The XCKU060-2FFVA1517I is a high-performance Xilinx FPGA from AMD’s Kintex UltraScale family. Built on 20nm process technology, it delivers an exceptional balance of logic density, DSP throughput, and transceiver bandwidth — making it one of the most capable mid-range FPGAs available for industrial, communications, and data-processing applications.
What Is the XCKU060-2FFVA1517I?
The XCKU060-2FFVA1517I belongs to the Kintex UltraScale series — AMD Xilinx’s mid-range FPGA platform designed for demanding price/performance-sensitive designs. The part number breaks down as follows:
| Part Number Segment |
Meaning |
| XCKU060 |
Kintex UltraScale, 60-class device |
| -2 |
Speed grade 2 (standard performance) |
| FFVA |
Flip-Chip Fine-Pitch Ball Grid Array (FCBGA) package type |
| 1517 |
1517-pin ball count |
| I |
Industrial temperature grade (–40°C to +100°C) |
This device is manufactured by AMD (formerly Xilinx) and is fully supported by the Vivado Design Suite toolchain.
XCKU060-2FFVA1517I Key Specifications
The table below summarizes the most important electrical and logical parameters of this FPGA.
General Device Specifications
| Parameter |
Value |
| Manufacturer |
AMD (Xilinx) |
| Part Number |
XCKU060-2FFVA1517I |
| FPGA Family |
Kintex UltraScale |
| Process Technology |
20nm |
| Package |
1517-pin FCBGA (Flip-Chip BGA) |
| Speed Grade |
–2 |
| Core Supply Voltage (VCCINT) |
0.922V – 0.979V (nominal 0.95V) |
| Operating Temperature |
–40°C to +100°C (Industrial) |
| RoHS Compliant |
Yes |
| Lifecycle Status |
Production |
XCKU060-2FFVA1517I Logic Resources
| Resource |
Quantity |
| System Logic Cells |
725,550 |
| CLB LUTs (6-input) |
331,680 |
| CLB Flip-Flops |
663,360 |
| Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs) |
2,760 |
| Maximum Distributed RAM |
9.1 Mb |
| Block RAM (BRAM) |
38 Mb (38,912 Kbits total) |
| DSP Slices |
2,760 |
Clock Management and I/O
| Resource |
Quantity |
| Clock Management Tiles (CMTs) |
12 |
| MMCMs per CMT |
1 |
| PLLs per CMT |
2 |
| I/O Delay Locked Loops (DLLs) |
48 |
| User I/Os |
624 |
| Maximum I/O Pins (package) |
1,517 |
High-Speed Transceivers and Interfaces
| Feature |
Specification |
| Maximum Transceiver Data Rate |
16.3 Gb/s |
| Transceiver Type |
GTH (Gen 3) |
| PCIe Hard Blocks |
3× PCIe Gen3 x8 |
| Maximum System Clock Speed |
725 MHz |
XCKU060-2FFVA1517I Architecture Deep Dive
### Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs) and LUT Architecture
The XCKU060-2FFVA1517I uses the UltraScale CLB architecture, where each CLB contains a single slice with eight 6-input LUTs and sixteen flip-flops. This design delivers tighter packing density and improved routing efficiency compared to older 7-Series devices.
Each LUT can be configured as:
- A standard 6-input combinational logic function
- Two independent 5-input functions sharing inputs
- A 64-bit distributed RAM element (in SLICEM tiles)
- A 32-bit shift register (SRL32) for implementing delay lines and FIFOs without consuming block RAM
This flexibility makes the CLB architecture particularly well-suited for signal processing pipelines and memory-intensive designs.
### DSP Slice Capabilities
The 2,760 DSP slices in the XCKU060-2FFVA1517I each implement a high-speed 27×18-bit multiplier with a 48-bit accumulator. The DSP48E2 primitive supports:
- Multiply-accumulate (MAC) operations
- Multiply-add
- Pattern detect
- A 27-bit pre-adder
- 30-bit A-input
- 96-bit XOR function
This makes the device ideal for applications requiring intensive fixed-point arithmetic such as radar signal processing, FEC decoding, and FFT computation.
### Block RAM (BRAM) Organization
Each 36Kb BRAM tile is fully dual-port and can be split into two independent 18Kb RAMs. Built-in FIFO logic and optional ECC support (single-bit correction / double-bit detection) are available without consuming extra LUT resources. The total 38 Mb of block RAM is distributed throughout the device for balanced placement.
### GTH Transceivers – 16.3 Gb/s Performance
The GTH transceivers support protocol-agnostic serial communication up to 16.3 Gb/s per lane. These transceivers are compliant with a broad range of industry standards including:
- PCIe Gen1/2/3
- 10G/25G/100G Ethernet (CAUI-4)
- JESD204B (high-speed ADC/DAC links)
- CPRI / eCPRI (wireless infrastructure)
- Interlaken
- SATA/SAS
Three dedicated PCIe Gen3 x8 hard blocks eliminate the need for soft PCIe IP, reducing LUT consumption and simplifying timing closure.
Package Information: 1517-BBGA / FCBGA
| Package Attribute |
Detail |
| Package Type |
Flip-Chip Ball Grid Array (FCBGA) |
| Total Ball Count |
1,517 |
| Package Code (Digikey) |
1517-BBGA, FCBGA |
| Mounting Style |
Surface Mount (SMD) |
| Package Dimensions |
45mm × 45mm |
The large 1517-pin package provides access to all 624 user I/O pins alongside dedicated power, ground, and configuration pins. The flip-chip construction reduces inductance and improves high-frequency signal integrity compared to wire-bonded alternatives.
