The XC4020XLA-09PQ240I is a high-performance, industrial-grade Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) from Xilinx’s XC4000XLA family. Designed for demanding embedded system applications, this device combines up to 20,000 logic gates, 1,862 logic cells, and a 240-pin PQFP package with industrial temperature range support — making it a reliable choice for engineers seeking proven programmable logic in legacy and ruggedized systems.
If you’re sourcing or evaluating Xilinx FPGA components for industrial designs, this guide covers everything you need: specifications, package details, I/O standards, performance benchmarks, and configuration information.
What Is the XC4020XLA-09PQ240I?
The XC4020XLA-09PQ240I is a member of the XC4000XLA Series — an improved generation of Xilinx’s XC4000XL family built on a 0.35 μm CMOS process with 5-layer metal technology. The “XLA” designation signifies enhanced performance and up to 40% lower power consumption compared to equivalent XL devices.
Part Number Breakdown
| Code Segment |
Meaning |
| XC4020 |
20,000 gate FPGA (XC4000 Series) |
| XLA |
Enhanced XL architecture (0.35 μm, lower power) |
| -09 |
Speed grade –09 (fastest in the XLA family) |
| PQ240 |
240-pin Plastic Quad Flat Pack (PQFP) package |
| I |
Industrial temperature range (–40°C to +100°C) |
XC4020XLA-09PQ240I Key Specifications
| Parameter |
Value |
| Logic Cells |
1,862 |
| Maximum Logic Gates (No RAM) |
20,000 |
| Typical Gate Range (Logic + RAM) |
13,000 – 40,000 |
| CLB Matrix |
28 × 28 |
| Total CLBs |
784 |
| Number of Flip-Flops |
2,016 |
| Maximum RAM Bits (No Logic) |
25,088 bits |
| Maximum User I/O |
224 |
| User I/O in PQ240 Package |
192 |
| Required Configuration Bits |
521,880 |
| Recommended Serial PROM |
XC17512L |
| Supply Voltage (VCC) |
3.0 V – 3.6 V |
| Process Technology |
0.35 μm CMOS, 5-layer metal |
| JTAG Support |
IEEE 1149.1 Boundary Scan |
| IDCODE |
0x0021C093 |
| Temperature Range (Industrial) |
–40°C to +100°C |
Package and I/O Information
PQ240 Package Details
The PQ240 (240-pin Plastic Quad Flat Pack) is one of the most widely used packages in the XC4020XLA family. It provides an ideal balance between I/O density and PCB footprint for industrial applications.
| Package |
Total Pins |
User I/O Available |
Package Type |
| HQ160 / PQ160 |
160 |
129 |
High-Perf / Plastic QFP |
| HQ208 / PQ208 |
208 |
160 |
High-Perf / Plastic QFP |
| HQ240 / PQ240 |
240 |
192 |
High-Perf / Plastic QFP |
| BG256 |
256 |
205 |
Plastic BGA |
The PQ240 package is footprint-compatible with equivalent XC4000XL devices, enabling straightforward board-level upgrades with improved speed and lower power.
Electrical Characteristics
Power Supply Requirements
The XC4020XLA operates from a single 3.0 V to 3.6 V VCC supply, simplifying power design compared to dual-supply XV devices.
| Parameter |
XC4000XL |
XC4000XLA |
Improvement |
| Typical VCC |
3.3 V |
3.3 V |
— |
| K-Factor (Power) |
28 |
17 |
40% lower power |
| Process Node |
0.35 μm (older) |
0.35 μm (5-layer) |
Enhanced |
I/O Standards Supported
| Signaling Standard |
VCC Clamping |
Output Drive |
VIH Min |
VIL Max |
VOH Min |
VOL Max |
| TTL |
Not Allowed |
12 / 24 mA |
2.0 V |
0.8 V |
2.4 V |
0.4 V |
| LVTTL |
OK |
12 / 24 mA |
2.0 V |
0.8 V |
2.4 V |
0.4 V |
| PCI 5V |
Not Allowed |
24 mA |
2.0 V |
0.8 V |
2.4 V |
0.4 V |
| PCI 3V |
Required |
12 mA |
50% VCC |
30% VCC |
90% VCC |
10% VCC |
| LVCMOS 3V |
OK |
12 / 24 mA |
50% VCC |
30% VCC |
90% VCC |
10% VCC |
The device supports both 3.3 V and 5.0 V TTL-compatible I/O, making it easy to interface with a wide range of legacy and modern logic families.
Performance Benchmarks
XC4020XLA Speed Grade –09 Estimated Performance
The –09 speed grade is the fastest available in the XC4000XLA family, targeting system performance beyond 100 MHz for critical applications.
| Benchmark |
Configuration |
Maximum Frequency |
| Adder |
8-bit |
172 MHz |
| Adder |
16-bit |
144 MHz |
| Adder |
32-bit |
108 MHz |
| 2 Cascaded Adders |
16-bit |
94 MHz |
| 4 Cascaded Adders |
16-bit |
57 MHz |
| Cascaded 4-LUTs |
1 Level |
314 MHz |
| Cascaded 4-LUTs |
2 Levels |
193 MHz |
| Cascaded 4-LUTs |
4 Levels |
108 MHz |
| Interconnect (Manhattan) |
1 CLB |
325 MHz |
| Interconnect (Manhattan) |
16 CLBs |
185 MHz |
| Dual-Port RAM (Pipelined) |
8-Bit × 256 |
172 MHz |
These figures represent a 30% performance improvement over equivalent XC4000XL devices, thanks to advanced interconnect and die shrink benefits.
