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Integrated RF-Class Analog

RF Data Converters in
an All Programmable MPSoC

RF Data Converters in an All Programmable MPSoC

Xilinx has integrated multi-giga-sample RF data converters into its 16nm MPSoCs devices for the industry’s first All Programmable RFSoC. This eliminates the need for discrete ADCs and DACs and enables next-generation radio and RF communication systems to scale for power, footprint, and channel density requirements.

Value	Capabilities
Programmable System Integration	Eliminates discrete ADCs and DACs for reduced footprint Scalable growth path for increasing channel-count
Increased System Performance	Enables high channel-count, high bandwidth systems Reduces latency by eliminating chip-to-chip interface
Total Power Reduction	Reduces power by removing ADC/DAC components Eliminates FPGA-to-Analog interface power
Accelerated Design Productivity	RF-design in the digital domain for greater flexibility Eliminates JESD204B/C analog interface design Simplified system design with fewer components

Data Converter Capabilities

The data converters are part of a fully programmable analog and digital subsystem, featuring

Industry-leading performance/watt based on 16nm FinFET silicon process
12-bit ADCs at up to 4GSPS, with integrated digital down-conversion (DDC)
14-bit DACs at up to 6.4GSPS, with integrated digital up-conversion (DUC)
Direct RF sampling for flexible analog design, greater accuracy, and lower power

5G Wireless, Cable Broadband, and Next Generation Communications

The integrated subsystem gives manufacturers system-wide flexibility while meeting aggressive power and footprint constraints in a breadth of applications, including:

High bandwidth remote radio and backhaul systems for 5G commercial deployment
Remote node architectures (R-PHY) for DOCSIS3.1 cable broadband

RF Sampling

Direct RF sampling moves the A/D and D/A conversion process closer to the antenna such that the converter directly samples the RF signal as shown below. With this technology, Moore’s Law can be applied to frequency selection and down conversion, traditionally implemented using analog signal processing techniques. By allowing analog/RF signal processing to be moved in to the digital domain, a more flexible and programmable solution can be delivered. Advantages include:

Elimination of analog/RF signal processing and associated impairments
Increased flexibility to support wider bandwidths and multiple operating RF bands
Enablement of a software defined radio front end

High IF Heterodyne Receiver to a Direct RF Sampling Receiver

Documentation

All Programmable RF Sampling Solutions Whitepaper

IEEE Technical Paper

Developer Zone

Xilinx offers a comprehensive tool flow for radio design and verification, encompassing logic design, embedded SW development, and simulation. The tool flow ranges from IP and software drivers for RF sampling, to design-entry solutions using C/C++, MATLAB, or Simulink. The comprehensive development flow increases accessibility at the hardware, software, and system level.