EP3C40F780C7 - Cyclone III FPGA 39.6K LE 780-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3C40F780C7 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $174.46 | $174.46 |
| 10 | $167.5 | $1,675.00 |
| 100 | $156.8 | $15,680.00 |
| 500 | $148.2 | $74,100.00 |
| 1,000 | $139.5 | $139,500.00 |
EP3C40F780C7 Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable semiconductor that implements custom digital logic through configurable logic blocks (CLBs), routing interconnect, and dedicated hardware such as block RAM and DSP blocks. FPGAs sit within the hierarchy of programmable logic devices (PLDs), bridging the gap between fixed-function ASICs and software-defined microcontrollers, and are widely used in parallel processing, hardware acceleration, and rapid-prototyping applications.
Key features of the EP3C40F780C7 include support for high-speed external memory interfaces such as DDR2, DDR, QDRII, and SDRAM, four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management, and Cyclone III's proprietary low-power architecture that reduces dynamic power consumption versus earlier Cyclone generations. The 780-FBGA package (29 x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) supports commercial temperature grades (0C to +85C) and is rated for the C7 speed grade, balancing timing margin and cost.
The Cyclone III family targets cost-sensitive high-volume applications such as industrial automation, video processing, and telecommunications. With 39,600 logic elements and ample DSP and memory resources, the EP3C40F780C7 supports medium-complexity algorithmic implementations, multiple soft processor cores, and rich memory buffering for streaming data pipelines.
Typical applications include motor control and industrial networking, HD video bridging, software-defined radio (SDR) front ends, machine vision, and PCI Express endpoint bridging. The wide I/O count and embedded multipliers also make it suitable for custom display controllers and ASIC prototyping.
When designing with this device, designers must respect the 1.0 mm BGA pitch constraint and apply standard JTAG-based configuration via the Altera/Intel Quartus Prime design suite. Power sequencing of VCCINT (1.2 V) and VCCIO banks is required to avoid inrush damage; the device supports both active serial and passive parallel configuration schemes.
This page combines Intel/Altera datasheet parameters, distributor pricing, and drop-in same-package alternatives into a single reference - information not consolidated in any single source. Engineers seeking a Cyclone III device with 39.6K logic elements, 1.16 Mbit of embedded memory, and 535 user I/Os in a 780-FBGA will find the EP3C40F780C7 datasheet, pinout, and pricing summary below.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C40F780C7 — 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 EP3C40F780C7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Package, Speed Grade, Configuration Modes, Series.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C40F780C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$64.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F780C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$99.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F780C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$172 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F780C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$142.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$162 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F780C7AD
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$139 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F780C7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone III |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 39,600 |
| Number of Logic Cells | 39,600 |
| Total Memory Bits | 1,161,216 bits |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 126 |
| Number of PLLs | 4 |
| User I/O Count | 535 |
| I/O Banks | 8 |
| Package | 780-ball FBGA (F780) |
| Package Dimensions | 29 x 29 mm |
| Ball Pitch | 1.0 mm |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.2 V |
| I/O Voltage (VCCIO) | 1.2 V to 3.3 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | C7 |
| Process Technology | 60 nm TSMC low-power CMOS |
| Configuration | Active Serial / Passive Parallel (JTAG) |
| MSL Level | 3 (168 hours) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3C40F780C7 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O Bank 8 — User I/O (programmable) |
| Pin B1 | VCCIO8 — I/O bank 8 voltage |
| Pin C1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin D1 | I/O Bank 8 — User I/O |
| Pin E1 | VCCINT — Core 1.2 V supply |
| Pin F1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin G1 | I/O Bank 7 — User I/O |
| Pin H1 | VCCIO7 — I/O bank 7 voltage |
| Pin TCK | TCK — JTAG test clock (test point, ball reference varies) |
| Pin TMS | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin TDI | TDI — JTAG test data in |
| Pin TDO | TDO — JTAG test data out |
| Pin MSEL0 | MSEL0 — Configuration mode select 0 |
| Pin MSEL1 | MSEL1 — Configuration mode select 1 |
| Pin MSEL2 | MSEL2 — Configuration mode select 2 |
| Pin nCE | nCE — Chip enable (active low) |
| Pin nCONFIG | nCONFIG — Configuration start (active low) |
| Pin nSTATUS | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin CONF_DONE | CONF_DONE — Configuration done |
| Pin DCLK | DCLK — Configuration clock input |
Typical Applications
EP3C40F780C7 is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Motor Control, HD Video Bridging and Display Controllers, Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Front End, PCI Express Endpoint Bridge, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Industrial Networking Switches and Protocol Bridges, Medical Imaging and Diagnostic Equipment.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C40F780C7 fits industrial motor control because its 126 embedded 18x18 multipliers accelerate field-oriented control (FOC) math such as Park/Clarke transforms and PID loops, while the 39,600 logic elements encode the state machine, encoder interface, and safety logic. The 535 user I/Os across eight banks allow direct connection to multiple PWM channels, Hall sensors, and resolver excitation circuits without external logic. Designers using 1.0 mm BGA packages gain mechanical robustness for high-vibration industrial environments and benefit from Cyclone III's low dynamic power dissipation during continuous PWM switching. Pair with EPCQ configuration memory and TI DRV8301 gate drivers for a complete motor drive.
