The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C is a high-performance field programmable gate array (FPGA) from AMD (formerly Xilinx), belonging to the Kintex® UltraScale™ family. Built on 20nm process technology with stacked silicon interconnect (SSI) architecture, this device delivers an exceptional balance of signal processing capability, DSP density, and cost-effectiveness — making it one of the most capable mid-range FPGAs available today.

Whether you are designing for 100G networking, data center acceleration, medical imaging, wireless infrastructure, or 8K video processing, the XCKU115-1FLVA1517C offers the logic capacity, memory bandwidth, and high-speed transceiver performance to meet demanding application requirements.

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What Is the XCKU115-1FLVA1517C?

The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C is a commercial-grade (-C temperature range, 0°C to +85°C), speed grade -1, 1517-pin FCBGA (Flip Chip Ball Grid Array) packaged FPGA from the Kintex UltraScale series. It is manufactured by AMD/Xilinx and uses the FLVA1517 package — a fine-pitch ball grid array offering 624 user I/Os in a compact, PCB-friendly form factor.

As one of the largest devices in the Kintex UltraScale family, the KU115 die features multi-die SSI technology with multiple Super Logic Regions (SLRs), delivering massive logic and DSP resources within a mid-range power envelope.

For a broader overview of the full Kintex UltraScale portfolio, visit our dedicated Xilinx FPGA product page.

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XCKU115-1FLVA1517C Key Specifications

Quick Reference Table

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XCKU115-1FLVA1517C Detailed Logic and Memory Resources

Logic Fabric Resources

The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C provides an enormous amount of programmable logic, making it suitable for designs that were previously only possible in larger, more expensive Virtex-class devices.

Memory Resources

DSP and Arithmetic Resources

With 5,520 DSP slices, the XCKU115 has one of the highest DSP-to-logic ratios of any mid-range FPGA, making it particularly attractive for signal processing, machine learning inference, and radar/LIDAR applications.

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High-Speed Transceivers and I/O Capabilities

GTH Transceiver Specifications

The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C integrates 64 GTH (Gigabit Transceiver High-performance) transceivers, providing multi-protocol, high-speed serial connectivity up to 16.3 Gb/s per lane. This enables interfaces such as PCIe Gen3, 100G Ethernet, JESD204B, Interlaken, and custom serial protocols.

User I/O and Package Details

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Clocking Architecture and Configuration

Clocking Resources

The UltraScale clocking architecture features fine granular clock gating and ASIC-like clocking structures, reducing dynamic power and enabling greater timing closure flexibility compared to previous 7 Series devices.

Configuration Modes

The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C supports multiple configuration modes to suit diverse system architectures:

• Master SPI (QSPI) — 1-bit, 2-bit, and 4-bit wide flash interfaces
• BPI (Byte Peripheral Interface) — parallel NOR flash configuration
• JTAG — boundary scan and in-system programming
• Slave SelectMAP — high-speed parallel configuration from an external processor
• Slave Serial — daisy-chain configuration

Bitstream encryption using AES-256 is supported to protect proprietary design IP.

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Power and Thermal Characteristics

Voltage Rail Requirements

Power Efficiency

The Kintex UltraScale 20nm architecture delivers up to 40% lower power compared to previous-generation 28nm devices such as the Kintex-7 family. Fine granular clock gating and optimized place-and-route tools in the Vivado Design Suite help designers achieve the lowest possible dynamic power consumption.

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XCKU115-1FLVA1517C Applications

Primary Application Areas

The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C is designed for high-throughput, computationally intensive workloads. Key applications include:

100G Networking and Data Center

The 64 GTH transceivers enable direct implementation of 100 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces (4×25G or 10×10G), making this device a natural fit for line cards, smart NICs, and network packet processors operating at terabit scale.

DSP-Intensive Signal Processing

With 5,520 DSP48E2 slices and 75.9 Mb of block RAM, the KU115 handles FFT engines, FIR filters, matrix multiplication, and beamforming kernels used in radar, electronic warfare, and communications systems without relying on external DSP chips.

Medical Imaging

Next-generation CT scanners, MRI reconstruction engines, and ultrasound systems require real-time data processing at high resolution. The XCKU115’s memory bandwidth and DSP density allow complex reconstruction algorithms to run entirely on-chip.

Wireless Infrastructure (5G / LTE)

The device supports heterogeneous wireless infrastructure designs including Remote Radio Heads (RRH), Digital Front Ends (DFE), and baseband units (BBU) requiring JESD204B, CPRI, and eCPRI interfaces — all supported natively by the GTH transceivers.

