EPF81500ARC304-3 - FLEX 8000 FPGA 16K Gates 304-RQFP | Intel
MPN: EPF81500ARC304-3 β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $45 | $45.00 |
| 10 | $42.5 | $425.00 |
| 100 | $39 | $3,900.00 |
| 500 | $35.75 | $17,875.00 |
| 1,000 | $32.5 | $32,500.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPF81500ARC304-3 β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF81500ARC304-2
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$92.5 / Unit
View Datasheet βEPF81500ARC304-2A
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EPF81500ARC304-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 8000 |
| Usable Gates | 16,000 |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 1,296 |
| Number of Flip-Flops | 1,500 |
| User I/O Pins | 208 |
| Package Type | 304-BFQFP (RQFP) |
| Supply Voltage | 5 V |
| Process Technology | 0.42 Β΅m CMOS EPROM |
| Speed Grade | -3 |
| Internal Performance | 125 MHz |
| Configuration Method | In-Circuit Reconfigurable (ICR) via external device or controller |
| Non-Volatile Configuration | Yes (EPROM-based, instant-on) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| JTAG/Boundary Scan | Supported |
EPF81500ARC304-3 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O β User I/O pin (208 available, specific function depends on design) |
| Pin 2 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 3 | VCC β 5V power supply |
| Pin 4 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 5 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 6 | TDI β JTAG Test Data In |
| Pin 7 | TMS β JTAG Test Mode Select |
| Pin 8 | TCK β JTAG Test Clock |
| Pin 9 | nSTATUS β Configuration status (open-drain) |
| Pin 10 | CONF_DONE β Configuration complete (open-drain) |
| Pin 11 | nCONFIG β Configuration start (active-low) |
| Pin 12 | MSEL0 β Configuration mode select 0 |
| Pin 13 | MSEL1 β Configuration mode select 1 |
| Pin 14 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 15 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 16 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 17 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 18 | VCC β 5V power supply |
| Pin 19 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 20 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 21 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 22 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 23 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 24 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 25 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 26 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 27 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 28 | VCC β 5V power supply |
| Pin 29 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 30 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 31 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 32 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 33 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 34 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 35 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 36 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 37 | VCC β 5V power supply |
| Pin 38 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 39 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 40 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 41 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 42 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 43 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 44 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 45 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 46 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 47 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 48 | VCC β 5V power supply |
| Pin 49 | GND β Ground |
| Pin 50 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 51 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 52 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 53 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 54 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 55 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 56 | TDO β JTAG Test Data Out |
| Pin 57 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 58 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 59 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 60 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 61-100 | I/O β User I/O pins (per datasheet Table 16) |
| Pin 101-200 | I/O/VCC/GND β Mixed user I/O, VCC, and GND pins per datasheet Table 16 |
| Pin 201-296 | I/O/VCC/GND β Mixed user I/O, VCC, and GND pins per datasheet Table 16 |
| Pin 297 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 298 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 299 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 300 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 301 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 302 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 303 | I/O β User I/O pin |
| Pin 304 | I/O β User I/O pin |
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
EPF81500ARC304-3 is suitable for 6 applications: Peripheral Bus Interfacing (PCI/ISA/VME), Telecommunications Line Cards, Industrial Control Systems, Legacy TTL/MSI Logic Replacement, Military and Aerospace Avionics (Legacy), Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Peripheral Bus Interfacing (PCI/ISA/VME)
The EPF81500ARC304-3's 208 user I/O pins and 5 V tolerance make it well-suited for legacy peripheral bus interfacing applications including PCI, ISA, and VME bus bridges. With 16K usable gates and 1,500 flip-flops, the device can implement bus arbitration state machines, address decoding, interrupt controllers, and FIFO buffers in a single chip. The EPROM-based non-volatile configuration provides instant-on behavior, which is critical for systems where the bus master must respond to enumeration cycles immediately after power-up. The 304-RQFP package exposes enough I/O to drive 32-bit data buses plus full address and control signals without external bus transceivers.
Recommended
Telecommunications Line Cards
The EPF81500ARC304-3 is deployed in telecommunications line-card designs where its 208 user I/O, 5 V I/O tolerance, and register-rich architecture enable glue-logic consolidation. Typical line-card functions include TDM bus time-slot assignment, HDLC framing, elastic store buffering, and clock-data recovery support logic. The FLEX 8000 family's FastTrack continuous interconnect provides predictable timing for synchronous serial interfaces at T1/E1 rates. The device's EPROM-based configuration is favored in telecom applications requiring deterministic power-on behavior and resistance to configuration memory corruption from single-event upsets in field deployments.
Recommended
Industrial Control Systems
Industrial control systems leverage the EPF81500ARC304-3's 5 V tolerant I/O to directly interface with 5 V sensors, actuators, and legacy PLC buses without level shifters. The 1,500 flip-flops support complex state machines for sequential process control, while 16K gates implement custom protocol handlers (Modbus, Profibus, DeviceNet glue logic). The 304-RQFP package's high I/O count accommodates multi-axis motion control designs requiring parallel encoder inputs, PWM outputs, and limit-switch monitoring. The part's mature status and stable NRND availability through distributors make it a known-quantity choice for long-lifecycle industrial equipment where redesign risk must be minimized.
