A54SX72A-CQ256B - SX-A 108K Gate Antifuse FPGA | Microchip
MPN: A54SX72A-CQ256B ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $270.75 | $2,707.50 |
| 100 | $256.5 | $25,650.00 |
| 500 | $242.25 | $121,125.00 |
| 1,000 | $228 | $228,000.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for A54SX72A-CQ256B — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
A54SX72A-1CQ256B
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-CQ256M
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2429.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-CQ256M
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2429.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX32-CQ256B
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →A54SX32-CQ256M
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-CQ256B Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | SX-A (Antifuse FPGA) |
| System Gates | 108000 |
| Logic Gates | 72K |
| Logic Cells | 4024 |
| CLBs / LABs | 6036 |
| User I/O | 203 |
| Maximum Toggle Frequency | 217 MHz |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 2.5 V |
| Supply Voltage Range | 2.25 V to 5.25 V (per variant data) |
| Process Technology | 0.25 um / 0.22 um CMOS |
| Programmability | One-Time Programmable (antifuse, OTP) |
| Configuration Memory | Non-volatile antifuse (no external boot device) |
| Clock Networks | CLKA, CLKB global clocks plus QCLK quadrant clocks |
| Package | 256-pin CQFP (BFCQFP with tie bar), square, flat leads |
| Package Code | QFF |
| Temperature Grade | Military (B suffix) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
A54SX72A-CQ256B qff Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for A54SX72A-CQ256B (qff 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-CQ256B.
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-CQ256B is suitable for 6 applications: Military and Aerospace Embedded Controllers, Industrial Automation Glue Logic Consolidation, Communications Interface Bridging, Obsolescence Mitigation and Redesign, High-Reliability Power-Up-Critical Sequencing Logic, Secure Single-Chip Integration.
Military and Aerospace Embedded Controllers
The A54SX72A-CQ256B fits military controller designs because its hermetic 256-pin ceramic CQFP package, military B temperature grade, and one-time-programmable antifuse fabric address the reliability and anti-tamper requirements of defense electronics. The 108K system gates and 203 user I/Os provide enough capacity to integrate address decoding, bus interfaces, and control state machines into a single chip, replacing multiple MSI/LSI devices. Because configuration is stored in antifuse switches, the device powers up instantly with no configuration PROM and cannot be read back, simplifying secure disposal of design IP. Designers should validate timing at worst-case military temperature corners using Libero SoC static timing analysis before fuse programming.
Recommended
Industrial Automation Glue Logic Consolidation
In industrial PLC, motor-control, and backplane applications, the A54SX72A-CQ256B consolidates address decoders, interrupt controllers, and handshaking glue logic into one 72K-gate device. Its deterministic antifuse timing - toggle rates up to 217 MHz - and instant-on configuration mean the logic is active the moment power is applied, which is valuable for safety interlocks that must be valid at power-up without waiting for a configuration controller. The 2.5V core with tolerant I/O interfaces eases integration into mixed-voltage industrial racks. Note that at 1-2W-class power levels the ceramic CQFP dissipates heat through its leads, so copper pour under the package is recommended in estimate terms for high-utilization designs.
Recommended
Communications Interface Bridging
The A54SX72A-CQ256B serves as a protocol bridge and framer in telecommunications and datacom line cards. With 203 user I/Os and global CLKA/CLKB plus quadrant QPLL-class QCLK clock networks, it can implement multi-domain clocking for serial-parallel conversion, FIFO interfaces, and backplane arbitration with low skew. The antifuse fabric's fixed routing yields deterministic, simulation-accurate timing above 200 MHz, which matters for TDM-style interfaces where setup/hold margins are verified once and never drift. Designs requiring more than 50% of the die should be checked against the A54SX32 footprint reduction path only if capacity allows.
Recommended
Obsolescence Mitigation and Redesign
The A54SX72A-CQ256B is frequently used in lifetime-buy and redesign programs for legacy defense and industrial systems. Because the SX-A family remains supported in Microchip Libero SoC and the ceramic CQFP-256 matches many legacy board footprints, upgrading from older Actel SX or SX-A parts (e.g., A54SX32-CQ256B) to the 72K-gate SX72A can be done without PCB respin when pinout compatibility is confirmed in the datasheet pin tables. The OTP antifuse also removes configuration-ROM obsolescence risk, a common failure point in legacy SRAM FPGA retrofits. Verify utilization fits the target die before committing to the migration.
