EP4CE40F23C8N7N - Cyclone IV E FPGA 39.6K LE | Altera | 484-FBGA
MPN: EP4CE40F23C8N7N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $168.5 | $168.50 |
| 10 | $152.4 | $1,524.00 |
| 100 | $138.75 | $13,875.00 |
| 500 | $124.2 | $62,100.00 |
| 1,000 | $112.85 | $112,850.00 |
EP4CE40F23C8N7N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a reconfigurable integrated circuit containing an array of programmable logic blocks, configurable interconnect, embedded memory blocks, DSP blocks, and hardened I/O peripherals. Unlike an ASIC, the logic function of an FPGA is defined after manufacture by loading a configuration bitstream into on-chip SRAM. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, an FPGA is a programmable logic device -> logic IC -> integrated circuit. The Cyclone IV E family is positioned as a low-cost, low-power FPGA, ideally suited to high-volume, cost-sensitive applications such as industrial motor control, video bridging, and I/O expansion.
The EP4CE40F23C8N7N provides up to 4 PLLs, 116 embedded 18x18 multipliers (DSP blocks), and 66 embedded M9K memory blocks. Configuration is supported through JTAG (IEEE 1149.1), Active Serial (AS), and Passive Serial (PS) modes via a dedicated 8-pin AS interface. The device supports Cyclone IV I/O features including programmable drive strength, slew rate control, bus-hold, and 3.3 V tolerance on all I/O pins, simplifying board-level design when interfacing to legacy peripherals.
Typical applications include industrial machine vision and barcode scanners, video surveillance and display controllers, motor drive and encoder interfaces, automotive infotainment preprocessing, and low-cost PCIe protocol endpoints via external PHY. The Cyclone IV E family is widely used in volume production designs where higher-end Cyclone IV GX/GT or Cyclone V devices are unnecessary.
When designing with the EP4CE40F23C8N7N, ensure all I/O banks are powered before configuration to avoid I/O latch-up. Use the Altera Quartus II / Quartus Prime design environment (latest supported version) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure. Decouple every VCCINT, VCCA, VCCIO, and PLL power pin with 100 nF + 10 uF caps placed within 5 mm of each ball.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CE40F23C8N7N — 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 EP4CE40F23C8N7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Core Voltage.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CE40F23C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE40F23C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE40F23C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$76.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE40F23C8LN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$49.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE30F23C8N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4CE40F23C8N7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone IV E |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 39,600 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 1,161,216 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 116 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 328 |
| Global Clocks | 20 |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.2 V |
| I/O Voltage (VCCIO) | 1.2 V to 3.3 V |
| Process Technology | 60 nm low-power |
| Package | 484-ball FBGA (F23) |
| Speed Grade | C8 (commercial) |
| Configuration Modes | JTAG, Active Serial, Passive Serial |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4CE40F23C8N7N 484-ball fbga (f23) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CE40F23C8N7N (484-ball fbga (f23) 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 EP4CE40F23C8N7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CE40F23C8N7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Machine Vision, Video Surveillance DVR, Motor Drive Encoder Interface, LED Display Controller, Automotive Infotainment Preprocessor, Low-Cost PCIe Endpoint.
Industrial Machine Vision
The EP4CE40F23C8N7N fits industrial machine vision due to its 39,600 LEs and 116 18x18 multipliers, which can preprocess Bayer-pattern image streams from MIPI-CSI-2 or parallel CMOS sensors in real time. Its 1,161,216 bits of embedded memory hold multiple image line buffers at full HD (1920x1080) resolution, while the 4 PLLs generate precise pixel clocks for VGA, GigE Vision, or CoaXPress timing. The 1.2V core with 3.3V-tolerant I/O simplifies direct interface to industrial image sensors without external level shifters, reducing BOM cost. Engineers typically use it with external DDR2 SDRAM for frame buffering and pair it with a camera link or GigE PHY for factory-floor vision systems.
Recommended
Video Surveillance DVR
In multi-channel video surveillance DVRs, the EP4CE40F23C8N7N handles H.264 transcoding glue logic, video mixing, and OSD overlay. Its 328 user I/O pins allow direct connection to multiple AHD/HD-CVI decoders, gigabit Ethernet MAC, and SATA controllers simultaneously. The 116 DSP blocks accelerate motion detection and analytics algorithms at 30 fps per channel. The 484-FBGA package is the right size for 4 to 8 channel DVR designs. Compared to DSP-based alternatives, the FPGA approach offers flexibility to support evolving codec standards without hardware redesign.
Recommended
Motor Drive Encoder Interface
The EP4CE40F23C8N7N is widely used as an encoder interface for servo motor drives, decoding EnDat 2.2, BiSS-C, HIPERFACE, and SSI protocols simultaneously across multiple axes. Its 4 PLLs generate clean quadrature clocks for resolver excitation, while the 328 I/O pins accept up to 16 incremental encoder channels in parallel. The 39,600 LEs can implement field-oriented control (FOC) state machines alongside encoder decode, eliminating an external DSP. The device's 60 nm process and 1.2 V core give it thermal headroom inside sealed industrial drive enclosures.
