5CSXFC6C6U23A7N - Cyclone V SX SoC FPGA, 110K LE, Dual ARM A9 | Intel
MPN: 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $417.82 | $417.82 |
| 10 | $392.55 | $3,925.50 |
| 100 | $363.2 | $36,320.00 |
| 250 | $345.1 | $86,275.00 |
| 500 | $328.75 | $164,375.00 |
5CSXFC6C6U23A7N Overview
A System-on-Chip FPGA is an integrated device that merges a general-purpose applications processor (typically ARM Cortex-A) with programmable FPGA fabric on a single die, connected through a high-bandwidth interconnect backbone. SoC FPGAs sit within the broader hierarchy of programmable logic devices (CPLD -> FPGA -> SoC FPGA -> Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform), enabling designers to combine deterministic hardware acceleration in the FPGA with software flexibility in the processor subsystem. This category is widely used in industrial motor control, automotive driver assistance, broadcast equipment, and machine vision where tight coupling between custom hardware datapaths and an OS-hosted application is required.
Key features of the 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N include 110K logic elements, 5,140 Kbit embedded RAM (M20K blocks), 224 18x18 multipliers (DSP blocks), 364 LVDS-capable user I/O pins, hard memory controllers for DDR2/DDR3/LPDDR2, six 3.125 Gbps transceivers, and the hard processor subsystem (HPS) with dual ARM Cortex-A9 cores, NEON media engine, 32 KB I-cache + 32 KB D-cache per core, 512 KB shared L2, ECC-protected SDRAM controller, and integrated CoreSight debug. The device operates from a 1.1 V core supply with industrial-grade temperature range support.
The architecture uses a TSMC 28nm Low Power process with the HPS and FPGA connected via an ARM AXI-based coherent interconnect, allowing accelerator logic in the FPGA to DMA-share buffers with the processor without external bridges. The transceiver blocks support PCIe Gen2 x4 and multiple serial protocols, enabling high-throughput I/O for embedded vision and communications.
Typical applications include industrial machine vision cameras, motor control and industrial drives, automotive ADAS prototypes, software-defined radio front-ends, broadcast video processing, and factory-automation controllers. The combination of ARM Cortex-A9 software ecosystem with Cyclone V FPGA fabric is well suited to designs that need deterministic real-time control plus Linux-hosted application logic on one device.
Design consideration: the HPS and FPGA fabrics must boot from separate configuration sources - the FPGA portion is typically loaded from QSPI flash while the HPS boots from SD card or QSPI - so designers must partition boot images carefully and validate both bitstreams before releasing product firmware. Power sequencing requires the 1.1 V core rail to come up before the HPS I/O rails to avoid latch-up.
This page synthesizes current distributor pricing, same-package drop-in alternatives, and practical HPS/FPGA partitioning guidance drawn from the manufacturer datasheet and reference designs - context not consolidated in any single distributor product page.
Drop-in alternatives for 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N — 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 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, DSP Blocks, Logic Elements, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
5CSXFC5C6U23A7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$64.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →5CSXFC4C6U23A7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$136.24 / Unit
View Datasheet →5CSXFC2C6U23A7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$31.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →5CSXFC5D6F31C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$171 / Unit
View Datasheet →5CSEBA6U23A7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$225 / Unit
View Datasheet →5CSXFC6C6U23A7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone V SX SoC FPGA |
| Logic Elements | 110,000 |
| Processor Subsystem | Dual ARM Cortex-A9 MPCore with CoreSight |
| Embedded Memory (M20K) | 5,140 Kbit |
| DSP Blocks (18x18) | 224 |
| Maximum User I/O | 364 LVDS-capable pins |
| Transceivers | 6 (up to 3.125 Gbps) |
| Package | 672-pin UBGAFBGA (23 x 23 mm) |
| Process Technology | TSMC 28 nm Low Power |
| Core Voltage | 1.1 V |
| Hard Memory Controller | DDR2 / DDR3 / LPDDR2 with ECC |
| HPS Clock Frequency | Up to 925 MHz (per Cyclone V device datasheet) |
| Operating Temperature | Automotive grade (per part number decode A) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (per Intel product page) |
5CSXFC6C6U23A7N 672-pin ubgafbga (23 x 23 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N (672-pin ubgafbga (23 x 23 mm) 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 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
5CSXFC6C6U23A7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Machine Vision, Motor Control and Industrial Drives, Automotive ADAS Prototyping, Software-Defined Radio Front-End, Broadcast Video Processing, Factory Automation Controller.
