EP4CE40F23I8L - Cyclone IV E FPGA, 39.6K LE, 484-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP4CE40F23I8L ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $111.61 | $111.61 |
| 10 | $105 | $1,050.00 |
| 100 | $92.5 | $9,250.00 |
| 250 | $86 | $21,500.00 |
| 500 | $79.5 | $39,750.00 |
EP4CE40F23I8L Overview
What is a Cyclone IV E FPGA? It is a low-cost, low-power SRAM-based programmable logic family from Intel (formerly Altera) that targets volume-driven applications such as industrial control, video processing, and communications bridging. Cyclone IV E sits in the FPGA hierarchy below high-performance Stratix families and above legacy Cyclone III devices, optimized for low static and dynamic power while preserving abundant DSP, memory, and I/O resources for cost-sensitive designs.
Key features include 2,475 logic array blocks (LABs) and 113 DSP blocks, 4 general-purpose PLLs with fractional output capability, and 8 user I/O banks supporting a wide range of single-ended and differential I/O standards including LVDS, SSTL, and HSTL. Hard memory controller support for DDR/DDR2/DDR3 SDRAM and LPDDR2 simplifies external memory interfaces. Each Cyclone IV E device embeds a Configuration via EPCS or JTAG, and supports single-event upset (SEU) mitigation through Cyclone IV's CRC and scrubber IP.
Architecturally, the EP4CE40F23I8L uses a 4-input look-up table (LUT) fabric, distributed M9K memory blocks (each 9 Kbits), and dedicated 18x18 multipliers connected through a multi-track interconnect. The I8L speed grade combined with industrial temperature range makes it suitable for outdoor and harsh-environment deployments.
Typical applications include industrial motor control and PLCs, video surveillance and image processing, software-defined radio front-ends, low-cost ASIC prototyping, and PCIe endpoint bridges using external PHY. Designers also choose Cyclone IV E for display controllers, sensor aggregation, and general glue-logic replacement.
Designers should budget power by leveraging Intel's PowerPlay tools and the Early Power Estimator (EPE) spreadsheet, since logic utilization and toggle rate dominate dynamic power. For high-speed LVDS or DDR3 interfaces, follow the Cyclone IV External Memory Interface Guidelines and match length within 50 mils on byte lanes.
This page consolidates verified distributor pricing, drop-in same-footprint alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CE40F23I8L — 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 EP4CE40F23I8L (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Core Voltage, Process Technology, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CE40F23I8N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4CE40F23C8L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$72.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE40F23A7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$118.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE40F23I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE40F23C9L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$48.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE40F23I8L Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone IV E |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 39,600 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LAB) | 2,475 |
| Embedded Memory | 1,161,216 bits (113 M9K blocks) |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 113 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 328 |
| I/O Banks | 8 |
| Process Technology | 60 nm |
| Core Voltage | 1.0 V (0.97 V to 1.03 V) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) |
| Package | 484-ball FBGA, 23x23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Speed Grade | 8 (I8L, industrial) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4CE40F23I8L Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O — User I/O bank 8 |
| Pin A2 | I/O — User I/O bank 8 |
| Pin B1 | I/O — User I/O bank 8 |
| Pin B2 | VCCIO8 — I/O bank 8 supply |
| Pin C1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin C2 | I/O — User I/O bank 7 |
| Pin D1 | I/O — User I/O bank 7 |
| Pin D2 | VCCIO7 — I/O bank 7 supply |
| Pin E1 | I/O — User I/O bank 6 |
| Pin E2 | I/O — User I/O bank 6 |
| Pin F1 | VCCINT — Core voltage 1.0 V |
| Pin F2 | I/O — User I/O bank 6 |
| Pin G1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin G2 | I/O — User I/O bank 5 |
| Pin H1 | I/O — User I/O bank 5 |
| Pin H2 | VCCIO5 — I/O bank 5 supply |
| Pin J1 | I/O — User I/O bank 4 |
| Pin J2 | I/O — User I/O bank 4 |
| Pin K1 | I/O — User I/O bank 4 |
| Pin K2 | GND — Ground |
Typical Applications
EP4CE40F23I8L is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control and PLC, Video Surveillance and Image Processing, Software Defined Radio Front-End, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Display Controllers and Touch Interfaces, Sensor Aggregation and IoT Edge Gateways.
