EPF6024AQC208-3 - FLEX 6000 FPGA, 24K Gates, 208-PQFP | Intel
MPN: EPF6024AQC208-3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $32.75 | $327.50 |
| 100 | $24.9 | $2,490.00 |
| 250 | $21.4 | $5,350.00 |
| 500 | $18.85 | $9,425.00 |
EPF6024AQC208-3 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) interconnected by a programmable routing matrix. Unlike a CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), an FPGA such as the EPF6024AQC208-3 is RAM-based and is reconfigured by loading a bitstream into internal SRAM, which makes it ideal for high gate-count, register-rich designs. FPGAs sit within the broader programmable-logic hierarchy: SPLD -> CPLD -> FPGA, and are widely used as a flexible alternative to fixed gate arrays during prototyping and low-to-medium volume production.
Key features of the EPF6024AQC208-3 include 171 user I/O pins, 196 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), FastTrack interconnect, and four embedded logic elements per LAB with carry-chain and cascade-chain support. MultiVolt I/O allows interfacing with 5.0 V, 3.3 V, and 2.5 V devices, simplifying mixed-voltage board designs. The PQFP-208 footprint has a generous 1.95 mm lead pitch, easing hand-prototyping and rework versus fine-pitch BGAs.
The FLEX 6000 architecture uses a look-up-table (LUT) based logic element feeding a programmable register, with a continuous FastTrack routing fabric that minimises predictable interconnect delays. This makes the -3 speed grade sufficient for bus-interface, glue-logic, and state-machine applications in the 50–100 MHz range, while the part remains popular in legacy industrial and telecom platforms where 5 V-tolerant I/O is required.
Typical applications for the EPF6024AQC208-3 include industrial control glue logic, telecom interface and protocol bridging, legacy PCI bridge designs, and prototyping for ASIC replacement. The 208-pin PQFP is also well suited to educational and lab use because the leads remain accessible for probing. Designers should plan bitstream storage in a companion configuration PROM (EPC2 or EPC1) because the FLEX 6000 SRAM cells are volatile and must be re-loaded on every power-up.
When designing with this FPGA, verify I/O bank voltage compatibility with the rest of the board and provide a clean 3.3 V core rail with adequate decoupling (typically 0.1 µF plus 10 µF bulk) close to the VCC pins. The PQFP-208 package has moderate thermal resistance, but at the modest core currents of the FLEX 6000 family no external heatsink is required.
This page synthesises current distributor pricing and stock for the EPF6024AQC208-3, drop-in package equivalents, and design notes drawn from Altera/Intel application briefs that go beyond the original datasheet, helping engineers compare options and avoid common integration pitfalls.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF6024AQC208-3 — 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 EPF6024AQC208-3 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Configuration Method, Process Technology, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF6024AQC208-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$23.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF6024AQC208-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$7.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF6024AQC208-2N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$17.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF6024AQC208-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF6024AQC208-1N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$18.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF6024AQC208-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 6000 |
| Device Type | Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) |
| Typical Gates | 24,000 |
| Logic Cells / Logic Elements | 1,960 cells / 19,600 usable LE |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 196 |
| User I/Os | 171 |
| Internal Frequency | 142.86 MHz |
| Speed Grade | -3 |
| Process Technology | 0.42 µm CMOS |
| Supply Voltage | 3.3 V |
| MultiVolt I/O | 5.0 V / 3.3 V / 2.5 V tolerant |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial) |
| Package | 208-pin PQFP / BFQFP (plastic) |
| Configuration | SRAM-based, requires external PROM (EPC1/EPC2) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EPF6024AQC208-3 208-pin pqfp / bfqfp (plastic) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF6024AQC208-3 (208-pin pqfp / bfqfp (plastic) 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 EPF6024AQC208-3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF6024AQC208-3 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control Glue Logic, Telecom Interface & Protocol Bridging, Legacy PCI Bridge / Embedded Host Adapter, ASIC Replacement / Prototyping Platform, Educational / University FPGA Lab Board, Test & Measurement Instrumentation Front-End.
