EPF10K70RC240-3 - 70K Gate FLEX-10K FPGA, 240-RQFP | Altera
MPN: EPF10K70RC2403 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28.5 | $28.50 |
| 10 | $25 | $250.00 |
| 100 | $21.5 | $2,150.00 |
| 500 | $18.75 | $9,375.00 |
| 1,000 | $16.2 | $16,200.00 |
EPF10K70RC2403 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a programmable logic device that combines the architectural density of gate arrays with the design flexibility of software-configurable logic. The FLEX-10K family pioneered the concept of an embedded array block (EAB) for on-chip RAM, enabling true single-chip integration of logic and memory. Within the broader semiconductor hierarchy, FPGAs sit between discrete logic and ASICs in the programmable logic taxonomy: FPGA → programmable logic → logic IC → integrated circuit → semiconductor.
Key features of the EPF10K70RC240-3 include 70K equivalent gates, 3,744 logic elements, 12 embedded array blocks providing 18,432 bits of RAM, 189 programmable I/O pins supporting multiple I/O standards, and in-system programmability via the serial configuration interface. The 5 V tolerant I/O banks are well suited to legacy TTL/CMOS interfaces. Each LE incorporates a 4-input LUT, a programmable register, and carry-chain logic for efficient arithmetic implementation.
The architecture separates logic (Logic Array Blocks - LABs) from memory (Embedded Array Blocks - EABs), allowing designers to instantiate true dual-port RAM, ROM, or FIFO functions directly in silicon. The device is configured at power-up from a serial EPROM (EPCS1/EPCS4) or via JTAG boundary-scan, supporting in-field updates.
Typical applications include industrial control glue logic, telecommunications interface bridging, legacy ASIC replacement, parallel bus interfacing, motor control state machines, and prototyping of larger Altera designs. The 5 V tolerance makes the EPF10K70RC240-3 especially attractive in brownfield retrofits of older 5 V systems where modern FPGAs are restricted to 3.3 V or lower I/O.
When designing with this device, observe the legacy 5 V supply requirement and the RQFP-240 footprint. Modern PCB designs should provide a generous thermal copper pour because the exposed pad must be soldered to a ground plane to meet the 31 C/W thermal resistance spec. The Quartus II MAX+PLUS II toolchain (legacy Altera software) is required for design entry, as the device is unsupported by Quartus Prime.
This page synthesizes distributor inventory from 17 sources on Octopart, drop-in alternatives from the FLEX-10K family, and PCB design notes that are not consolidated in any single manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF10K70RC2403 — 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 EPF10K70RC2403 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Configuration Method, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF10K70RC240-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K70RC240-4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$92.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K70RC240-4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$36.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K70RC240-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K70RC240-2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$65 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50RC240-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$58.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K70RC2403 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | FLEX-10K |
| Family | FLEX-10K SRAM-lookup-table FPGA |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 3,744 |
| Equivalent Gates | 70,000 |
| Total RAM Bits | 18,432 |
| Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) | 12 |
| User I/O Pins | 189 |
| Number of Gates | 70K |
| Number of Logic Elements/Cells | 3,744 |
| Operating Frequency | 125 MHz |
| Operating Supply Voltage | 5 V |
| Process Technology | 0.42 µm CMOS |
| Speed Grade | -3 (mainstream) |
| Package | 240-RQFP (RQFP-240, exposed pad) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Non-compliant (legacy 5 V device) |
EPF10K70RC2403 240-rqfp (rqfp-240, exposed pad) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF10K70RC2403 (240-rqfp (rqfp-240, exposed pad) 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 EPF10K70RC2403.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF10K70RC2403 is suitable for 6 applications: Legacy Industrial Control Logic, ASIC Replacement / Bridge Logic, 5 V Brownfield System Retrofits, Parallel Data Acquisition Front-End, Motor Control and Drive State Machines, Legacy Telecom Protocol Conversion.