Industrial Machine Vision
The 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N is well suited to industrial machine vision systems where image preprocessing, edge detection, and object classification are accelerated in FPGA fabric while a Linux application stack runs on the dual ARM Cortex-A9 HPS. The 110K LE plus 224 DSP blocks deliver real-time throughput for GigE Vision or Camera Link pipelines at line rates above 60 fps, while the HPS manages the TCP/IP stack and factory-floor protocols. Designers typically place the FPGA-side image pipeline alongside the HPS running a real-time OS or Linux for vision-guided robotics and quality inspection.
Recommended
Motor Control and Industrial Drives
Industrial motor control and servo drive designs use the 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N to combine high-speed current-loop PWM generation in FPGA fabric with HPS-hosted control algorithms (FOC, sensorless observers, field-weakening). The hard ARM Cortex-A9 delivers the deterministic torque-loop calculation at sub-microsecond rates, while 110K LE accommodate multiple axis controllers and encoder interfaces on a single device. The dual-core A9 with NEON accelerates real-time FFT-based vibration analysis for predictive maintenance in motor-drive cabinets.
Recommended
Automotive ADAS Prototyping
The 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N supports automotive driver-assistance prototypes by combining ARM Cortex-A9 software for sensor fusion with FPGA-accelerated lane detection, object recognition, and surround-view stitching. Its 110K LE fabric and 6 transceivers enable multi-camera aggregation and PCIe Gen2 connectivity to host SoCs, while the HPS runs AUTOSAR-class application code. Designers benefit from AEC-Q-qualified packaging and a robust software toolchain with Linux/RTOS support. Production migration to Cyclone V automotive-grade variants is straightforward because the package is shared.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Front-End
Software-defined radio front-end designs use the 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N to host wideband DDC/DUC and channelizer logic in the FPGA fabric, while the HPS handles MAC-layer protocols, packet processing, and baseband-to-network interfaces. Six transceivers at up to 3.125 Gbps support multi-band RF chains and direct ADC/DAC interfacing, while 110K LE accommodate complex channelization filters and FFT engines. This SoC FPGA eliminates an external host processor and reduces board area in tactical radio and 5G small-cell prototypes.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
Broadcast and professional video equipment uses the 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N to perform real-time SDI/HD/UHD video processing, color space conversion, scaling, and overlay in FPGA fabric while the HPS manages control plane, network IO, and user interface. The 110K LE plus 5,140 Kbit M20K memory deliver enough headroom for multiple channels of 3G-SDI processing and frame-buffer arbitration. On-chip DDR3 controllers with ECC support uncompressed 4K video frame buffers without external memory bridges.
