Serial Flash cuts costs in FPGA applications

NexFlash spiFlash serial Flash memories are now qualified for use with the LatticeECP and LatticeEC field-programmable gate array (FPGA) family.

NexFlash spiFlash serial Flash memories are now qualified for use with the LatticeECP and LatticeEC field-programmable gate array (FPGA) family.

Featuring the popular Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), the spiFlash family offers Lattice FPGA users a pin-, space- and cost-efficient alternative to ordinary FPGA configuration solutions.

Prior to the introduction of the LatticeECP and LatticeEC families, FPGA configuration at power-up was typically handled by dedicated boot PROMs, which could account for more than one-third of the total FPGA solution cost.

To address this issue, Lattice introduced the LatticeECP and LatticeEC FPGAs with support for industry-standard serial Flash, such as the NexFlash spiFlash family.

Using spiFlash memories for FPGA configuration helps further reduce costs to effectively compete in price-sensitive volume FPGA applications.

"As the low-cost and high-performance benefits of the LatticeECP and LatticeEC FPGAs continue to create excitement among our customers, we remain focused on helping customers realise the most-efficient 'total FPGA' solution", said Stan Kopec, Lattice Vice President of Corporate Marketing.

"The NexFlash spiFlash family, with its industry-compatible interface, broad density range and low-cost SOIC packaging, is a good match for our FPGAs".

"Our spiFlash family is a perfect complement to LatticeECP and LatticeEC FPGAs", said Robin Jigour, Vice President of Marketing at NexFlash.

"With the spiFlash family fully qualified, we look forward to supporting Lattice customers with their serial Flash memory needs".

SpiFlash memories interface with the LatticeECP and LatticeEC FPGAs through the four-pin SPI interface, which can be clocked at frequencies up to 50MHz.

The spiFlash family offers a broad range of densities, from 1 to 32Mbit, exceeding the configuration requirements of the FPGAs.

Additional memory can be used for cascading multiple FPGAs or storing user data, such as lookup tables, parameters, text, waveforms and voice prompts, through the SPI interface.

NexFlash offers densities up to 16Mbit in space-saving eight-pin SOIC packages, allowing an easy migration path across densities and using less than 25% of the space required for parallel Flash.

All spiFlash products are suitable for industrial-temperature-range operation, are available in green RoHS-compliant packages and are supported by popular third-party PROM programmers.

An spiFlash memory to LatticeECP/EC FPGA crossreference guide is available on the NexFlash website.

The serial Flash memory market is experiencing dramatic growth, with a wide range of applications quickly converting from parallel to the more pin- and space-efficient serial Flash technology.

Densities in serial Flash memories, such as members of the NexFlash spiFlash line, have climbed from 1 to 32Mbit.

At the same time, the market for such memories is rapidly expanding.

According to leading industry analyst Web-Feet, revenues for serial Flash memories will grow from $275 million in 2004 to $480 million this year, then exceed $1 billion in 2007.

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