EP3SL340F1517I3N - Stratix III L FPGA, 337.5K LE, 1517-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP3SL340F1517I3N ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3200 | $3,200.00 |
| 10 | $3050 | $30,500.00 |
| 100 | $2880 | $288,000.00 |
| 500 | $2700 | $1,350,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $2520 | $2,520,000.00 |
EP3SL340F1517I3N Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a class of programmable logic device that lets engineers implement arbitrary digital logic, soft processors, and high-speed serial interfaces in silicon after fabrication. Within the broader programmable logic taxonomy (CPLD -> FPGA -> SoC FPGA), Stratix III L sits at the top of the high-performance, low-power segment, providing dedicated DSP blocks, MLABs, and embedded transceiver physical layers that are not available in CPLDs or smaller FPGAs. FPGAs belong to the digital IC family and to the embedded processing hierarchy alongside MCUs, DSPs, and ASICs.
Key features of the EP3SL340F1517I3N include 13.5K adaptive logic modules (ALMs) organized into LABs, support for DDR3/QDRII+/RLDRAM II external memory interfaces, 24 full-duplex transceivers supporting PCIe Gen1/Gen2, Serial RapidIO, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet protocols, dynamic on-chip termination, programmable output drive strength, and 6.4 Gbps LVDS support. The device also offers bitstream encryption and JTAG-based configuration with multi-device support for parallel configuration of up to four devices in a chain.
Architecturally, the Stratix III L uses an enhanced ALM structure (8-input fracturable LUTs with dedicated carry chains and register files), allowing higher logic density per LE than the prior Stratix II generation. The transceiver tiles are arranged in groups of six with shared clocking, providing deterministic latency and skew control for serial protocols. Power optimization features such as programmable power technology and per-block clock gating enable lower dynamic power consumption than the earlier Stratix II family at equivalent performance.
Typical applications include 40G/100G wire-speed packet processing line cards, military radar baseband processing, high-end medical imaging front-end pipelines, ASIC prototyping emulators, and high-speed test-and-measurement instrumentation. The combination of 18 Mbit embedded memory, 976 user I/Os, and 24 high-speed transceivers also makes this FPGA a common choice for high-density channelized signal processing designs where multiple ADCs/DACs must be aggregated.
When designing with this device, plan the PCB stack-up for the 1517-ball FCBGA carefully: the 1.0 mm ball pitch requires microvia technology and a 6+ layer stack-up to escape the high I/O count. Power plane decoupling must follow Altera's PowerPlay recommended network, with multiple bulk, mid-frequency, and high-frequency ceramic capacitors placed within the package footprint.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, parametric cross-references against same-package Stratix III family members, and practical design guidance that complements the official Stratix III device handbook.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SL340F1517I3N — 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 EP3SL340F1517I3N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Logic Elements, Embedded Memory Bits.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SL340F1517I3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$18900 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL340F1517C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3750 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL340F1517C2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$13200 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260F1517I3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2275 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL340F1517C4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$7044.96 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL200F1517I3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1620 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL340F1517I3N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix III L |
| Logic Elements | 337500 (337.5K LE) |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 135000 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 18822144 (approx. 18 Mbit) |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 13500 |
| Number of User I/O | 976 |
| Transceiver Channels | 24 (up to 8.5 Gbps) |
| Core Voltage | 1.1 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) |
| Package | 1517-BBGA, FCBGA, 1.0 mm ball pitch |
| Process Technology | 65 nm CMOS |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| MSL Level | 3 (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
| Lead Free | Yes |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3SL340F1517I3N 1517-bbga, fcbga, 1.0 mm ball pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SL340F1517I3N (1517-bbga, fcbga, 1.0 mm ball 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 EP3SL340F1517I3N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SL340F1517I3N is suitable for 6 applications: 40G/100G Packet Processing Line Cards, ASIC Prototyping Emulators, Military Radar Baseband Processing, High-End Medical Imaging Front-End, High-Speed Test and Measurement Instrumentation, High-Density Channelized Signal Processing.