Recommended
High-Reliability Power-Up-Critical Sequencing Logic
Applications such as avionics power sequencers, safety interlocks, and test-set control need logic valid within microseconds of power application. The A54SX72A-CQ256B's antifuse configuration is hard-wired at programming, so there is no configuration latency, no bitstream corruption risk from SEU in configuration memory, and no external flash to fail. The 2.5V core and 217 MHz-class flip-flops implement multi-channel sequencer state machines comfortably, while the 203 I/Os monitor and drive power-good and enable lines. Designers should implement redundancy in the fabric for the highest-criticality paths and verify at military temperature corners.
Recommended
Secure Single-Chip Integration
Where IP protection is paramount - encryption key handling logic, proprietary control algorithms, copy-sensitive products - the A54SX72A-CQ256B's OTP antifuse architecture provides intrinsic security: there is no configuration bitstream in external memory to intercept, and no readback path from programmed antifuses. The 72K gates integrate the complete secure function on one chip, and the hermetic ceramic package supports tamper-evident potting approaches. Unlike SRAM FPGAs that must reload secret bitstreams at every power-up, this device requires physical decapsulation to attack, raising the cost of reverse engineering substantially.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A54SX72A-CQ256B — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A54SX72A-1CQ256B | A54SX72A-CQ256M | A54SX72A-CQ256 | A54SX32-CQ256B | A54SX32-CQ256M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-pin CQFP (BFCQFP with tie bar) | 256-pin CQFP - same | 256-pin CQFP - same | 256-pin CQFP - same | 256-pin CQFP - same | 256-pin CQFP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology (Actel/Microsemi) | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| System Gates | 108000 | 108000 | 108000 | 108000 | 54000 (36K gates) | 54000 (36K gates) |
| Logic Cells | 4024 | 4024 | 4024 | 4024 | 1800 | 1800 |
| User I/O | 203 | 203 | 203 | 203 | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] |
| Max Toggle Frequency | 217 MHz | 250 MHz (-1 speed grade) | 217 MHz class | 217 MHz class | 217 MHz class | 217 MHz class |
| Core Supply Voltage | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V |
| Temperature Grade | Military (B) | Military | Military (M screening) | Commercial/Industrial | Military (B) | Military (M) |
| Programming | One-time programmable antifuse | OTP antifuse | OTP antifuse | OTP antifuse | OTP antifuse | OTP antifuse |
Key Differentiators
- Standard speed grade at lowest cost within the same footprint (vs A54SX72A-1CQ256B)
- Largest gate count available in the CQFP-256 footprint (vs A54SX32-CQ256B)
- Military B-grade hermetic ceramic packaging (vs A54SX72A-CQ256)
- Trade-off: OTP fabrication limits prototyping iterations (vs SRAM-based FPGAs)
Design Notes
The A54SX72A is one-time programmable: once antifuses are burned the device cannot be erased or reprogrammed. Complete functional simulation, timing closure at worst-case corners, and an engineering-lot prototype pass are mandatory before fuse programming of production units. Keep the generated fuse file under configuration management - a lost or corrupt fuse file cannot be recovered from a programmed device, since antifuse state is not readable back.
The 256-pin CQFP with tie bar has leads on all four sides; use the manufacturer-recommended land pattern and inspect with X-ray or AOI for solder bridges on the 0.5mm-class lead pitch typical of CQFP. The tie bar should be soldered or mechanically secured per the assembly drawing to prevent lead resonance in vibration environments. Provide solid ground planes under the package and decouple the 2.5V core with at least 10uF bulk plus 0.1uF ceramics at each supply corner (estimate; follow datasheet power section for exact counts).
Use the dedicated CLKA/CLKB global clocks and QCLK quadrant clocks for clock distribution rather than general routing - per Microchip application notes on A54SX72A quadrant clocks, this minimizes skew across the fabric. Register high-fanout control signals and pipeline long paths; antifuse routing is fixed after programming, so leave timing margin rather than relying on post-route optimization that would require reprogramming.
Compliance Information
Military-grade hermetic ceramic CQFP product; RoHS/Pb status not stated in verified distributor data as of 2026-09-03. Confirm material declaration with Microchip before procurement.
