A54SX16A-PQG208A - 24K Gate SX-A FPGA, 208-PQFP | Microchip
MPN: A54SX16A-PQG208A ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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A54SX16A-PQG208A Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device that implements digital logic through a fabric of programmable logic modules and routing resources configured after manufacture. The SX-A family uses a sea-of-modules architecture built on a 0.25um CMOS process, and its antifuse programming technology makes the configuration non-volatile and inherently more secure than SRAM-based FPGAs, since no configuration bitstream is stored in external memory at power-up.
Key features include the sea-of-modules architecture with C-cells (combinational) and R-cells (sequential) for efficient logic mapping, dual clock networks with dedicated CLKA/CLKB inputs compatible with LVTTL and 3.3V PCI levels, 100% fill routability, and low static power typical of antifuse technology. The A-grade automotive suffix indicates guard-banded room-temperature testing based on characterization across recommended operating conditions.
The device is programmed once via antifuse links, so configuration data is physically permanent - a significant advantage in defense, avionics, and automotive designs where bitstream tampering or configuration corruption is a concern. Design entry uses Microchip (Actel/Microsemi) Libero SoC tooling, and the 208-pin PQFP supports surface-mount assembly with standard reflow profiles.
Typical applications include automotive control modules, industrial automation glue logic, bus bridging, state-machine consolidation replacing multiple discrete PLDs and ASSPs, and defense/aerospace systems requiring configuration security.
When designing with this part, budget I/O carefully: 175 usable I/O on the 208-pin package means roughly 33 pins are committed to power, ground, clocks, and programming. Verify that speed-grade variants (standard, -1, -2) meet timing before second-sourcing within the family.
This page synthesizes distributor availability data, drop-in family alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, with pricing tiers listed below (as of 2026-09-03).
Drop-in alternatives for A54SX16A-PQG208A — 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 A54SX16A-PQG208A (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, System Gates, RoHS Status, Family, User I/O.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
A54SX16A-PQG208M
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$451.23 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX16A-1PQG208M
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Contact for price
View Datasheet →A54SX16A-2PQG208
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View Datasheet →A54SX16A-TQG144A
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$27.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX32A-PQG208A
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$47.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-1PQG208
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$47.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX16A-PQG208A Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | SX-A (antifuse FPGA) |
| System Gates | 24000 gates |
| Logic Cells | 924 cells |
| User I/O | 175 |
| Maximum Toggle Frequency | 227 MHz |
| Core Supply Voltage | 2.5 V |
| I/O Supply Voltage | 3.3 V (LVTTL / 3.3V PCI compatible) |
| Process Technology | 0.25 um CMOS |
| Programming Technology | Antifuse (one-time programmable, non-volatile) |
| Architecture | Sea-of-modules (C-cells and R-cells) |
| Package | 208-BFQFP (PQFP-208), surface mount |
| Grade | Automotive A-grade (guard-banded room-temperature test) |
| Clock Inputs | CLKA / CLKB dedicated clock networks |
| Design Software | Libero SoC (Actel/Microsemi/Microchip) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | unknown |
A54SX16A-PQG208A 208-bfqfp (pqfp-208), surface mount Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for A54SX16A-PQG208A (208-bfqfp (pqfp-208), surface mount 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 A54SX16A-PQG208A.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
A54SX16A-PQG208A is suitable for 6 applications: Automotive Control Modules, Industrial Automation Glue Logic, Secure Defense and Avionics Logic, Bus Bridging and Interface Conversion, State Machine Consolidation (PLD Replacement), Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Automotive Control Modules
The A54SX16A-PQG208A is explicitly part of the SX-A Automotive Family, with A-grade screening guard-banded for automotive operating conditions. Its 24,000 system gates and 175 user I/Os consolidate body-control glue logic, sensor interfacing, and actuator state machines that would otherwise require multiple discrete PLDs. The antifuse configuration is non-volatile and needs no external configuration flash, removing a failure mode in harsh under-hood and in-cabin environments. Designers should pair it with Microchip's automotive-qualified power and CAN/PIC companions, verify that A-grade room-temperature guard-banded testing satisfies their qualification plan, and budget the 2.5V core rail from the vehicle's 5V or 3.3V domains using a point-of-load regulator.
Recommended
Industrial Automation Glue Logic
In factory automation, PLC backplanes, and motor-control panels, the A54SX16A-PQG208A merges address decoding, bus arbitration, and interlock logic into one 208-pin PQFP. The sea-of-modules fabric maps wide combinatorial functions efficiently in its 924 C-cells and R-cells, while the 227 MHz toggle capability comfortably handles industrial clock domains. Its 3.3V LVTTL/PCI-compatible I/O connects directly to standard 5V-tolerant-style TTL interfaces used across legacy industrial equipment, and 175 I/Os cover dense parallel sensor and relay banks. The one-time antifuse programming means field updates are impossible - an acceptable trade-off when configuration integrity matters more than reconfigurability in installed equipment.
Recommended
Secure Defense and Avionics Logic
Antifuse FPGAs are a long-standing choice in defense and aerospace because the bitstream is physically programmed into the die - there is no configuration memory to intercept, clone, or corrupt at power-up. The A54SX16A-PQG208A provides 24,000 system gates for protocol conversion, custom bus interfaces, and trusted glue logic. Unlike SRAM FPGAs that reload an external flash image on every boot, this device is functional immediately, simplifying power sequencing and BIT (built-in-test) flows in avionics racks. Designers should validate the A-grade screening level against program requirements and use Libero SoC for timing sign-off, noting the 2.5V core keeps static power low in thermally constrained conformally coated assemblies.