Recommended
HD Video Bridging and Display Controllers
The 1,161,216-bit embedded block RAM in the EP3C40F780C7 acts as line and frame buffers for HD video pipelines, supporting 720p/1080p bridging between HDMI, LVDS, and DisplayPort sources. The 126 dedicated 18x18 multipliers process video scaling, color-space conversion, and sharpening kernels in real time without consuming general LEs. Eight I/O banks with up to 3.3 V support let engineers directly interface legacy parallel RGB or BT.656 buses alongside modern LVDS links. Compared with software-only CPU implementations, the FPGA delivers deterministic latency critical for broadcast switching. Typical reference designs pair it with ADV7511 HDMI transmitters and Aptina image sensors.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Front End
The EP3C40F780C7's four PLLs generate the multiple phase-coherent sample clocks required by SDR front ends, while the 126 hardware multipliers run FFTs, channelizers, and digital down-conversion (DDC) at baseband. The 1.16 Mbit of block RAM buffers I/Q samples between ADC and the host processor, with true dual-port modes allowing simultaneous read/write for pipelined DSP. At C7 speed grade, internal logic comfortably achieves 150-200 MHz fabric clock, enough for narrowband LTE and Wi-Fi channelizers. The 535 I/Os accept high-speed LVDS ADC pairs such as the ADS4249. Software support via Quartus DSP Builder accelerates CORDIC and FIR implementations.
Recommended
PCI Express Endpoint Bridge
The EP3C40F780C7 supports PCI Express Gen1 endpoints through its LVDS I/O capability and external PHY, leveraging Cyclone III's hard PCIe IP block. With 39,600 LEs, the device can implement a single-lane PCIe Gen1 x1 endpoint plus custom application logic such as DMA engines, register interfaces, and protocol bridges to local buses. The 1.16 Mbit block RAM holds descriptor rings and DMA buffers with deterministic access latency critical for line-rate transfers. Industrial PCs and instrumentation cards commonly use this part as a cost-optimized PCIe interface; pair with a PCIe clock buffer such as the CDCE906.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP3C40F780C7 with 39.6K logic elements serves as an entry-level ASIC prototype vehicle for designs targeting the same LE count, allowing pre-silicon verification of custom SoCs, bus interconnects, and firmware. The 126 multipliers and 1.16 Mbit block RAM emulate common SoC peripherals such as DDR controllers, crypto engines, and DSP pipelines. Using a Cyclone III daughter card with a 780-FBGA footprint enables repeatable prototype-to-PCB builds. Quartus Prime supports standard ASIC RTL flows (Verilog/VHDL/SystemVerilog) and partial reconfiguration for emulating power-management modes. BGA solderability supports reflow profiles standard for 60 nm FPGAs.
Recommended
Industrial Networking Switches and Protocol Bridges
The EP3C40F780C7's 535 user I/Os allow direct termination of multiple industrial Ethernet, PROFINET, EtherCAT, or CAN-FD ports without external bridge ASICs, while the 39.6K LEs implement real-time MAC controllers and switching logic. Block RAM holds packet buffers and CAM tables, while 18x18 multipliers accelerate CRC and hashing functions in line with wire-speed processing. The Cyclone III family's low dynamic power suits always-on industrial nodes; operating temperature 0C to +85C covers most factory-floor cabinets. Use the EN5337 or similar POL converters for the 1.2 V core rail to minimize heat in fanless enclosures.
