Embedded - FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array)

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
EP20K60EBC356-2 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 2.41NS PBGA356	22
5CGXFC9E6F31I7N Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 480 I/O 896FBGA	25
10M04DAF256C8G Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 178 I/O 256FBGA	0
EP2A40B724C8 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 1.78NS, PBGA724	210
EPF6010ATC144-1 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD PQFP144	544
EP20K300EBC652-2 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 2.29NS, PBGA652	123
EP2S60F672C5 Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 492 I/O 672FBGA	0
EPF10K100EBC356-2X Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 0.5NS PBGA356	363
10M16SAE144C8G Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 101 I/O 144EQFP	24
EP1S80B956C7 Altera (Intel)	FPGA, 9191 CLBS, 79040-CELL PBGA	142
EP2S180F1020C3 Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 742 I/O 1020FBGA	0
EP2S90F780C4N Altera (Intel)	FIELD PROGRAMMABLE GATE ARRAY, 4	56
EPF10K50SQC208-1 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 0.3NS PQFP208	3
EP2S180F1020C4 Altera (Intel)	EP2S180 - STRATIX II FPGA	2
EP2A25B724C7 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 1.69NS PBGA724	13
EP20K60EFC144-2X Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 2.41NS PBGA144	127
EP20K160ETC144-3N Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 2.29NS PQFP144	1218
EP2S90F1508I4 Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 902 I/O 1508FBGA	0
10M02SCE144A7G Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 101 I/O 144EQFP	198
EP2SGX30CF780C5 Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 361 I/O 780FBGA	0

Embedded - FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array)

1. Overview

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are reconfigurable semiconductor devices containing programmable logic blocks and interconnects. They enable hardware-level customization for specific computational tasks, offering flexibility unmatched by ASICs or microprocessors. In modern technology, FPGAs are critical for applications requiring parallel processing, low-latency execution, and real-time adaptability, such as AI acceleration, 5G communications, and industrial automation.

2. Main Types and Functional Classification

Type	Functional Features	Application Examples
Low-Cost FPGAs	Optimized for budget-sensitive applications with minimal logic density	Consumer electronics, IoT edge devices
High-Performance FPGAs	Advanced DSP blocks, high-speed transceivers (>100 Gbps)	Data centers, radar systems
SoC FPGAs	Integrated ARM processors with FPGA fabric	Industrial control, medical imaging
MPSoC FPGAs	Multi-core processors with AI acceleration engines	Autonomous vehicles, 5G base stations

3. Architecture and Components

A typical FPGA consists of:

Logic Units: Configurable Lookup Tables (LUTs) and flip-flops for implementing Boolean functions
Routing Resources: Programmable interconnects for signal pathways
I/O Interfaces: Standardized protocols (PCIe, DDR4, Ethernet)
Embedded Memory: Block RAM and distributed RAM for data storage
Clock Management: Phase-Locked Loops (PLLs) for precise timing control
DSP Blocks: Hardened multipliers and accumulators for signal processing

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Description	Importance
Logic Cells	Number of configurable logic units (10K 2M+)	Determines computational complexity
Max Frequency	Operating speed (100 MHz 1 GHz)	Impacts processing throughput
Power Consumption	Thermal Design Power (TDP: 1W 100W)	Critical for battery-powered systems
Package Type	BGA, Flip-Chip, System-in-Package (SiP)	Affects PCB integration
Memory Bandwidth	Data transfer rate (10 GB/s 1 TB/s)	Essential for AI/data-intensive tasks

5. Application Domains

Telecommunications: 5G NR base stations, optical network switches
Industrial: Motor control, machine vision systems
Automotive: ADAS sensor fusion, LiDAR processing
Healthcare: MRI image reconstruction, ultrasound beamforming
Aerospace: Satellite communication modems, flight control systems

6. Leading Manufacturers and Products

Vendor	Representative Product	Key Features
Xilinx	Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC	Quad-core ARM Cortex-A53 + 1.6M logic cells
Intel	Stratix 10 GX	10M logic elements, 14 Gbps transceivers
Lattice	MachXO3D	Low-power <100K LUTs with security features
Microchip	PolarFire SoC	256-bit RISC-V processor, 4.9M logic cells

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations:

Evaluate required logic density and I/O bandwidth
Balance performance vs. power budget (e.g., automotive vs. data center)
Assess toolchain support (Vivado, Quartus, etc.)
Consider long-term availability for industrial/medical systems
Verify protocol compatibility (e.g., PCIe Gen5, DDR5)

8. Industry Trends

Future directions include:

AI-optimized FPGAs with integrated tensor cores
3D-stacked memory integration for >1 TB/s bandwidth
Open-source toolchain adoption (e.g., GHDL, Yosys)
Heterogeneous computing with hybrid CPU-GPU-FPGA architectures
Advanced node processes (5nm/3nm) enabling 10M+ logic cells