EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES - Stratix II GX 90K LE FPGA, 1508-FCBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $485 | $485.00 |
| 10 | $450 | $4,500.00 |
| 100 | $415 | $41,500.00 |
| 500 | $385 | $192,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $350 | $350,000.00 |
EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES Overview
The Stratix II GX is a high-density, transceiver-equipped programmable logic device that extends the Stratix II architecture with multi-gigabit transceivers. As a member of the FPGA (field-programmable gate array) -> programmable logic device -> semiconductor device hierarchy, it fills the role of a system-on-chip fabric integrating parallel logic, embedded RAM/ROM, DSP blocks, PLLs, and serial I/O. Compared with pure ASICs, the FPGA enables post-silicon design changes, lower NRE cost, and rapid prototyping, while still delivering deterministic timing at hundreds of MHz on the core fabric.
Key features include twelve 3.125 Gbps (upgradeable to 6.375 Gbps) transceiver channels, embedded transceiver-based PCS blocks with 8B/10B encoding, dedicated hard memory controllers, and DSP blocks rated for 18x18-bit multiplication at full fabric speed. The device also integrates fine-grained ALM (Adaptive Logic Module) architecture - the successor to the classic 4-input LUT - allowing higher logic density per LE compared with prior Stratix generations. Industrial-grade signal integrity, adaptive equalization in each receiver, and signal detection circuitry support backplane and chip-to-chip serial links.
Typical applications include high-speed serial interface bridging (PCI Express Gen1, XAUI, Serial RapidIO, Gigabit Ethernet, SDI), wireline telecom line cards, military/aerospace signal processing, ASIC prototyping, and high-performance DSP co-processing. The EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES is particularly suited to designs that need multi-gigabit serial I/O plus substantial parallel DSP bandwidth in a single device, with sufficient logic headroom for system-on-chip integration.
When designing with this device, plan power architecture carefully: a fully populated EP2SGX90 with all 12 transceivers active can exceed 25 W dissipation, requiring careful PCB stack-up, multiple low-impedance supply rails, and thermal management. Designers must use the Quartus II design tool (version 7.2 or later, with service packs) to compile, place-and-route, and verify timing; legacy tool support is limited because this is an older family.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES — 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 EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Package, Mounting Type, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
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View Datasheet →EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix II GX |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 90,960 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 45,960 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 4,494,720 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 650 |
| Transceiver Channels | 12 (3.125 Gbps, upgradable to 6.375 Gbps) |
| Process Technology | 90 nm |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Maximum Core Frequency | 609.76 MHz |
| Package | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial Extended (0C to +85C) |
| Speed Grade | C5 |
EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES Pin Configuration
| Pin B2 | I/O Bank 1A — User I/O pin (bank 1A) |
| Pin B3 | I/O Bank 1A — User I/O pin (bank 1A) |
| Pin B4 | VCCIO1A — I/O bank 1A supply voltage |
| Pin B5 | I/O Bank 1B — User I/O pin (bank 1B) |
| Pin B6 | I/O Bank 1B — User I/O pin (bank 1B) |
| Pin B7 | GND — Ground |
| Pin B8 | I/O Bank 2A — User I/O pin (bank 2A) |
| Pin B9 | I/O Bank 2A — User I/O pin (bank 2A) |
| Pin B10 | VCCIO2A — I/O bank 2A supply voltage |
| Pin B11 | I/O Bank 2B — User I/O pin (bank 2B) |
| Pin D2 | TX_CH1_P — Transceiver channel 1 differential TX positive |
| Pin D3 | TX_CH1_N — Transceiver channel 1 differential TX negative |
| Pin D4 | RX_CH1_P — Transceiver channel 1 differential RX positive |
| Pin D5 | RX_CH1_N — Transceiver channel 1 differential RX negative |
| Pin D6 | REFCLK_P — Transceiver reference clock positive |
| Pin D7 | REFCLK_N — Transceiver reference clock negative |
| Pin D8 | TX_CH2_P — Transceiver channel 2 differential TX positive |
| Pin D9 | TX_CH2_N — Transceiver channel 2 differential TX negative |
| Pin D10 | RX_CH2_P — Transceiver channel 2 differential RX positive |
| Pin D11 | RX_CH2_N — Transceiver channel 2 differential RX negative |
Typical Applications
EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES is suitable for 7 applications: Multi-Gigabit Serial Interface Bridging, Telecom Line Card Signal Processing, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-Performance DSP Co-Processing, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, Industrial Control and High-Speed Imaging, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Multi-Gigabit Serial Interface Bridging
The EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES is purpose-built for multi-gigabit serial bridging between protocols such as PCI Express Gen1 (2.5 Gbps), XAUI (3.125 Gbps), Serial RapidIO, and Gigabit Ethernet. Its 12 integrated transceiver channels each support up to 6.375 Gbps, eliminating the need for external PHY chips and reducing board BOM cost. The device's embedded PCS with 8B/10B encoding, comma detection, and channel bonding supports loss-of-signal detection and rate matching across mismatched domains. Designers can use the EP2SGX90 to implement protocol bridges such as PCIe-to-XAUI or Serial RapidIO-to- Ethernet for line-card backplane interconnects. The 90,960 LEs provide ample logic headroom for protocol state machines and user application layers on top of the transceiver PHY.
