A3P250-2PQG208 - ProASIC3 Flash FPGA, 250K Gates | Microchip
MPN: A3P250-2PQG208 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $29.63 | $29.63 |
| 10 | $28.15 | $281.50 |
| 100 | $26.67 | $2,667.00 |
| 500 | $25.19 | $12,595.00 |
| 1,000 | $23.71 | $23,710.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for A3P250-2PQG208 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
A3P250-1PQG208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$16.19 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3P250L-1PQG208I
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$44.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3P250-PQ208
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$15.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3P600-2PQG208
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$55.87 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3P600-1PQG208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$68 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3P250-2PQG208 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | ProASIC3 |
| System Gates | 250000 gates |
| Logic Elements | 6144 |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 310 MHz |
| User I/O | 151 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Process Technology | 130 nm flash |
| Configuration Memory | Non-volatile Flash (single-chip, instant-on) |
| Speed Grade | -2 |
| Package | 208-BFQFP (PQFP-208) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Packaging | Tray |
| Soft ARM Support | Supported (per ProASIC3 family datasheet) |
A3P250-2PQG208 208-bfqfp (pqfp-208) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for A3P250-2PQG208 (208-bfqfp (pqfp-208) 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 A3P250-2PQG208.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Safe Operating Area (SOA) & Thermal Characteristics
No official SOA curve available for this digital IC. Always operate within absolute maximum ratings specified in the datasheet. Ensure adequate cooling and derate as needed.
Typical Applications
A3P250-2PQG208 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation and Control, Secure Embedded Controllers, Aerospace and Defense Subsystems, Board Power Management and Sequencing, Communications Line-Card Glue Logic, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Industrial Automation and Control
The A3P250-2PQG208 fits industrial automation because its 6,144 logic elements and 151 user I/O absorb sensor interfacing, motor-control sequencing, and fieldbus glue logic in one chip, while the 310 MHz-class fabric handles deterministic control loops. As a flash FPGA it powers up functional in microseconds - critical on factory lines that must resume production instantly after power cycling, with no configuration PROM to program or corrupt. In a typical PLC or I/O module, the device sits between the backplane connector and local microcontroller, bridging parallel I/O banks and implementing safety interlocks in fabric. The single-chip, non-volatile architecture also removes the configuration-time window that SRAM FPGAs expose, improving uptime metrics in 24/7 environments.
Recommended
Secure Embedded Controllers
Security-oriented designs benefit from the A3P250-2PQG208's non-volatile flash configuration: unlike SRAM FPGAs, the bitstream resides in on-chip flash with no external boot device to intercept and no configuration readback path during power-up. With 250K gates and 6,144 logic elements, designers can implement authentication engines, encrypted bus bridges, and anti-tamper sequencing alongside the application logic. The 1.5V core on the 130nm flash process keeps dynamic power modest for fanless secure enclosures, while the 151 user I/O support isolated interfaces and GPIO supervision. The -2 speed grade provides headroom for iterative cryptographic rounds. Combined with a secure MCU host, the device forms a two-chip root-of-trust architecture with instant-on behavior and single-chip BOM simplicity.
Recommended
Aerospace and Defense Subsystems
The ProASIC3 family has a heritage in aerospace and defense because flash FPGAs tolerate radiation environments better than SRAM-based fabrics (no configuration upset from a boot-time window, fewer SEU-sensitive configuration cells) and simplify obsolescence-managed single-chip designs. The A3P250-2PQG208's 250K gates suit payload housekeeping, telemetry formatting, and sensor aggregation, while its 208-pin ceramic-compatible PQFP-style footprint eases board-level qualification. The 310 MHz system performance supports real-time telemetry pipelines, and instant-on flash configuration removes the external PROM from the reliability calculation. For programs requiring the industrial temperature range, the same-footprint A3P250-1PQG208I substitutes directly without PCB rework.
Recommended
Board Power Management and Sequencing
The A3P250-2PQG208 is frequently used as a board-management FPGA: it sequences power rails, monitors supervisor ICs, fans out resets, and logs fault events, all in one flash-based chip that is alive within microseconds of power application. With 151 user I/O it can poll dozens of enable, power-good, and temperature-alarm lines that would overwhelm a microcontroller's pin budget. The 310 MHz-class fabric implements arbitrary state machines for complex multi-rail sequencing without firmware-level timing jitter, and the non-volatile configuration means sequencing logic never waits for a bitstream load. Recommended companions include TI supervisors and power monitors that the FPGA polls over I2C/SMBus.
