The Virtex-E FPGA family delivers high-performance, high-capacity programmable logic solutions. Dramatic increases in silicon efficiency result from optimizing the new architecture for place-and-route efficiency and exploiting an aggressive 6-layer metal 0.18 µm CMOS process. These advances make Virtex-E FPGAs powerful and flexible alter natives to mask-programmed gate arrays. 

Building on experience gained from Virtex FPGAs, the Virtex-E family is an evolutionary step forward in programmable logic design. Combining a wide variety of programmable system features, a rich hierarchy of fast, flexible interconnect resources, and advanced process technology, the Virtex-E family delivers a high-speed and high-capacity programmable logic solution that enhances design flexibility while reducing time-to-market.

Virtex-E Architecture 

Virtex-E devices feature a flexible, regular architecture that comprises an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) surrounded by programmable input/output blocks (IOBs), all interconnected by a rich hierarchy of fast, versatile routing resources. The abundance of routing resources permits the Virtex-E family to accommodate even the largest and most complex designs.

Virtex-E FPGAs are SRAM-based, and are customized by loading configuration data into internal memory cells. Configuration data can be read from an external SPROM (master serial mode), or can be written into the FPGA (SelectMAP, slave serial, and JTAG modes). The standard Xilinx Foundation Series and Alliance Series Development systems deliver complete design support for Virtex-E, covering every aspect from behavioral and schematic entry, through simulation, automatic design translation and implementation, to the creation and downloading of a configuration bit stream. 

Higher Performance 

Virtex-E devices provide better performance than previous generations of FPGAs. Designs can achieve synchronous system clock rates up to 240 MHz including I/O or 622 Mb/s using Source Synchronous data transmission architechtures. Virtex-E I/Os comply fully with 3.3V PCI specifications, and interfaces can be implemented that operate at 33 MHz or 66 MHz. While performance is design-dependent, many designs operate internally at speeds in excess of 133 MHz and can achieve over 311 MHz.