EPM240ZXXAA - MAX II CPLD, 240 LE, 0.18um Flash | Intel
MPN: EPM240ZXXAA ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3.42 | $3.42 |
| 10 | $3.07 | $30.70 |
| 100 | $2.74 | $274.00 |
| 500 | $2.45 | $1,225.00 |
| 1,000 | $2.18 | $2,180.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EPM240ZXXAA — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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EPM240ZM100C6N
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View Datasheet →EPM240ZXXAA Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | MAX II Z |
| Family | MAX II CPLDs |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 240 |
| Process Technology | 0.18 um flash-based CMOS |
| User I/O (max) | 80 |
| User Flash Memory | 8 Kbit |
| Configuration Memory | Non-volatile flash (instant-on) |
| Supply Voltage - Core | 3.3 V |
| I/O Voltage Standards | 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V LVCMOS/LVTTL |
| Internal Oscillator | Yes |
| JTAG / IEEE 1149.1 | Supported |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial grade - typical) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA / MBGA - consult ordering code) |
| Design Software | Quartus II / Quartus Prime Lite |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EPM240ZXXAA standard Pin Configuration Guide
Complete pinout information for EPM240ZXXAA (standard 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 EPM240ZXXAA.
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
EPM240ZXXAA is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial I/O Expansion and Bus Bridging, Power-Up Sequencing for Multi-Rail Systems, LED Driving and Display Multiplexing, Glue Logic for Microcontroller-Based Designs, Configuration Companion for FPGAs and Processors, Consumer Electronics Interface Bridging.
Industrial I/O Expansion and Bus Bridging
The EPM240ZXXAA's 240 Logic Elements and up to 80 user I/O pins make it well suited to industrial I/O expansion where a microcontroller or SoC needs extra GPIO, SPI/UART channels, or parallel bus interfaces. Its multi-voltage LVCMOS I/O from 1.5 V to 3.3 V lets it bridge 1.8 V SoCs to 3.3 V peripheral ICs on the same board, eliminating level shifters. Compared with an FPGA, the instant-on flash configuration avoids configuration-PROM cost and boot delay, and the 0.18-um process keeps standby current low for always-on industrial nodes.
Recommended
Power-Up Sequencing for Multi-Rail Systems
The EPM240ZXXAA's instant-on non-volatile configuration enables deterministic power-up sequencing of multi-rail systems, where DC-DC converters, FPGAs, and ASICs must be enabled in a specific order to avoid latch-up. Designers program the timing of each rail's PG/EN signal using macrocell flip-flops and the internal oscillator, achieving sub-millisecond sequencing accuracy. This is more reliable than a discrete RC delay chain because timing is firmware-defined, not analog, and the part retains its configuration across power cycles without a configuration PROM.
Recommended
LED Driving and Display Multiplexing
With up to 80 user I/O and 8 Kbit user flash, the EPM240ZXXAA can drive large LED arrays or multiplex 7-segment / dot-matrix displays without host CPU intervention. Each macrocell provides a flip-flop for PWM generation, enabling per-channel brightness control and animation at refresh rates above 1 kHz. The instant-on characteristic means displays light up immediately at boot, which is critical for status indicators, signage controllers, and consumer electronics front panels where blank time at startup is unacceptable.
Recommended
Glue Logic for Microcontroller-Based Designs
The EPM240ZXXAA functions as classic glue logic for MCU/SoC designs: address decoding, chip-select generation, interrupt prioritization, and reset distribution. Each macrocell handles a few logic functions, so the 240-LE device replaces 10-20 discrete 74-series logic ICs while saving board area. The non-volatile flash configuration means no firmware or boot loader is required on the CPLD itself, simplifying production testing and field updates compared with microcontrollers that need external flash.
Recommended
Configuration Companion for FPGAs and Processors
The EPM240ZXXAA is widely deployed as a configuration manager for SRAM-based FPGAs (e.g., Cyclone, Stratix) that require an external configuration PROM. By hosting the FPGA bitstream in the CPLD's 8 Kbit user flash, designers reduce BOM cost and add configuration watchdog functionality. The CPLD can monitor the FPGA's CONF_DONE signal and re-trigger configuration on lock-up, increasing system reliability in unattended industrial or remote installations.
