EPF81500ARC240-4N - 16K-Gate FLEX 8000 FPGA, 240-RQFP | Altera
MPN: EPF81500ARC240-4N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $128.5 | $1,285.00 |
| 100 | $112 | $11,200.00 |
| 500 | $98.75 | $49,375.00 |
| 1,000 | $87.2 | $87,200.00 |
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View Datasheet →EPF81500ARC240-4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 8000 |
| Logic Elements | 1296 |
| Registers | 1500 |
| Usable Gates | 16,000 |
| Maximum User I/O | 181 |
| Supply Voltage VCCINT | 4.75 V to 5.25 V (5 V nominal) |
| I/O Supply Voltage VCCIO | 3.3 V or 5 V (multiVolt I/O) |
| Propagation Delay (Tpd) | 1.9 ns |
| Internal Counter Frequency | 125 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.42 um CMOS SRAM |
| Package | 240-pin RQFP (S-PQFP-G240) |
| Package Body Size | 32 mm x 32 mm |
| Speed Grade | -4 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 70 C (commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Method | SRAM, EPROM, or controller-loaded |
EPF81500ARC240-4N Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O — User I/O pin (bank-dependent) |
| Pin 2 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 3 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 4 | VCCINT — Core supply 5V |
| Pin 5 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 6 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 7 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 8 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 9 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin 10 | VCCIO — I/O supply 3.3V or 5V |
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
EPF81500ARC240-4N is suitable for 6 applications: Glue Logic Replacement, Industrial Control Bus Controllers, Telecommunications Backplane Interfaces, ASIC Prototype Emulation, Test and Measurement Front-End, Legacy 5V System Maintenance.
Glue Logic Replacement
The EPF81500ARC240-4N excels at replacing multiple discrete 74-series and PAL/GAL devices on legacy boards, consolidating bus-control, address-decoding, and wait-state logic into a single programmable device. With 1,296 logic elements and 181 user I/O, the FLEX 8000 absorbs dozens of MSI/SSI packages while fitting the same 240-RQFP footprint as the original Altera EPF81500 designs. The 5V VCCINT and multiVolt VCCIO mean the part drops directly into 5V TTL systems without level shifters, preserving signal integrity on legacy backplanes. The -4 speed grade at 1.9 ns propagation delay and 125 MHz internal frequency covers most glue-logic timing margins. Designers configure the bitstream using Altera MAX+PLUS II or Quartus, and the resulting JEDEC-style programming file loads from an EPC1 or EPC1441 boot PROM on power-up.
Recommended
Industrial Control Bus Controllers
The EPF81500ARC240-4N is widely deployed in industrial PLC backplanes as a bus-master or protocol-bridge controller, where its 181 user I/O pins support parallel field-bus interfaces (e.g., legacy PROFIBUS, custom 16-bit industrial buses) without external bus drivers. The 5V tolerant I/O with multiVolt support lets it interface directly to 5V peripheral logic and 3.3V MCUs on the same board. The 0-70C commercial temperature range suits cabinet-mounted industrial environments; for harsher plants, an industrial-grade -40 to 85C variant would be specified. According to the FLEX 8000 datasheet, in-circuit reconfigurability (ICR) allows field firmware updates via JTAG without removing the module from the rack - critical for installed-base support. The 240-RQFP package's 32 mm body fits standard 6U Eurocard mechanics.
Recommended
Telecommunications Backplane Interfaces
In telecom backplane designs, the EPF81500ARC240-4N serves as a TDM bus arbiter, framer interface, or HDLC controller glue layer between line cards and a central switch fabric. The 181 user I/O pins accommodate 8- to 16-bit parallel TDM buses (H.110, MVIP, SCbus) plus dedicated framing and clock pins. The FLEX 8000 family's 125 MHz internal frequency and 1.9 ns Tpd enable sub-100 ns bus-turnaround latency required for E1/T1 channel-bank timing. Per the Altera datasheet, multiVolt I/O allows direct connection to 3.3V PHY devices while the core runs at 5V, eliminating external level-translators. The 240-RQFP package provides enough I/O for full H.110 CT-bus (32 streams x 8 bits plus control) on a single device.
Recommended
ASIC Prototype Emulation
Before committing a custom ASIC to silicon, design houses emulated the gate-level netlist on the EPF81500ARC240-4N to validate system functionality in real hardware at near-production speeds. With 16,000 usable gates spread across 1,296 logic elements and 1,500 registers, the FLEX 8000 approximates small to mid-density ASICs in prototyping boards. The -4 speed grade's 1.9 ns propagation delay runs at system clock rates up to 125 MHz, fast enough for many real-world emulation workloads. The in-circuit reconfigurability allows design iteration from JTAG without unsoldering the package. According to the FLEX 8000 datasheet, the SRAM-based configuration enables unlimited reprogram cycles, making the EPF81500 ideal for verification flows before tape-out.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Front-End
Test and measurement instruments use the EPF81500ARC240-4N as a programmable stimulus generator, pattern sequencer, or measurement multiplexer, where its 181 user I/O drive 32-channel digital I/O cards or switch matrices. The 5V multiVolt I/O directly interfaces to legacy bench instruments (TTL logic analyzers, GPIB receivers, BNC-triggered sequencers) without external drivers. The 1.9 ns Tpd supports sequencing rates above 100 MHz in scan-test applications. The 240-RQFP's 32 mm body fits compact PXI/cPCI-3U modules while leaving room for power and analog sections on the same PCB. Per Altera documentation, JTAG boundary scan on every I/O pin simplifies board-level test fixtures and in-system diagnostics on shipped units.
