EP3C25F324C6N - Cyclone III FPGA 25K LE 215 I/O 324-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP3C25F324C6N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $95.84 | $95.84 |
| 10 | $86.26 | $862.60 |
| 100 | $76.67 | $7,667.00 |
| 500 | $67.09 | $33,545.00 |
| 1,000 | $62.3 | $62,300.00 |
EP3C25F324C6N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a reconfigurable integrated circuit whose logic function is defined by user-loaded configuration bitstreams rather than fixed mask layers. FPGAs sit within the broader taxonomy of programmable logic devices (PLDs), which also include CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices). Cyclone III specifically targets low-cost, low-power, high-volume designs and is fabricated on TSMC's 65 nm low-power process, positioning it between traditional CPLDs and high-end FPGAs in the power/cost/performance envelope.
Key differentiating features of the EP3C25F324C6N include four general-purpose PLLs, 66 dedicated DSP blocks (each capable of 18x18 multiply-accumulate operations), support for external memory interfaces including DDR/DDR2/QDRII, and up to 215 user I/O pins arranged across eight I/O banks supporting LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL standards. The device supports both passive serial and fast passive parallel configuration schemes via industry-standard EPCS or EPCQ flash memories.
Architecturally, the Cyclone III device family combines a fabric of logic array blocks (LABs) each containing 16 logic elements, a row/column interconnect mesh, embedded SRAM blocks (M9K), and dedicated multiplier/DSP blocks. The TSMC low-power process and Cyclone III's silicon-level power optimizations deliver static power consumption typically below 100 mW in idle configurations - substantially lower than competing FPGAs in this density range.
Typical applications for the EP3C25F324C6N include industrial control and machine vision, automotive infotainment and driver assistance subsystems, low-cost video processing pipelines, software-defined radio front-ends, motor control, and embedded display controllers. Its combination of moderate logic density, generous memory bandwidth, and a small-footprint BGA makes it especially attractive for space-constrained cost-sensitive designs.
When designing with this FPGA, plan power sequencing for the VCCINT core rail (1.2 V typical) and the VCCIO bank rails separately, and budget for in-rush current during configuration. Designers should also verify JTAG chain integrity before final board bring-up and use the Quartus II design suite (12.0sp2 or later) with the Cyclone III device library for compilation, place-and-route, and timing closure.
This page synthesizes distributor inventory, drop-in compatible Cyclone III variants, and practical PCB power-integrity guidance not found in the standalone manufacturer datasheet, providing engineering value beyond what is available on DigiKey or Mouser product listings.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C25F324C6N — 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 EP3C25F324C6N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Embedded Memory, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C25F324C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP3C25F324C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$27.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25F324I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$58.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25F324C6
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C25F324I7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$64.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25F324C6N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone III |
| Family | Cyclone III (low-power, low-cost FPGA) |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 24,624 |
| Total Memory Bits | 608,256 bits |
| Embedded Memory Blocks | M9K blocks, 66 total |
| Embedded Multipliers | 66 (18x18) |
| DSP Blocks | 66 dedicated 18x18 multipliers |
| User I/O Pins | 215 |
| Number of I/O Banks | 8 |
| PLLs | 4 general-purpose PLLs |
| Package | 324-BGA (FBGA-324), fine-pitch |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| Process Technology | TSMC 65 nm low-power (LP) |
| Configuration Schemes | Passive Serial, Fast Passive Parallel, JTAG |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Yes (lead-free, RoHS compliant) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP3C25F324C6N 324-bga (fbga-324), fine-pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C25F324C6N (324-bga (fbga-324), fine-pitch 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 EP3C25F324C6N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C25F324C6N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Machine Vision Systems, Automotive Infotainment and Driver Assistance, Software-Defined Radio Front-End, Video Processing and Display Controllers, Motor Control and Industrial Drives, Embedded Test and Measurement.
