A54SX72A-1CQ256 - SX-A 108K-Gate Antifuse FPGA | Microchip
MPN: A54SX72A-1CQ256 β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
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| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for A54SX72A-1CQ256 β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
A54SX72A-CQ256B
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$228 / Unit
View Datasheet βA54SX72A-CQ256M
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2429.15 / Unit
View Datasheet βA54SX72A-CQ256
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$196 / Unit
View Datasheet βA54SX32A-CQ256
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
A54SX32A-CQ256B
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
A54SX32A-CQ256M
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
A54SX72A-1CQ256 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Manufacturer Series | SX-A |
| System Gates | 108,000 |
| Logic Gates | 72,000 |
| Logic Cells (Modules) | 4,024 |
| Number of I/O | 203 |
| Maximum Toggle Frequency | 250 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.25 um |
| Programming Technology | Antifuse (one-time programmable) |
| Operating Supply Voltage | 2.5 V |
| Speed Grade | -1 |
| Package / Case | CQFP-256 (256-BFCQFP with tie bar) |
| Mounting Style | SMD/SMT |
| Minimum Operating Temperature | 0 C |
| Maximum Operating Temperature | +70 C |
| Clock Resources | CLKA, CLKB global clocks plus quadrant clocks (QCLK) |
| Product Type | FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array |
A54SX72A-1CQ256 cqfp-256 (256-bfcqfp with tie bar) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for A54SX72A-1CQ256 (cqfp-256 (256-bfcqfp with tie bar) 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 A54SX72A-1CQ256.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
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
A54SX72A-1CQ256 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control and Automation, Military and Aerospace Subsystems, Telecommunications Line-Card Logic, Legacy System Life Extension, Secure Logic and Anti-Cloning Designs, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Industrial Control and Automation
The A54SX72A-1CQ256 fits industrial control by consolidating address decoding, bus bridging, and sequencing state machines that would otherwise consume multiple TTL/ASIC devices; Microchip positions SX-A parts explicitly as single-chip system-savings solutions. Its 108K system gates and 4,024 logic cells absorb mid-size control logic, while 203 user I/Os drive backplane signals, sensors, and actuators from a single 2.5 V rail at up to 250 MHz toggle rates. The instant-on antifuse configuration means the controller is active within nanoseconds of power application - no configuration-load delay - which simplifies safety interlock and watchdog design. The ceramic CQFP package also tolerates harsher cabinet environments than plastic housings.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Subsystems
Defense and aerospace boards choose the A54SX72A-1CQ256 for its ceramic CQFP (BFCQFP with tie bar) package, antifuse configuration security, and proven mature silicon. Antifuse interconnect cannot be read back or reprogrammed, eliminating bitstream-extraction attacks relevant to SRAM FPGAs, and the hermetic ceramic package resists moisture, outgassing, and rework stress in high-reliability builds. The military-variant A54SX72A-1CQ256M with the same footprint supports temperature-screened programs, enabling a common PCB across commercial prototypes and qualified production. With 108K system gates and deterministic low-skew CLKA/CLKB/QCLK clock networks, it handles telemetry formatting, interface adaptation, and redundancy-management logic in flight hardware.
Recommended
Telecommunications Line-Card Logic
Telecom line cards historically used SX-A FPGAs to glue SONET/SDH framers, T1/E1 fricers, and backplane interfaces together; the A54SX72A-1CQ256 continues that role in legacy and extended-life networks. Its 250 MHz toggle capability covers 155 Mbps-class processing, while 203 I/Os handle H.110/H.100 CT-bus, JTAG, and maintenance channels. The quadrant clock (QCLK) resources allow per-card-region clock domains with low skew, and the 2.5 V core keeps dynamic power manageable in high-density shelves. Antifuse one-time programming suits carrier equipment where configurations are fixed at manufacturing and configuration-bit flip immunity from atmospheric radiation is operationally valuable over 20-year service lives.
Recommended
Legacy System Life Extension
Many fielded avionics, test, and industrial platforms were designed around SX-A CQ256 devices; the A54SX72A-1CQ256 enables direct board-level repair and last-time-buy bridging without PCB respin. Because all CQ256 SX-A variants share the 256-pin ceramic footprint, maintenance depots can substitute speed-grade or screening variants (CQ256, CQ256B, CQ256M) to keep fleets running when exact date-code-matched stock disappears. Design teams should hold the Libero SoC source project and a programmer flow ready, since antifuse devices cannot be reflashed in service - each replacement part is programmed fresh with the verified design bitstream before installation, restoring identical form, fit, and function.