Recommended
Legacy 5V System Maintenance
The EPF81500ARC240-4N remains in service for maintenance of legacy 5V-only systems where modern sub-3.3V FPGAs are not pin-compatible and redesign is cost-prohibitive (medical imaging, military communications, aerospace test stands). The FLEX 8000's 5V VCCINT (4.75-5.25V) and multiVolt VCCIO allow the device to operate alongside 5V TTL, 5V CMOS, and 5V PECL peripherals on the same bus. Per the datasheet, in-circuit reconfigurability (ICR) lets field-service engineers swap personality bitstreams via JTAG without removing the card. The 240-RQFP package's wide 32 mm body supports hand-rework and socketed designs, important for sustainment programs that maintain hardware for 15-25 years. As of 2026-09-12, brokers and authorized distributors carry limited remaining stock.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF81500ARC240-4N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF81500ARC240-4 | EPF81500ARC240-3 | EPF81500AQC240-4 | EPF81500AQC240-3 | EPF81500AQC240-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 240-RQFP | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same | 240-RQFP - same |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Speed Grade | -4 | -4 | -3 (faster) | -4 | -3 (faster) | -2 (fastest) |
| Usable Gates | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 |
| Logic Elements | 1296 | 1296 | 1296 | 1296 | 1296 | 1296 |
| Maximum User I/O | 181 | 181 | 181 | 181 | 181 | 181 |
| Propagation Delay (Tpd) | 1.9 ns | 1.9 ns | 1.4 ns (faster) | 1.9 ns | 1.4 ns (faster) | 1.0 ns (fastest) |
| Lead Finish | Standard (SnPb or Pb-free per N suffix) | Standard | Standard | AQC lead finish | AQC lead finish | AQC lead finish |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density FLEX 8000 device in 240-RQFP (vs EPF81188ARC240-4)
- N-suffix provides alternate ordering/packaging option (vs EPF81500ARC240-4)
- 5V VCCINT supports legacy 5V-only systems (vs Modern Cyclone IV EP4CE6)
Design Notes
The EPF81500ARC240-4N requires both VCCINT (5V core) and VCCIO (3.3V or 5V I/O) supplies. Per the FLEX 8000 datasheet, place 0.1 uF decoupling capacitors as close as possible to every VCC/VCCIO/GND pin pair, with bulk 10-47 uF tantalum or polymer caps on each supply rail. The 240-RQFP package has 16-20 VCC pins distributed around the periphery; missing decoupling on any pin pair can cause voltage droop during high-toggle-rate operation and corrupt configuration reads. Power sequencing requires VCCINT to reach stable 4.75V before configuration begins; use a power-good supervisor or rely on the Altera configuration device's internal POR.
The 240-pin RQFP package has moderate thermal resistance (estimated theta_JA ~25-30 C/W on a 4-layer PCB with ground plane). At maximum toggle activity the FLEX 8000 core can dissipate 1.5-2 W. For sustained high-frequency designs (125 MHz internal clock with high LE utilization), use at least 1 sq inch of copper pour tied to GND on the top layer under the package, plus thermal vias to inner ground planes. Estimated: at 1.8 W dissipation with 28 C/W theta_JA, junction temperature rises ~50 C above ambient, leaving 20 C margin to the 70 C commercial limit at 20 C ambient.
Use a 4-layer PCB with dedicated ground and power planes for the EPF81500ARC240-4N. The 240-RQFP's 0.5 mm pitch gull-wing leads require 0.25 mm wide traces between pads - escape-route inner pads through vias-in-pad or dog-bone fanouts to inner signal layers. Per Altera FLEX 8000 reference designs, dedicate one inner layer as a continuous ground plane directly under the device to provide a low-impedance return path for the 181 user I/O signals. Keep configuration clock (DCLK) and DATA traces short (<50 mm) and impedance-controlled to avoid setup/hold violations during SRAM load.
Do not leave the EPF81500ARC240-4N unconfigured at power-up - the FLEX 8000 SRAM cells power up in an undefined state, and I/O pins will drive random patterns until the configuration bitstream loads. Always pair the device with an EPC1, EPC1213, EPC1064, or EPC1441 configuration memory, or a microcontroller that drives the serial configuration port. Per the datasheet, nCONFIG must be held low during power-up ramp and released only after VCCINT reaches 4.75V. Another common pitfall: routing the JTAG TCK signal too long causes boundary-scan failures - keep TCK under 100 mm and series-terminate near the driver.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Altera/Intel product environmental documentation. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in the provided datasheet excerpts. AEC-Q100 not applicable for commercial-grade FPGA. The 'N' suffix typically indicates Pb-free lead finish.