Recommended
Telecom Line Card Signal Processing
Wireline telecom line cards use the EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES for channelized DSP, framer aggregation, and multi-protocol backhaul interfacing. The device's 4,494,720 bits of embedded RAM enable deep packet buffering without external SRAM, while the dedicated DSP blocks support Viterbi, Turbo, and Reed-Solomon forward error correction at line rate. The 12 transceivers support OC-48/STM-16 framer interfacing at 2.488 Gbps with overhead for protection switching. Commercial extended temperature (0C to +85C) makes the EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES suitable for controlled-environment central-office deployments. Quartus II DSP Builder integration accelerates Simulink-based codec development for wireless and wireline backhaul.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
Designers use the EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES as an ASIC prototype platform because of its high logic density (90,960 LEs), abundant I/O (650 pins), and on-chip transceivers for high-speed interface emulation. The 1.2 V core and 90 nm process provide timing closure characteristics representative of mid-2000s ASIC geometries, making it a useful reference for early ASIC sign-off. The FF1508 package exposes enough user I/O for ASIC chip-to-package ball mapping on common 1.0 mm pitch ASIC packages. Quartus II's TimeQuest timing analyzer and SignalTap II logic analyzer enable real-time in-circuit ASIC emulation and bring-up debugging before tape-out.
Recommended
High-Performance DSP Co-Processing
The EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES functions as a DSP co-processor for high-sample-rate signal processing in radar, software-defined radio, and medical imaging. Its DSP blocks implement 18x18-bit multipliers at full fabric speed, supporting pipelined FIR filtering, FFT, and matrix multiplication at hundreds of MSPS. The 4.5 Mbits of embedded RAM provide data buffering for sliding-window DSP kernels. The transceiver channels support direct ADC/DAC interfacing via JESD204-like protocols at multi-gigabit rates. The EP2SGX90's balance of logic, memory, and DSP blocks in a single device reduces system latency by eliminating external DSP-to-FPGA data transfers.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
The EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES is used in defense and aerospace applications requiring secure, reconfigurable signal processing for electronic warfare, radar, and secure communications. The FF1508 package is hermetic-compatible and the device's radiation-hardened variants are screened for space applications. The integrated transceivers support tactical datalinks such as MIL-STD-1553B (through external PHY) and high-speed serial sensor interfaces. Commercial extended temperature (0C to +85C) covers most ground-mobile deployments; for airborne applications, the industrial-temperature EP2SGX90FF1508I4N variant in the same FF1508 package is required.
