A54SX72A-CQ256M - 108K Gate Antifuse FPGA, 256-CQFP | Microchip
MPN: A54SX72A-CQ256M ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2962.38 | $2,962.38 |
| 10 | $2814.26 | $28,142.60 |
| 100 | $2666.14 | $266,614.00 |
| 500 | $2547.65 | $1,273,825.00 |
| 1,000 | $2429.15 | $2,429,150.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for A54SX72A-CQ256M — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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A54SX72A-1CQ256
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View Datasheet →A54SX72A-1CQ256M
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$6.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-CQ256B
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$228 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-CQ256
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$196 / Unit
View Datasheet →A54SX72A-CQ256M Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | SX-A (antifuse FPGA) |
| System Gates | 108,000 |
| Logic Cells | 4,024 |
| User I/O | 213 |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 2.5 V |
| Process Technology | 0.25 um |
| Maximum Toggle Frequency | 217 MHz (A54SX72A) |
| Programming Type | One-time programmable (antifuse) |
| Package | 256-BFCQFP with tie bar (CQFP-256, 75x75 mm) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Dedicated Clock Circuits | CLKA, CLKB, QCLK (bidirectional buffers on A54SX72A) |
| Volatility | Non-volatile (no configuration PROM required) |
| Manufacturer | Microchip Technology (formerly Actel/Microsemi) |
A54SX72A-CQ256M 256-bfcqfp with tie bar (cqfp-256, 75x75 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for A54SX72A-CQ256M (256-bfcqfp with tie bar (cqfp-256, 75x75 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 A54SX72A-CQ256M.
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-CQ256M is suitable for 6 applications: Military and Avionics Logic Integration, Secure Boot and Anti-Tamper Systems, Communications Infrastructure Glue Logic, Obsolescence-Driven Redesign of Legacy Boards, Industrial Control and Test Equipment, Space-Adjacent and High-Reliability Prototyping.
Military and Avionics Logic Integration
The A54SX72A-CQ256M is purpose-built for defense and avionics programs that require extended temperature operation, ceramic packaging, and instant-on functionality. Its 108,000 system gates and 213 user I/O allow designers to consolidate address decoders, bus interfaces, and control logic that would otherwise occupy dozens of discrete TTL/CMOS devices, reducing board area, solder joints, and failure points. Because the antifuse configuration is non-volatile, the device is operational at power-up with no configuration PROM - critical for systems with strict boot-time requirements. The 256-BFCQFP with tie bar supports the socketed and high-reliability assembly flows common in avionics. At a 2.5 V core on a 0.25 um process, static power remains low even at full gate utilization, easing thermal design in sealed conduction-cooled enclosures.
Recommended
Secure Boot and Anti-Tamper Systems
Antifuse FPGAs are favored in security-sensitive systems because the programmed configuration cannot be read back as a bitstream the way SRAM FPGAs can - the design exists only as physical antifuse connections inside the die. The A54SX72A-CQ256M provides 108,000 gates of one-time-programmable logic in a ceramic CQFP-256 package, letting engineers implement secure boot sequencing, key management glue logic, and board-level authentication functions without external configuration memory that could be probed. Microchip positions SX-A explicitly on performance, security, and low power. For designs where the configuration itself is an asset, this OTP architecture is a meaningful hardening step at the hardware level, complementing rather than replacing higher-level cryptographic measures.
Recommended
Communications Infrastructure Glue Logic
In telecom and data-communications backplanes, the A54SX72A-CQ256M integrates bus arbitration, protocol adaptation, and interface bridging at toggle rates up to 217 MHz per family datasheet data. The A54SX72A is the only SX-A device with bidirectional clock buffers on its CLKA, CLKB, and QCLK circuits, enabling multi-clock-domain designs such as redundant clock switchover without external multiplexers. With 213 user I/O, a single device can terminate wide parallel buses (64-bit and wider) that smaller 16K/32K family members cannot. The antifuse fabric's deterministic routing and low static power suit always-on infrastructure equipment, while the OTP nature eliminates configuration-download glitches during hot service events in central-office and carrier equipment.
