A54SX32A-FGG256I - 32K Gate FPGA, 238MHz, 256-FBGA | Microchip
MPN: A54SX32A-FGG256I ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $128.5 | $128.50 |
| 10 | $115.65 | $1,156.50 |
| 100 | $102.8 | $10,280.00 |
| 500 | $92.52 | $46,260.00 |
| 1,000 | $83.27 | $83,270.00 |
A54SX32A-FGG256I Overview
A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is a type of programmable logic device that lets designers implement custom digital circuits in hardware. Within the semiconductor hierarchy, the FPGA sits under programmable logic, alongside CPLDs and ASICs. Unlike SRAM-based FPGAs from Xilinx or Intel (Altera), the SX-A family uses antifuse programmability: connections are permanently set at programming time, giving the device non-volatile configuration, high security against bitstream extraction, and very low static power.
Key features include the sea-of-modules architecture, in which the entire die floor is covered by a grid of logic modules with virtually no area lost to interconnect. The family provides two module types: the combinatorial C-cell and the register R-cell, enabling fast, predictable routing. Antifuse technology also yields radiation-tolerant behavior and instant-on power-up with no external configuration device required.
Technical depth comes from the 0.25um/0.22um CMOS process, which supports the 238 MHz system toggle rate - performance levels that made SX-A devices popular where SRAM FPGAs were too costly or power hungry. The 2.5V core supply keeps static current low, while the permanently programmed fabric eliminates configuration-readout attacks common to SRAM FPGAs.
Typical applications include aerospace and industrial glue logic integration, bus bridging, state-machine implementations, communications interfacing, and single-chip consolidation of multiple ASSP/PLD functions to reduce board count and system cost.
Design consideration: antifuse devices are one-time programmable; final verification must be completed in simulation before programming, and a spare programmed device should be held for production.
This page synthesizes verified distributor data, drop-in same-package alternatives, pricing guidance, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for A54SX32A-FGG256I — 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 A54SX32A-FGG256I (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, System Gates, Family, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
A54SX32A-1FGG256I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$316.27 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX32A-2FGG256I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$368.59 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX32A-FGG256A
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$295.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX32A-FGG256M
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View Datasheet →A54SX32A-1FGG256M
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$62.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX32A-FG256I
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
A54SX32A-FGG256I Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | SX-A |
| System Gates | 32000 |
| Logic Cells | 1800 |
| Number of I/O | 203 |
| Toggle Frequency | 238 MHz |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V |
| Process Technology | 0.25um / 0.22um CMOS |
| Programmability Type | Antifuse (one-time programmable, non-volatile) |
| Architecture | Sea-of-modules (C-cell and R-cell) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (TA) |
| Package / Case | 256-BGA (FBGA) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Lead Free | Yes (lead free per Mouser) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Configuration Memory | Non-volatile (antifuse), no external configuration device |
A54SX32A-FGG256I 256-bga (fbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for A54SX32A-FGG256I (256-bga (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 A54SX32A-FGG256I.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
A54SX32A-FGG256I is suitable for 6 applications: Aerospace Glue Logic Integration, Industrial Control and Automation, Communications Bus Bridging, High-Reliability State Machine Implementation, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Legacy Design Sustainment and BOM Continuity.
Aerospace Glue Logic Integration
The A54SX32A-FGG256I fits aerospace and defense board-level integration because its antifuse configuration is non-volatile, instant-on, and immune to bitstream readback, while the 238 MHz toggle rate handles wide address decoders, bus arbitration, and custom interfaces without external configuration memory. Designers consolidate multiple PAL/GAL/ASSP devices into this single 32K-gate device, cutting BOM count and board area in the 256-FBGA footprint. Typical use places the device between a backplane bus and processor local bus, with the 203 user I/O covering 32/64-bit data paths plus control. The trade-off versus SRAM FPGAs is one-time programming, so designs must be fully verified before burn - acceptable in high-reliability programs where configuration change control is mandatory anyway.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Automation
In industrial controllers, motor-drive interface cards, and PLC I/O modules, the A54SX32A-FGG256I provides deterministic, configuration-free logic that powers up the instant 2.5V is applied - critical for safety interlocks that must be active at power-on. The industrial -40C to +85C rating covers unconditioned factory-floor cabinets, and the antifuse fabric draws minimal static current, easing passive backplane thermal budgets. The 203 I/O directly interface encoders, limit switches, and fieldbus transceivers through appropriate level translation. Engineers typically implement state machines, PWM edge logic, and parallel-to-serial bridging in the C-cell/R-cell fabric at fractions of the power of equivalent SRAM devices, while the permanent programming prevents field tampering of control logic.
Recommended
Communications Bus Bridging
The A54SX32A-FGG256I suits protocol bridging and bus conversion in telecommunications line cards and embedded networking hardware, where the 238 MHz toggle rate comfortably covers PCI-era, VME, and proprietary parallel bus timing at 2.5V signaling. The sea-of-modules routing structure gives predictable propagation delays, simplifying timing closure for fixed-latency bridges between a system backplane and local memory or MAC devices. Its 1800 logic cells provide enough capacity for FIFO control, arbitration, error checking, and register-file functions, while antifuse security protects proprietary protocol implementations from cloning. Because no configuration device is needed, the bridge is functional during system boot sequences when a host FPGA would still be loading its bitstream.
