A3PE600-FG256 - ProASIC3E 600K-Gate Flash FPGA | Microchip
MPN: A3PE600-FG256 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $48.5 | $48.50 |
| 10 | $44.2 | $442.00 |
| 100 | $39.8 | $3,980.00 |
| 500 | $36.1 | $18,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $33.5 | $33,500.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for A3PE600-FG256 — 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:
A3PE600-FGG256
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$19.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3PE600-FG256I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$44.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3PE600-FGG256I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$41.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3PE600-2FGG256
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$33.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3PE600-1FG256
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$32.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3PE600-FGG484
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$53.7 / Unit
View Datasheet →A3PE600-FG256 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | ProASIC3E Flash FPGA |
| System Gates | 600000 gates |
| User I/O | 165 |
| Maximum System Performance | 231 MHz |
| Process Technology | 130 nm CMOS flash |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Configuration Memory | Nonvolatile on-chip flash (Instant-On) |
| Package | 256-ball FBGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Lead-Free Status | Contains Lead |
| RoHS Status | RoHS Non-Compliant |
| Soft ARM Support | Optional (per ProASIC3 datasheet) |
| Reprogrammability | Yes (in-system reprogrammable flash) |
A3PE600-FG256 256-ball fbga Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for A3PE600-FG256 (256-ball fbga 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 A3PE600-FG256.
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
A3PE600-FG256 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation and Control, Communications and Networking Line Cards, Aerospace and Defense Processing, Medical Instrumentation, Motor Drive and Power Conversion Control, Test and Measurement Equipment.
Industrial Automation and Control
The A3PE600-FG256 fits industrial automation controllers because its nonvolatile flash fabric powers up instantly with deterministic logic states, eliminating external boot PROMs on PLC I/O cards and motor-interface boards that must be operational within milliseconds of power application. With 600K gates and 165 user I/Os at 1.5V core, it integrates encoder interfaces, PWM generators, and fieldbus glue logic in a single 256-ball FBGA. The ProASIC3 fabric's low static power reduces enclosure heating in sealed cabinets. Designers should pair it with Microchip FlashPro for field firmware updates over JTAG, and consider the industrial -I temperature grade (A3PE600-FGG256I) for -40C to +85C factory-floor environments.
Recommended
Communications and Networking Line Cards
In networking line cards, the A3PE600-FG256 provides glue logic, bus bridging, and backplane interface consolidation. Its up-to-231 MHz system performance and ProASIC3E embedded RAM blocks support FIFO buffering and packet framing functions, while 165 user I/Os cover parallel PHY interfaces and status backplanes. Because the flash fabric does not radiate configuration-load bitstreams, it simplifies design in noise-sensitive telecom shelves. The single-chip Instant-On property means line cards present valid logic states immediately, simplifying hot-swap sequencing. Designs subject to RoHS telecom mandates should use the FGG256 lead-free variant on the identical 256-ball footprint, allowing the same PCB and bitstream.
Recommended
Aerospace and Defense Processing
The A3PE600-FG256 is well suited to aerospace and defense subsystems because Microchip (formerly Actel/Microsemi) flash FPGAs are a traditional choice where configuration readback must be prevented for design security, and where instant-on operation is required without a boot sequence in mission-critical power rails. The leaded FG256 package remains acceptable in many non-RoHS military programs, while the -I industrial temperature grade covers -40C to +85C environments. The 600K-gate fabric implements sensor interfacing, I/O expansion, and co-processing with optional soft ARM support per the ProASIC3 datasheet. Availability through specialty distributors supports long-lifecycle program sustainment and obsolescence bridging.
Recommended
Medical Instrumentation
Medical diagnostic instruments benefit from the A3PE600-FG256's deterministic instant-on behavior: patient-facing hardware must reach a known safe state before the operator interface initializes, which the flash fabric guarantees without external configuration memory. The 600K-gate capacity handles sensor front-end timing, filter glue logic, and communication bridging to host processors, while 165 user I/Os accommodate multi-channel sensor arrays. Low static power from the 130nm flash process reduces thermal drift in precision analog subsystems. For new RoHS-compliant medical devices, select the A3PE600-FGG256 on the same 256-ball FBGA footprint so PCB and certified bitstreams remain unchanged when switching material compliance grades.
