SAN JOSE, Calif., January 12, 1998—Xilinx, Inc., (NASDAQ:XLNX), the world leader in programmable logic, announced today the availability of the new Spartan series of FPGAs to address high-volume ASIC applications up to 40,000 system gates. The new technology combines for the first time on-chip RAM, high-performance, and robust core support at ASIC prices. Initial members are available in 5-volt versions and are based on 0.5-micron technology. This Spartan series has the industry’s smallest die size FPGA with RAM. A new SpartanXL 3.3-volt family on 0.35-micron technology is due in third quarter of 1998.

Advanced process technology generates new feature set

"In our aggressive process migration, we’ve realized new layout and circuit-design techniques through finer geometries and new technologies that translate directly to cost savings for our customers," said Wim Roelandts, president and chief executive officer at Xilinx. "Still, it’s not enough to simply offer low-cost replacements for traditional ASIC designs. Designers want the benefits of performance, RAM, intellectual property, and lower costs along with in-system programmability and time-to-market advantages—especially in the fast-paced consumer goods markets."

Xilinx has employed a unique total cost management approach to the Spartan series. To completely address the cost of Spartan device manufacturing, Xilinx not only reduced the die size but also improved all stages of the manufacturing cycle: packaging, assembly, test, and manufacturing overhead costs. For example, leading-edge process technology advances offer the smallest possible die sizes. Focusing on the lowest cost plastic packages reduces assembly costs, while streamlining the feature set and moving to lower cost test hardware tightens test costs.

In the third quarter of 1998, Xilinx will introduce the 3.3-volt version SpartanXL series. Customers can design in the 5-volt version now to take advantage of the lower price points of the low-power devices, which are footprint compatible across multiple package options. SpartanXL devices are priced lower than the 5-volt predecessors due to the migration to 0.35-micron technology.

According to Dataquest, among total gate-array design starts in 1997, over 70 percent incorporate memory in their design. "Based on this growing demand, any vendor who claims to have an ASIC replacement offering must offer RAM as part of the solution," continued Roelandts. Among the Spartan features are the Xilinx Select-RAM single/dual port RAM pioneered in the XC4000 series. This series also offers a fast 80 MHz system speeds. 

Complete Foundation and Alliance series and core support available now

Complete software support for the Spartan series is available now in both the Xilinx Foundation and Alliance series. The Foundation series is ideal for designers who prefer a complete, ready-to-use, front-to-back environment with minimal learning curves. The Xilinx Alliance series is best suited for designers who need to integrate implementation tools with their existing EDA environment. All strategic Xilinx EDA partners currently support the new Spartan series. The Foundation and Alliance series packages for the Spartan series are available for all Spartan devices, with pricing starting at $495.

In addition to design tool availability, intellectual property cores will be offered specifically targeting this series. Cores for Spartan series are available today from several Xilinx AllianceCORE partners, including T7L, Integrated Silicon Systems (ISS), Virtual IP Group, (formerly ARM Semiconductor), and Memec Design Service, offering functions such as RISC processors, microprocessor peripherals, and DSP. All DSP cores in Xilinx LogiCORE product series and all AllianceCORE products from third-party providers are also available. A new PCI interface from the Xilinx LogiCORE offerings will be available in the first quarter of 1998.

Available from distributors now

The first Spartan family members, the XCS20, XCS30, and the XCS40 devices are available in high-volume quantities. The XCS05 and XCS10 will be available in February 1998. Package offerings include plastic leaded chip carrier (PLCC); plastic quad (PQ), thin quad (TQ), very thin quad (VQ), flat packs; and ball grid array (BGA).
 
 

Spartan (5-volt)/ SpartanXL (3.3-volt) device	Logic cells	System gates	Maximum I/Os	Maximum RAM bits	Spartan*/ SpartanXL † Price
XCS05/XCS05XL	238	2,000 - 5,000	80	3,200	$3.95 / $2.95
XCS10/XCS10XL	466	3,000 - 10,000	112	6,272	5.50 / 4.45
XCS20/XCS20XL	950	7,000 - 20,000	160	12,800	6.50 / 5.45
XCS30/XCS30XL	1,368	10,000 - 30,000	192	18,432	7.95 / 6.95
XCS40/XCS40XL	1,862	13,000 - 40,000	224	25,088	19.95 / 9.90

* 100,000 unit pricing for end-1998

† 100,000 unit price for mid-1999
 

Founded in 1984, Xilinx is the world’s largest supplier of programmable logic solutions producing industry–leading device architectures and world class design software. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the company pioneered the market for field programmable gate array (FPGA) semiconductor devices that provide high integration and quick time-to-market for electronic equipment manufacturers in the computer, peripheral, telecommunications, networking, industrial control, instrumentation, high-reliability/military, and consumer markets. For more information on Xilinx, access the World Wide Web site at www.xilinx.com.

Note to editors: Xilinx is a registered trademark of Xilinx, Inc. All XC-prefix product designations, Spartan, Alliance, LogiCORE, and Foundation are trademarks of Xilinx, Inc. Other brands or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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