Recommended
Bus Bridging and Interface Conversion
Legacy systems frequently need translation between incompatible parallel buses and serial interfaces. The A54SX16A-PQG208A's dual dedicated clock networks (CLKA/CLKB, LVTTL and 3.3V PCI compatible) support two independent clock domains, letting one device bridge, for example, a PCI-style backplane to a custom peripheral bus. With 175 user I/Os, wide 16- and 32-bit parallel buses fit without external latching. The 227 MHz toggle rate and sub-10ns-class combinatorial paths (speed-grade dependent) keep bridging latency low. Because the configuration is fixed in antifuse, protocol behavior is deterministic at every power-up - valuable in telecom and instrumentation platforms where repeatable interface timing is contractual.
Recommended
State Machine Consolidation (PLD Replacement)
Many legacy boards use three to five 22V10-class PLDs plus discrete glue; the A54SX16A-PQG208A replaces them with a single 208-pin device, cutting BOM count, board area, and assembly cost - exactly the system-wide savings Microchip describes for SX-A. The 924-cell sea-of-modules fabric absorbs deep sequential state machines in R-cells with flip-flop-rich mapping, and design migration from older Actel ACT families is supported in Libero SoC. The non-volatile antifuse means the consolidated logic works on first power-up with no configuration controller, preserving the zero-glitch behavior original PLD designs relied on. Verify I/O count: the PQG208 package exposes 175 user I/Os versus the smaller PLD pin budgets it replaces.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Bench instruments and ATE fixtures need deterministic control logic between the host processor and measurement front ends. The A54SX16A-PQG208A provides trigger distribution, timing sequencers, and register-file style interfaces across its 175 I/Os, with the 227 MHz fabric clocking fast trigger chains. Its immediate-on antifuse configuration means the instrument's control plane is live as soon as rails settle - no boot delay or configuration corruption risk during frequent power cycling typical of test stations. The 2.5V core and low antifuse static current help meet fixture thermal budgets inside enclosed chassis. Pair with a 3.3V MCU or host interface and use CLKA/CLKB for independent sample-clock and host-clock domains.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A54SX16A-PQG208A — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A54SX16A-PQG208M | A54SX16A-1PQG208M | A54SX16A-2PQG208 | A54SX32A-PQG208A | A54SX72A-1PQG208 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 208-BFQFP (PQFP) | 208-BFQFP (PQFP) - same | 208-BFQFP (PQFP) - same | 208-BFQFP (PQFP) - same | 208-BFQFP (PQFP) - same | 208-BFQFP (PQFP) - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology (Actel/Microsemi legacy) | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Core Supply Voltage | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V |
| Screening / Grade | Automotive A-grade | M (process variant) | M (process variant), -1 speed | I (industrial), -2 speed | Automotive A-grade | Standard, -1 speed |
| Programming Technology | Antifuse (OTP, non-volatile) | Antifuse | Antifuse | Antifuse | Antifuse | Antifuse |
Key Differentiators
- Automotive A-grade screening (vs A54SX16A-2PQG208)
- Faster timing closure margin available via -1/-2 grades (vs A54SX16A-PQG208A standard speed)
- Non-volatile secure antifuse configuration (vs A54SX32A-PQG208A)
- 175 user I/O on a 208-pin PQFP (vs A54SX16A-TQG144A)
Design Notes
The A54SX16A-PQG208A operates a 2.5V core with 3.3V LVTTL/PCI-compatible I/O, so the board needs two regulated rails with proper sequencing per the SX-A datasheet power-up requirements. Antifuse FPGAs draw very low static current, but dynamic power scales with toggle rate and I/O loading - estimate core power in Libero SoC power analysis before finalizing the regulator. Decouple each VCC/VCCI pin pair with 0.1uF ceramics placed within 2 mm of the pin, plus bulk 10uF per rail near the device.
Antifuse devices are one-time programmable: a device programmed with an obsolete bitstream cannot be erased or reused, so build programming rework cost into production planning and program only after functional verification of the design on a sample. Also note the datasheet caveat that A-grade parts are tested at room temperature with guard-banded limits and are NOT tested at extended temperatures - if guaranteed hot/cold operation is required, contact Microchip for extended testing or select I-grade variants such as A54SX16A-2PQG208I.
The dedicated CLKA/CLKB inputs feed buffered clock distribution networks and must be driven LOW or HIGH on the board if unused, per the SX-A datasheet pin description. Keep clock traces length-matched and away from the dense I/O rings of the 208-pin PQFP; with 0.65 mm-class fine pitch, plan escape routing on at least four layers with a solid ground plane to control return paths. Treat 3.3V PCI-compatible inputs as reflected-wave sensitive if interfacing to a loaded PCI bus segment.
The 208-pin BFQFP is a surface-mount component assembled with standard tin-lead or lead-free reflow - confirm the M (process) suffix matches your soldering profile to avoid moisture-related defects, and bake per JEDEC-class practice if floor-life is exceeded. Provide a generous ground plane under the package and thermal reliefs consistent with PQFP power dissipation, which is low for antifuse FPGAs but should still be estimated in Libero power analysis for high toggle-rate designs.
Compliance Information
Compliance data was not present in the retrieved web data. The A suffix denotes automotive-grade screening (guard-banded room-temperature test per the Actel SX-A Automotive Family datasheet), which is not equivalent to AEC-Q100 qualification. The M-suffix variants typically indicate Microchip's newer lead-free process - verify RoHS status per the specific ordering code with Microchip before specifying for RoHS-mandated products.
