A54SX32-PQ208I - 48K Gate FPGA 174 I/O PQFP-208 | Microchip
MPN: A54SX32-PQ208I ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $331.7 | $331.70 |
| 10 | $315.12 | $3,151.20 |
| 100 | $298.53 | $29,853.00 |
| 500 | $285.06 | $142,530.00 |
| 1,000 | $272.19 | $272,190.00 |
A54SX32-PQ208I Overview
An antifuse FPGA is a one-time-programmable field programmable gate array in which each programmable interconnect point is an amorphous silicon antifuse that permanently forms a low-resistance link during programming. Within the semiconductor hierarchy, the A54SX32-PQ208I sits under FPGA -> field-programmable logic -> programmable SoC/system logic. Unlike SRAM FPGAs, antifuse devices are non-volatile at power-up, highly resistant to configuration corruption, and need no external configuration PROM, which is why the SX family is widely deployed in aerospace, industrial, and long-lifecycle embedded systems.
Key differentiating features include the sea-of-modules architecture that enables 100% resource utilization with 100% pin locking, eliminating the routability penalties typical of channel-based FPGA architectures. The device supports 66 MHz PCI designs as a single-chip CPLD/FPGA integration solution, and its 3.3 V operation with 5.0 V tolerant inputs simplifies interfacing to legacy 5 V TTL buses.
Technically, the A54SX32 is fabricated in a 0.35 um CMOS process and contains 2,880 LABs/CLBs organized as a sea of C-cells and R-cells. This fine-grained architecture yields deterministic timing: clock skew is held to 0.25 ns and clock-to-out to 3.7 ns across the full 174 I/O, allowing high-frequency state machines and PCI interfaces to close timing without iterative floorplanning.
Typical applications include PCI bus interface logic, glueless system integration replacing multiple CPLDs and ASSPs, industrial automation controllers, and defense/industrial systems requiring non-volatile, single-chip programmable logic with long-term availability.
Design consideration: the device is one-time programmable, so prototype thoroughly in simulation and verify I/O assignments before programming; there is no in-system reprogramming fallback.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for A54SX32-PQ208I — 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 A54SX32-PQ208I (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Family, Process Technology, RoHS Status, System Gates.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
A54SX32-PQG208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$362.79 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX32-1PQG208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$44.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX32-2PQG208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →A54SX32-PQ208
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$44.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX32A-PQ208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$128 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX32A-1PQ208I
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
A54SX32-PQ208I Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Actel SX (54SX) antifuse FPGA |
| System Gates | 48000 |
| Logic Cells (Modules) | 1800 |
| LABs / CLBs | 2880 |
| User I/O | 174 |
| Internal Performance | 320 MHz |
| Clock-to-Out (Pin-to-Pin) | 3.7 ns |
| Input Set-Up | 0.1 ns |
| Clock Skew | 0.25 ns |
| Core Supply Voltage | 3.3 V (3 V to 3.6 V) |
| I/O Supply Voltage | 5 V tolerant (4.75 V to 5.25 V rail support) |
| Process Technology | 0.35 um CMOS |
| Programmability | One-time programmable antifuse |
| PCI Support | 66 MHz PCI |
| Package | 208-BFQFP (PQFP-208), 28 mm x 28 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Packaging | Tray |
A54SX32-PQ208I 208-bfqfp (pqfp-208), 28 mm x 28 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for A54SX32-PQ208I (208-bfqfp (pqfp-208), 28 mm x 28 mm 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 A54SX32-PQ208I.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
A54SX32-PQ208I is suitable for 6 applications: 66 MHz PCI Bus Interface Logic, Industrial Automation Controllers, Single-Chip System Glue Logic Integration, Aerospace and Defense Program Legacy Support, Test and Measurement Equipment, Medical Device Control Electronics.