Recommended
Motor Drive and Power Conversion Control
Motor-drive controllers use the A3PE600-FG256 to generate gate-timing PWM patterns, quadrature-encoder counters, and fault-latching interlocks with nanosecond-scale determinism unavailable to software-only controllers. Its flash-based fabric retains the interlock configuration through power cycles, so protective behavior is active at the instant of power-up - a safety-relevant property in industrial drives. The 165 I/Os interface gate drivers, current-sense comparators, and communication transceivers. Designers should place the 1.5V core regulator close to the BGA, filter I/O bank supplies, and choose the industrial A3PE600-FGG256I variant for drive cabinets exposed to -40C to +85C ambient conditions.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
Bench and automated test instruments employ the A3PE600-FG256 as pattern generators, timing controllers, and protocol interpreters between instrument backplanes and analog front ends. The 231 MHz fabric performance and ProASIC3E embedded RAM support capture FIFOs, while instant-on configuration removes boot latency that would otherwise delay measurement readiness after trigger. The 256-ball FBGA's 1.0mm ball pitch simplifies routing on 4-6 layer instrument boards. For instruments sold globally under RoHS, the FGG256 variant provides identical function and footprint with lead-free finish. JTAG-based FlashPro programming supports in-field feature upgrades and calibration-firmware updates through the standard 4-wire interface.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A3PE600-FG256 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A3PE600-FGG256 | A3PE600-FG256I | A3PE600-2FGG256 | A3PE600-1FG256 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-ball FBGA (lead-containing) | 256-ball FBGA (lead-free green) - same footprint | 256-ball FBGA (lead-containing, industrial temp) | 256-ball FBGA (lead-free, -2 speed) | 256-ball FBGA (leaded, -1 speed) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| System Gates | 600K | 600K | 600K | 600K | 600K |
| User I/O | 165 | 165 | 165 | 165 | 165 |
| RoHS Status | Non-Compliant (contains lead) | Compliant (green) | Non-Compliant (contains lead) | Compliant (green) | Non-Compliant (contains lead) |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial grade [DATA_NEEDED: exact range] | Commercial grade | -40C to +85C (industrial) | Commercial grade | Commercial grade |
| Speed Grade | Standard | Standard | Standard | -2 (fastest) | -1 (intermediate) |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Configuration Memory | On-chip nonvolatile flash (Instant-On) | On-chip nonvolatile flash (Instant-On) | On-chip nonvolatile flash (Instant-On) | On-chip nonvolatile flash (Instant-On) | On-chip nonvolatile flash (Instant-On) |
Key Differentiators
- RoHS-compliant lead-free option on identical footprint (vs A3PE600-FG256 (this part contains lead))
- Faster timing headroom without PCB change (vs A3PE600-2FGG256)
- Extended industrial temperature operation (vs A3PE600-FG256I / A3PE600-FGG256I)
- Single-chip Instant-On vs SRAM FPGA competitors (vs Xilinx Spartan-class SRAM FPGAs of the same density era)
Design Notes
The A3PE600-FG256 requires a 1.5V core supply plus I/O bank supplies. Estimated: with 600K gates and typical static flash-FPGA current in the low tens of mA at 1.5V, core power is modest, but I/O power dominates when driving many of the 165 I/Os at higher VCCI standards. Provide 10uF bulk plus 0.1uF ceramic decoupling per I/O bank and at the core ball cluster. Power-up sequencing follows the ProASIC3 datasheet power supply requirements - verify monotonic rise on the 1.5V rail to avoid configuration errors, although flash fabric is far more tolerant than SRAM FPGAs.
The standard FG256 package contains lead and is RoHS non-compliant per distributor data (digchip summary: 'Contains Lead; RoHS Non-Compliant'). This matters for any product shipping to the EU, or any customer with a corporate RoHS mandate, even in industrial categories with partial exemptions. The clean solution is the A3PE600-FGG256 green variant on the identical 256-ball FBGA footprint - no PCB redesign or bitstream change is required. Check exemption expiry dates (e.g., lead-in-high-temperature-solder exemptions) before relying on RoHS exemptions for new product introductions.
The 256-ball FBGA uses a 1.0mm ball pitch, routable on 4-6 layer boards with via-in-pad or dog-bone escapes. Place 0.1uF ceramics within 2mm of power/ground ball clusters on the underside. Route JTAG (TDI/TDO/TMS/TCK) as a daisy-chain with series 33-ohm resistors if multiple devices share the chain, per standard Microchip FlashPro programming setups. Reserve test-point access to all four JTAG signals plus board-level reset to allow field reprogramming with FlashPro without full board disassembly.
A frequent migration mistake is ignoring the speed-grade suffix: timing closure achieved on an A3PE600-2FGG256 may fail on the standard FG256 grade, so always re-run static timing analysis (Libero SmartTime) when substituting across speed grades. Another pitfall is assuming the FG256 and FG484 are interchangeable - they are not; the 484-ball package has a different ball map and I/O count and cannot drop onto a 256-FBGA footprint. Confirm the 'I' temperature suffix requirement early, since industrial-grade parts carry longer lead times in this mature family.
Compliance Information
Distributor datasheet summary (digchip) states 'Lead Free Status: Contains Lead; RoHS Status: RoHS Non-Compliant' for the FG256 suffix. The FGG256 green variant is the lead-free RoHS-compliant drop-in. REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals status not stated in provided data.