8K Video Processing

High-bandwidth memory interfaces and DSP resources enable real-time 8K4K video encoding, decoding, and processing pipelines for broadcast and professional media applications.

Machine Learning Acceleration

Inference engines for convolutional neural networks (CNNs) benefit from the KU115’s large LUT count and DSP array, enabling efficient matrix-multiply-accumulate operations for edge AI and data center inference tasks.

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Part Number Decoder: Understanding XCKU115-1FLVA1517C

Understanding the part number helps engineers quickly identify the exact device variant:

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XCKU115-1FLVA1517C vs. Other KU115 Variants

The KU115 die is available in multiple speed grades and temperature ranges. The table below compares the most common FLVA1517 package variants:

The -1 speed grade is the standard entry point for the KU115 and delivers sufficient performance for most 100G networking, DSP, and video processing applications. Designers requiring the highest clock frequencies should evaluate the -2 or -3 speed grades.

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Design Tools and Ecosystem Support

Vivado Design Suite

The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C is fully supported by AMD’s Vivado Design Suite, including:

• Vivado ML Edition — AI-assisted placement and routing
• IP Integrator (IPI) — drag-and-drop block design for complex subsystems
• Vivado Simulator — RTL and gate-level simulation
• Power Estimator (XPE) — accurate static and dynamic power analysis
• Xilinx Power Analyzer (XPA) — post-implementation power reporting

IP Cores and Reference Designs

A rich library of validated IP cores is available for the KU115, including:

• PCIe Gen3 x8/x16 Endpoint and Root Port
• 100G Ethernet MAC/PCS
• JESD204B Transceiver
• DDR4 SDRAM Memory Controller
• AXI Interconnect and DMA engines
• Video codec and display pipeline IP

High-Level Synthesis (HLS)

AMD Vitis HLS (formerly Vivado HLS) allows designers to compile C, C++, and OpenCL kernels into optimized RTL for implementation on the KU115, significantly reducing FPGA development time for algorithm-heavy designs.

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Ordering Information

Note: The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C is a high-value component and is typically designated as Non-Cancellable, Non-Returnable (NCNR) by most distributors. Verify stock and lead times with your authorized distributor before placing orders.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the XCKU115-1FLVA1517C used for?

The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C is used in high-performance applications including 100G networking equipment, data center FPGA accelerators, DSP-intensive signal processing systems, medical imaging platforms, 5G wireless infrastructure, and 8K video processing pipelines.

How many logic cells does the XCKU115 have?

The XCKU115 contains 1,451,100 system logic cells (equivalent to approximately 663,360 CLB LUTs and 1,326,720 CLB flip-flops).

What is the difference between XCKU115-1FLVA1517C and XCKU115-2FLVA1517C?

The primary difference is the speed grade. The -1 suffix indicates a standard speed grade, while the -2 offers higher maximum clock frequencies. Both devices are identical in logic resources, package, and temperature range; the -2 is typically used where the design is timing-constrained at the -1 speed grade.

Does the XCKU115-1FLVA1517C support PCIe Gen3?

Yes. The 64 integrated GTH transceivers support PCIe Gen3 x8 and x16 configurations using Xilinx’s validated PCIe hard block IP cores.

What design software supports the XCKU115-1FLVA1517C?

AMD Vivado Design Suite (2014.1 and later) fully supports the XCKU115. Vivado ML Edition, Vitis HLS, and Vitis AI are all compatible for RTL, HLS, and AI/ML design flows.

Is the XCKU115-1FLVA1517C RoHS compliant?

Yes. The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C is RoHS compliant and available in lead-free packaging.

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Summary

The XCKU115-1FLVA1517C stands out as one of the most resource-rich FPGAs in the mid-range market segment. Its combination of 1.45M logic cells, 5,520 DSP slices, 75.9 Mb of block RAM, and 64 GTH transceivers at up to 16.3 Gb/s — all housed in a 1517-pin FCBGA package at commercial temperature range — makes it an exceptional platform for bandwidth-intensive and compute-intensive FPGA designs.

Built on AMD’s proven 20nm UltraScale architecture with SSI technology, this device delivers the performance of a high-end FPGA at a mid-range price point, supported by the full Vivado design ecosystem and a vast library of validated IP. For engineers and procurement teams evaluating high-density FPGAs for next-generation systems, the XCKU115-1FLVA1517C deserves serious consideration.