Architecture and Key Features
## CLB and Logic Architecture
The XC4020XLA uses a 28 × 28 CLB (Configurable Logic Block) matrix totaling 784 CLBs. Each CLB includes:
- Flexible function generators (LUTs) for combinational logic
- Dedicated flip-flops for registered logic
- Select-RAM™ on-chip ultra-fast RAM with synchronous write and dual-port options
- Dedicated high-speed carry logic for fast arithmetic
Clock Distribution
The device includes eight global low-skew clock distribution networks, along with FastCLK buffers providing clock delays typically under 1.5 ns to I/O octants — essential for high-speed synchronous designs.
JTAG and Boundary Scan
The XC4020XLA supports IEEE 1149.1-compatible boundary scan with enhanced JTAG features including:
- IDCODE register support (IDCODE:
0x0021C093)
- Configure Disable via JTAG port
- TCK Startup for start-up block clocking
- Reissue Configure capability for recovery from failed configuration attempts
Configuration Modes
| Mode |
Description |
| Serial |
Standard bit-serial configuration |
| Slave Serial |
External-clocked bit-serial |
| Express Mode |
Byte-wide (8-bit) parallel, 8× faster than serial |
| Boundary Scan (JTAG) |
IEEE 1149.1 configuration |
Express Mode loads data one byte per CCLK cycle (up to 10 MHz CCLK = effective 80 MHz serial rate), ideal for fast power-up requirements.
XC4020XLA vs. XC4000XLA Family Comparison
| Device |
Logic Cells |
Max Gates |
CLB Matrix |
Total CLBs |
Flip-Flops |
Max I/O |
| XC4013XLA |
1,368 |
13,000 |
24 × 24 |
576 |
1,536 |
192 |
| XC4020XLA |
1,862 |
20,000 |
28 × 28 |
784 |
2,016 |
224 |
| XC4028XLA |
2,432 |
28,000 |
32 × 32 |
1,024 |
2,560 |
256 |
| XC4036XLA |
3,078 |
36,000 |
36 × 36 |
1,296 |
3,168 |
288 |
| XC4044XLA |
3,800 |
44,000 |
40 × 40 |
1,600 |
3,840 |
320 |
| XC4085XLA |
7,448 |
85,000 |
56 × 56 |
3,136 |
7,168 |
448 |
The XC4020XLA sits in the mid-range of the family, offering an excellent balance of capacity and package size for cost-sensitive industrial designs.
Temperature and Availability
Commercial vs. Industrial Grades
| Grade |
Suffix |
Junction Temperature Range |
| Commercial |
C |
0°C to +85°C |
| Industrial |
I |
–40°C to +100°C |
The “I” suffix on the XC4020XLA-09PQ240I designates industrial temperature range, making it suitable for harsh operating environments such as automotive support systems, industrial automation, military-grade infrastructure, and outdoor equipment.
Available Speed Grades
| Speed Grade |
Description |
| –07 |
Standard speed (Commercial only) |
| –08 |
Fast speed (Commercial and Industrial) |
| –09 |
Fastest speed (Commercial and Industrial) |
Applications
The XC4020XLA-09PQ240I is well-suited for a wide range of industrial and embedded applications:
- Industrial Automation – PLCs, motor control, sensor interfacing
- Telecommunications – Protocol bridging, framing, line card logic
- Test & Measurement – Data acquisition, pattern generation
- Legacy System Replacement – Drop-in upgrade from XC4000XL footprints
- Embedded Processing – State machine controllers, bus interfaces
- Defense & Aerospace (Industrial Grade) – Ruggedized logic for wide-temperature environments
Ordering and Compatibility Notes
- The XC4020XLA-09PQ240I is footprint-compatible with XC4000XL devices in the PQ240 package, enabling PCB-level backward compatibility.
- The recommended configuration PROM is the XC17512L serial PROM.
- This device is classified as obsolete/end-of-life by Xilinx (as of 2013), but continues to be available through authorized distributors and component brokers for legacy system maintenance and repair.
- Always verify stock availability and date codes when sourcing for long-term production.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the “I” mean in XC4020XLA-09PQ240I?
The “I” at the end of the part number indicates the industrial temperature range, rated from –40°C to +100°C junction temperature. This distinguishes it from commercial-grade (“C”) variants rated 0°C to +85°C.
What is the maximum operating frequency of the XC4020XLA-09?
In the –09 speed grade, the device supports system frequencies beyond 100 MHz. Specific benchmark data shows register-to-register performance up to 172 MHz for 8-bit adder designs.
Is the XC4020XLA-09PQ240I still in production?
Xilinx officially classified the XC4000XLA family as obsolete in 2013. However, inventory remains available through secondary market distributors for legacy maintenance. Always check for genuine, traceable stock from reputable sources.
What serial PROM should I use for configuration?
Xilinx recommends the XC17512L serial PROM for the XC4020XLA, which provides sufficient storage for the 521,880-bit configuration bitstream.
Can I replace an XC4020XL with an XC4020XLA-09PQ240I?
Yes. The XC4020XLA is footprint-compatible with the XC4020XL in the same package. The XLA variant offers improved performance (+30%), lower power (–40%), and the same logical architecture — making it a direct upgrade replacement.
