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A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is an integrated circuit designed to be configured by a customer or a designer after manufacturing – hence the term field-programmable. The FPGA configuration is generally specified using a hardware description language (HDL), similar to that used for an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Circuit diagrams were previously used to specify the configuration, but this is increasingly rare due to the advent of electronic design automation tools.

Why FPGAs?

• Reprogrammable ==> Allows the addition of new features, bugfixes, support of new drivers and generally extends the live of a product in the field.
• Multiple configurations ==> Instead of having one large asic one can just load a new bitfile on the fpga to have the additional functionality. Furthermore, one does not have to invest into a mask which is required on the asic.

Basic Elements

• Matrix of CLB (Configurable Logic Blocks) connected to each other with programmable interconnects.
  • Each CLB consist itself of the following elements
    • LUT (Lookup Table) [7-Series ==> four six input lookup tables]
    • Sequential Elements (flip-flops or latches)
    • Multiplexers
      • Used to cascade the luts
    • Carry Logic
      • perfroming arithmatic functions
    • RAM
    • SRL (Shift register logic)
• IOB (Input output blocks) to communicate with the outside world
• Dedicated blocks
  • BRAM
  • DSP
  • PLL
  • Serial TX

Stacked Silicon Interconnect Technology

Since FPGA are huge it is easier to manufacture them in different parts (smaller dies). If one die has a malfunction it is not that expensive (one can sort this die out). Furthermore this technology allows:

• Ultra-High interconnect bandwidth
• Lower power Consumpiton
• One fifth latency of standard I/O
• Giving 100x improvements