Recommended
Consumer Electronics Interface Bridging
In consumer devices, the EPM240ZXXAA bridges incompatible interface standards - for example, MIPI to LVDS, I2S to TDM, or HDMI CEC to GPIO. The macrocell fabric provides deterministic sub-nanosecond pin-to-pin delays, which is critical for high-speed interface timing. Operating from a single 3.3 V supply and supporting 1.5-3.3 V I/O, the part fits neatly alongside mobile SoCs and audio CODECs in space-constrained wearables, smart-home hubs, and TV accessories.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPM240ZXXAA — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPM240ZM100C6N | EPM240ZM100I8N | EPM240ZM68C7N | EPM240T100C5N | EPM240GT100C5N | 5M240ZM100C5N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | BGA variant (XXAA suffix) | MBGA-100 - same BGA family | MBGA-100 - same BGA family | MBGA-68 - same BGA family | TQFP-100 - different package | TQFP-100 - different package | MBGA-100 - same BGA family |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 240 LE | 240 LE (same) | 240 LE (same) | 240 LE (same) | 240 LE (same) | 240 LE (same) | 240 LE (same) |
| User Flash | 8 Kbit | 8 Kbit (same) | 8 Kbit (same) | 8 Kbit (same) | 8 Kbit (same) | 8 Kbit (same) | 8 Kbit (same) |
| Speed Grade | XXAA (consult datasheet) | -6 (faster) | -8 (slower) | -7 | -5 (fastest) | -5 | -5 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (typical) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial/Industrial | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial | Commercial |
| Configuration Memory | Non-volatile flash (instant-on) | Non-volatile flash | Non-volatile flash | Non-volatile flash | Non-volatile flash | Non-volatile flash | Non-volatile flash |
| Process Technology | 0.18 um flash CMOS | 0.18 um | 0.18 um | 0.18 um | 0.18 um | 0.18 um | 0.18 um (MAX V refresh) |
| Design Software | Quartus II / Quartus Prime Lite | Quartus II / Quartus Prime | Quartus II / Quartus Prime | Quartus II / Quartus Prime | Quartus II / Quartus Prime | Quartus II / Quartus Prime | Quartus Prime Lite only |
| Unit Price (1pc, USD) | 3.42 | 4.10 | 5.20 | 3.95 | 3.60 | 3.75 | 3.85 |
Key Differentiators
- Pin-compatible family with multiple package and speed options (vs EPM240ZM100C6N)
- Instant-on non-volatile flash configuration (vs SRAM-based FPGAs (e.g., Cyclone))
- Lower standby current than MAX V for always-on designs (vs 5M240ZM100C5N (MAX V))
Design Notes
The EPM240ZXXAA operates from a single 3.3 V core supply; decoupling requires a 100 nF ceramic capacitor placed within 3 mm of each VCC pin, plus a 10 uF bulk capacitor at the supply entry point. The internal core logic draws up to 30 mA during configuration and drops to low-microamp standby once configured. According to the Intel MAX II device handbook, unused I/O banks must still be powered to keep their I/O buffers in a defined state - never leave VCCIO pins floating.
For MBGA-100 and MBGA-68 packages, route all signals on inner layers with microvia-in-pad if the design uses 4-layer stack-up; the 0.5 mm pitch BGA balls require non-solder-mask-defined (NSMD) pads with 0.25 mm diameter and 0.4 mm pitch. JTAG signals (TDI, TDO, TMS, TCK) should be length-matched within 25 mm to avoid boundary-scan timing violations. Place a 4.7 kohm pull-up on TCK and a 4.7 kohm pull-up on TMS as recommended by the IEEE 1149.1 standard.
Do not confuse the MAX II Z (EPM240Z) with the MAX II G (EPM240G) or MAX II A (EPM240A) sub-families - they differ in I/O bank count, JTAG IDCODE, and supported I/O standards. When migrating from MAX II to MAX V, recompile the Quartus project with the MAX V device library and verify that all IP cores (PLLs, memory interfaces) are compatible. The 5M240Z is pin-compatible with the EPM240Z in identical MBGA packages, but JTAG BSDL files differ - update your boundary-scan test vectors accordingly.
Keep clock inputs short and surrounded by a ground guard ring to minimize jitter on the internal oscillator-fed clock nets. High-speed I/O (above 50 MHz) should be routed on the top layer over a continuous ground plane to control impedance (target 50 ohm single-ended). Reserve a complete ground plane on layer 2 - the MAX II CPLD does not require a separate power plane, but a solid ground reference reduces simultaneous switching noise (SSN) on parallel buses.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Intel product specifications. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - select automotive-grade parts from MAX II automotive family if required. REACH compliance statements available from Intel field representatives.
