Atmel ships low cost, smallest footprint, high density FPGA configurator IC.

Atmel announced recently the immediate availability of the world's only 16-Mbit, In-System Programmable (ISP) FPGA configuration IC in a small footprint 8-pin Leadless Array Package (LAP). With a current price of just $12.50 in quantities of 100 K units, and forward pricing of $8.50 in 2005, the AT17F16 costs 25% less than any competing 16-Mbit FPGA configuration IC.

The AT17F16 has sufficient density to offer single-chip ISP configuration storage for SRAM-based FPGAs of up to 4 million gates, including Virtex XCV4000, Stratix EP1SGX40 and Apex EP20K1500E devices. The AT17F16 is the only FPGA configurator device on the market that can store all 16 Mbits of configuration data in a 6mm x 6mm x 1mm, 8-pin LAP package with a two-wire interface. The LAP package is less expensive and easier to handle than high pin-count PQFP and BGA packages available from competing vendors of high capacity configuration memories.

Atmel also offers a 44-pin version of the device that can be used to replace pin-compatible OTP XC17V16 configuration memories in existing boards, adding ISP flexibility to these designs. When used with lower density FPGAs (e.g. any EP20Kxxxxx, EP1Sxx, XC2Vxxx, or XCVxxx) the memory that is not required for configuration data may be used as general purpose non-volatile data storage, saving additional board space and materials costs.

The AT17F16 offers 33 Mbit/s data transfer rate, page select pin options for storing different versions of the FPGA bit stream, and a simple 2-wire protocol. The devices operate at 3.3V and may be in-system programmed using Atmel's ATDH2200E programming kit or industry standard programmers.

Guy Lafayette, Atmel's Director of Programmable Logic Marketing explained, "All SRAM-based FPGAs require external memory to store the FPGA configuration bit stream. As FPGAs get bigger, so does the amount of memory required to store their configuration data. Some vendors have announced high density, ISP configuration ICs in high pin-count BGA packages These packages are difficult to handle, difficult to program and take up a lot more board space than the 8-pin AT17F16. Atmel is the only vendor that can actually ship a low cost low pin count 16-Mbit ISP configurator in an 8-pin LAP package today. Designers who need high density ISP configuration storage now, should give us a call. Basically, we're the only game in town," Lafayette concluded.

The AT17F16 is the newest addition to Atmel's AT17F family of FPGA configuration memories which are available in densities of 65Kb, 128Kb, 256Kb, 512Kb, 1Mb, 2Mb, 4Mb, 8Mb, and 16Mb.

Atmel's 16Mbit AT17F16 configuration memories are available immediately in 36 mm2 8 pin Lap, 20PLCC, 44PLCC, and 44TQFP packages The 8 pin LAP version of Atmel's AT17F16 is available immediately and is priced at $12.50 in quantities of 100,000 units or more today, with forward pricing of $8.50 in 2005.