Recommended
Industrial Control and High-Speed Imaging
Factory automation and machine vision systems use the EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES to aggregate multiple high-resolution Camera Link, CoaXPress, or GigE Vision sensors and perform real-time image pre-processing. The 12 transceivers support multiple Camera Link base/medium/full configurations simultaneously, while the 90K LEs handle Bayer demosaicing, color matrix conversion, and region-of-interest extraction at line rate. The FF1508 package's 650 user I/O pins accommodate parallel LVDS sensor interfaces and GPIO for encoder/actuator control. Industrial-grade screening (-40C to +100C) requires the 'I' speed grade variant EP2SGX90FF1508I4N, which is pin-compatible with this commercial part.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
High-end test and measurement equipment uses the EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES for pattern generation, signal capture, and protocol analysis at multi-gigabit rates. The 12 transceivers enable simultaneous multi-channel BERT (bit error rate tester), protocol analyzer, and pattern generator functionality in a single instrument. The 4.5 Mbits of embedded RAM and abundant DSP blocks support real-time eye-diagram analysis and signal-integrity measurements. The 90 nm process and 1.2 V core provide low-jitter clock distribution critical for high-precision timing measurements. Designers use Quartus II's TimeQuest analyzer to verify that instrument timing budgets meet sub-picosecond accuracy requirements.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2SGX90FF1508C5 | EP2SGX90FF1508C4N | EP2SGX90FF1508C3N | EP2SGX130GF1508C5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Speed Grade | C5 (fastest commercial) | C5 (same) | C4 (~15-20% slower timing) | C3 (~30% slower timing) | C5 (same speed grade, larger die) |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 | 130,560 (+44%) |
| Transceiver Channels | 12 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 12 (same) | 12 (same) | 12 (same) | 12 to 16 (Stratix IV GX, higher data rates) |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 4,494,720 | 4,494,720 | 4,494,720 | 4,494,720 | 6,597,120 (+47%) |
| User I/O Pins | 650 | 650 | 650 | 650 | 744 (+14%) |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial Extended (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial Extended | Commercial | Commercial |
| Lifecycle Status | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Mature (still supported) |
| Estimated Unit Price (qty 1, USD) | $485 | $485 | $420 | $395 | $1,200 |
Key Differentiators
- Highest speed grade available in the EP2SGX90 family (vs EP2SGX90FF1508C4)
- Largest logic density in the Stratix II GX FF1508 package (vs EP2SGX60FF1508)
- Commercial extended temperature screening (vs EP2SGX90FF1508C5)
- Drop-in compatibility with Stratix IV GX migration path (vs EP2SGX130GF1508C5)
Design Notes
A fully populated EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES with all 12 transceivers active at 6.375 Gbps can dissipate 25 W or more. Estimated: at 100% transceiver utilization with 0.9 V transceiver analog supply at 0.5 A total and 1.2 V core at 5 A, plus 2.5 V VCCPD and 3.3 V/1.5 V/1.8 V VCCIO rails, total dissipation can exceed 25 W. Design a multi-rail power system with at least 4 to 6 separate supply domains (VCCINT, VCCPD, VCCA_PLL, VCCA_TX/RX, VCCIO per bank group). Use low-impedance decoupling (0402/0603 ceramic) within 5 mm of each supply ball, and provide 10-20 thermal vias under the package thermal pad to dissipate heat.
The FF1508 FC-FBGA package requires careful thermal management because the flip-chip die is exposed through the bottom of the package. Attach a heatsink with thermal interface material rated for 3 W/m-K or higher, and use forced-air cooling (200 LFM minimum) for full transceiver utilization. Estimated: at 25 W dissipation and theta_JA of approximately 8 C/W with a 1 m/s airflow, junction temperature rises 45C above ambient. For commercial extended temperature (0C to +85C junction), keep ambient below 40C at full load. Failure to manage thermals will trigger thermal shutdown and reduced transceiver data-rate capability.
The FF1508 package uses 1.0 mm ball pitch on a 40x40 mm substrate. Design a 12- to 14-layer PCB stack-up with controlled-impedance layers for high-speed transceiver routing. Transceiver TX/RX differential pairs require 100 ohm differential impedance with skew less than 5 ps; route on a stripline layer between continuous ground planes. Use microvia-in-pad technology (laser-drilled microvias) for signal breakout because 1.0 mm pitch does not allow through-hole fan-out. Place decoupling capacitors on the bottom side directly under the BGA balls using 0201 or 0402 sizes for lowest loop inductance.
Transceiver reference clocks (REFCLK_P/N) require careful routing: keep the differential pair matched within 0.15 mm, isolate from switching signals by at least 3x the dielectric thickness, and AC-couple with 100 nF capacitors at the receiver input if required by the protocol. The EP2SGX90's 12 transceivers are arranged in 6 quads; each quad shares a PLL and reference clock. If your protocol requires independent clocking per channel, plan accordingly during Quartus II pin assignment. Leave 5 mm of clearance around the BGA thermal pad for heatsink mounting hardware.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EP2SGX90FF1508C5ES: (1) ignoring the MSL (Moisture Sensitivity Level) of the FC-FBGA package - bake the device at 125C for 24 hours before assembly; (2) failing to use the latest Quartus II service pack for the Stratix II GX family, which fixes known transceiver bug errata; (3) underestimating power-rail sequencing requirements - VCCINT must rise before VCCPD to prevent latch-up; (4) not verifying transceiver pre-emphasis and equalization settings match the channel loss budget; (5) using non-industrial speed grades in industrial temperature environments. Refer to the Stratix II GX Errata Sheet for known silicon issues.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Altera/Intel published product declaration. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (FPGA, not automotive qualified). Lead-free 1508-ball FC-FBGA package per Altera packaging specifications. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in available web data.
