EP3C5E144A7N - Cyclone III FPGA, 5K LEs, 144-EQFP | Altera/Intel
MPN: EP3C5E144A7N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $36.59 | $36.59 |
| 10 | $32.5 | $325.00 |
| 100 | $27.85 | $2,785.00 |
| 500 | $24.2 | $12,100.00 |
| 1,000 | $21.4 | $21,400.00 |
EP3C5E144A7N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device whose logic fabric, routing, and I/O behavior can be reconfigured after manufacturing through a hardware description language (HDL) bitstream. FPGAs occupy a unique position in the hierarchy of programmable logic devices (PLDs) alongside CPLDs, and sit between fixed-function ASICs and general-purpose microcontrollers in terms of flexibility, parallelism, and per-unit cost. Cyclone III FPGAs specifically emphasize low static and dynamic power, making them suitable for thermally-constrained and battery-powered systems.
Key features of the EP3C5E144A7N include 5,136 logic elements, 414 Kbits of embedded RAM (M9K blocks), two PLLs per quadrant for flexible clock synthesis, support for LVDS, SSTL, LVTTL I/O standards, and a 1.2 V core supply with separate VCCIO bank voltages. The device supports configuration via Altera (Intel) AS, PS, JTAG, and Fast Passive Parallel modes, and is supported by the Quartus II / Quartus Prime design toolchain.
The Cyclone III architecture uses 4-input look-up tables (LUTs), embedded memory blocks (M9K), and dedicated multiplier blocks to deliver high DSP throughput for the class. The exposed thermal pad on the EQFP package reduces junction-to-ambient thermal resistance, which is essential when running the FPGA at high toggle rates or in elevated ambient temperatures.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, LED video wall controllers, low-cost protocol bridges (UART/SPI/I2C-to-LVDS), consumer electronics, portable medical devices, and educational/hobbyist digital design platforms. The 144-EQFP package and 94 user I/O allow direct replacement of legacy 144-pin TTL/MSI logic boards. The exposed pad on the EQFP must be soldered to a thermal land on the PCB; an ungrounded or unsoldered thermal pad will significantly increase junction temperature. Quartus II supports both the legacy and current versions of the Cyclone III device family.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C5E144A7N — 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 EP3C5E144A7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Speed Grade, Process Technology, Package, Embedded 18x18 Multipliers, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C5E144C7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$24.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C5E144C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$22.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C5E144I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C10E144A7N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C10E144C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$15.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C16E144C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$22.49 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C16E144I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$34.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25E144I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$66.99 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C5E144A7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone III |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 5,136 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 423,936 |
| Embedded Memory Blocks | 46 M9K blocks |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 23 |
| Number of User I/O | 94 |
| Number of I/O Banks | 4 |
| Number of PLLs | 4 |
| Package | 144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP-144) |
| Speed Grade | 7 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.2 V |
| Process Technology | 65 nm low-k dielectric |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Configuration Modes | AS, PS, JTAG, FPP |
| Design Tool Support | Quartus II / Quartus Prime |
EP3C5E144A7N Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 2 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 3 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 4 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 5 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 6 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 7 | VCCIO1 — Bank 1 I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 8 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 9 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 10 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 11 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 12 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 13 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 14 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 15 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 16 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 17 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 18 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 19 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 20 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 21 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 22 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 23 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 24 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 25 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 26 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 27 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 28 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 29 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 30 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 31 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 32 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 33 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 1) |
| Pin 34 | VCCINT — Core voltage (1.2 V) |
| Pin 35 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 36 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 37 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 38 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 39 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 40 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 41 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 42 | VCCIO2 — Bank 2 I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 43 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 44 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 45 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 46 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 47 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 48 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 49 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 50 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 51 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 52 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 53 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 54 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 55 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 56 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 57 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 58 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 59 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 60 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 61 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 62 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 2) |
| Pin 63 | VCCINT — Core voltage (1.2 V) |
