EP3CLS100U484I7N - Cyclone III LS FPGA, 100K LE, 484-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3CLS100U484I7N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $168 | $168.00 |
| 10 | $155 | $1,550.00 |
| 100 | $138 | $13,800.00 |
| 500 | $122 | $61,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $108 | $108,000.00 |
EP3CLS100U484I7N Overview
An FPGA (field-programmable gate array) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable routing, and embedded memory, DSP, and I/O resources. FPGAs sit between general-purpose microcontrollers and ASICs in the design hierarchy: they offer far more parallelism and customization than an MCU, while avoiding the high NRE cost of an ASIC. The Cyclone III family uses a 65 nm LP process and is positioned as a low-power, low-cost mainstream FPGA, while the 'LS' sub-family extends this with hardening features for safety-critical and IP-sensitive applications.
Key features of the EP3CLS100U484I7N include 100,448 logic elements, 4,451,328 RAM bits (~4.4 Mbit), 278 user I/O pins, and 4 PLLs supporting multiple clock domains. The device operates from a 1.2 V core supply with separate VCCIO banks for mixed-voltage I/O (1.2 V to 3.3 V). The LS variant adds Cyclone III LS security features, including configuration bit-stream AES-128 encryption, JTAG disable, and dedicated tamper-detection pins for anti-cloning and IP protection.
Architecturally, the EP3CLS100U484I7N uses a logic-element array organized into LABs (logic array blocks) of 16 LE each, with embedded M9K memory blocks (each 9 Kbit), DSP blocks, and global clock networks. The fabric supports up to 24 DSP blocks and 432 M9K memory blocks. Hard IP blocks include 4 PLLs and embedded multipliers for high-throughput DSP workloads, while the 65 nm LP process keeps static and dynamic power low enough for fan-less industrial enclosures.
Typical applications include industrial machine vision, motor control, video surveillance IP cameras, factory automation controllers, wireline telecom line cards, portable medical imaging, and secure military or aerospace subsystems where bit-stream encryption is mandated. The combination of high logic density (100K LE) and low static power makes it well suited for always-on, thermally-constrained embedded systems.
Design consideration: the 484-FBGA package requires a 4-layer or 6-layer PCB with microvia or via-in-pad fan-out routing; signal-integrity simulations are recommended for DDR2/DDR3 memory interfaces. The configuration scheme must be selected at design time (Active Serial, Active Parallel, Passive Serial, or JTAG) because changing it later requires board rework.
This page synthesizes drop-in pin-compatible alternatives, distributor pricing, design considerations, and security-feature comparisons that go beyond the Cyclone III LS device datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3CLS100U484I7N — 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 EP3CLS100U484I7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Package, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status, Speed Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3CLS100U484I7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$188 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3CLS100U484C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$109.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3CLS100U484C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$412.65 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3CLS100F484I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$67.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3CLS200F484I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$198 / Unit
View Datasheet →LFE3-100EA-8FN484C
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3CLS100U484I7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | Cyclone III LS |
| Series | Cyclone III |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 100,448 |
| Total RAM Bits | 4,451,328 bits (~4.4 Mbit) |
| Maximum User I/O | 278 |
| Number of LABs | 6,278 |
| DSP Blocks | 24 (18x18 multipliers) |
| Embedded Memory | 432 M9K blocks (9 Kbit each) |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.2 V |
| I/O Supply Voltage | 1.2 V to 3.3 V (per bank) |
| Package | 484-FBGA (UBGA) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial, 'I') |
| Process Technology | TSMC 65 nm low-power (LP) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Security Features | AES-128 bit-stream encryption, JTAG disable, tamper detection |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| MSL Level | 3 (168 hours) |
EP3CLS100U484I7N 484-fbga (ubga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3CLS100U484I7N (484-fbga (ubga) 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 EP3CLS100U484I7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3CLS100U484I7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Machine Vision, Video Surveillance IP Cameras, Factory Automation Controllers, Wireline Telecom Line Cards, Portable Medical Imaging, Secure Military / Aerospace Subsystems.
Industrial Machine Vision
The EP3CLS100U484I7N fits industrial machine vision because its 100,448 logic elements and 24 DSP blocks deliver the parallelism needed for real-time image preprocessing, edge detection, and color-space conversion at 60 fps over GigE Vision or USB3 Vision streams. The 432 embedded M9K memory blocks provide the line-buffer and frame-buffer storage required for Bayer-to-RGB demosaicing without external SRAM, while the four PLLs drive separate pixel-clock, pixel-data, and Ethernet reference clocks. Its AES-128 bit-stream encryption protects proprietary vision IP from cloning by contract manufacturers. The -40 to +100C industrial temperature range and 65 nm LP process thermal profile support fan-less IP67 enclosures on the factory floor, where ambient temperatures swing with seasonal HVAC cycling.
Recommended
Video Surveillance IP Cameras
The EP3CLS100U484I7N's 100K LE and 4.4 Mbit embedded RAM enable H.264 encoding of 1080p60 streams within the FPGA fabric, eliminating a dedicated SoC encoder and reducing system BOM cost. The 278 user I/Os accommodate multiple MIPI CSI-2 sensor inputs, Ethernet PHYs, audio codecs, and SD-card storage interfaces without bus multiplexing. The LS sub-family's AES-128 bit-stream encryption prevents cloning of the camera firmware, which is critical for IP-camera OEMs selling into security-conscious markets. Low-power operation from the 65 nm LP process allows PoE (Power-over-Ethernet) class-2 compliance without exceeding the 6.5 W PD budget.