Recommended
Communications Line-Card Glue Logic
In telecom and datacom line cards, the A3P250-2PQG208 serves as the classic instant-on glue device between a processor complex and line-interface ASICs or PHYs: bus width conversion, interrupt aggregation, LED/status multiplexing, and hot-swap control all fit in its 6,144 logic elements. The 151 user I/O cover wide parallel buses plus management interfaces, and the -2 speed grade sustains 310 MHz-class internal pipelines for retiming. Because the fabric is flash based, the line card is fully functional before a host CPU finishes booting - important for systems that must signal presence to a shelf manager immediately at power-up. The 208-PQFP footprint also simplifies rework on high-layer-count backplane cards.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Bench and rack instruments use the A3P250-2PQG208 as trigger logic, timing generators, and instrument-backplane interfaces. The 6,144-element fabric implements deterministic state machines with the 310 MHz-class performance needed for repeatable trigger timing, while 151 user I/O connect front-panel controls, display buses, and measurement front ends. Flash configuration gives instant-on readiness so the instrument passes self-test as soon as power settles, and single-chip programming simplifies manufacturing over PROM-based designs. Designers commonly pair the FPGA with precision analog front ends; the FPGA handles digital control and calibration sequencing. The same-footprint A3P600 upgrade protects the layout investment if logic grows across product revisions.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A3P250-2PQG208 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A3P250-1PQG208I | A3P250L-1PQG208I | A3P600-2PQG208 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 208-BFQFP (PQG208) | 208-PQFP (PQG208) - same | 208-PQFP (PQG208) - same | 208-PQFP (PQG208) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| System Gates | 250,000 | 250,000 | 250,000 | ~600,000 |
| Speed Grade | -2 (310 MHz class) | -1 | -1 | -2 |
| User I/O | 151 | 151 | 151 | 188 |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Temperature Range | Commercial | Industrial (I) | Industrial (I) | Commercial |
| Configuration Memory | Non-volatile flash (single-chip) | Non-volatile flash (single-chip) | Non-volatile flash (single-chip) | Non-volatile flash (single-chip) |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest commercial speed grade in this density/package (vs A3P250-1PQG208I)
- Lower dynamic power than standard A3P250 (vs A3P250L-1PQG208I)
- Right-sized density at lowest cost within the footprint (vs A3P600-2PQG208)
Design Notes
The A3P250-2PQG208 requires a 1.5V core supply plus independent I/O bank supplies. Decouple the core with a network of at least 22uF bulk plus 0.1uF/0.01uF ceramics at each supply pin per the ProASIC3 power guidelines in the family datasheet. Because flash FPGAs draw no configuration current at power-up, inrush is dominated by I/O charging and core ramp - still sequence supplies or hold I/O tri-stated until VCORE is valid to prevent latch-up on the 151 I/O.
The 208-PQFP has 0.5mm-pitch gull-wing leads. Specify a 4-mil solder-mask-defined footprint per the Microchip package outline, and place JTAG (FlashPro) header pins within 15cm of the device for programming access. Fan out the 8 signal layers or use 2 signal + 2 plane layers minimum; assign high-toggle-rate I/O near ground vias. Reserve the ability to substitute A3P250-1PQG208I or A3P600-2PQG208 - they share the footprint, so do not silkscreen the speed grade on the board.
Three recurring pitfalls: (1) treating the part like an SRAM FPGA and adding an unnecessary configuration PROM - the flash fabric is single-chip and self-booting; (2) fixing pin assignments before running IOT banker checks in Libero SoC, forcing a costly respin of the 208-pin footprint; (3) substituting a -1 speed grade to save cost without re-running static timing - the -2 grade offers measurably faster fabric and a -1 swap can fail timing. Always verify with Libero timing reports before any grade change.
Compliance Information
The 'G' in PQG208 denotes Microchip/Microsemi Pb-free (green) packaging, indicating lead-free construction. Formal RoHS/REACH certificates must be requested from Microchip; not asserted from distributor data alone.
