Smaller than a kernel of corn ... FPGA available in 4x4 mm package

Complementing their existing portfolio of small 8×8 mm and 5×5 mm packages, the folks at Actel are now offering their low-power 5 microwatt IGLOO field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) in a 4×4 mm package with a 0.4-mm ball pitch, which they claim is the smallest package for any programmable logic device on the market.

Smaller than a kernel of corn, the new IGLOO FPGAs are targeted at power-sensitive, space-constrained handheld devices such as smart phones, portable media players, secure mobile communications devices, remote sensors, security cameras, and portable medical devices.

The first device to be offered in the 4×4 package will be the 30,000-gate IGLOO AGL030 device. The 4x4 mm devices feature on-board flash memory, 66 user I/Os, and over 192 equivalent macrocells. IGLOO supports unique low-power states, such as Actel's innovative Flash*Freeze mode, which stops the clocks, puts the I/Os into a known state, and reduces power while preserving the state of SRAM and registers. IGLOO devices enter and exit Flash*Freeze mode within 1 microsecond under the control of a single pin, allowing for significant system power savings to be quickly and easily achieved.

Pricing and availability
The IGLOO AGL030 device in a 4×4 mm package will sample in December, with mass production slated for Q1 2008. Pricing will start at $1.50 in volume quantities.