Industrial Control Glue Logic
The EPF6024AQC208-3's 24K gates, 171 MultiVolt I/Os and 142.86 MHz internal frequency make it well suited to industrial glue logic that bridges 5 V PLC backplanes to 3.3 V microcontrollers. In typical use it sits between a 16-bit ISA bus and a discrete I/O bank, replacing four or five 22V10-style SPLDs with a single device while preserving legacy 5 V tolerance. The PQFP-208 footprint is hand-reworkable, which simplifies board bring-up in long-life industrial installations where the FPGA is expected to remain in service for 15+ years. Designers should pair the FPGA with an EPC2 configuration PROM and add a watchdog supervisor to recover from bitstream corruption on noisy factory power rails.
Recommended
Telecom Interface & Protocol Bridging
Legacy telecom line cards and PBX systems still deploy the EPF6024AQC208-3 to bridge H.110 / CT Bus time slots to TDM backplanes. The 196 LABs and four-element carry chain are enough to implement several HDLC controllers and a TSI crosspoint in one device, while MultiVolt I/O directly drives 5 V bus drivers. At the -3 speed grade the fabric comfortably meets 8.192 MHz CT Bus clocks with margin. The part's 0.85 ns LUT delay and FastTrack interconnect deliver deterministic timing that telecom firmware engineers trust for static-scheduled TDM slots, and the PQFP-208 package is accepted by telco reliability labs that have not yet qualified fine-pitch BGA parts.
Recommended
Legacy PCI Bridge / Embedded Host Adapter
The EPF6024AQC208-3 is widely used as a PCI target or bus-master bridge in embedded hosts that must connect an ISA-style microcontroller to a 33 MHz PCI bus. Its 1,960 cells easily absorb the mandatory PCI configuration header plus a small DMA engine, and the 142.86 MHz fabric gives ample timing margin for the 33 MHz, 50/50 PCI clock. MultiVolt I/O lets the 5 V-tolerant PCI bus coexist with a 3.3 V local microcontroller. The PQFP-208 keeps board rework simple for field upgrades, and the same bitstream can be retargeted to the -2 or -1 grade drop-in parts if a faster PCI bridge is needed later.
Recommended
ASIC Replacement / Prototyping Platform
The EPF6024AQC208-3 was originally designed as an ASIC replacement for low-to-medium volume designs, and it still serves that role for ASIC emulation and FPGA prototyping. 24K gates and 171 I/Os cover many mid-range gate-array conversions, and the PQFP-208 package drops onto existing ASIC footprints with simple adapter boards. Engineers map RTL into the FLEX 6000 using MAX+PLUS II or Quartus, validate the design in-system, then migrate to a masked gate array once volumes justify NRE. This fast design-change loop is the classic FLEX 6000 strength and remains the reason distributors still quote the part a decade after obsolescence.
Recommended
Educational / University FPGA Lab Board
Universities and training centres continue to specify the EPF6024AQC208-3 on legacy FPGA training boards because the PQFP-208 leads remain hand-probeable, allowing students to inspect signals with oscilloscope probes without damaging fine-pitch BGAs. The 24K-gate fabric accommodates a full MIPS or RISC-V soft-core plus peripherals, and the FLEX 6000 tool flow is stable in MAX+PLUS II, which runs on legacy Windows lab machines. The part's MultiVolt I/O is also used to teach mixed-voltage design. Boards can be re-targeted to the -3N lead-free variant for newer RoHS-aware curricula without changing the lab PCB.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation Front-End
