EP3C40F484I7N - Cyclone III FPGA, 39.6K LE, 484-FBGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP3C40F484I7N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $168.5 | $168.50 |
| 10 | $152 | $1,520.00 |
| 100 | $138.25 | $13,825.00 |
| 500 | $126.8 | $63,400.00 |
| 1,000 | $118.5 | $118,500.00 |
EP3C40F484I7N Overview
What is a Cyclone III FPGA? The Cyclone III family is a low-power, low-cost SRAM-based programmable logic family from Altera (now Intel FPGA) that sits in the broader hierarchy of programmable logic devices (PLD) between simple CPLDs and high-performance FPGAs such as Stratix. Cyclone III devices are built on a TSMC 65 nm low-power process and integrate logic, multipliers, memory, PLLs, and high-speed I/O into a single device, making them suitable for I/O expansion, glue-logic replacement, parallel DSP, and mid-density state-machine designs.
Key features of the EP3C40F484I7N include 4 PLLs, 331 user I/O pins distributed across 8 banks, 1.161 Mbit of RAM, and full industrial temperature range support from -40 °C to +125 °C (the I7N speed/temperature grade). The device supports up to 1 Gbps LVDS with external serializer/deserializer logic, provides 2.5 Gbps external memory interfaces, and includes dedicated DDR/DDR2/QDRII memory controller hard IP. Configuration is supported through passive serial (AS), active serial (AP), JTAG, and Fast Passive Parallel modes using industry-standard Altera/Intel EPCS or EPCQ configuration flash devices.
Typical applications for the EP3C40F484I7N span industrial motor control, video processing and image aggregation, automotive infotainment controllers, software-defined radio baseband, low-density ASIC prototyping, and consumer display controllers. The 484-FBGA package offers 1.0 mm ball pitch and excellent signal integrity for high-speed LVDS and DDR2 interfaces, while the industrial temperature grade suits factory automation and outdoor deployments.
When designing with this device, ensure proper decoupling (100 nF + 10 µF bulk per bank) and follow Intel's Cyclone III pin connection guidelines for unused pins. Configuration flash selection is critical — pair with an EPCS16 or EPCQ16 for typical 39.6 K LE designs. The QFP-484 BGA requires X-ray inspection in production, so design for manufacturability with clear pad geometry.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C40F484I7N — 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 EP3C40F484I7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C40F484I7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$65 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F484C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$264 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F484C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F484C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$88.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F484I7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone III |
| Family | Cyclone® III |
| Manufacturer | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 39,600 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LAB) | 2,475 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 1,161,216 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 126 |
| User I/O Pins | 331 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Global Clock Networks | 20 |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| I/O Banks | 8 |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +125 °C (Industrial) |
| Package | 484-ball FBGA, 1.0 mm pitch (F484) |
| Speed Grade | 7 (fast) |
| Process Technology | TSMC 65 nm low-power |
| Configuration | AS / AP / PS / FPP / JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3C40F484I7N Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | IO — General purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A2 | IO — General purpose user I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin AB1 | IO — General purpose user I/O (bank 8) |
| Pin AB2 | IO — General purpose user I/O (bank 8) |
| Pin F3 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage (1.2 V) |
| Pin F4 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage |
| Pin GND1 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin VREFB1N0 | VREF — Reference voltage for bank 1 |
| Pin TCK | TCK — JTAG clock input |
| Pin TMS | TMS — JTAG mode select |
| Pin TDI | TDI — JTAG data input |
| Pin TDO | TDO — JTAG data output |
Typical Applications
EP3C40F484I7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Processing and Image Aggregation, Automotive Infotainment Controller, Software-Defined Radio Baseband, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Industrial Communication Gateway.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C40F484I7N is well suited to industrial motor control applications requiring multiple PWM channels, encoder interfaces, and safety logic. Its 126 embedded 18x18 multipliers enable field-oriented control (FOC) algorithms with 16-bit fixed-point math running at over 100 MHz, while the 4 integrated PLLs provide independent clocks for ADC sampling, PWM generation, and communication interfaces. The industrial -40 °C to +125 °C temperature grade ensures reliable operation in factory environments. With 331 user I/Os across 8 banks, designers can interface directly to 3-phase gate drivers, Hall-effect sensors, incremental encoders, and isolated communication ports without external logic. Cyclone III's deterministic timing and IEEE 1149.1 JTAG support also simplify regulatory certification for industrial drives.