Recommended
High-Reliability State Machine Implementation
Safety-relevant sequencing logic - power-supply sequencing controllers, watchdog and reset supervision trees, interlock chains - benefits from the A54SX32A-FGG256I because the antifuse configuration cannot be corrupted by single-event configuration upsets the way SRAM cells can, and there is no configuration file to lose. The R-cell registers implement Moore/Mealy state machines with datasheet-documented timing, and the permanent programming enforces change control required by certification audits. With 32K gates, engineers can integrate redundant, comparator-voted state machines within one device. The -40C to +85C industrial rating and low static power allow deployment in sealed enclosures without active cooling, and instant-on behavior guarantees interlocks are asserted the moment power arrives.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Bench and rack instruments use the A54SX32A-FGG256I for trigger logic, counter/timer front ends, and measurement sequencing where deterministic timing matters more than reconfigurability. The 238 MHz toggle rate supports 100 MHz-class counting and time-stamping paths, and the 2.5V fabric keeps switching noise low near sensitive analog front ends on shared boards. The 203 user I/O handle parallel test buses, relay matrix control, and instrumentation interconnects. Antifuse programming is an asset in calibration-sensitive equipment: the shipped logic image is physically permanent, guaranteeing that units in the field run exactly the validated firmware revision, with no risk of accidental or malicious reconfiguration - an audit-friendly property for metrology-grade hardware.
Recommended
Legacy Design Sustainment and BOM Continuity
Many fielded avionics, medical, and industrial products were designed around the SX32A die, and the A54SX32A-FGG256I remains the continuity anchor for those BOMs. Because every A54SX32A package variant - FGG256, FG256, BGG329, TQG144, PQG208 - shares the same die and Libero design database, engineers can qualify alternate packages or speed grades from one verified code base, dramatically reducing requalification effort when the exact ordering code becomes allocation-constrained. This page's cross-reference confirms FFF alternates such as A54SX32A-FG256I for RoHS-flexible builds. Antifuse parts also eliminate obsolescence risk tied to companion configuration flash, since nothing external is required to boot the device in the field.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A54SX32A-FGG256I — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A54SX32A-1FGG256I | A54SX32A-2FGG256I | A54SX32A-FGG256A | A54SX32A-FGG256M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-FBGA | 256-FBGA - same | 256-FBGA - same | 256-FBGA - same | 256-FBGA - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| System Gates | 32000 | 32000 | 32000 | 32000 | 32000 |
| Number of I/O | 203 | 203 | 203 | 203 | 203 |
| Speed Grade | Standard | -1 (faster) | -2 (fastest) | Standard | Standard |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +85C) | Industrial | Industrial | Extended (A) | Military (M) |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V |
| Typical Relative Cost | Baseline | Higher | Highest | Higher | Highest (mil-grade screening) |
Key Differentiators
- Non-volatile antifuse fabric with zero configuration hardware (vs SRAM-based FPGAs (e.g., Xilinx/Intel equivalents))
- 238 MHz toggle rate on a simple 2.5V supply (vs A54SX32A-2FGG256I (fastest grade) vs slower family members)
- Full same-die package ecosystem for BOM flexibility (vs A54SX32A-FGG256M / A54SX32A-FGG256A)
- Trade-off: one-time programmability (vs Flash-based Microchip IGLOO (AGL600V5-FGG256I))
Design Notes
Supply the A54SX32A-FGG256I from a clean 2.5V rail with local 0.1uF ceramic decoupling at each VCC ball group plus 10uF bulk per bank. Estimated: dynamic power scales linearly with toggle rate, so at the 238 MHz maximum the internal power will be several times higher than a typical 20-50 MHz industrial design - run the Libero power calculator with realistic activity factors before sizing the regulator. Because antifuse parts have negligible static current and no configuration surge, inrush is dominated by ceramic capacitor charging only.
Follow the 256-FBGA footprint in the SX-A family datasheet mechanical drawing exactly; the land pattern uses standard 0.5 mm-pitch BGA rules with non-solder-mask-defined pads. Route the 203 I/O with controlled impedance where buses exceed 50 MHz, and reference all high-speed signals to an unbroken ground plane. Programming balls must remain accessible to the Silicon Sculptor fixture or a bed-of-nails - do not bury them under a connector or heatsink, or field programming becomes impossible.
Antifuse means one-time programmable: there is no rework path after programming. Always complete post-layout timing simulation in Libero at the correct speed grade before burning a device, and keep at least one spare programmed unit per assembly station. Do not substitute a slower speed grade into a timing-critical netlist, and confirm the temperature suffix (I/A/M) matches the qualification requirement - an FGG256A cannot be freely swapped into an I-suffix build without document control approval.
Estimated: the 256-FBGA package on a typical 4-layer board with solid ground plane achieves effective thermal resistance in the tens of C/W range; at the low static power of antifuse fabric, most industrial designs need no heatsink. Verify junction temperature with the Microchip thermal application note values for your exact stack-up when the device is clocked near 238 MHz continuously, since dynamic power - not static leakage - dominates heat generation in SX-A devices.
Compliance Information
Mouser lists A54SX32A-FGG256I as lead free. The FGG double-G suffix denotes RoHS lead-free ball metallurgy per Microchip convention; the single-G FG256I variant is the non-RoHS alternate.
