGAs, including flight-control test equipment, radar signal pre-processors, and secure-communication modems. The EP2A40F672I7's industrial temperature range and deterministic MultiCore routing make it acceptable for many non-flight-critical ground and lab environments. The 672-ball FC-FBGA supports the high I/O density demanded by parallel ADC/DAC interfaces and discrete digital control lines. Obsolescence management and DMSMS (Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages) programs drive 2026 demand for verified inventory of this part.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A40F672I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A40F672I-8 | EP2A40F672I-9 | EP2A40F672C9N | EP2A40F672C8N | EP2A40F672C7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) |
| Package | 672-ball FC-FBGA | 672-ball FC-FBGA (same) | 672-ball FC-FBGA (same) | 672-ball FC-FBGA (same) | 672-ball FC-FBGA (same) | 672-ball FC-FBGA (same) |
| Speed Grade | -7 | -8 (slower) | -9 (slowest) | -9 | -8 | -7 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40 to +85 C) | Industrial (-40 to +85 C) | Industrial (-40 to +85 C) | Commercial (0 to +70 C) | Commercial (0 to +70 C) | Commercial (0 to +70 C) |
| Logic Elements | 38,400 | 38,400 (same) | 38,400 (same) | 38,400 (same) | 38,400 (same) | 38,400 (same) |
| System Gates (max) | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M | 1.5 M |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| MSL | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature screening on -7 speed grade (vs EP2A40F672C7N)
- Highest fMAX among APEX II F672-pin industrial variants (vs EP2A40F672I-9)
- Same package footprint as APEX 20K600 family (vs EP20K600CF672)
Design Notes
Estimated: APEX II static power at 1.5 V VCCINT and 25 °C junction for a fully populated EP2A40F672I7 is typically 1.5 W, with dynamic power scaling linearly with toggle rate up to several watts at 562 MHz fMAX. The 672-ball FC-FBGA requires a minimum 8-layer PCB stack-up with continuous inner ground planes to spread heat. For designs consuming more than 3 W sustained, attach a small copper heatsink or 2 oz copper pour directly under the BGA footprint. Keep junction temperature below 125 °C for industrial-grade reliability.
The 672-ball FC-FBGA uses 1.0 mm ball pitch; PCB escape routing requires microvia or via-in-pad technology on 4-layer stack-ups. Per Altera layout guidelines, place 0.1 µF and 10 µF decoupling capacitors within 100 mils of every VCCINT/VCCIO ball group. Maintain at least 4 ground balls per power ball for return-path integrity. MSL-3 handling requires dry-pack assembly within 168 hours of bag opening, otherwise rebake at 125 °C for 24 hours prior to reflow at the 220 °C peak profile.
Do not assume any APEX II speed grade can be swapped blindly: -7 to -8 to -9 each step reduces fMAX by roughly 15%, which can break timing closure. Verify Quartus II fMAX reports for every clock domain after substitution. JTAG configuration requires VCCIO bank 1 powered before nCONFIG toggles, otherwise configuration fails silently. Pin-compatible commercial-grade ('C' suffix) variants must NOT be used where industrial ('I' suffix) parts are specified — junction-temperature behavior diverges at the -40 °C lower bound and 85 °C upper bound.
Compliance Information
Compliance data not published in verified web sources for this obsolete Altera/Intel FPGA. APEX II family predates RoHS-6 directive enforcement in many Altera part numbers, so historical lead-free status cannot be confirmed.