A54SX32-CQ256 - 32K-Gate SX FPGA, 256-CQFP | Microsemi
MPN: A54SX32-CQ256 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $168.5 | $168.50 |
| 10 | $151.65 | $1,516.50 |
| 100 | $138.2 | $13,820.00 |
| 500 | $124.38 | $62,190.00 |
| 1,000 | $111.95 | $111,950.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for A54SX32-CQ256 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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A54SX32-CQ256B
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
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View Datasheet →A54SX32-CQ256M
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View Datasheet →RTSX32SU-1CQ256B
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
A54SX32-CQ256 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | SX (54SX) |
| System Gates | 32000 |
| User I/O | 203 |
| Package | 256-BFCQFP Exposed Pad and Tie Bar (ceramic, 75x75 mm class) |
| Programming Technology | Antifuse (one-time programmable) |
| Architecture | Sea-of-modules (C-cell / R-cell) |
| Configuration Memory | Non-volatile antifuse, no external boot device |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Manufacturer | Microsemi Corporation (Microchip Technology) |
| Pin Count | 256 |
A54SX32-CQ256 256-bfcqfp exposed pad and tie bar (ceramic, 75x75 mm class) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for A54SX32-CQ256 (256-bfcqfp exposed pad and tie bar (ceramic, 75x75 mm class) package) with 256 pins. 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 A54SX32-CQ256.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Estimated pin count: 256 pins (digital package)
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
A54SX32-CQ256 is suitable for 6 applications: Aerospace and Defense Logic Integration, Industrial Control and Automation, Communications Bridge Logic, Secure and Anti-Tamper Systems, Legacy System Sustainment and Obsolescence Management, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Aerospace and Defense Logic Integration
The A54SX32-CQ256 fits aerospace and defense logic integration because its non-volatile antifuse configuration powers up instantly without external boot memory, and its ceramic 256-BFCQFP package with exposed pad and tie bar is the packaging class standard in hi-rel board assemblies. With 32,000 gates and 203 user I/O, it absorbs address decode, bus interface, and glue logic that would otherwise consume multiple devices. Programming is permanent, eliminating configuration-upset concerns at the bitstream level. Consider the RTSX32SU-1CQ256B variant when radiation tolerance is a formal requirement, since it shares the same package footprint and design flow.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Automation
In industrial control systems, the A54SX32-CQ256 provides deterministic, single-chip integration of machine-state logic, sensor interfacing, and backplane communication glue logic. The SX sea-of-modules architecture delivers short, predictable interconnect delays, which simplifies timing verification for control loops where latency consistency matters more than raw density. Instant-on antifuse configuration means the logic is active within nanoseconds of power application - valuable in systems where the FPGA must supervise power sequencing or safety interlocks from the first clock cycle. The 203 available I/O cover parallel bus and discrete signal needs without external expanders.
Recommended
Communications Bridge Logic
Communications equipment uses the A54SX32-CQ256 as bridge logic between backplane buses, line cards, and processors. Its 32,000-gate capacity accommodates FIFO control, bus switching, protocol adaptation, and address translation in one antifuse device, while the 203 I/O support wide parallel interfaces typical of legacy telecom backplanes. The deterministic SX fabric gives predictable propagation from any I/O through logic to another I/O, easing interface timing budget closure against system chips that expect fixed-latency responses. Non-volatile configuration removes boot-time gaps between link establishment and FPGA readiness.
Recommended
Secure and Anti-Tamper Systems
The A54SX32-CQ256 suits secure applications because antifuse programming leaves no readable configuration bitstream: unlike SRAM FPGAs, there is no bitstream to intercept at power-up or over a configuration port. Designers use it to implement key storage adjacent logic, secure-boot supervision, and board-level anti-tamper monitoring. The one-time programming model also simplifies configuration management for certified systems, since the deployed logic cannot be silently altered in the field. Note the trade-off: field updates require physically replacing programmed devices, so maintain device sockets or service loops in architectures expecting firmware revision cycles.