Recommended
Obsolescence-Driven Redesign of Legacy Boards
Many legacy military and industrial boards were designed around Actel SX-A or discrete 5V logic families that are now end-of-life. The A54SX72A-CQ256M, with its still-active lifecycle status and 108,000 gates, serves as a consolidation vehicle: a modern redesign can absorb the functions of multiple obsolete PAL/GAL/22V10 or SSI/MSI devices plus an older smaller FPGA into one verified part. Because the SX-A toolchain (Libero) and the die architecture are well documented in the 108-page family datasheet, migration effort is predictable. The ceramic CQFP-256 footprint matches heritage sockets on many legacy boards, making the CQ256M a direct fit where the original design used Actel CQFP packaging - minimizing PCB requalification for long-life programs.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Test Equipment
High-end automatic test equipment (ATE) and industrial controllers benefit from the A54SX72A-CQ256M's combination of wide I/O (213 pins), deterministic one-time-programmed timing, and low power. The antifuse fabric avoids the configuration-time and configuration-integrity concerns of SRAM FPGAs in instruments that power-cycle frequently during test sequences. Its 217 MHz toggle capability handles counter/timer, pattern-generator, and handshaking logic at moderate speeds, while the large 256-CQFP package provides generous 0.5 mm-pitch-style lead spacing that simplifies rework and socket-based engineering use. For floor-standing industrial systems operating over wide ambient ranges, selecting the M-grade variant protects against thermal excursions beyond commercial ratings.
Recommended
Space-Adjacent and High-Reliability Prototyping
While the standard A54SX72A-CQ256M is not a radiation-characterized space part, its ceramic CQFP packaging, antifuse configuration immunity to configuration upset, and low static power make it a natural fit for high-altitude, balloon, and ground-support equipment in space programs, and for prototyping logic destined for rad-tolerant flows. The non-volatile antifuse fabric is inherently resistant to the configuration-bit corruption mechanisms that affect SRAM FPGAs, reducing single-event functional interrupt risk at the configuration layer. Engineering teams commonly lock a proven design into the OTP device after validating it in simulation and SRAM-based prototypes, using the 108,000-gate capacity to implement full interface and control chains in one verified, tamper-resistant package.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for A54SX72A-CQ256M — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | A54SX72A-1CQ256 | A54SX72A-1CQ256M | A54SX72A-CQ256B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-BFCQFP with tie bar (CQFP-256, 75x75 mm) | 256-CQFP - same | 256-CQFP - same | 256-CQFP - same |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| System Gates | 108,000 | 108,000 | 108,000 | 108,000 |
| User I/O | 213 | 213 | 213 | 213 |
| Speed Grade | Standard | -1 (faster) | -1 (faster) | Standard |
| Temperature Grade | M (extended) | [DATA_NEEDED] | M (extended) | Commercial 0C to +70C |
| Reference Price (qty 1, as of 2026-09-03) | $2,962.38 | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | $6,913.97 (reference) |
| Programming Type | Antifuse (OTP) | Antifuse (OTP) | Antifuse (OTP) | Antifuse (OTP) |
Key Differentiators
- Only SX-A family member with bidirectional clock buffers (vs A54SX32A-CQ256M)
- Extended temperature M-grade ceramic package (vs A54SX72A-CQ256B)
- Speed-grade upgrade with zero PCB change (vs A54SX72A-1CQ256)
Design Notes
Antifuse devices are one-time programmable - there is no erase or rework path. Freeze the netlist, run full timing simulation against the -1 or standard speed grade you will actually buy, and reserve a programmed-spare inventory before committing to the A54SX72A-CQ256M in production. A design change discovered after programming requires a new device and, if I/O assignment changed, potentially a new PCB. Budget at least one blank device per board for field spares.
The A54SX72A operates from a 2.5 V core on a 0.25 um process. Estimated: with typical SX-A static current in the low-milliamp range at 108K gates, core power is modest, but I/O power depends heavily on toggle rate and load capacitance - wide 213-I/O buses driving 30 pF loads at high frequency can dominate the power budget. Decouple the 2.5 V core rail with at least 10 uF bulk plus 0.1 uF ceramic per corner of the 256-CQFP, and verify worst-case I/O switching current against your supply design.
The 256-BFCQFP with tie bar is a ceramic leaded package; the tie bar leads are mechanical/thermal and must be connected per the datasheet land-pattern recommendation, not left floating arbitrarily. Give the package corner leads relief for CTE mismatch between ceramic and FR-4 in thermally cycled systems - a common reliability failure mode for large CQFPs. For socketed avionics applications, specify a zero-insertion-force or low-force CQFP-256 socket rated for the full pin count and verify contact resistance adds acceptable margin to I/O timing.
Use the A54SX72A's unique bidirectional clock buffers (CLKA/CLKB/QCLK) deliberately: they allow clock switchover and clock-out-on-pin schemes without external logic, but bidirectional clocking complicates static timing analysis. Constrain each clock domain in Libero, keep clock nets on the dedicated routing the buffers provide, and avoid generating clocks from general-purpose logic where a dedicated buffer exists. Series-terminate heavily loaded I/O banks to control ringing on wide parallel buses.
Compliance Information
FindIC data indicates the related A54SX72A-CQ256B is lead-containing; RoHS/lead-free status of the CQ256M must be confirmed on the Microchip product page before export-controlled or RoHS-restricted programs commit.