40G/100G Packet Processing Line Cards
The EP3SL340F1517I3N is well-suited for wire-speed 40G and 100G Ethernet line cards because its 337500 logic elements and 18 Mbit embedded memory can sustain parallel lookup-table, packet-classifier, and queue-manager pipelines at line rate. The 24 transceiver channels at 8.5 Gbps aggregate to a usable 10G x4 or 40G x1 fabric when paired with external PHY devices. PLLs feed the transceivers, while the embedded memory is reconfigured as TCAM-style packet buffers, eliminating external SRAM. Compared with ASIC-based NPUs, this FPGA gives NEMs faster feature turn-around at the cost of higher per-unit power; verify thermal envelope in the chassis before deployment.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Emulators
ASIC prototyping teams use the EP3SL340F1517I3N as a building block in multi-FPGGA partitioning because each device provides 337.5K LE and 18 Mbit on-chip memory - sufficient to host a meaningful slice of a mid-complexity SoC while preserving debug visibility. The 976 user I/Os allow high-fan-out TDM interconnect between multiple FPGAs on the same prototyping board, and the 24 transceivers enable gigabit SERDES channels for chip-to-chip bridging. Compared with custom ASICs, prototyping on this FPGA delivers 10-50 MHz operation versus 500+ MHz on silicon, providing functional validation months before tape-out. Use the Quartus II LogicLock feature to plan per-FPGA regions and the TimeQuest timing analyzer to meet cross-chip timing closure.
Recommended
Military Radar Baseband Processing
Phased-array and SAR radar baseband processors benefit from the EP3SL340F1517I3N's 65 nm process and industrial temperature rating (-40C to +100C), which handles outdoor military enclosures with thermal stress. The DSP block density at this performance point supports FFT, pulse-compression, and Doppler filtering pipelines with 24-bit precision, while the 18 Mbit embedded memory acts as high-speed window/coefficient storage. JTAG-based multi-device configuration enables secure bitstream loading with AES-128 encryption, critical for field-deployed radar units. Compared with GPU-based implementations, the FPGA delivers deterministic latency for phased-array beam steering and lower power for size-weight-power constrained platforms.
Recommended
High-End Medical Imaging Front-End
The EP3SL340F1517I3N supports CT, MRI, and ultrasound front-end signal processing where 24 high-speed transceivers aggregate data from multiple ADC channels and 337.5K LE perform real-time beamforming and image reconstruction. With 18 Mbit on-chip memory, the device can buffer line-scan data for back-end processing, reducing external DDR bandwidth requirements. Compared with low-end microcontrollers, the FPGA delivers the throughput required for 4D volumetric imaging and supports IEC 60601-1-compliant patient isolation when paired with appropriate ADCs. The industrial temperature rating covers warm hospital equipment cabinets, while the lead-free FCBGA assembly meets medical device RoHS requirements.
Recommended
High-Speed Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Test equipment manufacturers use the EP3SL340F1517I3N in oscilloscope acquisition, logic-analyzer state sequencer, and protocol-analyzer applications where 24 transceivers aggregate multi-channel serial data and 337.5K LE perform real-time protocol decode. The 18 Mbit embedded memory enables deep capture windows per channel, and the 976 user I/Os route parallel probe data into the device without external muxing. The industrial temperature rating supports lab and production-floor environments, while JTAG-based debugging accelerates firmware iteration. Compared with fixed-function ASIC testers, this FPGA enables reconfiguration across protocol standards (PCIe, SATA, USB 3.0) without hardware changes, lowering per-instrument SKU cost.