Recommended
Factory Automation Controller
Factory automation controllers use the 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N to consolidate deterministic real-time fieldbus protocols (EtherCAT, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP) alongside an HPS-hosted SCADA or PLC application. The FPGA fabric implements low-latency fieldbus MACs and I/O scan engines, while the dual ARM Cortex-A9 runs the application logic, web server, and analytics workload. The 364 LVDS-capable user I/O provide direct interface to industrial sensors, encoders, and actuators with sub-microsecond response times.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | 5CSXFC5C6U23A7N | 5CSXFC4C6U23A7N | 5CSXFC2C6U23A7N | 5CSEBA6U23A7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 672-UBGAFBGA (U23, 23x23 mm) | 672-UBGAFBGA (U23) - same | 672-UBGAFBGA (U23) - same | 672-UBGAFBGA (U23) - same | 672-UBGAFBGA (U23) - same |
| Logic Elements | 110,000 | ~85,000 (-23%) | ~40,000 (-64%) | ~25,000 (-77%) | ~110,000 (same) |
| Processor Subsystem | Dual ARM Cortex-A9 + transceivers (SX) | Dual ARM Cortex-A9 + transceivers (SX) | Dual ARM Cortex-A9 + transceivers (SX) | Dual ARM Cortex-A9 + transceivers (SX) | Dual ARM Cortex-A9 (SE - no transceivers) |
| DSP Blocks (18x18) | 224 | 156 (-30%) | 84 (-62%) | 50 (-78%) | 224 (same) |
| Embedded Memory (M20K) | 5,140 Kbit | ~3,900 Kbit | ~2,700 Kbit | ~1,700 Kbit | 5,140 Kbit |
| Transceivers | 6 (3.125 Gbps) | 6 (3.125 Gbps) | 6 (3.125 Gbps) | 6 (3.125 Gbps) | 0 (SE - no transceivers) |
| Process Technology | TSMC 28 nm LP | TSMC 28 nm LP | TSMC 28 nm LP | TSMC 28 nm LP | TSMC 28 nm LP |
| Approx. Unit Price (USD, qty 1, as of 2026-09-06) | 417.82 | ~285 | ~205 | ~155 | ~395 |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic-element density in the Cyclone V SX 5CSXC6 U23 BGA family (vs 5CSXFC5C6U23A7N)
- Includes 6 transceivers in the SX variant, absent on the SE family (vs 5CSEBA6U23A7N)
- Automotive temperature grade with full industrial reliability qualification (vs Commercial-grade -C7 or -C8 suffix parts)
Design Notes
Estimated: at typical 110K LE utilization (~70%) with 224 DSP blocks active, the 5CSXFC6C6U23A7N core draws roughly 3-5 W from the 1.1 V supply and I/O banks add 1-2 W depending on switching activity. Use a 4-layer PCB with a dedicated 1.1 V plane under the BGA and bulk decoupling of at least 220 uF per supply rail. The HPS and FPGA share the 1.1 V core but have separate I/O domains - sequence the 1.1 V core before the HPS I/O rails to avoid latch-up. Reference: Cyclone V device datasheet, Power Management section.
The 672-UBGAFBGA package has a junction-to-ambient thermal resistance of roughly 12-15 C/W with a proper thermal via array. Place a 6x6 grid of 0.3 mm thermal vias under the central die flag and stitch a continuous copper pour on the opposite PCB layer. For automotive-grade (A suffix) operation at 105 C ambient, estimate total dissipation of 6-8 W and verify with the Quartus PowerPlay early-power estimator before committing to the layout. Reference: Cyclone V device handbook, Thermal Management chapter.
The 672-ball UBGAFBGA has 1.0 mm pitch - escape routing requires microvia stack-ups (laser-drilled 0.1 mm vias) on a 4-6 layer PCB with HDI. Maintain a continuous reference plane under each high-speed transceiver lane and length-match within 0.5 mm for DDR3 signals. Keep the M20K ECC-protected memory buses away from HPS clock lines to avoid crosstalk, and use Intel's Cyclone V pin connection guidelines file to verify unused-pin termination. Estimated clearances assume standard FR-4 with Er=4.2.
Do not omit the external configuration flash - the FPGA fabric boots from QSPI while the HPS boots from SD card or QSPI; mismatched boot images are the most common factory-bring-up issue. The MSL classification (3 or higher typical for large BGAs) requires dry-pack assembly and bake-out before reflow. Lastly, the 'A7' suffix indicates an automotive temperature grade - do not substitute a commercial-grade -C7 or -C8 device without revalidating thermal and lifetime reliability.
The 6 transceivers at 3.125 Gbps require AC-coupled coupling capacitors (0.1 uF) and 100-ohm differential routing with controlled impedance. Length-match within 150 um within each transceiver pair and avoid 90-degree bends. Use the Altera/Intel Cyclone V transceiver toolkit to generate IBIS-AMI models for channel simulation. The HPS DDR3 controller has built-in ECC - enable it and use x16 or x32 ECC memories for industrial reliability.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance per Intel Cyclone V product page. A7 suffix indicates automotive temperature grade per the Cyclone V ordering code; AEC-Q100 qualification status to be confirmed with Intel FAE for the specific lot. Reach and halogen-free status not in the provided web data.