Recommended
Secure Logic and Anti-Cloning Designs
Product-security engineers deploy the A54SX72A-1CQ256 to protect proprietary logic because antifuse configuration physically becomes part of the silicon: there is no configuration bitstream in external memory to intercept and no readback path to exploit, unlike SRAM FPGAs that load plaintext bitstreams at every power-up. Combined with the ceramic CQFP package that complicates casual decapping compared to small plastic packages, the device raises reverse-engineering costs substantially. With 108K gates available, designers can embed authentication state machines, custom cipher blocks, and board-identity logic alongside the functional design, so cloned boards without a legitimately programmed device simply never become operational.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Bench and automated test equipment uses the A54SX72A-1CQ256 as timing-generator, trigger-logic, and bus-interface fabric where deterministic behavior matters more than density. Antifuse routing gives fixed, repeatable propagation paths, so instrument timing calibrations remain valid across the production life of a unit - a subtle but real advantage over SRAM FPGAs whose routing can change between bitstream builds. The 250 MHz toggle ceiling and low-skew global/quadrant clocking support sub-10 ns event resolution, while 203 I/O pins connect to relay matrices, digitizer front ends, and GPIB/LAN companion chips. Instant-on start also shortens instrument boot time relative to configuration-loading alternatives.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A54SX72A-1CQ256 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A54SX72A-CQ256B | A54SX72A-CQ256M | A54SX32A-CQ256 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | CQFP-256 (BFCQFP with tie bar) | CQFP-256 - same | CQFP-256 - same | CQFP-256 - same |
| System Gates | 108,000 | 108,000 | 108,000 | 36,000 |
| Logic Cells | 4,024 | 4,024 | 4,024 | 1,344 |
| User I/O | 203 | 203 | 213 | [DATA_NEEDED] |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to +70 C | [DATA_NEEDED] | Military range | [DATA_NEEDED] |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V |
| Max Toggle Frequency | 250 MHz | 250 MHz | 250 MHz | 250 MHz |
| Programming Technology | Antifuse (OTP) | Antifuse (OTP) | Antifuse (OTP) | Antifuse (OTP) |
Key Differentiators
- Full 72K-gate die in ceramic CQFP package (vs A54SX32A-CQ256)
- Commercial temperature rating at lower cost (vs A54SX72A-1CQ256M)
- Antifuse configuration security and instant-on (vs SRAM-based FPGAs (functional alternative only))
Design Notes
The A54SX72A-1CQ256 operates from a single 2.5 V supply. Provide local decoupling of at least 0.1 uF ceramic per power pin pair plus bulk capacitance near the CQFP-256 package; because the ceramic package exposes many power/ground pins around all four sides, distribute decoupling capacitors around the perimeter rather than clustering on one side. Verify core current against your design's utilization in Libero SoC power analysis before fixing the regulator, since dynamic current scales with toggle activity up to the 250 MHz ceiling.
Antifuse devices are one-time programmable: never send an unverified or timing-unclosed design to the programmer. Complete static timing analysis in Libero SoC, lock the revision, and program only released bitstreams. Because a programming failure scraps the device, budget attrition (industry practice is 5-10%) into purchase quantities. Also match speed grade (-1) and screening level when substituting same-package variants so existing timing sign-off remains valid.
The 256-BFCQFP with tie bar requires a footprint that accommodates the tie bar feature on one package edge - do not copy a generic CQFP-256 land pattern without checking the mechanical drawing in the SX-A datasheet. The tie bar must not short to signal land patterns; follow the package's recommended courtyard. Ceramic CQFP leads are mechanically stiffer than plastic PQFP leads, so avoid board-warp stress by using symmetric copper balance on outer layers.
Use the dedicated CLKA and CLKB global clocks for system-wide timing and reserve quadrant clocks (QCLK) for localized low-skew domains, per Microchip's application notes on A54SX72A quadrant clock usage. Avoid deriving high-fanout clocks from general-purpose routing. With 0.25 um antifuse interconnect, keep edge rates managed on 203 I/O lines driving backplane or cable loads; series termination near the package is typically sufficient for moderate-speed buses.
Compliance Information
Ceramic hermetic CQFP package. RoHS/REACH status not stated in verified web data; many mature ceramic-package parts are exempt categories - verify on the Microchip product page before export or EU-market claims.