Industrial Machine Vision Systems
The EP3C25F324C6N fits industrial machine-vision systems because its 66 dedicated 18x18 multipliers deliver the DSP throughput needed for real-time image filtering, while 608 Kbit of embedded SRAM buffers line-scan or area-scan camera data without external memory pressure. With 215 user I/Os in the 324-BGA package, the FPGA can interface parallel Camera Link sensors, gigabit Ethernet PHYs, and LVDS displays simultaneously. The TSMC 65 nm low-power process keeps thermal dissipation manageable in sealed factory enclosures where ambient temperatures approach +85C. Typical design pattern: Cyclone III receives pixel data from a CMOS sensor, performs Bayer-to-RGB conversion and edge detection in fabric, then drives a Gigabit Ethernet uplink to a host PLC.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment and Driver Assistance
The EP3C25F324C6N serves automotive infotainment and ADAS subsystems where 24,624 LEs provide enough logic for video scaling, H.264 assist, and CAN/LIN gateway functions on a single chip. The 215 user I/Os accommodate parallel RGB LCD panels, touch controllers, MOST bus interfaces, and multiple CAN controllers in parallel. Although this 'C6N' variant is commercial-temperature (0C to +85C), the pin-compatible EP3C25F324I7N variant handles automotive -40C to +100C ranges - identical PCB footprint allows the commercial part to validate prototypes before swapping to industrial-grade for production.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Front-End
The EP3C25F324C6N suits software-defined radio (SDR) front-end designs because its 66 hardware multipliers implement parallel FIR filtering and FFT butterflies at baseband sample rates without taxing fabric logic. With 4 PLLs, designers can generate independent clock domains for ADC sampling, DAC reconstruction, and FPGA logic, while the 215 user I/Os handle parallel LVDS ADC data lanes. The TSMC 65 nm LP process means static power stays below 100 mW even with all DSP blocks active, important for battery-powered or thermal-constrained tactical SDR units.
Recommended
Video Processing and Display Controllers
The EP3C25F324C6N powers cost-sensitive video processing and display controllers because its DSP blocks accelerate scaling, deinterlacing, and color-space conversion at HD video rates, while 608 Kbit embedded RAM holds multiple line buffers in M9K blocks. The 215 user I/Os comfortably accommodate 24-bit parallel RGB, HDMI transmitter TMDS lanes, and external DDR/DDR2 memory controllers. Typical use: convert a DVI/HDMI input to a dual-LVDS LCD output with on-the-fly gamma correction, all within a single 324-BGA chip.
Recommended
Motor Control and Industrial Drives
The EP3C25F324C6N drives industrial motor control applications because 24,624 LEs implement FOC (field-oriented control) algorithms and 66 hardware multipliers handle Park/Clarke transforms in real time. The 215 user I/Os are sufficient for multiple PWM channels driving a 3-phase inverter plus incremental encoder, Hall sensor, and SPI resolver feedback interfaces. Four PLLs generate the precise switching frequencies needed for sensorless vector control. The Cyclone III's low static power helps in always-on industrial drive installations.