Legacy Industrial Control Logic
The EPF10K70RC240-3 is well-suited to legacy industrial control PLCs and machine controllers because its 5 V-tolerant I/O banks interface directly with 5 V TTL sensors, optocouplers, and relay drivers without level shifters. With 3,744 logic elements and 12 EABs (18,432 bits RAM), the device can implement complex ladder-logic replacements, PID control state machines, and parallel I/O scanning for up to 189 I/O channels. Its 125 MHz core frequency comfortably handles multi-axis motor control loops at 10-20 kHz PWM rates, and the 240-RQFP package's exposed pad provides adequate thermal headroom for factory-floor ambient temperatures up to 70 °C. FLEX-10K devices have decades of proven service in industrial equipment, with many designs still in production.
Recommended
ASIC Replacement / Bridge Logic
The EPF10K70RC240-3 is an ideal drop-in replacement for obsolete or low-volume ASICs in telecommunications and networking equipment. With 70K gates of equivalent capacity and 189 user I/Os, the device can replicate multiple glue-logic ICs (bus arbiters, FIFO controllers, address decoders, protocol converters) on a single chip. The 5 V tolerance maintains compatibility with legacy bus architectures like ISA, VME, and parallel TTL buses, while the embedded array blocks implement true dual-port RAM and FIFO buffers without external memory chips. Its 240-RQFP footprint is standard for legacy telecom PCBs, enabling direct PCB swap-out when an ASIC becomes end-of-life.
Recommended
5 V Brownfield System Retrofits
Modern FPGAs (Cyclone IV, MAX 10, Lattice ECP5) typically operate on 3.3 V or lower core voltages, making them incompatible with legacy 5 V systems. The EPF10K70RC240-3's 5 V supply and 5 V-tolerant I/Os allow direct insertion into brownfield retrofits of older equipment (industrial CNC controllers, medical imaging systems, avionics displays) where the existing 5 V power rails cannot be re-engineered. With 3,744 LEs, designers can add modern interfaces (USB, Ethernet, modern LCD timing controllers) to legacy systems without redesigning the power architecture, dramatically shortening certification cycles for medical and aerospace upgrades.
Recommended
Parallel Data Acquisition Front-End
The EPF10K70RC240-3's 189 user I/O pins and 12 embedded array blocks are well matched to multi-channel parallel data acquisition systems. The EABs can implement 12 independent FIFO buffers (each 256x16 or 512x8 bits) for simultaneous sampling of ADC data streams, while the LEs handle digital signal conditioning, decimation, and trigger logic. At 125 MHz, the device can clock in 16-bit ADC samples at 10 MSPS across multiple channels with margin for digital filtering. The 5 V tolerance interfaces directly with legacy parallel-output ADCs (AD676, AD1671), simplifying analog front-end design in test and measurement instrumentation.
Recommended
Motor Control and Drive State Machines
The EPF10K70RC240-3 provides the deterministic logic and parallel I/O count required for multi-axis motor drives and servo controllers. The 3,744 logic elements implement field-oriented control (FOC) state machines, PWM generators, quadrature decoder logic, and Hall-sensor input processing for 3-4 axis systems. The 5 V tolerance interfaces directly with legacy 5 V gate drivers and optoisolators used in industrial motor drives, eliminating level-shifter complexity. The 189 user I/Os accommodate multiple encoder inputs, enable signals, fault inputs, and PWM outputs without external muxing. Industrial-grade temperature range and proven long-term reliability make it suitable for servo amplifier designs.
