Altera FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array)

A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable integrated circuit that allows users to implement customized hardware logic configurations after manufacturing. FPGAs are user-configurable and are widely used for performing logical operations and information processing, often in applications demanding real-time performance and extremely high speeds. With a very high level of integrated functionality, FPGAs can replace general-purpose microprocessors in systems where known operations—such as receiving and processing data from high-speed data converters—need to be executed rapidly and deterministically. Unlike fixed-function chips, FPGAs are reprogrammable, meaning they can be configured multiple times using hardware description languages like Verilog.

At the heart of an FPGA are configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, logic gates, and flip-flops, which are organized into a flexible architecture called a gate array. These components support complex logic creation, digital signal processing, and extensive parallel processing. Typically, FPGAs require an external memory device—often flash memory or read-only storage—to hold the configuration data and reload it upon each startup. This makes them particularly well-suited for telecommunications, data center infrastructure, and advanced embedded systems where both performance and low power consumption are critical.

FPGAs serve as a software-defined hardware platform, allowing designers to build custom processor logic or accelerate functions beyond what a typical microcontroller can handle. The flexibility to reconfigure them makes FPGAs a key technology for prototyping, evolving product designs, and deploying real-time hardware solutions.

DigiKey carries top FPGA suppliers, including AMD (formerly Xilinx), Intel (formerly Altera), Lattice Semiconductor and Microchip Technology.