Recommended
Legacy TTL/MSI Logic Replacement
Designers use the EPF81500ARC304-3 to consolidate dozens of 74-series TTL and MSI logic chips into a single programmable device, reducing PCB area, power consumption, and BOM cost on legacy system refresh programs. With 1,296 logic elements and 208 user I/O, the EPF81500A can replace 20-50 discrete TTL packages depending on design density. The instant-on EPROM configuration eliminates the cold-boot behavior of SRAM-based FPGAs - critical in safety and industrial applications where undefined logic states during boot are unacceptable. The 5 V core supply matches the original TTL rail, simplifying power architecture in legacy retrofits.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Avionics (Legacy)
Long-lifecycle military and aerospace platforms have deployed the EPF81500ARC304-3 in avionics subsystems, radar signal processing front-ends, and mission computer I/O expansion roles. The 304-RQFP package's high I/O count supports MIL-STD-1553 and ARINC 429 bus interfaces, while the EPROM configuration provides radiation-tolerant non-volatile storage compared to SRAM FPGAs. Although the part is NRND and not recommended for new designs, existing fielded systems continue to require spares and replacement units. The mature process technology and stable supply through distribution channels support sustainment programs where design changes would require expensive re-qualification.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EPF81500ARC304-3 serves in bench-top and ATE test equipment where its 208 user I/O enable parallel pattern generation, custom timing generators, and protocol-aware stimulus/response modules. The 16K-gate density supports multi-channel arbitrary waveform generator sequencing, while the 5 V I/O tolerance directly drives legacy instrument interfaces without external buffers. The FastTrack interconnect's deterministic timing is valuable for generating precision timing edges required in production test. The device's instant-on EPROM behavior ensures that test equipment is immediately operational after power cycling - critical in high-throughput manufacturing test environments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF81500ARC304-3 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF81500ARC304-2 | EPF81500ARC304-2A | EPF81188ARC240-4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 304-BFQFP (RQFP) | 304-BFQFP (RQFP) - same | 304-BFQFP (RQFP) - same | 240-PQFP - different |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Usable Gates | 16,000 | 16,000 | 16,000 | 12,000 |
| Logic Elements | 1,296 | 1,296 | 1,296 | 1,008 |
| User I/O Pins | 208 | 208 | 208 | 168 |
| Speed Grade | -3 (~125 MHz) | -2 (~100 MHz) | -2A | -4 |
| Supply Voltage | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V | 5 V |
| Configuration Method | EPROM (instant-on) | EPROM (instant-on) | EPROM (instant-on) | EPROM (instant-on) |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
| Internal Performance | 125 MHz | ~100 MHz | ~100 MHz | ~80 MHz |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest speed grade in EPF81500A family (vs EPF81500ARC304-2)
- Largest I/O count in FLEX 8000 family (vs EPF81188ARC240-4)
- Highest density in FLEX 8000 family (vs EPF81188ARC240-4)
Design Notes
The EPF81500ARC304-3 requires a stable 5 V Β±5% supply (per FLEX 8000 datasheet DC characteristics). Decoupling: place one 0.1 Β΅F ceramic capacitor per VCC pin group and at least one 47 Β΅F bulk tantalum near each VCC/GND pair. The 304-pin RQFP package has multiple VCC/GND pins distributed around the package - all must be connected. Power sequencing is not required (EPROM-based instant-on), but VCC ramp time should be monotonic to avoid spurious configuration activity. Estimated ICC at 125 MHz with typical 50% toggle rate: 100-150 mA per VCC group; use a 500 mA-rated regulator with margin.
The 304-RQFP (BFQFP) package has a 31.2 Γ 31.2 mm body with 0.5 mm pitch gull-wing leads. PCB design requires: (1) 4-layer board recommended for ground-plane integrity under the device; (2) all signal traces on outer layers, power/ground on inner layers; (3) thermal vias under the package center (if a thermal pad is present on this specific variant); (4) keep JTAG signals (TDI/TDO/TMS/TCK) short and routed away from high-frequency switching signals; (5) configuration pins (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) require external 10 kΞ© pull-ups to VCC. The 304-RQFP requires fine-pitch PCB fabrication (0.5 mm pitch is at the edge of standard SMT capability).
Common pitfalls with EPF81500ARC304-3 designs: (1) Do not assume JTAG chain continuity without verifying BSDL file compatibility with your JTAG tester; (2) MSEL0/MSEL1 pin settings must match the configuration mode (passive serial, active serial, etc.) - incorrect settings cause configuration failure; (3) The device is one-time-programmable (EPROM) - design errors require a new part, not a re-programming cycle; (4) For high-speed designs (>100 MHz), enable the FastTrack interconnect with tpd derating from datasheet; (5) The -3 speed grade provides higher performance than -2 but has tighter timing margins - validate critical paths with static timing analysis (Quartus II supports FLEX 8000 timing analysis).
For EPF81500ARC304-3 designs with 125 MHz internal performance, signal integrity considerations include: (1) Series-terminate clock outputs with 33 Ξ© resistors if driving traces longer than 50 mm; (2) Keep configuration clock (DCLK) traces short and isolated from user I/O; (3) Use ground guards between adjacent high-speed I/O banks; (4) The FLEX 8000 I/O cells support 5 V PCI compliance when configured for PCI mode; (5) For SSTL or GTL interfaces, use external reference voltage circuits as specified in AN-75 (Altera application note). Estimated: at 125 MHz with 208 I/O switching, simultaneous switching noise can induce 200-400 mV ground bounce - use sufficient decoupling and ground-plane stitching.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance per distributor listings (DigiKey, Heisener). REACH, halogen-free, and conflict minerals status not explicitly stated in available data - set to 'unknown'. AEC-Q100 not applicable for legacy FPGA logic devices.
