Introducing NanoXplore Questions & Answers

Q.- Are the SEE reports public?, is it possible to review them?

A.- YES, they are. NX radiations reports are posted on NX download web site. It just require requester to register at http://download.nanoxplore.com. As soon as your account will be validated, the user will be able to download NX documentations.

Q.- NX Map: Are there plans to support VHDL2019 features for synthesis?

A.- NXmap is alive. Design entry of NXmap are VHDL and Verilog, considering latest versions to be validated.

Q.- What are the main differences between Military COTS and RHBD?

A.- Military COTS consists of a COTS device being industrialized within the military temperature range. Nothing done to protect/harden the device against harsh radiation environments. It means, the only solution to use COTS for Space is to TMRed the chip, I mean to devide by 3,2 all resources. A RHBD devices have been protected, hardened at design level in order the component becoming immune against radiation. It costs roughly to use 2,0 times more transistors than COTS which is better than 3,2 for TMR architecture.

Q.- Can you compare NG-Medium/NG-large with RT-ProASIC3-3000, in terms of LUT/FF/BRAM available and performance?

A.- RT-ProASIC3 has 75264 LUT3 (eq. 37500 LUT4) + 504kb RAM and no DSP. The NG-Medium has 34272 LUT4 + 2856kb of RAM + 112 DSP + 16 SpW PHYs + 16 DDR2 PHYs. The NG-Large is 4x bigger than NG-Medium, so far away from RTProASIC3. NG-Large is closed to RT4G150.

Q.- Is there a LEON3 integration reference/preferred design based on NG-Medium FPGA?

A.- Leon3 IP has been mapped into NG-Medium by both COBHAM Gaisler and NX, even several users. It uses roughly 30% of NG-Medium resources. Feel free to contact us for support.

Q.- For NG-Medium, is the Leon 3 is the only soft IP Core than NanoXplore propose or there is others Softs IP Core?

A.- No, it does not. On top of Leon3 IP Processor, you will find the PicoSkyFT IP processor which is a 8bit RISC processor.

Q.- NX recommendations to consider as alternative solution to: Microchip/Microsemi RTAX2000? RT3PE3000L? RT4G150? RTPF500T? • Xilinx V4QV? V5QV? XQRKU060?

A.- Hereafter NX alternative to listed products: NG-Medium against RTAX2000 and RT3PE3000L, NG-Large against RT4G150, NG-Ultra against RTPF500T, NG-Medium or NG-Large against V4QV depending if we talk XQR4VSX55 or XQR4VLX200, NG-Large against V5QV, NG-Ultra against XQRKU060. I highlight both RTPF500T and XQRKU060 are Military COTS. Both vendors/devices require the use of Soft TMR tool to harden the design.

Q.- What is the difference between MIL part class V and what you call space qualified part?

A.- Mil part class-V is incorrect. ‘MIL part’ means part screened and qualified according Military standards such as Mil-std Class-B or Mil-Prf-38535 Class-Q. Class-V refers to Mil-Prf-38535 Class-V which is ‘Space part’.

Q.- Is it possible to reuse the SPI configuration flash for user data after FPGA configuration is finished?

A.- YES depending of the NX component.

Q.- I didn’t understand the availability of NX large & medium for QML-V and QML-Q products.

A.- NG-Medium QML-Q and QML-V can be ordered NOW. NX has already deleivered NG-Medium QML-V parts. NG-Large QML-Q and QML-V, I mean assembled in Ceramic packages will become available when the QML qualification will be completed. This is scheduled Q1CY22.

Q.-  Re LEON 3 IMPLEMENTATION- Do you have today a ready to fly space silution for MSC SOC RTAX2000?

A.- Ready to fly for a Sram-based FPGA means nothing. Sram-based FPGAs are programmable, even reprogrammable devices as opposed to RTAX2000S which is a One-Time Programmable FPGA. If it is sense for an OTP FPGA, it is not for Sram-based FPGA.

Q.- And can you compare NG-Medium/NG-large with RTAX2000 and RTG4 in the same terms?

A.- RTAX2000S has 10752 R-cells + 21504 C-cells + 288kbits RAM and no DSP within max within max 418 users I/Os (CG624). Best alternative is NG-Medium with 34272 LUT4 + 2856kb of RAM + 112 DSP + 16 SpW PHYs + 16 DDR2 PHYs with max 374 users I/Os (CG625). RT4G150 has 151824 LUT4 + 5,3Mb RAM + 462 DSP blocks + 24 SERDES 3,125Gbps within max users 720 I/Os. Best alternative is NG-Large with 137088 LUT4 + 9,9Mb RAM 384 DSP blocks + 24 SERDES 6,25Gbps + Hard IP ARM-R5 within max 684 users I/Os.

Q.- Which is the average lead time for NG-Medium EM and NG-Medium FM?

A.- Leadtimes are respectively 15-20wks for EM/M-grade and 35wks for FM/QML-Q or V.

Q.- Do you have a benchmark of the ARM R52 DMIPs performance in the NG Large?

A.- ARM R5 processor can reach 500-600DMIPS performances.