66 MHz PCI Bus Interface Logic
The A54SX32-PQ208I fits 66 MHz PCI interface designs directly: the 54SX datasheet lists 66 MHz PCI support as a headline capability, enabled by 0.1 ns input setup, 3.7 ns pin-to-pin clock-to-out, and 0.25 ns clock skew - margins sufficient for PCI setup/hold windows without floorplanning iterations. The device implements the PCI target and master state machines plus glue logic in a single chip, replacing several discrete CPLDs. Its 5.0 V tolerant I/O connects directly to legacy 5 V PCI signaling while the core runs at 3.3 V, avoiding level-shift circuitry. Because the antifuse fabric is one-time programmable, the bitstream is fixed at power-up with no configuration device to corrupt, improving bus availability in long-running industrial servers and test platforms.
Recommended
Industrial Automation Controllers
Industrial controllers benefit from the A54SX32-PQ208I's industrial ('I') temperature screening, 48K-gate capacity, and deterministic antifuse timing. The sea-of-modules architecture supports 100% resource utilization with 100% pin locking, so encoder interfaces, stepper/pulse engines, and fieldbus glue logic coexist without routing failures as utilization climbs. The 174 user I/O accommodate parallel sensor banks, relay drivers, and legacy 5 V TTL signals through the 5.0 V tolerant inputs - a key advantage when interfacing older PLC I/O cards. Since the configuration is permanent, controllers power up instantly with no bitstream load time and cannot be corrupted by brown-outs, improving uptime on factory floors. Recommended practice: reserve 20-30% I/O and route them to test headers for in-field diagnostics.
Recommended
Single-Chip System Glue Logic Integration
The A54SX32-PQ208I is architected as a single-chip CPLD and FPGA integration solution, consolidating address decoders, bus bridging, interrupts, and custom state machines that previously consumed multiple CPLDs and ASSPs. With 1,800 modules and 2880 LABs/CLBs of fine-grained fabric, it absorbs scattered 74-series and small-CPLD functions while the 320 MHz internal performance keeps critical decode paths fast. Deterministic 0.25 ns clock skew simplifies multi-domain timing closure across the glue logic. Antifuse non-volatility means the integrated design is live at the first clock edge with no external configuration PROM, saving board space and a failure point. For cost-sensitive consolidation projects, evaluate whether 16K-gate siblings (A54SX16P family) suffice before committing the 32K device.
Recommended
Aerospace and Defense Program Legacy Support
Actel antifuse FPGAs carry a long heritage in aerospace and defense subsystems, where the A54SX32-PQ208I's permanent configuration, single-event immunity advantages of antifuse interconnect, and predictable power-up behavior are valued. While radiation-hardened RTAX devices serve the harshest missions, SX-family parts historically fly in non-critical avionics, ground equipment, and test sets. The 5.0 V tolerant I/O interfaces directly with legacy MIL-STD-adjacent 5 V logic still common in upgraded platforms, and the industrial temperature grade covers most ground-based environments. Procurement note: the mature SX family is sourced heavily through broker stock (roughly 3,600-5,400 pieces visible as of 2026-09-03), so defense programs should secure lifetime buys and verify date codes and provenance carefully.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
Test instruments use the A54SX32-PQ208I for timing generators, trigger logic, and bus interfaces where deterministic delay matters more than reconfigurability. The 3.7 ns pin-to-pin clock-to-out and 0.25 ns skew let designers quote hard channel-to-channel timing numbers on datasheets; the 320 MHz internal fabric handles fast counters and edge-detection pipelines. Antifuse configuration eliminates the risk of a corrupted bitstream disabling a shipped instrument, and instant-on behavior removes configuration latency from warm-up sequences. The 174 I/O support wide parallel measurement buses and legacy 5 V instrumentation signals via tolerant inputs. For high-channel-count designs, the same die is available in the 329-ball BGA (A54SX32-BGG329), providing more user I/O on the same silicon.
