The Xilinx XC7A200T-1FBG676C belongs to the Artix-7 family of low-cost, low-power FPGAs built on 28nm high performance, low power (HPL) process technology. With 200K logic cells, 220 DSP slices and 16.3Gbps transceivers, the XC7A200T provides an ideal blend of programmable logic, signal processing and high-speed connectivity for demanding applications including motor control, automotive driver assistance systems, software defined radio, video bridging, aerospace electronics and test instrumentation.

This article provides an overview of the XC7A200T architecture, available resources, target applications, design flow and benefits for electronics engineers.

XC7A200T-1FBG676C Overview

The XC7A200T represents the higher capacity end of Xilinx’s Artix-7 family of FPGAs optimized for embedded systems requiring substantial programmable logic resources. Key features include:

• 200K logic cells based on look-up table (LUT) architecture
• 220 DSP slices with 25×18 multipliers operating at up to 300 MHz
• Up to 16 gigabit transceivers with data rates up to 16.3Gbps
• High speed DDR3 external memories supported at up to 1.6Gbps
• 1650 maximum user I/Os for expansive connectivity
• MGT and LVDS I/O support for high-performance interfaces
• Designed for high volume cost-sensitive applications

The 1FBG676 package denotes a 27x27mm 676-pin flip-chip grid array with 1mm ball pitch. This high density form factor provides the ample connectivity an FPGA with 200K logic cells demands.

XC7A200T Internal Architecture

The Artix-7 family architecture balances high density, high performance programmable logic together with essential integrated processing required for advanced embedded systems.

Programmable Logic Fabric

The core programmable logic fabric utilizes Slice architecture containing LUTs, flip-flops, multiplexers and carry logic as the basic building blocks. Key features:

• 6-input LUTs efficiently implement logic functions using only a single LUT per slice
• Flip-flops for registering logic outputs or implementing shift registers
• Arithmetic carry logic for efficient math operations
• 36Kb Block RAM for on-chip data storage

DSP Slices

220 embedded 18×25 multipliers and 48-bit accumulators enable high-throughput arithmetic and signal processing.

Block RAM

5.3 Mb of distributed 36Kb block RAM provides on-chip data storage with built-in FIFO logic support.

Transceivers

Up to 16 transceivers running at up to 16.3Gbps support high-speed chip-to-chip communications and interfacing.

PCI Express

Two integrated Gen2 PCIe blocks enable direct chip-to-chip communication.

Gigabit Transceivers

Up to 6.6Gbps data rates over differential I/O supports protocols like Ethernet, FibreChannel, Interlaken and Aurora.

XC7A200T Target Applications

The XC7A200T architecture provides an ideal foundation for compute-intensive embedded systems requiring substantial signal processing capabilities:

Motor Control and Servo Drives

• Industrial servo/motion control
• Robotics
• Industrial drives
• Drone/UAV controllers

Automotive Electronics

• Surround sensor processing for self-driving
• RADAR, LiDAR and vision systems
• Inflight entertainment systems
• Driver assistance and diagnostics

Communications Infrastructure

• Wireless baseband processing
• Microwave and optical link modems
• High density network cards and switch fabric
• Software defined radio

Image Processing

• Machine vision for manufacturing
• Medical endoscopy and microscopy
• Video surveillance analytics
• Optical inspection systems

Aerospace and Defense

• RADAR and LiDAR processing
• Avionics equipment
• Satellite payloads
• Missile guidance systems

For these demand applications, the XC7A200T enables high throughput parallel processing together with connectivity-centric logic implementation.

XC7A200T-1FBG676C Benefits for Designers

The XC7A200T provides hardware engineers with several advantages:

High Performance

• 200K logic cells enables very complex logic implementation
• 220 high-performance DSP slices for intensive arithmetic processing
• 16.3Gbps serial connectivity for high-bandwidth chip-to-chip communications

Embedded Processing

• DSP blocks and transceivers minimize external processing ICs
• Distributed RAM delivers abundant on-chip data storage

Power Efficiency

• 28nm process enables low static and dynamic power consumption

Functional Safety

• Configuration CRCs improves reliability

Cost

• Mature 28nm process combined with optimized architecture enables low cost

For compute-intensive signal processing applications with complex control logic needs, the XC7A200T provides an ideal FPGA foundation.

XC7A200T Design Flow

Xilinx provides mature development tools for programming the XC7A200T FPGA:

• Vivado Design Suite – Enables system design, logic synthesis, placement and routing
• SDSoC Development Environment – Supports embedded software C/C++ programming
• System Generator – Develops high-performance DSP designs
• Vivado HLS – Converts C/C++ algorithms into optimized logic implementations
• Vitis – Unified software platform for embedded software development
• ChipScope Pro – Provides low-level access for debug

The typical design flow involves:

1. Create register transfer level (RTL) code defining desired functionality
2. Run RTL simulations to verify intended design behavior
3. Synthesize RTL into Xilinx primitives using Vivado synthesis
4. Place and route design to map into XC7A200T physical resources
5. Generate bitstream file representing complete FPGA configuration
6. Program finished bitstream into the XC7A200T device
7. Validate timing closure and functionality after Place and Route

XC7A200T vs. Larger Kintex-7 FPGAs

It is useful to contrast the Artix-7 based XC7A200T against the higher capability Kintex-7 FPGAs:

Programmable Logic

• XC7A200T offers 200K logic cells using 6-input LUTs
• Kintex-7 provides up to 474K logic cells using 6-input LUTs

Transceivers

• Both support up to 16 transceivers operating at up to 16.3Gbps

Memory Interfaces

• Both support 1600Mbps DDR3 interfaces

DSP Slices

• XC7A200T – 220 slices operating at up to 300MHz
• Kintex-7 – Up to 3600 slices operating above 500MHz

Cost

• XC7A200T optimized for high volume cost-driven applications
• Kintex-7 costs approximately 30-40% higher

For extreme cost-sensitive applications not needing the ultimate logic densities, the Artix-7 based XC7A200T offers a compelling value proposition.

Conclusion

With its high density 6-input LUT fabric, abundant high-performance DSP slices, plentiful RAM and transceivers, the Xilinx XC7A200T-1FBG676C provides hardware designers an extremely capable yet cost-optimized chip foundation for demanding embedded applications including industrial servo control, driver assistance systems, software defined radio, video processing, and aerospace/defense electronics.

For engineers challenged with staying on the cutting edge of connectivity-centric domains requiring both raw processing throughput and flexible programmable logic, the Artix-7 family offers a pin-compatible portfolio scaling from 100K to 350K logic cells to match project needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Xilinx XC7A200T FPGA?

A: It is a high-end Artix-7 family FPGA with 200K logic cells, 220 DSP slices and 16.3Gbps transceivers, built on a 28nm fabrication process.

Q: What are some key components in the XC7A200T architecture?

A: This includes 200K 6-input LUT logic cells, 220 DSP slices, 5.3Mb of block RAM, up to 16 transceivers, and PCIe blocks, and configurable mixed-voltage I/O.

Q: What are some target applications for the XC7A200T?

A: Motor control, driver assistance systems, wireless infrastructure, aerospace/defense, and video/image processing all leverage the XC7A200T capabilities.

Q: How does XC7A200T compare against Kintex-7 FPGAs?

A: Kintex-7 offers 30-40% higher performance but XC7A200T provides a more cost-optimized solution for many applications.

Q: What tools can be used to program XC7A200T FPGAs?

A: Xilinx’s Vivado, Vitis, and SDSoC tools together enable developing the full system including programmable logic, software, and processing pipelines.