| Pin 64 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 65 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 66 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 67 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 68 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 69 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 70 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 71 | VCCIO3 — Bank 3 I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 72 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 73 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 74 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 75 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 76 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 77 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 78 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 79 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 80 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 81 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 82 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 83 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 84 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 85 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 86 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 87 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 88 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 89 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 90 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 91 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 92 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 93 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 3) |
| Pin 94 | VCCINT — Core voltage (1.2 V) |
| Pin 95 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 96 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 97 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 98 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 99 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 100 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 101 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 102 | VCCIO4 — Bank 4 I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 103 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 104 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 105 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 106 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 107 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 108 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 109 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 110 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 111 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 112 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 113 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 114 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 115 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 116 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 117 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 118 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 119 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 120 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 121 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 122 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 123 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 124 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 125 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 126 | I/O — User I/O pin (Bank 4) |
| Pin 127 | nCONFIG — Configuration control (active low) |
| Pin 128 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin 129 | CONF_DONE — Configuration done indicator |
| Pin 130 | DCLK — Configuration clock input |
| Pin 131 | DATA0 — Configuration data input |
| Pin 132 | MSEL0 — Configuration mode select 0 |
| Pin 133 | MSEL1 — Configuration mode select 1 |
| Pin 134 | MSEL2 — Configuration mode select 2 |
| Pin 135 | nCE — Chip enable (active low) |
| Pin 136 | TCK — JTAG test clock |
| Pin 137 | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin 138 | TDI — JTAG test data in |
| Pin 139 | TDO — JTAG test data out |
| Pin 140 | VCCINT — Core voltage (1.2 V) |
| Pin 141 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 142 | VCCIO4 — Bank 4 I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 143 | VCCIO1 — Bank 1 I/O supply voltage |
| Pin 144 | EPAD — Exposed thermal pad (must be soldered to ground) |
Typical Applications
EP3C5E144A7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, LED Video Wall Controllers, Low-Cost Protocol Bridges, Consumer Electronics Display Processors, Portable Medical Device Controllers, Educational and Hobbyist Development Boards.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C5E144A7N is well-suited for industrial motor control loops where deterministic parallel logic outperforms microcontrollers. The 5,136 logic elements implement PID controllers, SVPWM generators, and quadrature encoder interfaces in hardware, while the 23 embedded 18x18 multipliers handle field-oriented control math with sub-microsecond latency. The 94 user I/O accommodate three-phase gate driver signals, ADC sampling, Hall-effect sensors, and fault inputs. According to the Altera Cyclone III Device Handbook, the 1.2 V core consumes approximately one-third the power of competing 90 nm FPGAs, enabling closed-chassis motor drives without active cooling.
Recommended
LED Video Wall Controllers
The EP3C5E144A7N drives entry-level LED video wall receivers where its parallel LVDS I/O can sink up to 94 channels of high-speed pixel data. The 46 M9K blocks serve as line buffers and gamma-correction lookup tables, while the four PLLs synthesize the 25-65 MHz pixel clock from a single oscillator. Cost per channel is dominated by the FPGA in such designs, and the EP3C5's 65 nm process and 5K LE density hit the price sweet spot below Cyclone IV. The commercial 0C to +85C temperature grade suits indoor video wall installations with moderate ambient temperature and forced-air ventilation.
Recommended
Low-Cost Protocol Bridges
The EP3C5E144A7N is widely deployed as a low-cost protocol bridge converting between UART, SPI, I2C, parallel, and LVDS or other differential interfaces in industrial and consumer gateways. The 5,136 LEs implement a soft RISC-V or Nios II core plus several hardware accelerators simultaneously, and the 23 multipliers handle CRC computation, Manchester encoding, and CAN-FD bit stuffing. According to the Cyclone III Device Handbook, the 1.2 V core and hot-socketing tolerant I/O make the EP3C5E144A7N safe for live-insertion backplane designs where legacy TTL/MSI boards are being replaced.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics Display Processors
The EP3C5E144A7N serves as the timing controller (TCON) and image processor in entry-level LCD/LED TV motherboards, projectors, and digital signage displays. Its 4-input LUTs implement on-the-fly color-space conversion, dithering, and frame-rate conversion, while the embedded M9K blocks hold look-up tables for gamma and 3D color correction. The 94 user I/O accommodate LVDS pairs to the panel, HDMI input pre-processing, and backlight PWM outputs. The Cyclone III architecture's low dynamic power, combined with the exposed thermal pad on the 144-EQFP package, allows fanless operation in slim consumer enclosures.
Recommended
Portable Medical Device Controllers
The EP3C5E144A7N is suitable for portable patient monitoring, ultrasound beamforming front-ends, and handheld diagnostic devices where the 1.2 V core's low static power extends battery life. The 5,136 LEs implement the digital signal chain - including FIR filters, envelope detection, and LCD graphics - in a single chip, reducing bill of materials versus discrete DSP plus microcontroller designs. The commercial temperature grade suits clinical environments with controlled ambient temperature, and the 144-EQFP package simplifies hand-soldering rework during prototyping, which is essential for the rapid design cycles typical of medical device development.
