The XCKU115-1FLVD1517C is a high-performance Xilinx FPGA from AMD’s Kintex® UltraScale™ family. Built on advanced 20nm process technology, this device is engineered to deliver an industry-leading balance of DSP throughput, logic density, and power efficiency — making it one of the most capable mid-range FPGAs available today. Whether you are designing for 100G networking, next-generation medical imaging, 8k4k video, or AI-accelerated edge computing, the XCKU115-1FLVD1517C is purpose-built for the task.
What Is the XCKU115-1FLVD1517C?
The XCKU115-1FLVD1517C belongs to the Xilinx Kintex UltraScale product line — a family renowned for providing the best price-per-performance-per-watt at the 20nm node. The “XCKU115” designation identifies it as the largest device in the Kintex UltraScale series, offering over 1.4 million system logic cells and massive on-chip memory. The “-1” speed grade indicates the standard commercial performance tier, while the “FLVD1517C” suffix describes the 1517-pin Flip-Chip Ball Grid Array (FCBGA) package in a compact 40×40mm footprint, targeting commercial temperature operation (0°C to 85°C).
XCKU115-1FLVD1517C Key Specifications
Core Logic and Memory
| Parameter |
Value |
| FPGA Family |
Kintex UltraScale |
| Series |
XCKU115 |
| Process Technology |
20nm |
| Number of Logic Cells |
1,451,100 |
| Number of CLBs (Configurable Logic Blocks) |
82,920 |
| Total RAM Bits |
77,721,600 |
| Number of User I/Os |
338 |
| Supply Voltage (VCC INT) |
0.922V – 0.979V |
Package and Thermal Characteristics
| Parameter |
Value |
| Package Type |
1517-BBGA, FCBGA |
| Supplier Device Package |
1517-FCBGA (40×40mm) |
| Mounting Type |
Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature Range |
0°C ~ 85°C (TJ) |
| RoHS Compliance |
Yes |
On-Chip Resources
| Resource |
Quantity |
| DSP Slices |
5,520 |
| Block RAM Tiles |
912 |
| UltraRAM Blocks |
0 (UltraScale, not UltraScale+) |
| PCIe Hard IP Blocks |
4 |
| 100G Ethernet MACs |
2 |
| 150G Interlaken |
2 |
| GTH Transceivers (16.3 Gb/s) |
32 |
| CMAC (100G) |
2 |
| MMCM / PLL |
12 / 24 |
XCKU115-1FLVD1517C Part Number Decoder
Understanding the part number helps you confirm the exact configuration you need:
| Code Segment |
Meaning |
| XC |
Xilinx Commercial Device |
| KU115 |
Kintex UltraScale, Largest Device (115) |
| -1 |
Speed Grade 1 (Standard / Commercial) |
| FLV |
Flip-Chip Low-Voltage (FLV) Package |
| D |
Package Variant D |
| 1517 |
1517 Ball Count |
| C |
Commercial Temperature Grade (0°C to 85°C) |
Top Features of the XCKU115-1FLVD1517C
#### Next-Generation UltraScale Architecture
The XCKU115-1FLVD1517C is built on Xilinx’s UltraScale architecture, which draws directly from ASIC design methodologies. This results in:
- Up to 40% lower power compared to previous-generation 28nm FPGAs
- ASIC-like clocking with fine-granular clock gating
- Stacked Silicon Interconnect (SSI) technology for massively increased bandwidth between die regions
- Reduced BOM cost through deep integration of high-speed interfaces
#### High-Bandwidth DSP and Signal Processing
With 5,520 DSP48E2 slices, the XCKU115-1FLVD1517C provides the highest signal processing bandwidth available in any mid-range FPGA. This makes it uniquely suited for:
- Real-time radar and signal intelligence (SIGINT)
- Software-defined radio (SDR) and wireless infrastructure
- High-frequency trading (HFT) acceleration
- Deep learning inference engines
#### Industry-Leading Transceivers
The device integrates 32 GTH transceivers capable of operating at up to 16.3 Gb/s line rate, enabling:
- 100G Ethernet (100GbE) connectivity
- PCIe Gen3 ×16 and ×8 support (with 4 hard PCIe blocks)
- Interlaken 150G for chip-to-chip and chip-to-backplane fabric
- JESD204B/C support for high-speed ADC/DAC interfaces
#### Robust Configuration and Security
- AES-256 bitstream encryption with HMAC/SHA-256 authentication
- Secure boot and anti-tamper protection
- Bitstream readback and multi-boot support
- JTAG boundary scan for in-system debugging
XCKU115-1FLVD1517C Applications
The XCKU115-1FLVD1517C excels in demanding, compute-intensive environments across multiple industries:
| Industry |
Use Case |
| Data Center & Cloud |
100G packet processing, network acceleration, SmartNICs |
| Telecommunications |
5G radio access network (RAN), baseband processing, DFE |
| Defense & Aerospace |
Radar signal processing, SIGINT, electronic warfare |
| Medical Imaging |
4K/8K ultrasound reconstruction, CT/MRI processing pipelines |
| Broadcast & Video |
8k4k real-time video encode/decode, live production |
| Financial Technology |