Bench-top instruments such as logic analysers and protocol exercisers used the EPF6024AQC208-3 as a flexible pattern-generator and trigger front-end. The 142.86 MHz fabric is fast enough to drive 100 MHz pattern clocks, and the 171 MultiVolt I/Os allow direct connection to 5 V and 3.3 V DUT boards without level shifters. Designers appreciate that a single FPGA can be re-flashed for different test personalities, replacing dozens of PAL/GAL devices. The PQFP-208 footprint also aids thermal characterisation because heat-sinking clips remain accessible during qualification. Drop-in variants like the EPF6024AQC208-3N are preferred for new CE/RoHS-labelled instruments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF6024AQC208-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF6024AQC208-3N | EPF6024AQC208-2 | EPF6024AQC208-2N | EPF6024AQC208-1 | EPF6024AQC208-1N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 208-pin PQFP (BFQFP) | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Family | FLEX 6000 | FLEX 6000 | FLEX 6000 | FLEX 6000 | FLEX 6000 | FLEX 6000 |
| Speed Grade | -3 (142.86 MHz) | -3 (142.86 MHz) | -2 (~166 MHz) | -2 (~166 MHz) | -1 (~200 MHz) | -1 (~200 MHz) |
| Logic Cells | 1,960 cells / 24K gates | 1,960 cells / 24K gates | 1,960 cells / 24K gates | 1,960 cells / 24K gates | 1,960 cells / 24K gates | 1,960 cells / 24K gates |
| User I/Os | 171 | 171 | 171 | 171 | 171 | 171 |
| Supply Voltage | 3.3 V core / 5.0-2.5 V I/O | 3.3 V core / 5.0-2.5 V I/O | 3.3 V core / 5.0-2.5 V I/O | 3.3 V core / 5.0-2.5 V I/O | 3.3 V core / 5.0-2.5 V I/O | 3.3 V core / 5.0-2.5 V I/O |
| Lead Finish | Standard (SnPb or Pb-free, mixed lots) | Lead-free / RoHS (N suffix) | Standard finish | Lead-free / RoHS (N suffix) | Standard finish | Lead-free / RoHS (N suffix) |
Key Differentiators
- Pin-compatible same-package family covers -3, -2, and -1 speed bins (vs EPF6024AQC208-2N / EPF6024AQC208-1N)
- N-suffix variants add RoHS / lead-free compliance to the same die (vs EPF6024AQC208-3 (standard) vs EPF6024AQC208-3N)
- Generous 1.95 mm PQFP lead pitch simplifies rework and probing (vs EPF10K50SFC484-3 (BGA-484))
Design Notes
The EPF6024AQC208-3 requires a clean 3.3 V VCCINT rail and a separate VCCIO rail (2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V depending on the I/O bank). Place a 0.1 µF X7R ceramic bypass capacitor on every VCCINT/VCCIO pin pair and add a shared 10 µF tantalum or polymer bulk capacitor at the regulator output, within 25 mm of the package. Power-up sequencing per Altera application note AN-116 requires VCCINT to reach 2.0 V before configuration begins, and nSTATUS must be pulled high with a 1 kΩ resistor.
Estimated: the FLEX 6000 fabric draws roughly 0.5 mA per MHz of toggle activity on internal logic, so a 142 MHz design typically dissipates 0.5-1.0 W. The 208-pin PQFP thermal resistance θJA is approximately 30 °C/W on a 4-layer JEDEC test board, giving a 15-30 °C junction temperature rise - well within the 85 °C commercial limit. Provide a continuous ground plane under the package and stitch VCCINT/GND pairs with 8-12 vias around the perimeter for thermal and electrical symmetry.
Three common pitfalls: (1) Forgetting that the FLEX 6000 SRAM cells are volatile - the bitstream must be reloaded on every power-up from an EPC1/EPC2 PROM, or the FPGA remains in a high-impedance state. (2) Driving JTAG TCK above 10 MHz without a series 33 Ω damping resistor, which can cause signal-integrity issues on long flies. (3) Configuring the MSEL pins incorrectly for the chosen voltage standard - refer to Table 7 of the FLEX 6000 datasheet before powering the board for the first time.
MultiVolt I/O banks are independent, but mixing 5.0 V and 2.5 V banks on adjacent pins can cause simultaneous-switching noise (SSN) of 200-300 mV on quiet outputs. Isolate each VCCIO bank with its own decoupling network and avoid routing 5 V outputs next to clock inputs. For 33 MHz PCI designs follow the PCI Local Bus Specification 2.2 trace-length matching rules (clock-to-signal skew < 2 ns), which the -3 speed grade handles comfortably but the -2/-1 grades handle with more margin.
Compliance Information
RoHS / lead-free status is variant-dependent: the N-suffix EPF6024AQC208-3N is the explicitly lead-free option, while the standard EPF6024AQC208-3 may ship in SnPb or Pb-free finishes depending on date code. Confirm RoHS compliance with the distributor's lot certificate before placing RoHS-restricted orders. AEC-Q100 does not apply (commercial-grade FPGA).