Recommended
Legacy Telecom Protocol Conversion
The EPF10K70RC240-3 is widely deployed in legacy telecom equipment for protocol conversion between E1/T1, RS-232, RS-485, and proprietary bus formats. Its 18,432 bits of embedded RAM provide elastic buffers and clock-domain crossing FIFOs for asynchronous serial protocols, while the LEs handle bit-stuffing, framing, and CRC computation in hardware. The 5 V tolerance matches the 5 V PECL/HCMOS interfaces common in central-office equipment, and the 240-RQFP package provides the pin count needed for multiple serial ports plus parallel control/status registers. Telecom service providers continue to deploy these parts for legacy TDM-to-IP gateway maintenance.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF10K70RC2403 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF10K70RC240-3N | EPF10K70RC240-4 | EPF10K70RC240-4N | EPF10K70RC240-2 | EPF10K70RC240-2N | EPF10K50RC240-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 240-RQFP | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Logic Elements | 3,744 | 3,744 | 3,744 | 3,744 | 3,744 | 3,744 | 2,880 (-23%) |
| Equivalent Gates | 70K | 70K | 70K | 70K | 70K | 70K | 50K (-29%) |
| Speed Grade | -3 | -3 | -4 (faster) | -4 (faster) | -2 (slower) | -2 (slower) | -3 |
| Lead-Free (Pb-free) | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| User I/O Pins | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 |
| Supply Voltage | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V |
| Total RAM Bits | 18,432 | 18,432 | 18,432 | 18,432 | 18,432 | 18,432 | 20,480 (+11%) |
Key Differentiators
- 5 V-tolerant I/O banks (vs Cyclone IV EP4CE6E22C8N)
- Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) for true dual-port RAM (vs EPF10K30RC240-3)
- Drop-in compatible across speed grades (vs EPF10K70RC240-4)
Design Notes
Estimated: the 240-RQFP package exposes a thermal pad on the underside that must be soldered to a ground copper pour. Altera specifies theta-JA of approximately 31 C/W on a standard 4-layer JEDEC test board. At typical industrial ambient of 70 °C with full I/O switching (estimated 1.5 W internal dissipation), junction temperature rises about 47 °C, yielding a Tj of 117 °C - safely below the 125 °C commercial limit. For designs at elevated ambient (>85 °C), add thermal vias under the exposed pad and increase copper pour area to at least 1 square inch.
Decoupling: place 0.1 µF ceramic capacitors as close as possible to every VCCINT and VCCIO pin pair. Add bulk 47-100 µF tantalum or aluminum polymer capacitors at the board-level 5 V input. For multi-board designs with shared 5 V rails, add ferrite beads in series with each FLEX-10K supply pin to isolate switching noise. Configuration pin (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) traces must be kept short and away from high-frequency switching signals to prevent configuration failures.
Do not assume Quartus Prime supports FLEX-10K - only MAX+PLUS II and Quartus II (up to v13.0) are valid toolchains. Configuration EPROM selection is critical: use EPCS1 or EPCS4 serial configuration devices; legacy EPC2 parallel devices require different programming. When migrating bitstreams between speed grades (-2, -3, -4), recompile with the new speed grade in MAX+PLUS II - direct bitstream copy will fail timing closure. Finally, verify I/O standard assignments in the MAX+PLUS II fitter report; mixing 5 V TTL with 3.3 V PCI I/O standards on the same bank is forbidden.
The 240-RQFP package introduces significant lead inductance (~5-7 nH per pin). For clock inputs above 100 MHz, use the dedicated CLK pins (CLK0, CLK1) with series damping resistors (10-33 Ω) at the driver output. Global clock networks within the FLEX-10K architecture provide low-skew distribution; avoid routing high-speed clocks through regular LAB routing. For LVTTL or LVCMOS outputs driving long traces (>5 cm), add source-series termination to control overshoot. JTAG chain integrity should be verified at production with boundary-scan tests - especially critical for in-system programmable designs.
Compliance Information
EPF10K70RC240-3 is a legacy Altera FLEX-10K device that is non-RoHS (contains lead in solder finish). The -3N and -4N variants are lead-free (Pb-free reflow-solderable). Reach and conflict-minerals compliance status not documented in available data. AEC-Q100 automotive qualification is not applicable; FLEX-10K was not qualified for automotive applications.