Recommended
Legacy System Sustainment and Obsolescence Management
Sustainment programs maintaining antifuse FPGA legacy designs rely on the A54SX32-CQ256 to keep production lines running without PCB redesign. Because it shares the 256-BFCQFP footprint and SX die with the CQ256B, CQ256M, and rad-tolerant RTSX32SU-1CQ256B variants, procurement teams can cross between screening levels as availability shifts while retaining the same programming file family. XAIPART stocks these related MPNs to support such transitions. Always verify date-code and traceability requirements with the distributor, as legacy ceramic-packaged FPGAs command premium pricing, around $168.50 unit as of 2026-09-03.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Instrument makers deploy the A54SX32-CQ256 for timing generation, trigger logic, and instrument bus interfacing, where the SX family's deterministic routing supports repeatable sub-system timing across production units. The ceramic CQFP package provides the mechanical robustness and thermal margin needed in bench instruments with high component density, and the 203 user I/O directly connect front-panel logic, acquisition channels, and processor buses. Instant-on antifuse configuration ensures instrument logic is ready before system software initializes, shortening boot sequences. Designers prototype on equivalent plastic SX packages, then move to the CQFP for production hardware.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A54SX32-CQ256 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A54SX32-CQ256B | A54SX32-CQ256M | RTSX32SU-1CQ256B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-BFCQFP (ceramic, exposed pad) | 256-BFCQFP - same | 256-BFCQFP - same | 256-CQFP - same footprint |
| Brand | Microsemi (Microchip Technology) | Microsemi (Microchip) | Microsemi (Microchip) | Microsemi (Microchip) |
| System Gates | 32000 | 32000 | 32000 | 32000 |
| User I/O | 203 | 203 | 203 | [DATA_NEEDED] |
| Programming Technology | Antifuse (OTP) | Antifuse (OTP) | Antifuse (OTP) | Antifuse (OTP) |
| Radiation Tolerance | No (standard SX) | No | No | Yes (RT variant) |
| Configuration Volatility | Non-volatile (instant-on) | Non-volatile | Non-volatile | Non-volatile |
| Reprogrammable | No | No | No | No |
| Screening Level | Standard commercial per suffix C | B screening (hi-rel) | M screening (military) | RT/B hi-rel |
Key Differentiators
- Non-volatile instant-on configuration (vs SRAM FPGAs (Xilinx/Altera contemporaries))
- No readable configuration bitstream (vs SRAM FPGA families)
- Trade-off: not reprogrammable (vs Flash/SRAM FPGA families)
- Hi-rel family variants share one footprint (vs A54SX32-CQ256B / CQ256M / RTSX32SU-1CQ256B)
Design Notes
Estimated: plan separate supply domains for the SX family core and I/O rails - family documentation lists 3V~3.6V and 4.75V~5.25V supply options; confirm which your speed-grade variant uses before building the power tree. Budget I/O switching current across all 203 user I/O; at modest 10 mA per simultaneously toggling output, aggregate transient demand can reach the ampere range. Use 0.1 uF ceramic decoupling per supply pin plus bulk 10 uF per rail, placed close to the package corners.
Lay out the CQFP-256 land pattern per the manufacturer footprint with the exposed pad and tie bar anchored to ground vias for mechanical integrity and thermal relief. The 0.5 mm-class CQFP lead pitch requires careful solder-paste stencil design; inspect gull-wing joints with X-ray or AOI. Route 203 user I/O with controlled impedance where they carry fast parallel buses, and reference signal layers to a solid ground plane to control loop area on the ceramic package's perimeter ring.
The most common pitfall with antifuse FPGAs is forgetting the one-time-programmable constraint: every design iteration consumes a new physical device, so budget engineering-build quantities accordingly and validate thoroughly on plastic development packages (e.g., TQ176 variants) before committing ceramic CQFP units. Also confirm exact speed-grade and screening suffix on purchase orders - C, B, and M suffixes differ in qualification level, and mixing them in one assembly lot can complicate traceability documentation for hi-rel programs.
Compliance Information
Ceramic hermetic packaging; compliance data not stated in provided web data. Verify RoHS exemption status for ceramic-packaged legacy parts with Microchip/Microsemi directly.