Recommended
High-Density Channelized Signal Processing
Channelized receivers in telecom and electronic-warfare aggregate many narrow-band channels and require 18 Mbit of embedded memory for FFT windowing plus 337.5K LE for parallel per-channel processing - both delivered by the EP3SL340F1517I3N. The 24 transceivers aggregate IF signals from multiple ADCs at gigabit rates, while 976 user I/Os route control and slow-side interfaces. Compared with DSP-based implementations, this FPGA provides higher per-channel throughput and lower latency for adaptive spectrum operations. The industrial temperature rating supports outdoor tower-top and vehicle-mounted deployments, while Quartus II DSP Builder accelerates FIR and FFT IP integration.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SL340F1517I3N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SL340F1517I3 | EP3SL340F1517C3N | EP3SL340F1517C2N | EP3SL340F1517C4N | EP3SE260F1517I3N | EP3SL200F1517I3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 1517-BBGA, FCBGA, 1.0 mm pitch | 1517-BBGA, FCBGA, 1.0 mm pitch - same | 1517-BBGA, FCBGA, 1.0 mm pitch - same | 1517-BBGA, FCBGA, 1.0 mm pitch - same | 1517-BBGA, FCBGA, 1.0 mm pitch - same | 1517-BBGA, FCBGA, 1.0 mm pitch - same | 1517-BBGA, FCBGA, 1.0 mm pitch - same |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Logic Elements | 337500 | 337500 (same) | 337500 (same) | 337500 (same) | 337500 (same) | 260000 (-23%) | 200000 (-41%) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (same) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Industrial (same) | Industrial (same) |
| Speed Grade | 3 | 3 (same) | 3 (same) | 2 (slower) | 4 (faster) | 3 (same) | 3 (same) |
| Transceiver Channels | 24 | 24 (same) | 24 (same) | 24 (same) | 24 (same) | 24 (same) | 24 (same) |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 18822144 | 18822144 (same) | 18822144 (same) | 18822144 (same) | 18822144 (same) | 14688256 (-22%) | 10901504 (-42%) |
| User I/O | 976 | 976 (same) | 976 (same) | 976 (same) | 976 (same) | 976 (same) | 744 (-24%) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic density in the 1517-BGA Stratix III L family (vs EP3SL200F1517I3N)
- Same-package drop-in compatibility across the EP3SL340 family (vs EP3SE260F1517I3N)
- Industrial-temperature operating range (vs EP3SL340F1517C4N)
Design Notes
The 1517-ball FCBGA at 1.0 mm pitch requires microvia (laser-drilled) stack-up technology and a minimum 6+ layer PCB to escape the high ball density; standard through-via PCBs cannot escape the inner rows. Use Altera's Stratix III device handbook pin-out tables (1517-pin F1517 package) to plan layer-by-layer escape routing before committing to fabrication. Estimated: with 1.0 mm pitch, each row of inner balls requires approximately 0.8 mm line/space at the breakout layer, achievable only with microvia + fine-line HDI stack-up costing 1.5-2x standard PCB fabrication.
The EP3SL340F1517I3N has multiple supply rails (VCC, VCCPT, VCCAUX, VCCA_PLL, VCCD_PLL, VCCIO per bank) that must be brought up in the correct sequence per the Stratix III handbook PowerPlay section. Estimated: a fully loaded 337.5K-LE design at 50% toggle rate and 8.5 Gbps transceivers draws 25-35 W; budget 60 W worst case for thermal design. Use Altera's PowerPlay Early Power Estimator (EPE) spreadsheet before placing thermal vias.
Do not confuse the EP3SL340F1517I3N suffix: 'I' = industrial temp, '3' = speed grade 3, 'N' = lead-free; the F1517 indicates the FCBGA package. Substituting 'C' (commercial) variants will fail at cold-start below 0C. The device requires AES-128 bitstream encryption keys be programmed via JTAG before use; unencrypted bitstreams should not be left in external flash in production. Configuration via fast passive parallel (FPP) supports 4 devices in a chain - verify shared MSEL[3:0] settings against the handbook.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Altera/Intel product page; lead-free FCBGA assembly. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (FPGA is not an automotive-grade part by design). Stratix III L family is JEDEC-compliant for MSL3 floor life.
