A54SX72A-1PQ208I - 108K-Gate Antifuse FPGA, 2.5V | Microchip
MPN: A54SX72A-1PQ208I ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $128.5 | $128.50 |
| 10 | $118.2 | $1,182.00 |
| 100 | $105.6 | $10,560.00 |
| 500 | $96.75 | $48,375.00 |
| 1,000 | $89.9 | $89,900.00 |
A54SX72A-1PQ208I Overview
A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device containing a fabric of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) and interconnects that the designer programs to implement custom digital logic. Within the programmable logic hierarchy, the SX-A sits in the antifuse FPGA class: its interconnect is permanently programmed at power-up by blowing antifuse links, which makes the configuration non-volatile, instantaneous (no configuration PROM or boot time), and highly resistant to bit-stream readback - a key security and reliability advantage over SRAM FPGAs.
Key features of the A54SX72A include 6,036 logic array blocks (LABs/cells), 0.25 um CMOS process technology, quadrant clock networks (CLKA, CLKB, and QCLK) for low-skew global clocking, and user-programmable I/O supporting up to 360 pins across the family (171 on this package). The -1 speed grade balances cost and performance for designs clocked up to 250 MHz.
The architecture uses a sea-of-modules structure with dedicated flip-flops (up to 2,012 across family variants) and efficient routing, delivering ASIC-like performance in a one-time-programmable device. Because the antifuse fabric is non-volatile, no configuration controller is required, reducing bill-of-materials cost and board complexity.
Typical applications include industrial control and automation, communications and networking line cards, aerospace and defense systems (in radiation-tolerant sibling families), and bridge logic or glueless interface integration where a single low-cost, secure, low-power device replaces multiple ASSPs and discrete logic.
Design consideration: as a one-time-programmable antifuse device, the design must be fully verified in simulation before programming - there is no in-system reprogramming, so budget for engineering samples and programming socket costs.
This page synthesizes verified distributor data, drop-in same-family alternatives, pricing tiers, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for A54SX72A-1PQ208I — 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 A54SX72A-1PQ208I (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, System Gates, Operating Temperature, Clock Networks, Family.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
A54SX72A-1PQG208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$79 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-2PQ208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$89.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-PQ208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$45.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-1PQ208
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
A54SX72A-PQG208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$86.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-2PQG208I
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$47.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-1PQG208
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$47.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-1PQ208I Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | SX-A (Antifuse FPGA) |
| System Gates | 108,000 |
| Logic Cells / LABs | 6,036 |
| User I/O Pins (this package) | 171 |
| Family Max User I/O | 360 |
| Dedicated Flip-Flops (family) | up to 2,012 |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V |
| Process Technology | 0.25 um CMOS |
| Maximum System Frequency | 250 MHz |
| Speed Grade | -1 |
| Program Technology | Antifuse (one-time programmable) |
| Package | 208-pin PQFP (208-BFQFP) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial, I suffix) |
| Clock Networks | CLKA, CLKB, QCLK quadrant clocks |
| Configuration | Non-volatile, no external boot device required |
A54SX72A-1PQ208I 208-pin pqfp (208-bfqfp) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for A54SX72A-1PQ208I (208-pin pqfp (208-bfqfp) 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-1PQ208I.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
A54SX72A-1PQ208I is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Control and Automation, Communications and Networking Equipment, Aerospace and Defense Support Systems, Legacy System Repair and Sustainment, Glueless Interface and Bridge Logic Integration, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Industrial Control and Automation
The A54SX72A-1PQ208I fits industrial control because its -40C to +85C industrial rating, 108,000 gates, and 171 user I/O allow PLC backplane glue logic, sensor-interface consolidation, and motor-control sequencing to be merged into one antifuse device. Its non-volatile fabric boots instantly at power-up with no configuration PROM, improving uptime in factory equipment, and its fixed logic cannot be corrupted by configuration upsets common in electrically noisy plants. At 2.5V core with low static current, it suits always-on control nodes. Placed as the main sequencer between backplane connectors and microcontrollers, it removes dozens of discrete TTL parts; the trade-off is one-time programmability, so logic must be fully verified before programming.
Recommended
Communications and Networking Equipment
In networking line cards, the A54SX72A-1PQ208I provides bridge logic between PHY devices, framers, and backplane buses at up to 250 MHz system performance, which covers common line-card clock domains. The 171 user I/O accommodate wide parallel data buses (POS-PHY/Utopia-style interfaces), and quadrant clock networks (CLKA, CLKB, QCLK) deliver low-skew clocking across the die per the Microchip SX-A datasheet. Antifuse security prevents readback of proprietary interface logic - valuable for OEM equipment. Designers should confirm the -1 speed grade closes timing for their specific clock rates in Libero/Microchip tools before committing, since the family 250 MHz maximum is a die-level figure, not a guarantee per design.
Recommended
Aerospace and Defense Support Systems
The SX-A architecture underpins Microchip's radiation-tolerant RT54SX-S siblings, and the commercial A54SX72A-1PQ208I serves ground support equipment, test fixtures, and non-critical flight-adjacent hardware. The antifuse fabric's immunity to configuration-memory upset and resistance to bitstream readback aligns with defense design-security requirements, while 108,000 gates handle bus interfaces, telemetry encoding, and test-sequence engines. Its instant-on non-volatile configuration eliminates bootloader failure modes in systems that must be operational at first power. Note that this specific commercial part is not radiation qualified - it supports ground equipment and prototyping; flight designs should use the RT54SX72S family and Microchip's defense packaging options.