Industrial Temperature Grade: The “I” Suffix Explained
The trailing “I” in XCKU060-2FFVA1517I designates the Industrial temperature grade, covering operation from –40°C to +100°C (junction temperature). This qualification makes the device suitable for:
- Outdoor telecom equipment
- Factory automation systems
- Defense and aerospace (with appropriate screening)
- Transportation and automotive test infrastructure
- Medical imaging systems operating across wide thermal ranges
The commercial-grade equivalent (suffix “C”) is limited to 0°C to 85°C and is not suitable for harsh-environment deployments.
Typical Applications for the XCKU060-2FFVA1517I
Given its combination of high logic density, 2,760 DSP slices, 16.3 Gb/s GTH transceivers, and industrial temperature rating, the XCKU060-2FFVA1517I is used across a wide range of demanding applications.
| Application Domain |
Use Case Examples |
| Wireless Infrastructure |
CPRI/eCPRI fronthaul, 4G/5G BBU, TD-LTE DFE |
| 100G Networking |
Packet processing, OTN framing, traffic management |
| Medical Imaging |
MRI reconstruction, CT scan processing, ultrasound DSP |
| Video Processing |
8K/4K video pipelines, broadcast encoding |
| High-Performance Computing |
FPGA-accelerated compute offload, AI inference |
| Radar & EW |
Pulse compression, beamforming, FFT pipelines |
| Test & Measurement |
Protocol analyzers, BERT testers, arbitrary waveform gen |
| Industrial Automation |
Real-time control loops, machine vision |
XCKU060-2FFVA1517I vs. Related Kintex UltraScale Devices
| Part Number |
Logic Cells |
DSP Slices |
Block RAM |
Transceivers |
Temp Grade |
| XCKU040-2FFVA1156C |
530,250 |
1,920 |
21 Mb |
20× GTH |
Commercial |
| XCKU060-2FFVA1517I |
725,550 |
2,760 |
38 Mb |
32× GTH |
Industrial |
| XCKU085-2FLVB1760I |
1,326,144 |
4,320 |
67.5 Mb |
32× GTH |
Industrial |
| XCKU115-2FLVA1517I |
1,451,520 |
5,520 |
75 Mb |
32× GTH |
Industrial |
The XCKU060-2FFVA1517I occupies the mid-tier position in the Kintex UltraScale lineup — offering significantly more resources than the XCKU040 at a lower cost point than the XCKU085 or XCKU115.
Design Tool Support
The XCKU060-2FFVA1517I is fully supported by:
- AMD Vivado Design Suite (all editions, including Standard and Enterprise)
- Vivado HLS / Vitis HLS for high-level synthesis from C/C++
- Vitis Unified Software Platform for accelerated application development
- IP Integrator (IPI) for block-design-based workflows
- Vivado Simulator and third-party simulators (ModelSim, Questa, VCS)
The minimum recommended Vivado version for the XCKU060 is Vivado 2015.4. For production designs, AMD recommends using the latest LTS release.
Ordering and Availability
| Attribute |
Detail |
| Manufacturer Part Number |
XCKU060-2FFVA1517I |
| Digikey Part Number |
798-XCKU060-2FFVA1517IND |
| Product Status |
Production / Active |
| Packaging |
Tray |
| Typical Factory Lead Time |
16 weeks (subject to market conditions) |
| Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) |
1 piece |
Note: The XCKU060-2FFVA1517I is designated Non-Cancellable / Non-Returnable (NCNR) by most authorized distributors due to its high-value custom nature. Confirm availability and lead times with your distributor before placing production orders.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the difference between XCKU060-2FFVA1517I and XCKU060-2FFVA1517E? The suffix “I” indicates Industrial temperature range (–40°C to +100°C), while “E” indicates Extended commercial grade (0°C to +100°C). The logic resources, DSP count, and I/O count are identical.
Q: Is the XCKU060-2FFVA1517I RoHS compliant? Yes. This device meets RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU requirements and is lead-free.
Q: What power supply does the XCKU060-2FFVA1517I require? The core supply (VCCINT) operates at a nominal 0.95V (range: 0.922V–0.979V). Additional supply rails are required for I/O banks (VCCO, typically 1.2V, 1.5V, 1.8V, 2.5V, or 3.3V) and transceiver supplies (MGTAVCC, MGTAVTT, MGTVCCAUX).
Q: Can I use the XCKU060-2FFVA1517I in aerospace or defense applications? The industrial-grade XCKU060-2FFVA1517I is suitable for many defense and aerospace programs. For applications requiring MIL-screening or radiation tolerance, consider the defense-grade XQKU060 variant.
Q: What PCB design considerations apply to this package? The 1517-pin FCBGA requires careful attention to BGA fanout routing, power distribution network (PDN) design, and controlled-impedance traces for high-speed signals. Refer to AMD’s UltraScale PCB Design User Guide (UG583) for detailed layout guidelines.
Summary
The XCKU060-2FFVA1517I delivers a powerful combination of 725,550 logic cells, 2,760 DSP slices, 38 Mb of block RAM, 624 user I/Os, and 16.3 Gb/s GTH transceivers — all in an industrial-grade, 1517-pin FCBGA package. Whether your design targets 100G networking, 5G wireless infrastructure, medical imaging, or high-throughput DSP workloads, this Kintex UltraScale FPGA provides the performance headroom and flexibility to meet aggressive design requirements.