Industrial Motor Control and PLC
The EP4CE40F23I8L fits industrial motor-control and PLC platforms because it provides 113 18x18 multipliers and 4 PLLs to drive field-oriented-control (FOC) loops for three-phase AC induction and permanent-magnet motors. With 39,600 logic elements, designers can integrate encoder decoding (QEP, SSI, EnDat), PID control, and safety logic on a single device. Industrial temperature range (-40C to +100C) and 328 user I/Os support direct connection to backplane logic, opto-isolated 24V inputs, and RS-485/RS-232 transceivers. Quartus II 13.0 reference designs ship with Verified third-party motor-control IP, accelerating time-to-market for servo drives and PLC CPU modules.
Recommended
Video Surveillance and Image Processing
In multi-channel video surveillance systems the EP4CE40F23I8L serves as a low-cost image-processing pipeline handling HDMI/DVI input, color-space conversion, scaling, and on-screen-display generation. Its 113 DSP blocks perform real-time 2D filtering and motion detection at rates exceeding 200 MHz. The 1.16 Mbit embedded memory provides line buffering for 1080p60 video, while the 328 I/Os allow direct connection to DDR2/DDR3 external memory and image sensors. Industrial temperature grade enables outdoor housing deployment, and 484-BGA supports dense PCB designs typical of compact NVR and IP-camera enclosures.
Recommended
Software Defined Radio Front-End
Software-defined-radio (SDR) platforms benefit from the EP4CE40F23I8L's 113 dedicated 18x18 multipliers and 4 PLLs, which implement digital up/down conversion (DUC/DDC), finite-impulse-response filters, and crest-factor reduction at sample rates up to 200 MSPS. The 39,600 logic elements hold complete PHY-layer state machines for LTE, Wi-Fi, or proprietary OFDM waveforms. The 484-BGA footprint exposes LVDS pairs for direct connection to high-speed ADCs/DACs, and the 8 I/O banks allow mixed-voltage signalling to RF front-end ICs. Industrial temperature rating supports outdoor base-station deployments.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
ASIC prototyping teams use the EP4CE40F23I8L as a cost-effective verification vehicle before tap-out. The 39,600 LEs and 1.16 Mbits of embedded memory can host moderate-complexity ASIC blocks at clock rates of 100-200 MHz. The 484-BGA package supports multi-FPGA partitioning through high-speed LVDS lanes, while 4 PLLs generate the multiple clock domains typical of SoC designs. Quartus II 13.0 synthesis and TimeQuest timing analysis provide sign-off-quality reports, and the industrial temperature range lets teams validate prototypes in environmental chambers.
Recommended
Display Controllers and Touch Interfaces
Display controllers for industrial HMIs, kiosks, and instrumentation panels use the EP4CE40F23I8L to drive LVDS or RGB interfaces up to 1080p60. Its 113 multipliers perform real-time alpha-blending and color correction, while 328 user I/Os connect to capacitive-touch controllers, keypads, and LEDs. The 8 I/O banks permit 1.8 V, 2.5 V, and 3.3 V mixed signalling to legacy and modern display PHYs. Industrial temperature grade and lead-free FBGA-484 package suit factory-floor and outdoor signage installations where reliability under thermal stress is critical.