Recommended
Medical Imaging and Diagnostic Equipment
The EP3C40F780C7 supports mid-resolution medical imaging such as ultrasound beamforming and patient monitoring displays by combining 126 hardware multipliers for beam summation with 1.16 Mbit block RAM for sample-line buffering. The 535 user I/Os accept multi-channel ADC front ends (e.g., 32-channel ultrasound probes) and connect to TFT LCD panels via LVDS. Cyclone III's deterministic fabric latency and embedded PLLs help meet IEC 60601 timing budgets for diagnostic devices. While not AEC-Q100 qualified, the part is widely deployed in clinical instrumentation housed in controlled-environment enclosures. Pair with AD9272 ultrasound AFE and LT3460 LED drivers for imaging carts.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C40F780C7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C40F780C8N | EP3C40F780C6N | EP3C120F780C7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 780-FBGA (F780) | 780-FBGA (F780) - same | 780-FBGA (F780) - same | 780-FBGA (F780) - same |
| Logic Elements | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 120,000 |
| Speed Grade | C7 | C8 (slower) | C6 (slower) | C7 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 | 3,981,312 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 126 | 126 | 126 | 288 |
| User I/O | 535 | 535 | 535 | 531 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
Key Differentiators
- C7 commercial speed grade offers fastest timing margin in this density (vs EP3C40F780C8)
- Same package as EP3C120 enables upward migration (vs EP3C120F780C7N)
- Lowest cost option in the 780-FBGA Cyclone III family (vs EP3C40F780C8N / EP3C40F780C6N)
Design Notes
The EP3C40F780C7 requires two supply rails: VCCINT at 1.2 V for the core logic and VCCIO at 1.2 V to 3.3 V per bank. Power-on reset (POR) time for standard POR is 50-200 ms and each individual supply should reach its recommended operating range within 50 ms per the Cyclone III handbook. Sequence VCCINT before VCCIO to prevent inrush through I/O buffers; use a power supervisor such as the TPS3823 to enforce correct rail order. Estimated: at full logic utilization with 100 MHz fabric clock, total core current is around 500-700 mA; budget 1 A for transient peaks.
The 780-FBGA package uses 1.0 mm ball pitch and requires 4-6 layer PCB stack-up with microvia or via-in-pad for breakout. Place decoupling capacitors (0.1 uF X7R plus 10 uF bulk) within 100 mils of every VCCINT and VCCIO ball. Route the global clock inputs (CLK0-CLK15) as length-matched differential pairs with 100 ohm impedance. Maintain continuous ground planes beneath the BGA to minimize inductance; the package's thermal pad is electrically floating and should be soldered to a copper pour for heat dissipation.
Estimated: at typical utilization the device dissipates 1-2 W; peak power with high toggle rates and full I/O activity can reach 3-4 W. The 780-FBGA's theta_JA is approximately 15-20 C/W with proper thermal via array under the package, so peak junction rise above 85C ambient is around 60-80C at peak dissipation. Provide at least a 4x4 thermal via array (0.3 mm drill) to a 2 oz copper inner plane and avoid covering the BGA with thermal insulators. For fanless enclosures, derate toggle rate or choose the EP3C25 lower-density variant.
Do not leave MSEL pins floating; tie them to VCCIO8 or GND through 1-10 kohm resistors per the configuration mode table. The nCONFIG pin must be held high during normal operation; a falling edge triggers reconfiguration. CONF_DONE is open-drain and requires an external 10 kohm pull-up to VCCIO8. Conf_Done low after configuration signals a CRC error - verify EPCQ programming and JTAG chain integrity. Fast POR (3-9 ms) is selected via MSEL and required for applications needing rapid power-up; standard POR (50-200 ms) is the default.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Altera/Intel product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial-grade commercial temperature only). Halogen-free per JEDEC JS709. Lifecycle status NRND - Intel/Altera recommends migrating to Cyclone IV E (EP4CE40F23) or Cyclone V for new designs.