Recommended
LED Display Controller
For large LED video walls and billboard controllers, the EP4CE40F23C8N7N generates the high-frequency clock and data streams required by HUB75 LED panels at refresh rates above 1920 Hz. Its 328 I/O pins can drive up to 64 scan-line panels with 24-bit color depth, while the embedded memory acts as a multi-frame buffer to suppress flicker during DVI/HDMI input re-sync. The 116 multipliers accelerate gamma correction and color-space conversion in real time. Compared to fixed-function LED controller ASICs, the FPGA approach allows field firmware upgrades to support new panel resolutions.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment Preprocessor
Inside automotive infotainment head units, the EP4CE40F23C8N7N preprocesses LVDS or parallel RGB streams from the display SoC, performing screen rotation, picture-in-picture blending, and rear-camera overlay before driving the LCD panel. Its 1,161,216 bits of embedded memory store multiple frame layers for compositing. The device's commercial temperature grade (0C to 85C) is suitable for cabin-mounted applications. Designers should note that EP4CE40F23C8N7N is not AEC-Q100 qualified; for under-hood or safety-critical functions, use AEC-Q100-qualified Cyclone IV variants or Cyclone V devices.
Recommended
Low-Cost PCIe Endpoint
The EP4CE40F23C8N7N can implement a single-lane PCIe Gen1 endpoint using Altera's soft IP core, providing a low-cost interface for industrial data-acquisition cards and adapter boards. The 4 PLLs and 116 multipliers are sufficient to handle 2.5 Gbps SerDes through external PHY, while the 39,600 LEs implement the PCIe transaction layer plus DMA engines. The 484-FBGA package provides enough I/O for simultaneous PCIe lanes, local DDR2, and high-speed GPIO. This application leverages the Cyclone IV E family's good balance of price, performance, and Altera's mature PCIe IP.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CE40F23C8N7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CE40F23C8N | EP4CE40F23C7N | EP4CE40F23C6N | EP4CE40F23C8LN | EP4CE30F23C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-FBGA (F23) | 484-FBGA (F23) - same | 484-FBGA (F23) - same | 484-FBGA (F23) - same | 484-FBGA (F23) - same | 484-FBGA (F23) - same |
| Brand | Altera | Altera - same | Altera - same | Altera - same | Altera - same | Altera - same |
| Family | Cyclone IV E | Cyclone IV E - same | Cyclone IV E - same | Cyclone IV E - same | Cyclone IV E - same | Cyclone IV E - same |
| Logic Elements | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 28,560 (-28%) |
| Speed Grade | C8 | C8 - same | C7 (faster) | C6 (fastest) | C8 - same | C8 - same |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 | 1,161,216 | 608,256 (-48%) |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 116 | 116 | 116 | 116 | 116 | 66 (-43%) |
| User I/O | 328 | 328 | 328 | 328 | 328 | 328 |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V |
Key Differentiators
- Largest I/O count in Cyclone IV E mid-density (vs EP4CE40F23C7N)
- Highest memory density per package in family (vs EP4CE30F23C8N)
- Cyclone IV E mature ecosystem with Quartus II 13.0 support (vs Xilinx Spartan-6 LX45)
Design Notes
The EP4CE40F23C8N7N requires four independent supply rails: VCCINT (1.2 V core), VCCA (2.5 V PLL analog), VCCIO (1.2V-3.3V per bank), and VCCPD (3.3 V or 2.5 V configuration). Decouple each VCCINT and VCCIO ball with a 100 nF + 10 uF cap placed within 5 mm. Power-on sequence is not strictly required but powering VCCINT before VCCPD is recommended per the Cyclone IV handbook to minimize in-rush current through the I/O pins.
The 484-FBGA package uses a 0.8 mm ball pitch requiring 4 to 6 layer PCB with microvia or HDI stackup. Route all 4 PLL analog VCCA pairs through a dedicated analog ground island; do not share the digital ground. Provide a 4-layer PCB minimum with continuous power planes on layers 2 and 3 to suppress SSN (simultaneous switching noise) on the 328 I/O pins.
Do not exceed the maximum junction temperature of 100C. Ensure the JTAG chain has 4.7 kohm pull-ups on TCK, TMS, TDI, and a 4.7 kohm pull-down on TRST (if used). When using Active Serial configuration, populate the serial configuration device (EPCS4/EPCS16) on a dedicated SPI bus with proper chip-select timing. Do not leave unused I/O pins floating; configure them as outputs driving low or as inputs with internal pull-up enabled.
Estimated: at 100% logic utilization and typical toggle rate, the EP4CE40F23C8N7N dissipates approximately 1.5W-2.5W. With the 484-FBGA F23 package theta_JA of approximately 15 C/W (still air, JEDEC test board), the junction temperature rises 23C-38C above ambient. At 85C ambient this leaves 15-77C thermal margin; no heatsink is required for typical industrial operating temperatures. For sealed enclosures above 70C ambient, consider a small thermal pad.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Altera/Intel product page. Lead-free process confirmed via 7N ordering code. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - for automotive safety-critical functions use automotive-grade Cyclone IV variants. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in available data.