Recommended
Sensor Aggregation and IoT Edge Gateways
IoT edge gateways and sensor-aggregation nodes benefit from the EP4CE40F23I8L's mix of DSP blocks, GPIO, and memory for protocol bridging (I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, Modbus, EtherCAT). With 39,600 LEs the device can host soft-core processors (NIOS II) plus deterministic Ethernet MACs and security accelerators. The 484-BGA package and industrial temperature range suit DIN-rail or outdoor enclosures. PLLs derive multiple clock domains for sensor sampling and backhaul uplinks, while 328 I/Os handle dense wiring to PLC racks or sensor harnesses.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CE40F23I8L — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CE40F23I8N | EP4CE40F23C8L | EP4CE40F23A7N | EP4CE40F23I7N | EP4CE40F23C9L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-BGA (FBGA-484) | 484-BGA - same | 484-BGA - same | 484-BGA - same | 484-BGA - same | 484-BGA - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 | 39,600 |
| Speed Grade | I8 (industrial, 8) | I8 | C8 | A7 | I7 | C9 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +100C | 0C to +85C | -40C to +125C | -40C to +100C | 0C to +85C |
| Lead-Free | Yes (Pb-free L suffix) | No (leaded N suffix) | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Embedded Memory | 1,161,216 bits | 1,161,216 bits | 1,161,216 bits | 1,161,216 bits | 1,161,216 bits | 1,161,216 bits |
| DSP Blocks (18x18) | 113 | 113 | 113 | 113 | 113 | 113 |
| PLLs | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| User I/Os | 328 | 328 | 328 | 328 | 328 | 328 |
Key Differentiators
- Lead-free FBGA-484 industrial variant (vs EP4CE40F23I8N)
- Industrial temperature -40C to +100C (vs EP4CE40F23C8L)
- Speed grade 8 for higher Fmax (vs EP4CE40F23A7N)
Design Notes
Estimated: at typical 30 percent logic utilization and 100 MHz toggle rate the EP4CE40F23I8L core draws approximately 0.5 W to 1.2 W. Use Intel's Early Power Estimator (EPE) spreadsheet for accurate budgeting because toggle rate and I/O activity dominate dynamic power. Decouple each VCCINT and VCCIO bank with 0.1 uF and 10 uF ceramic capacitors placed within 100 mils of the supply balls. A bulk 220 uF tantalum on the 1.0 V rail handles inrush during configuration.
Estimated: at 1.2 W core dissipation and typical FBGA-484 thermal resistance of about 18 C/W (theta_JB with 4-layer PCB), the junction temperature rises roughly 22C above the case. Combined with +100C ambient industrial ceiling this leaves 60C margin, sufficient without a heatsink. For enclosed chassis above 70C ambient, add a 4x4 cm copper pour on top-side and thermal vias to inner ground planes.
Route differential pairs (LVDS) with 100 ohm differential impedance and intra-pair skew under 5 mils. The 1.0 mm BGA pitch requires microvia-in-pad stack-up; use 4 mil via capture pads and 8 mil drills for the inner escape. Reference Intel Cyclone IV External Memory Interface Guidelines for DDR2/DDR3 byte-lane length matching within 50 mils.
Do not leave CONFIG_DONE floating - tie it to a 4.7 kohm pull-up to 3.3 V and observe the configuration timing diagram. Avoid using nIO_pullup if bank voltage is 1.5 V because internal weak pull-ups are sized for 3.3 V. Always configure unused I/O pins as inputs with weak pull-ups (per Cyclone IV Handbook chapter on configuration) to minimize crosstalk during power-up.
Place JTAG header (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, nTRST) on the top layer within 2 inches of the FPGA for short tap wiring, and provide 33 ohm series damping resistors. Route JTAG signals with 50 ohm single-ended impedance and avoid splitting ground planes beneath the JTAG bus. For multi-FPGA configuration chaining, follow the MSEL[2:0] resistor-divider guidance in the Cyclone IV Handbook.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per distributor listings; lead-free (L suffix) terminal finish. Halogen-free per Cyclone IV E material declarations. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is a commercial/industrial FPGA not intended for automotive safety-critical applications.
