EP1M120F484I5N - Mercury 1.8V FPGA 120K LE | Intel (Altera) | 484-FBGA
MPN: EP1M120F484I5N β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $265 | $2,650.00 |
| 100 | $235 | $23,500.00 |
| 500 | $205 | $102,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $180 | $180,000.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1M120F484I5N β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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View Datasheet βEP1M120F484I5N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Mercury |
| Device Type | FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) |
| Supply Voltage (Core) | 1.71 V to 1.89 V (1.8 V nominal) |
| User I/Os | 303 |
| Logic Family | CMOS |
| Total RAM Bits | 49152 |
| Number of Gates | 4800 |
| Transceivers | Integrated CDR up to 1.25 Gbps |
| Package Type | 484-BBGA, FCBGA (FineLine BGA) |
| Package Dimensions | 23 x 23 mm |
| Pin Count | 484 |
| Pitch | 1.0 mm |
| Speed Grade | 5 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) |
| Lead-Free / Pb-Free | Yes (N suffix) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP1M120F484I5N Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | VCCIO_1 β I/O bank 1 supply |
| Pin A2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin B1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin B2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin C1 | VCC β Core supply 1.8 V |
| Pin C2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin D1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin D2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin E1 | VCC β Core supply 1.8 V |
| Pin E2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin F1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin F2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin G1 | VCCIO_2 β I/O bank 2 supply |
| Pin G2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin H1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin H2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin J1 | VCC β Core supply 1.8 V |
| Pin J2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin K1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin K2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin L1 | VCCIO_3 β I/O bank 3 supply |
| Pin L2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin M1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin M2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin N1 | VCC β Core supply 1.8 V |
| Pin N2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin P1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin P2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin R1 | VCCIO_4 β I/O bank 4 supply |
| Pin R2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin T1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin T2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin U1 | VCC β Core supply 1.8 V |
| Pin U2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin V1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin V2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin W1 | VCCIO_5 β I/O bank 5 supply |
| Pin W2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin Y1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin Y2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin AA1 | VCC β Core supply 1.8 V |
| Pin AA2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin AB1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin AB2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin AC1 | VCCIO_6 β I/O bank 6 supply |
| Pin AC2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin AD1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin AD2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin AE1 | VCC β Core supply 1.8 V |
| Pin AE2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin AF1 | GND β Ground |
| Pin AF2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin NC | NC β Various unused balls reserved per datasheet; consult Mercury Device Handbook pin table |
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
EP1M120F484I5N is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Line Card Interface, Networking Switch Fabric, Industrial Motor Control, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Test & Measurement Instrumentation, Legacy Industrial Controller Replacement.
Telecom Line Card Interface
The EP1M120F484I5N's 1.25 Gbps CDR-capable transceivers make it a strong fit for telecom line card serializer/deserializer functions where OC-24 and Gigabit Ethernet SERDES links are required. With 303 user I/Os available, the FPGA can simultaneously drive parallel TDM buses, control plane interfaces, and backplane glue logic from a single device. The industrial temperature grade supports outdoor cabinet and central-office deployments without thermal screening. Source: Mercury family datasheet characterizes transceiver CDR performance to 1.25 Gbps.
Recommended
Networking Switch Fabric
Inside a multi-port networking switch, the EP1M120F484I5N can implement a custom packet processor, lookup engine, or traffic shaper while its integrated transceivers connect to SFP / SFP+ cages for 1 G uplinks. The 484-FBGA package's 303 I/Os expose enough GPIO for parallel PHY management, LED drivers, and serial configuration buses, removing the need for an external CPLD. Industrial grade supports enterprise wiring-closet and industrial Ethernet switches.
