A42MX16-1PQG160 - 24K Gate 5V MX FPGA, 160-PQFP | Microchip
MPN: A42MX16-1PQG160 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $42.5 | $42.50 |
| 10 | $39.2 | $392.00 |
| 100 | $35.8 | $3,580.00 |
| 500 | $32.1 | $16,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $29.4 | $29,400.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for A42MX16-1PQG160 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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A42MX16-1PQG160I
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View Datasheet →A42MX16-2PQG160
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$298 / Unit
View Datasheet →A42MX16-3PQG160
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$45.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →A42MX16-2PQG160I
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$1 / Unit
View Datasheet →A42MX09-1PQG160I
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$29.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →A42MX09-1PQG160
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$20.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →A42MX16-1PQG160 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | MX (42MX) |
| System Gates | 24000 |
| Logic Cells | 1232 |
| Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs) | 608 |
| User I/O | 125 |
| Supply Voltage | 5.0 V |
| Speed Grade | -1 (standard) |
| Maximum Clock Frequency | 94 MHz |
| Programming Technology | Antifuse (one-time programmable) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +70C (commercial) |
| Package | 160-BQFP / PQFP-160 |
| Terminal Pitch | 0.655 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Lead Free | Yes (G suffix, per distributor listings) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Design Software | Libero SoC (Microchip/Microsemi) |
A42MX16-1PQG160 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | IO — User I/O (full pin map per DS2316 package table) |
| Pin [DATA_NEEDED: dedicated VDD pin numbers] | VDD — 5.0V core/IO supply |
| Pin [DATA_NEEDED: dedicated GND pin numbers] | GND — Ground |
| Pin [DATA_NEEDED: TDI pin number] | TDI — JTAG boundary-scan test data in |
| Pin [DATA_NEEDED: TDO pin number] | TDO — JTAG boundary-scan test data out |
| Pin [DATA_NEEDED: TCK pin number] | TCK — JTAG test clock |
| Pin [DATA_NEEDED: TMS pin number] | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin [DATA_NEEDED: CLK pin numbers] | CLK — Global clock inputs to routed fabric |
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
A42MX16-1PQG160 is suitable for 6 applications: Legacy 5V Industrial Control Board Redesign, Secure Anti-Tamper Logic, Telecommunications Line Cards, High-Volume Consumer and Appliance Control, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Mil-Aero and Transportation Legacy Sustainment.
Legacy 5V Industrial Control Board Redesign
The A42MX16's native 5.0V architecture directly interfaces with legacy TTL, ABstd-B, and 5V CMOS bus systems without level translators, which is why it remains a favored ASIC alternative for maintaining older industrial controllers. With 1,232 logic cells and 125 user I/O, one A42MX16 can consolidate multiple 22V10-class PLDs and glue logic into a single antifuse die, reducing BOM count and board area. The one-time-programmable fabric also powers up instantly with no configuration device, improving system boot reliability in factory equipment.
Recommended
Secure Anti-Tamper Logic
Antifuse FPGAs are preferred where configuration security matters: unlike SRAM FPGAs, the A42MX16 stores its design physically in antifuse interconnect elements with no bitstream to intercept or read back. This makes it suitable for defense, gaming, and DRM-adjacent logic that must resist design extraction. The 24K-gate capacity accommodates authentication state machines, key-check logic, and protocol wrappers, while instant-on, non-volatile startup eliminates the configuration window that SRAM devices expose at power-up.
Recommended
Telecommunications Line Cards
The MX family was widely deployed in telecom backplanes and line cards operating on 5V signaling. The A42MX16's 125 user I/O handle parallel data paths, TDM framing logic, and backplane handshaking at clock rates up to 94 MHz, adequate for E1/T1 framing and legacy PDH transport functions. Its commercial 0C to +70C rating suits central-office environments, and the 160-lead PQFP with 0.655 mm pitch supports standard reflow assembly on telecom PCBs designed around through-hole-era footprints upgraded to SMT.
