AR# 45985

Description

The 7 Series FPGAs data sheet states that the voltage difference between VCCO and VCCAUX must not exceed 2.625V for longer than TVCCO2VCCAUX for each power-on/off cycle, in order to maintain device reliability levels for VCCO voltages of 3.3V in HR I/O banks and configuration bank 0. 

If the VCCO rail is not powered and I/O pins are driven to 3.3V by another device, the I/O ESD diode will be forward biased and power the VCCO rail. If VCCAUX has not been powered to 1.8V, this will result in the 2.625V specification being exceeded.

How can I ensure that I do not exceed 2.625V on VCCO?

Solution

If you design is connecting an external resistor between VCCO and GND, this will provide a path that shunts the current and limits the reverse biasing voltage to below the 2.625V.

As per the data sheet, the maximum current into an I/O when forward biasing the diode must be less then 10 mA, so please make sure that the design adheres to this requirement.

Placing a resistor value of 262 ohm per pin (10 mA * 262 Ohms < 2.625V), that is, forward biasing the diode before VCCAUX is present will prevent the VCCO supply from going above 2.625V.

When the device is in normal operation, the resistor will burn 41.6 mW of power ( P=V^2 * R= 3.3^2 / 262). If several pins on the same supply are forward biasing the diode before VCCAUX is present, then the parallel equivalent resistor can be placed between the VCCO supply and GND. For example, if 10 I/Os are driving before VCCAUX is present, then the resistor would have to be 26 Ohms.

Note: Xilinx does not recommend driving I/Os when VCCO in unpowered. For further information, see (Xilinx Answer 37347)

Note: This suggestion is only suitable for a small number of pins being driven to 3.3V before VCCO is powered.

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