Introduction
Many power supply modules and power control ICs are used in evaluation boards for Altera® FPGA and CPLD products. In this column, we will discuss how to select devices and what to keep in mind when designing power circuits.
In this first installment, we will discuss the power supply specifications required by Altera® FPGAs and the optimal power supply ICs. The first article in this series is an introduction to the following topics
Optimal Power Supply Solutions for FPGAs
There are four major types of Altera® FPGAs and CPLDs, in descending order of logic size: Stratix®, Arria®, Cyclone®, and MAX® series.
Each has different power specifications, but the power requirements are always CORE and I/O.
The power supply specifications for the current lineup of Altera® FPGAs and CPLDs are roughly as follows
CORE voltage range is 0.85V - 1.2V with a required accuracy of ±30mV.
I/O voltage range 1.2V - 3.3V, ±5% accuracy required
PLL analog voltage range of 1.8V or 2.5V with ±5% accuracy requirement
The accuracy of CORE voltages required by FPGAs is becoming higher and higher, and Analog Devices' μModule🄬 series is a power solution that matches FPGAs.
(Of course, it can also be used for loads other than FPGAs.)
When designing, please refer to Altera®'s Pin Connection Guideline and FPGA and CPLD device datasheets for detailed power supply specifications.