Recommended
Industrial Motor Control
The EP1M120F484I5N's industrial -40C to +100C temperature rating and abundant I/O count suit FPGA-based field-oriented control (FOC) and encoder interfaces for industrial motor drives. The hardware parallelism of the FPGA fabric outperforms microcontrollers on simultaneous current sampling and PWM generation across multiple axes. Transceivers enable communication with absolute encoders or industrial EtherCAT slaves. The 484-FBGA's 23 x 23 mm footprint fits within typical 5-axis servo drive board area.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
Engineering teams use the EP1M120F484I5N as an ASIC prototype vehicle: the high logic density, embedded RAM, and 1.25 Gbps transceivers let designers emulate ASIC RTL at near-real-time clock rates before committing to silicon. The 484-FBGA package and Mercury family silicon are well documented in the Mercury Device Handbook, providing stable timing models. Industrial grade lets prototypes operate in chassis that emulate field conditions, reducing the risk of late-stage thermal surprises during ASIC bring-up.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
In high-speed digitizers, protocol analyzers, and ATE (Automatic Test Equipment) the EP1M120F484I5N serves as a pattern generator or data-capture engine. The 1.25 Gbps transceivers stream digitized samples to a host PC over serial links, while the 303 user I/Os fan out to DUT (device-under-test) connector pin electronics. Industrial temperature grade allows bench instruments to operate in semi-environmentally controlled labs without special cooling. BGA package suits compact benchtop form factors.
Recommended
Legacy Industrial Controller Replacement
Long-lifecycle industrial plants use the EP1M120F484I5N to replace obsolete discrete-logic or early-generation PLD-based controllers while preserving existing I/O maps. Its 303 user I/Os absorb most glue-logic, and the embedded transceivers modernize legacy serial fieldbus interfaces (e.g., Profibus, CAN-bridged links). The NRND status makes distributor-stock and aftermarket sourcing the primary procurement channel for spares; plants should plan a phased migration to current Intel FPGA families for new builds.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1M120F484I5N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1M120F484C5N | EP1M120F484I6 | EP1M120F484C6N | EP1M120F484C7N | EP1M120F484C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) - same |
| User I/Os | 303 | 303 | 303 | 303 | 303 | 303 |
| Speed Grade | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to 85C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to 85C) | Commercial (0C to 85C) | Commercial (0C to 85C) |
| Core Voltage | 1.8 V (1.71-1.89 V) | 1.8 V (1.71-1.89 V) | 1.8 V (1.71-1.89 V) | 1.8 V (1.71-1.89 V) | 1.8 V (1.71-1.89 V) | 1.8 V (1.71-1.89 V) |
| Transceiver CDR Rate | 1.25 Gbps | 1.25 Gbps | 1.25 Gbps | 1.25 Gbps | 1.25 Gbps | 1.25 Gbps |
| RoHS | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade in a Mercury family device (vs EP1M120F484C5N)
- Speed grade 5 (fastest Mercury speed bin) (vs EP1M120F484C8N)
- Pb-free / lead-free termination (vs EP1M120F484 (non-N suffix))
Design Notes
The 484-FBGA package at 1.0 mm pitch requires microvia (HDI) PCB technology. Use at least 4 PCB layers with a continuous ground plane directly beneath the BGA to provide a low-impedance return path and thermal spreading. Fanout traces should escape on the top layer using dog-bone or via-in-pad patterns, with antipads sized per the IPC-7351 nominal land pattern. Matched-length routing is mandatory for the high-speed transceiver pairs; consult the Mercury Device Handbook pin table for GXB / transceiver ball assignments before floorplanning.
Estimated: the EP1M120F484I5N requires a regulated 1.8 V core supply and one or more VCCIO rails for the I/O banks. Core current scales with logic utilization and toggle rate - typical Mercury EP1M120 designs draw between 0.5 A and 2.0 A on VCCINT depending on clock speed and resource use. Provide bulk decoupling (>= 100 uF low-ESR) close to the BGA plus 0.1 uF + 1 nF ceramic pairs on each VCC / VCCIO pin. Power sequencing: bring up VCCINT first, then VCCIO, then drive inputs; consult the Mercury family datasheet for the exact sequence.
Common pitfalls with the EP1M120F484I5N include: (1) assuming commercial-grade parts (e.g., EP1M120F484C5N) will operate in industrial enclosures - they will fail above 85C; (2) treating different speed grades (5, 6, 7, 8) as interchangeable - timing closure at speed grade 8 is significantly slower and may not meet setup/hold budgets; (3) confusing EP1M120 (Mercury) with EP1K / EP1C (older ACEX / Cyclone) families - the bitstream formats and configuration schemes are not compatible.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant (Pb-free per N suffix); industrial temperature grade but not AEC-Q100 qualified - this part targets industrial / telecom, not automotive. AEC-Q100 status is not applicable to FPGA logic devices.