Recommended
Video Processing and Image Aggregation
The EP3C40F484I7N's 1.161 Mbit of embedded M9K memory and 39,600 logic elements make it ideal for mid-resolution video processing applications such as multi-camera aggregation, video scaling, and on-screen display (OSD) overlay. The 8 I/O banks support LVDS at up to 1 Gbps and dedicated external memory interfaces to DDR2-800, allowing direct connection to external frame buffers. Designers can implement ITU-R BT.656, BT.1120, or HDMI input/output bridges with enough logic headroom for color space conversion and motion-adaptive deinterlacing. The 65 nm low-power process also keeps thermal dissipation low, allowing fanless operation in sealed video wall and digital signage enclosures. Quartus II's DSP Builder and Video and Image Processing (VIP) Suite provide ready-to-use IP cores that accelerate development.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment Controller
The EP3C40F484I7N serves as a central infotainment controller bridging automotive MOST, CAN, and LVDS camera networks to the head unit display. The device's 4 PLLs and 20 global clock networks allow simultaneous handling of audio I²S streams, video data, and CAN/LIN bus traffic without timing conflicts. With 331 user I/Os, designers can connect to multiple camera inputs, audio codecs, and touchscreen controllers through a single chip. The industrial temperature grade handles under-dash thermal conditions, while Quartus II's Qsys system integration tool simplifies the design of complex automotive infotainment SoCs. For functional safety designs, the built-in CRC and ECC on configuration memory provide added diagnostic coverage without external components.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Baseband
The EP3C40F484I7N provides an excellent platform for software-defined radio (SDR) baseband processing in 4G/5G small cells and private LTE networks. With 126 embedded 18x18 multipliers, designers can implement up to 63 complex FFT butterflies per clock cycle, supporting 256-point FFTs in real time at 100 MHz sample rates. The high-speed LVDS I/O banks interface directly to wideband ADC/DAC front ends, while the 4 PLLs generate independent sample clocks for digital up/down conversion. Cyclone III's deterministic fabric supports low-latency, real-time DSP pipelines required for cellular PHY layer processing, and Quartus II's DSP Builder integration with MATLAB/Simulink accelerates algorithm development from simulation to silicon.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP3C40F484I7N's 39,600 logic elements and 1.161 Mbit of embedded memory make it a cost-effective platform for ASIC and SoC prototyping. Multiple EP3C40 devices can be cascaded through their high-speed LVDS I/O to emulate larger designs, providing >100K ASIC gates of equivalent capacity. Designers can validate RTL, run real-world firmware, and perform system-level testing before committing to mask production. The 4 PLLs and flexible clocking infrastructure support prototyping of designs with multiple clock domains, while JTAG-based debugging and SignalTap II logic analyzer allow deep visibility into internal signals. This dramatically reduces time-to-market for complex ASIC projects in the 50-200K gate complexity range.
Recommended
Industrial Communication Gateway
The EP3C40F484I7N excels as a multi-protocol industrial gateway bridging Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, EtherCAT, Modbus, and serial fieldbuses into a unified controller. The 4 PLLs generate independent clocks for Ethernet MAC operation at 100 Mbps, real-time EtherCAT slave processing, and CPU subsystem timing. With 331 user I/Os, designers can implement up to 8 isolated serial ports, multiple SPI slaves, and parallel I/O expansion in a single chip. The 126 embedded multipliers accelerate CRC checking and protocol processing, while 1.161 Mbit of block RAM provides ample buffering for packet processing. Industrial -40 °C to +125 °C operation ensures reliable deployment in factory floor cabinets and outdoor installations.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C40F484I7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C40F484I7 | EP3C40F484C7N | EP3C40F484C8N | EP3C40F484C8 | EP3C40F324I7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-FBGA (F484) | 484-FBGA (F484) - same | 484-FBGA (F484) - same | 484-FBGA (F484) - same | 484-FBGA (F484) - same | 324-FBGA (F324) - smaller |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Logic Elements | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 |
| User I/Os | 331 | 331 | 331 | 331 | 331 | 249 |
| Operating Temperature | -40°C to +125°C (Industrial) | -40°C to +125°C (Industrial) | 0°C to +85°C (Commercial) | 0°C to +85°C (Commercial) | 0°C to +85°C (Commercial) | -40°C to +125°C (Industrial) |
| Speed Grade | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 126 | 126 | 126 | 126 | 126 | 126 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature range for harsh environment deployments (vs EP3C40F484C8N)
- Higher pin count and larger package for maximum I/O connectivity (vs EP3C40F324I7N)
- Established long-term supply for industrial and military programs (vs Lattice ECP3 (LFE3-70EA-8FN484C))
Design Notes
The EP3C40F484I7N requires a 1.2 V core supply (VCCINT) and per-bank I/O supplies (VCCIO). Decoupling must include 100 nF ceramic capacitors near every VCCINT pin plus 10 µF bulk capacitors distributed across the PCB. Power sequencing is not required, but VCCIO banks must be powered before or simultaneously with VCCINT to prevent latch-up. Use Intel's PowerPlay Early Power Estimator (EPE) spreadsheet to estimate consumption before PCB layout, as 39.6 K LEs with high utilization can exceed 1.5 W.
The 484-FBGA package has a typical θJA of 18 °C/W with adequate airflow. For designs in sealed industrial enclosures, derate the operating temperature by 5-10 °C to account for ambient heating. The device's industrial -40 °C to +125 °C junction temperature range allows fanless operation at typical utilization but may require thermal vias under the BGA and a copper pour on inner layers for full-power 1.2 V core operation. Refer to the Cyclone III handbook chapter on thermal management for design guidelines.
The 484-FBGA with 1.0 mm pitch requires 0.5 mm diameter solder balls and 0.6 mm diameter PCB pads. Use a 4-layer PCB at minimum with continuous GND and VCCINT planes directly under the BGA. BGA breakout should use dog-bone fanout or via-in-pad for the inner rows. Solder paste stencil of 0.125 mm thickness with apertures 0.4-0.45 mm diameter is recommended. X-ray inspection after reflow is essential to verify solder joint integrity, especially for prototypes.
Select the configuration mode carefully. Active Serial (AS) mode with an EPCS16 or EPCQ32 flash is the most common for production. JTAG mode is required for prototyping and SignalTap II debugging. Fast Passive Parallel (FPP) with an external microcontroller enables multi-image configuration for safety-critical or remote-update applications. The nCONFIG, nSTATUS, and CONF_DONE pins must be pulled up to 3.3 V (VCCIO of the configuration bank) per the Cyclone III handbook pin connection guidelines.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Intel/Altera product page. Lead-free 484-FBGA package. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial grade only); for AEC-Q100 automotive designs consult Intel automotive product line.