Ultra-low latency order execution, market data processing |
| Industrial Automation |
Machine vision, motor control, industrial IoT gateways |
| AI & Machine Learning |
Inference acceleration, neural network hardware |
XCKU115-1FLVD1517C vs. Similar Kintex UltraScale Devices
| Part Number |
Logic Cells |
I/O Count |
Package |
Temperature Grade |
Speed Grade |
| XCKU115-1FLVD1517C |
1,451,100 |
338 |
1517-FCBGA |
Commercial (0~85°C) |
-1 |
| XCKU115-2FLVD1517E |
1,451,100 |
338 |
1517-FCBGA |
Extended (0~100°C) |
-2 |
| XCKU115-1FLVA1517C |
1,451,100 |
338 |
1517-FCBGA |
Commercial (0~85°C) |
-1 |
| XCKU115-1FLVB1760C |
1,451,100 |
520 |
1760-FCBGA |
Commercial (0~85°C) |
-1 |
| XCKU115-1FLVB2104C |
1,451,100 |
624 |
2104-FCBGA |
Commercial (0~85°C) |
-1 |
| XCKU085-1FLVA1517C |
1,143,000 |
338 |
1517-FCBGA |
Commercial (0~85°C) |
-1 |
Tip: The XCKU115-1FLVD1517C is the best choice when you need the maximum logic density of the XCKU115 family in the smallest 1517-pin package with commercial temperature requirements. For extended temperature or higher I/O counts, see the 1760 and 2104 pin variants.
Development Tools for the XCKU115-1FLVD1517C
#### Vivado Design Suite (Recommended)
Xilinx (now AMD) Vivado is the primary design environment for all UltraScale devices. It supports:
- RTL synthesis and place-and-route
- Timing closure with advanced floorplanning tools
- IP Integrator for block-level design assembly
- Vivado Simulator for functional and timing simulation
- Partial reconfiguration support
#### Vitis Unified Software Platform
For applications combining FPGA fabric with embedded processors or AI inference, AMD’s Vitis platform enables:
- High-level synthesis (HLS) from C/C++
- Vitis AI for neural network deployment
- Hardware/software co-design workflows
#### KCU105 Evaluation Kit
The AMD KCU105 Evaluation Board (EK-U1-KCU105-G) is the official development platform for Kintex UltraScale FPGAs. It features the XCKU040 device but shares the same UltraScale IP and tool flows, making it an ideal starting point before migrating to XCKU115 production hardware.
Ordering and Availability
| Attribute |
Detail |
| Manufacturer |
AMD (formerly Xilinx) |
| Part Number |
XCKU115-1FLVD1517C |
| DigiKey Part Number |
XCKU115-1FLVD1517C-ND |
| Package |
1517-BBGA, FCBGA (40×40mm) |
| Minimum Order Quantity |
1 piece |
| Lead Time |
Contact distributor for current lead times |
| RoHS Status |
Compliant |
| Export Control |
Check ECCN classification before export |
⚠️ Note: The XCKU115-1FLVD1517C is classified as a Non-Cancellable, Non-Returnable (NCNR) item by most authorized distributors. Confirm your design requirements before placing orders.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the difference between XCKU115-1FLVD1517C and XCKU115-2FLVD1517E? The “-1” speed grade offers standard performance for commercial temperature operation (0–85°C). The “-2” speed grade achieves faster timing closure and is rated to extended temperature (0–100°C). Choose the “-2E” variant for industrial-adjacent designs or where maximum timing margin is needed.
Q: Is the XCKU115-1FLVD1517C pin-compatible with other XCKU115 variants? Devices sharing the same package (1517-FCBGA 40×40mm) maintain footprint compatibility, allowing you to migrate between speed grades or temperature ranges without PCB layout changes. However, always verify pinout details in the official Xilinx UltraScale Packaging and Pinout User Guide (UG575).
Q: What software version supports the XCKU115-1FLVD1517C? Vivado Design Suite 2015.4 and later fully supports the Kintex UltraScale device family, including XCKU115. AMD recommends using the latest Vivado release for optimal results.
Q: Can the XCKU115-1FLVD1517C be used in space or harsh environments? This specific variant (commercial grade, 0–85°C) is not rated for military or space use. For harsh environments, consider industrial-grade “-I” suffix variants or consult AMD’s defense and aerospace product lines.
Summary
The XCKU115-1FLVD1517C stands out as one of the most powerful mid-range FPGAs in production, delivering over 1.4 million logic cells, 5,520 DSP slices, 32 high-speed transceivers, and dual 100G Ethernet hard IP — all in a compact, cost-optimized 1517-pin FCBGA package. It is backed by AMD’s mature Vivado design toolchain and a broad ecosystem of reference designs, IP cores, and evaluation hardware. For engineers building next-generation networking, defense, broadcast, or AI applications, the XCKU115-1FLVD1517C offers an exceptional foundation for both prototyping and production deployment.