Recommended
Medical Device Control Electronics
Benchtop medical analyzers and imaging peripherals use the A54SX32-PQ208I for motor control sequencing, sensor aggregation, and host-interface glue logic. The industrial temperature screening provides margin for ventilated enclosures, and the one-time-programmable antifuse configuration supports design-control requirements: the logic image cannot drift after validation, an asset for IEC-controlled devices with strict change management. Deterministic 0.25 ns clock skew and 0.1 ns setup simplify verification documentation for safety reviews. The 5.0 V tolerant I/O connects to legacy analog-front-end control buses. Design caution: because the device is not field-reprogrammable, plan a socketed or connectorized programming flow so validated updates require controlled board rework rather than firmware pushes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A54SX32-PQ208I — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A54SX32-PQG208I | A54SX32-1PQG208I | A54SX32-PQ208 | A54SX32A-PQ208I | A54SX32A-1PQ208I |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 208-BFQFP (PQFP-208), 28 mm x 28 mm | 208-BFQFP - same | 208-BFQFP - same | 208-BFQFP - same | 208-BFQFP - same | 208-BFQFP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology (Actel/Microsemi) | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| System Gates | 48,000 | 48,000 | 48,000 | 48,000 | 32K gates (1,800 cells, SX-A) | 32K gates (1,800 cells, SX-A) |
| User I/O | 174 | 174 | 174 | 174 | 174 | 174 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 3.3 V (3 V to 3.6 V) | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V |
| Process Technology | 0.35 um CMOS | 0.35 um CMOS | 0.35 um CMOS | 0.35 um CMOS | 0.25 um CMOS | 0.25 um CMOS |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (I suffix) | Industrial (I suffix) | Industrial (I suffix) | Commercial (no I suffix) | Industrial (I suffix) | Industrial (I suffix) |
| Programmability | One-time programmable antifuse | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP | Antifuse OTP |
| Packaging | Tray | Tray | Tray | Tray | Tray | Tray |
Key Differentiators
- Highest internal performance in the comparison set (vs A54SX32A-PQ208I)
- Industrial temperature screening retained (vs A54SX32-PQ208)
- Green molding compliance option (vs A54SX32-PQG208I)
- Faster speed bin available at identical footprint (vs A54SX32-1PQG208I)
- Honest trade-off: lower process node maturity (vs A54SX32A-PQ208I)
Design Notes
The A54SX32 is one-time programmable: after antifuse programming there is no way to erase or update the device. Complete RTL simulation, timing analysis, and I/O verification before programming production units, and treat each programmed device as a consumable. Budget prototype devices separately from production stock, and archive the exact toolchain version and programming file (STAPL/FUSE) used for each build so replacements can be reproduced years later - critical for long-lifecycle industrial and aerospace programs using this mature Actel family.
The device requires dual rails: a 3.3 V core supply (3 V to 3.6 V per Microchip USA data) and support for a 4.75 V to 5.25 V I/O rail environment thanks to 5.0 V tolerant inputs. When substituting the A54SX32A-PQ208I (SX-A), the core changes to 2.5 V - boards designed for both must provision a selectable or switchable core regulator. Sequence the core rail before applying heavy I/O switching loads, and decouple each VCC pin pair with 0.1 uF ceramics placed within 2 mm of the package per standard Actel SX power-supply guidance in the family datasheet.
With 174 I/O on a 28 mm PQFP and pin-to-pin clock-to-out of 3.7 ns, ground bounce on simultaneously switching outputs is the dominant signal-integrity risk. Group SSO pins across multiple GND balls/fingers, insert series 22-33 ohm resistors on fast edges driving heavy capacitive bus loads (e.g., PCI-style buses), and keep trace stubs short on the 66 MHz PCI clock net to preserve the 0.25 ns skew budget. Follow the Actel SX family datasheet I/O guidelines and PCI specification load model when asserting drive strengths.
The 208-BFQFP has a 0.5 mm pin pitch and 28 mm x 28 mm body; design the land pattern per the mechanical drawing in the 54SX family datasheet and inspect solder joints with magnification or X-ray, since fine-pitch QFP bridges are the leading rework cause on legacy boards. The tray packaging means handling is bare - use ESD-safe nozzles and avoid pin bending during manual placement. If migrating to the BGA-based A54SX32-BGG329, note the footprint is NOT compatible; plan a new layout rather than a drop-in.
Compliance Information
Broker listings reference a RoHS status field but the retrieved data does not state its value; the PQG208 suffix variants exist as green-molding options. Obtain a certificate of conformity from Microchip before use in RoHS-restricted builds.