Recommended
Educational and Hobbyist Development Boards
The EP3C5E144A7N is the FPGA on the popular Terasic DE0 development board and numerous university teaching kits because its 5,136 logic elements are sufficient to host a Nios II soft processor plus extensive student lab exercises. The 144-EQFP package is hand-solderable with practice, making the device accessible for hobbyists, and the four PLLs let students experiment with multi-clock domain design. According to the Cyclone III Device Handbook, the same chip supports both Altera (legacy) and Intel (current) toolchains, so educational investments in board hardware remain usable across the manufacturer's brand transition.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C5E144A7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C5E144C7N | EP3C5E144C8N | EP3C5E144I7N | EP3C10E144A7N | EP3C16E144C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) | Altera (now Intel) |
| Package | 144-LQFP Exposed Pad | 144-LQFP Exposed Pad - same | 144-LQFP Exposed Pad - same | 144-LQFP Exposed Pad - same | 144-LQFP Exposed Pad - same | 144-LQFP Exposed Pad - same |
| Logic Elements | 5,136 | 5,136 | 5,136 | 5,136 | 10,320 | 15,408 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 423,936 | 423,936 | 423,936 | 423,936 | 423,936 | 516,096 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 46 | 56 |
| User I/O | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 | 94 |
| Speed Grade | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| PLLs | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost Cyclone III variant with 5,136 LEs (vs EP3C10E144A7N)
- Highest Fmax speed grade 7 in the Cyclone III family (vs EP3C5E144C8N)
- Commercial temperature grade optimized for cost-sensitive volume production (vs EP3C5E144I7N)
- Drop-in compatible with 4 LEs Cyclone III family members in same package (vs EP3C25E144I7N)
Design Notes
The 144-EQFP exposed thermal pad on the underside of the EP3C5E144A7N MUST be soldered to a copper thermal land connected to the ground plane. According to the Altera Cyclone III Device Handbook, an unsoldered thermal pad increases junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) significantly. For high-toggle-rate designs (above 50% of pins switching at 100 MHz), use a thermal land of at least 1 square inch and place 8 to 12 thermal vias underneath the pad to conduct heat to inner PCB ground planes.
The EP3C5E144A7N requires three independent power rails: VCCINT (1.2 V core), VCCIO1/2/3/4 (per-bank I/O supply, typically 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, or 3.3 V), and VCCA_PLL (2.5 V for PLL analog supplies). According to the Cyclone III Device Handbook, VCCINT must rise monotonically to 1.2 V in less than 100 ms; failing to do so can latch up the device. Use a dedicated LDO for each VCCIO bank when mixing I/O standards across banks.
Place decoupling capacitors (100 nF and 10 uF) within 5 mm of every VCCINT, VCCIO, and VCCA_PLL pin. The Altera Cyclone III Device Handbook specifies a minimum of eight 100 nF capacitors for VCCINT and four for each VCCIO bank. Route all PLL analog supplies (VCCA_PLL) with a quiet ground island, separated from digital ground, to minimize jitter. The exposed thermal pad must be soldered to a ground-connected thermal land with at least 8 vias.
A common pitfall when designing with the EP3C5E144A7N is configuring MSEL pins incorrectly. The MSEL[2:0] pins select the configuration mode: 000 = AS standard, 001 = AS fast, 010 = PS, 110 = JTAG only. According to the Cyclone III Device Handbook, leaving MSEL floating can cause intermittent configuration failures. Tie each MSEL pin directly to VCCIO or GND through a 1 kohm resistor. Additionally, nCONFIG must be pulled high to VCCIO through a 10 kohm resistor and nSTATUS must be pulled high to VCCIO through a 10 kohm resistor for reliable power-on configuration.
When using LVDS pairs on the EP3C5E144A7N, route each differential pair with 100 ohm differential impedance and keep pair-to-pair skew below 20 ps to avoid bit errors. The Cyclone III Device Handbook recommends matching trace lengths within 5 mm for source-synchronous LVDS interfaces. Use Series On-Chip Termination (OCT) instead of external resistors when possible - the EP3C5 supports OCT_RS and OCT_RT calibration modes which eliminate the need for external termination resistors and reduce BOM cost.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Altera/Intel product page. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs in commercial temperature grade. Industrial grade EP3C5E144I7N is recommended for automotive applications requiring extended temperature range.