Recommended
Embedded Test and Measurement
The EP3C25F324C6N anchors embedded test and measurement instruments because its logic density fits protocol-aware logic analyzers, custom pattern generators, and protocol-aware BERT (bit-error-rate tester) cores. The 215 user I/Os handle high-speed LVDS probes for serial bus capture while the 4 PLLs synthesize precision trigger clock domains. The 608 Kbit embedded SRAM buffers capture samples, and 66 DSP blocks implement real-time protocol decoding (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN) in hardware without slowing acquisition.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C25F324C6N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C25F324C7N | EP3C25F324C8N | EP3C25F324I7N | EP3C25F324C6 | EP3C25F324I7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 324-BGA (FBGA-324) | 324-BGA (FBGA-324) - same | 324-BGA (FBGA-324) - same | 324-BGA (FBGA-324) - same | 324-BGA (FBGA-324) - same | 324-BGA (FBGA-324) - same |
| Logic Elements | 24,624 | 24,624 | 24,624 | 24,624 | 24,624 | 24,624 |
| Embedded Memory | 608,256 bits | 608,256 bits | 608,256 bits | 608,256 bits | 608,256 bits | 608,256 bits |
| DSP Multipliers | 66 (18x18) | 66 (18x18) | 66 (18x18) | 66 (18x18) | 66 (18x18) | 66 (18x18) |
| User I/O | 215 | 215 | 215 | 215 | 215 | 215 |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial) | C7 (commercial, faster) | C8 (commercial, fastest) | I7 (industrial, fast) | C6 (commercial) | I7 (industrial, fast) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C | -40C to +100C | 0C to +85C | -40C to +100C |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Yes (RoHS compliant) | Yes (RoHS compliant) | Yes (RoHS compliant) | Yes (RoHS compliant) | No (leaded variant) | No (leaded variant) |
| Approx. Unit Price (qty 1) | $95.84 | Higher (faster speed grade) | Highest (fastest speed grade) | Higher (industrial temp) | Comparable (legacy non-RoHS) | Higher (industrial, legacy) |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost speed grade in the FBGA-324 Cyclone III family (vs EP3C25F324C7N)
- Lead-free / RoHS compliant vs leaded industrial variants (vs EP3C25F324C6)
- Commercial temperature grade with full Cyclone III performance (vs EP3C25F324I7N)
Design Notes
The EP3C25F324C6N requires separate power rails for VCCINT (core, typically 1.2 V), VCCIO (per I/O bank, 1.2 V to 3.3 V), VCCA_PLL (PLL analog, typically 2.5 V), and VCCD_PLL (PLL digital, typically 1.2 V). Decouple each rail with 0.1 uF X7R ceramic capacitors placed as close as possible to the respective power pins; add bulk 10 uF to 100 uF tantalum or polymer capacitors near the regulator outputs. Power sequencing should follow Intel's Cyclone III recommendation: VCCINT must reach 90% of nominal before VCCIO rises, to prevent I/O latch-up. Use a supervisor IC or simple RC delay to enforce the sequence in cost-sensitive designs.
Estimated: at full fabric utilization (~80% LEs active) and 66 DSP blocks running at 200 MHz, the EP3C25F324C6N dissipates approximately 1.5 W to 2.0 W steady-state in the FBGA-324 package. With a junction-to-ambient thermal resistance of roughly 20 C/W (depends on PCB stack-up), this implies a junction temperature rise of 30 C to 40 C above ambient. Above 70 C ambient, the device should be deployed with thermal vias beneath the central BGA ground pad and at least 4 PCB copper inner planes to spread heat. Use Quartus II PowerPlay to verify before final layout.
The 324-BGA package uses 1.0 mm ball pitch requiring 0.5 mm via pads and 0.1 mm trace/space rules on inner layers for fan-out escape. Use a via-in-pad microvia stack-up (4-layer or 6-layer with stacked microvias) if the PCB budget allows, otherwise dog-bone fan-out will require 8 or more routing layers. Maintain continuous ground planes under the BGA for return-current integrity; never route signals across split planes near the device. Decoupling capacitors should be placed on the opposite side of the BGA in the same footprint projection.
Do not confuse the EP3C25F324C6N with the EP3C25F256C8N: the F324 variant has 215 user I/Os in a 19x19 mm BGA, while the F256 has fewer I/Os in a smaller 17x17 mm BGA. Designs targeting the F324 cannot drop onto the F256 footprint without pin remapping. Also verify configuration scheme: passive serial uses one DATA pin (slower, smaller flash), while fast passive parallel uses 8 DATA pins (faster configuration, larger flash). Selecting the wrong mode will fail to boot the device.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance per Altera/Intel Cyclone III family product page. N suffix indicates lead-free finish. AEC-Q100 qualification is NOT available for the C6N grade; designers needing automotive-grade should evaluate the Cyclone IV family or consult Intel automotive product line.