Recommended
Factory Automation Controllers
Industrial PLC and motion-controller designs benefit from the EP3CLS100U484I7N's combination of 100K LE, four PLLs, and AES-128 security in a 65 nm LP process. The 100K logic density hosts EtherCAT, PROFINET, or EtherNet/IP slave stacks alongside deterministic motor-control state machines, while the four PLLs generate independent clocks for the industrial bus, PWM switching, and ADC sampling without jitter coupling. The LS sub-family's tamper detection pins detect enclosure-opening events and zero out volatile keys, satisfying security requirements in connected-factory and IIoT deployments.
Recommended
Wireline Telecom Line Cards
Telecom line cards using the EP3CLS100U484I7N leverage its 24 DSP blocks for voice-band DSP (echo cancellation, V.90 modem), its 4.4 Mbit RAM for packet buffering, and 278 user I/Os to interface multiple T1/E1 framers and Ethernet PHYs. The 65 nm LP process maintains low thermal output across 48-port DSLAM line cards stacked in a 1U chassis, where heat dissipation is constrained. AES-128 bit-stream encryption safeguards carrier-grade firmware images that often contain licensed DSP algorithms and are subject to CALEA/CJIS security audit requirements.
Recommended
Portable Medical Imaging
Portable ultrasound and endoscopy systems use the EP3CLS100U484I7N for beamforming, image reconstruction, and on-FPGA display drivers. The 100K LE density accommodates 64-channel beamforming DSP pipelines, while the 432 M9K memory blocks store per-channel sample buffers. The 1.2 V core and 65 nm LP process enable battery-powered operation for hand-held probes without active cooling. AES-128 bit-stream encryption protects patient-data algorithms from extraction, supporting FDA cybersecurity guidance for medical devices.
Recommended
Secure Military / Aerospace Subsystems
The EP3CLS100U484I7N's LS security features - AES-128 bit-stream encryption, JTAG disable, and tamper-detection pins - make it suitable for secure military subsystems such as portable radios, encrypted data links, and ruggedized sensor platforms. The 100K LE fabric accommodates custom crypto accelerators, while the 65 nm LP process delivers the low-power profile required for soldier-portable battery operation. The -40 to +100C industrial temperature range covers MIL-STD-810 environmental envelopes without active heating, simplifying SWaP-C (size, weight, power, cost) optimization.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3CLS100U484I7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3CLS100U484I7 | EP3CLS100U484C8N | EP3CLS100U484C7N | EP3CLS100F484I7N | EP3CLS200F484I7N | LFE3-100EA-8FN484C | XC7A100T-2FGG676I |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Lattice Semiconductor | Xilinx (AMD) |
| Package | 484-FBGA (UBGA) | 484-FBGA (UBGA) - same | 484-FBGA (UBGA) - same | 484-FBGA (UBGA) - same | 484-FBGA (FBGA) - same footprint | 484-FBGA (FBGA) - same footprint | 484-FBGA - same | 676-FBGA - larger |
| Logic Elements | 100,448 | 100,448 | 100,448 | 100,448 | 100,448 | 200,448 (+100%) | 92,600 (LUT4) | 101,440 logic cells |
| Embedded RAM | 4.4 Mbit | 4.4 Mbit | 4.4 Mbit | 4.4 Mbit | 8.5 Mbit | 4.5 Mbit | 4.8 Mbit | |
| Max User I/O | 278 | 278 | 278 | 230 | 295 | 300 (676-FBGA) | ||
| AES-128 Bit-Stream Encryption | Yes (LS) | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | AES-256 (Artix-7) | ||
| Temperature Range | -40 to +100C (Industrial) | 0 to +85C (Commercial) | 0 to +85C (Commercial) | -40 to +100C | 0 to +85C (Commercial) | -40 to +100C | ||
| Lifecycle Status (2026-09-09) | NRND | NRND | NRND | Active (Lattice) | Active (Xilinx) |
Key Differentiators
- AES-128 bit-stream encryption + tamper detection in same package (vs LFE3-100EA-8FN484C)
- Same-package density upgrade with 2x LE (vs EP3CLS100U484I7)
- Industrial temperature range with AES-128 (vs EP3CLS100U484C8N)
Design Notes
The 484-FBGA (UBGA) package requires a 4-layer or 6-layer PCB with 0.5 mm or 0.8 mm pitch microvia fan-out. Estimated: at 0.8 mm pitch, escape routing needs 4 routing layers under the BGA using microvia-in-pad or dog-bone fan-out via patterns. Verify with your PCB fabricator's microvia aspect-ratio capability (typical 1:1 or better). Power delivery should use at least 2 stitching vias per VCC/VCCIO ball to keep IR drop below 50 mV at peak transient.
Estimated: core power for the EP3CLS100U484I7N at 1.2 V is approximately 1.0-1.5 W at 100% toggle rate (typical 65 nm LP). Combined with 8 VCCIO banks at 1.2-3.3 V, total board power can reach 2.0-3.0 W. The Cyclone III LS datasheet recommends a 4-layer board with a dedicated ground plane and at least one solid power plane adjacent to the BGA for thermal spreading.
Configuration mode is selected by MSEL pin strapping at design time. Changing from AS (EPCS flash) to AP or PS mode requires board rework because MSEL is sampled at power-on. AES-128 key loading requires the encrypted bitstream and key to be programmed via JTAG or AS-flash programmer; the key is not stored in the FPGA fabric after power-off, so re-loading is required on each boot. For JTAG disable, ensure test access is preserved through a separate boundary-scan TAP before locking.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Intel/ Altera product page; the 'N' suffix in the MPN denotes lead-free (Pb-free) terminal finish. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is an FPGA, not an automotive-grade IC. Halogen-free status not explicitly confirmed in the verified web data - mark as unknown.