Recommended
High-Volume Consumer and Appliance Control
Microchip positions MX as a high-volume, low-cost ASIC alternative: the A42MX16 avoids ASIC NRE charges and mask lead times while providing hard-wired, one-time-programmed behavior identical from unit to unit. At 24K gates and 1,232 logic cells, it implements appliance sequencers, motor-control glue logic, keypad scanning, and display controllers. Unit pricing around $30 at 1K volume (as of 2026-08-30) and instant-on startup make it cost-competitive against microcontroller plus CPLD combinations in cost-sensitive products.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Bench instruments and ATE fixtures frequently retain 5V logic interfaces; the A42MX16 bridges this directly with its 5.0V-tolerant I/O and 125 available pins for stimulus/response channels. Its deterministic, one-time-programmed timing avoids SRAM FPGA configuration variability, and the -2 or -3 speed grades provide up to 94 MHz-plus toggle capability for counter, encoder, and trigger-path logic. Boundary-scan cells chained from TDI to TDO (per DS2316) support in-system interconnect testing of instrument backplanes.
Recommended
Mil-Aero and Transportation Legacy Sustainment
Programs built on Actel MX silicon continue to require form-fit-function replacements; the A42MX16-1PQG160 sustains such platforms with identical die and package. Antifuse fabric tolerates radiation-induced configuration upsets better than SRAM (no configuration memory to corrupt), and its non-volatile instant-on behavior suits avionics and vehicle control units that must be operational at first power cycle. The industrial-temperature A42MX16-1PQG160I variant covers extended-environment deployments with the same footprint.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A42MX16-1PQG160 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A42MX16-1PQG160I | A42MX16-2PQG160 | A42MX09-1PQG160I |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | PQFP-160 (PQG160) | PQFP-160 - same | PQFP-160 - same | PQFP-160 - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| System Gates | 24,000 | 24,000 | 24,000 | 9,000 |
| Logic Cells / CLBs | 1,232 / 608 | 1,232 / 608 | 1,232 / 608 | [DATA_NEEDED: A42MX09 logic cells] |
| User I/O | 125 | 125 | 125 | [DATA_NEEDED: A42MX09 I/O in PQG160] |
| Speed Grade | -1 | -1 | -2 (faster) | -1 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +70C | -40C to +85C | 0C to +70C | -40C to +85C |
| Supply Voltage | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V | 5.0 V |
| Programming Technology | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP |
Key Differentiators
- Native 5.0V I/O eliminates level shifters (vs A42MX16-2PQG160)
- Antifuse security with instant-on startup (vs XC4000XLA-class SRAM FPGAs)
- Industrial temperature drop-in available (vs A42MX16-1PQG160I)
Design Notes
Decouple each VDD pin with 0.1 uF ceramic capacitors placed within 5 mm of the pin, plus at least one 10 uF bulk capacitor per device. The 5.0V MX fabric draws transient shoot-through current during logic transitions; an inadequate power plane causes intermittent timing failures that are difficult to diagnose on OTP devices. Measure supply ripple under worst-case toggling patterns before committing the design to antifuse programming.
Antifuse programming is irreversible. Complete full post-layout timing simulation in Libero SoC and, where feasible, validate on an A42MX24 (larger die, same family) or a prototype A42MX16 before burning production parts. Reserve approximately 20% logic headroom; designs exceeding 80% utilization risk route congestion failures that cannot be fixed after programming.
The 160-lead PQFP with 0.655 mm pitch requires solder-mask-defined or non-solder-mask-defined pads per IPC-SM-782-style QFP land patterns; use 0.55 mm-wide lands with 0.65 mm pitch routing escape. Keep clock traces length-matched and away from I/O returns. Inspect QFP leads with X-ray or 3D AOI to catch coplanarity-related open joints after reflow.
The boundary-scan chain (TDI through all cells to TDO, per DS2316) enables interconnect test after assembly. Use TCK series termination (22-33 ohm) to limit ringing, and do not leave TMS/TDI floating - pull TMS high through 10K ohm. Undriven JTAG inputs on 5V fabric can float into indeterminate levels and cause scan-chain lockup during production test.
Compliance Information
G suffix in ordering code denotes lead-free per distributor listings (PCB Electronics, Kynix). Full REACH/halogen status not stated in retrieved data.
