Embedded - FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array)

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
EP2A40B724C7 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 1.55NS, PBGA724	52
EPF10K100EQC208-2N Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 0.5NS PQFP208	565
10M08DCF484C8G Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 250 I/O 484FBGA	134
5CEBA2F17C8N Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 128 I/O 256FBGA	868
EP2SGX60EF1152I4 Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 534 I/O 1152FBGA	0
EP2S130F1020C3 Altera (Intel)	EP2S130 - STRATIX II FPGA	2
EP1S30B956C7 Altera (Intel)	FPGA, 3819 CLBS, 32470-CELL PBGA	10
EP1AGX20CF780I6 Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 341 I/O 780FBGA	0
EP2A25B724C8 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 1.94NS, PBGA724	58
10M25DAF256C8G Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 178 I/O 256FBGA	0
EPF10K100ABC356-1N Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 0.6NS PBGA356	389
EP1S80F1020C7 Altera (Intel)	EP1S80 - STRATIX FPGA	2831
EP20K600EBC652-1 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 1.57NS PBGA652	3
EPF10K200SRC240-1X Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 0.3NS PQFP240	2
EP20K30ETC144-1 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 1.91NS PQFP144	52
EPF81188ARC240-4 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, CMOS, PQFP240	250
5CEBA4F23C7N Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 224 I/O 484FBGA	120
EP20K1000CB652C9 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 2.02NS PBGA652	10
EP1K10FC256-1 Altera (Intel)	LOADABLE PLD, 0.4NS PBGA256	522
EP4CE6F17C8N Altera (Intel)	IC FPGA 179 I/O 256FBGA	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