Recommended
Legacy System Repair and Sustainment
Many 2000s-era industrial, medical, and communications systems were designed around Actel SX-A FPGAs, and the A54SX72A-1PQ208I is a primary sustainment part for that installed base. Because the device is still active at Microchip and stocked at DigiKey and Mouser (as of 2026-09-03), repair depots can source authentic date-coded units for board-level fixes. Drop-in same-package variants (A54SX72A-1PQG208I green package, A54SX72A-2PQ208I faster grade) provide alternates when exact suffixes are scarce. Since the device is one-time programmable, repair shops must maintain archived programming files and certified programming services; a -2 grade replacement programmed with the original bitstream is functionally safe because the die and pinout are identical.
Recommended
Glueless Interface and Bridge Logic Integration
The A54SX72A-1PQ208I excels as a single-chip replacement for multi-chip ASSP and discrete-logic glue designs, which is exactly the system-level saving Microchip promotes for SX-A devices. With 6,036 logic cells and 171 user I/O, it integrates bus arbiters, address decoders, wait-state generators, and protocol converters between processors, memories, and peripherals on one low-cost 2.5V device. The antifuse fabric delivers ASIC-like propagation delays with no configuration-load latency, simplifying power-sequencing design versus SRAM FPGAs. Engineers should budget I/O standards carefully - SX-A I/O supports the family's compatible logic levels per the datasheet - and reserve headroom of at least 20% of gates for late design changes, since no reprogramming is possible after antifuse programming.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Bench and automated test equipment benefits from the A54SX72A-1PQ208I's deterministic, fixed routing: antifuse interconnect gives repeatable propagation delays run-to-run, improving measurement reproducibility versus SRAM FPGA reconfiguration variability. The 108K-gate fabric implements trigger engines, counter/timer arrays, and pattern generators while the 171 user I/O connect front-end ADCs, comparators, and GPIB/Ethernet interface blocks. Instant-on configuration means instruments are ready the moment power is applied - important for rack systems that cycle power frequently. The industrial -40C to +85C range supports unattended test cells. Designers should lock timing constraints early because the one-time-programmable fabric cannot be patched in the field if calibration logic must change.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A54SX72A-1PQ208I — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A54SX72A-1PQG208I | A54SX72A-2PQ208I | A54SX72A-PQ208I | A54SX72A-1PQ208 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 208-pin PQFP (208-BFQFP) | 208-pin PQFP (green) | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same | 208-pin PQFP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology (Microsemi/Actel) | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| System Gates | 108,000 | 108,000 | 108,000 | 108,000 | 108,000 |
| User I/O | 171 | 171 | 171 | 171 | 171 |
| Supply Voltage | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (Industrial) | -40C to +85C (I) | -40C to +85C (I) | -40C to +85C (I) | Commercial (no I suffix) |
| Package Green/RoHS Variant | Standard PQ208 | Green (PQG208) | Standard PQ208 | Standard PQ208 | Standard PQ208 |
Key Differentiators
- Instant-on non-volatile configuration (vs SRAM FPGAs (e.g., Xilinx Spartan family))
- Design security via non-readable bitstream (vs SRAM FPGA competitors)
- Speed-grade flexibility at same footprint (vs A54SX72A-2PQ208I)
- Deterministic timing (vs A54SX72A-1PQG208I)
Design Notes
The A54SX72A runs from a single 2.5V supply per the SX-A datasheet. Antifuse devices draw essentially zero static configuration power, but dynamic power scales with clock frequency and toggle rate - at the -1 grade near 250 MHz with high activity, provide solid 2.5V planes with bulk and 0.1 uF decoupling at each supply pin group. Verify actual current with Microchip's power estimation tools for your netlist, and be aware the antifuse fabric means measured power is deterministic and repeatable after programming.
This is a one-time-programmable antifuse FPGA: once programmed, the design cannot be changed, and programming defects render the part unusable. Always verify the design exhaustively in simulation, program engineering samples first, and archive programming files and checksums. Do not hot-socket programming sockets, and follow Microchip's programmer (Silicon Sculptor) procedures. Budget for programming yield loss - unlike SRAM FPGAs, there is no erase/retry cycle.
The 208-pin PQFP has fine-pitch gull-wing leads on all four sides. Use a footprint matching Microchip's package drawing exactly, with solder-mask-defined or non-solder-mask-defined pads per your assembly house's capability. PQFP leads are mechanically fragile - avoid board flex near the package and support the board during reflow. The I suffix industrial rating (-40C to +85C) permits no-cleanup flux in most processes, but confirm MSL handling per the packaging label.
The SX-A provides quadrant clock networks (CLKA, CLKB, QCLK) for low-skip global clocking. Assign clocks to dedicated clock pins per the datasheet pinout tables; routing clocks through general fabric adds skew. For wide parallel buses between the FPGA and external memories or PHYs, keep trace-length matching within your setup/hold budget at the -1 speed grade, since the family 250 MHz figure is a device maximum, not a per-design guarantee.
Compliance Information
Compliance status not stated in provided web data. The PQG208 (G suffix) variants are green packaging options per Microchip naming convention; confirm RoHS/REACH certificates on the Microchip product page before procurement.
