The XCKU115-3FLVB1760E is a high-performance, extended temperature range FPGA from AMD’s Xilinx Kintex UltraScale family. Designed for demanding signal processing, wired communications, and data center applications, this device packs an industry-leading combination of logic resources, DSP engines, and high-speed transceivers into a compact 1760-ball flip-chip BGA package. Whether you are building a next-generation ASIC prototype, a high-throughput network appliance, or an advanced radar system, the XCKU115-3FLVB1760E delivers the bandwidth and flexibility to meet your requirements.
If you are sourcing Xilinx FPGA components for your next design, the XCKU115-3FLVB1760E is one of the most capable mid-to-high-range options available today.
What Is the XCKU115-3FLVB1760E?
The XCKU115-3FLVB1760E belongs to AMD’s Kintex UltraScale product line — a generation of FPGAs built on TSMC’s 20nm planar process. The “KU115” designation indicates the largest and most resource-rich device in the Kintex UltraScale series. The suffix breakdown tells you everything you need to know about this specific variant:
| Part Number Segment |
Meaning |
| XC |
Xilinx Commercial/Extended silicon |
| KU115 |
Kintex UltraScale, device 115 (largest in family) |
| -3 |
Speed grade 3 (fastest available in this family) |
| FLVB |
Flip-Chip Low-Voltage Ball Grid Array |
| 1760 |
1760-ball package |
| E |
Extended temperature range (–40°C to +100°C) |
XCKU115-3FLVB1760E Key Specifications
Core Logic Resources
| Parameter |
Value |
| System Logic Cells |
1,143,000 |
| CLB Flip-Flops |
2,160,000 |
| CLB LUTs |
663,360 |
| Distributed RAM (Kb) |
10,180 |
| Block RAM (Mb) |
75.9 |
| UltraRAM (Mb) |
270 |
| DSP Slices |
5,520 |
I/O and Transceiver Resources
| Parameter |
Value |
| Total User I/O Pins |
520 |
| Maximum Single-Ended I/O |
520 |
| Maximum Differential I/O Pairs |
208 |
| GTH Transceivers (16.3 Gbps) |
32 |
| GTY Transceivers (32.75 Gbps) |
0 |
| PCIe Gen3 x8 Hard Blocks |
2 |
| 100G Ethernet (CAUI-4) |
2 |
| Interlaken |
2 |
Memory and Clocking
| Parameter |
Value |
| Block RAM / ECC |
Yes |
| UltraRAM Blocks |
96 |
| MMCM (Mixed-Mode Clock Managers) |
8 |
| PLL |
16 |
Package and Environmental
| Parameter |
Value |
| Package |
FLVB1760 (flip-chip BGA) |
| Package Size |
42.5 mm × 42.5 mm |
| Ball Pitch |
1.0 mm |
| Operating Temperature (Extended) |
–40°C to +100°C |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) |
0.9V |
| I/O Voltage |
1.2V – 3.3V |
| Speed Grade |
–3 (Fastest) |
XCKU115-3FLVB1760E Ordering Information
| Attribute |
Details |
| Manufacturer |
AMD (Xilinx) |
| Part Number |
XCKU115-3FLVB1760E |
| Series |
Kintex UltraScale |
| DigiKey Part # |
1274-1104-ND |
| RoHS Status |
RoHS Compliant |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level |
MSL 3 |
| Packaging |
Tray |
Why Choose the XCKU115-3FLVB1760E?
#### Speed Grade –3: Maximum Performance
The –3 speed grade is the fastest commercial/extended offering in the Kintex UltraScale lineup. This translates to lower clock-to-output delays, faster logic paths, and higher maximum operating frequencies compared to –2 or –1 variants. Designs that push clock rates above 400 MHz in fabric logic or require the tightest timing margins will benefit directly from the –3 grade.
#### Extended Temperature Range for Industrial and Aerospace Applications
The “E” suffix certifies operation from –40°C to +100°C junction temperature. This makes the XCKU115-3FLVB1760E suitable for:
- Harsh industrial environments
- Outdoor telecom and defense equipment
- Ruggedized server and storage appliances
- Automotive ADAS and testing platforms
#### Massive DSP Throughput
With 5,520 DSP48E2 slices, each capable of performing a 27×18-bit multiply-accumulate operation in a single clock cycle, this FPGA can sustain multi-teraflop throughput at 500 MHz clocking. Applications in software-defined radio (SDR), radar signal processing, FEC encoding/decoding, and machine learning inference all benefit enormously from this density.
#### High-Speed Serial Connectivity
The device includes 32 GTH transceivers running at up to 16.3 Gbps per lane. Two dedicated PCIe Gen3 x8 hard IP blocks and two 100G Ethernet (CAUI-4) hard blocks allow system designers to build line-rate networking and storage interfaces without consuming fabric resources.
XCKU115-3FLVB1760E vs. Other Kintex UltraScale Devices
| Device |
Logic Cells |
DSP Slices |
Block RAM (Mb) |
GTH Tx |
Package Options |
| XCKU025 |
328,560 |
1,824 |
22.5 |
20 |
BGA |
| XCKU035 |
406,848 |
1,824 |
22.5 |
20 |
BGA |
| XCKU060 |
725,625 |
2,760 |
38.0 |
32 |
BGA |
| XCKU085 |
874,050 |
3,528 |
56.5 |
32 |
BGA |
| XCKU115 |
1,143,000 |
5,520 |
75.9 |
32 |
FLVB1760 |
The XCKU115 sits at the top of the Kintex UltraScale family, offering approximately 3.5× the logic density of the entry-level XCKU025 and nearly double the DSP count of the XCKU060.
Typical Applications
The XCKU115-3FLVB1760E is commonly deployed in:
- Wired Communications: 100G/400G Ethernet line cards, OTN framing, and FEC processing
- Wireless Infrastructure: Massive MIMO baseband processing, beam-forming, and digital pre-distortion (DPD)
- Defense & Aerospace: Radar/sonar signal processing, electronic warfare (EW), and secure communications
- Data Center Acceleration: SmartNIC offload, database query acceleration, and AI/ML inference
- Test & Measurement: High-speed data capture, protocol analysis, and arbitrary waveform generation
- ASIC Prototyping: Multi-million gate designs requiring high logic density and fast timing closure
Design Considerations and Resources
#### Vivado Design Suite Compatibility
The XCKU115-3FLVB1760E is fully supported in AMD’s Vivado Design Suite, including Vivado ML editions. Designers should use the Vivado 2019.1 or later release to take full advantage of UltraScale-specific timing rules and IP cores.
#### Power Management
At full utilization, the XCKU115 can draw significant dynamic power. AMD’s XPE (Xilinx Power Estimator) tool should be used early in the design cycle. The VCCINT supply of 0.9V requires a high-current, low-noise power delivery network (PDN), and power sequencing must follow the guidance in UG575 (UltraScale PCB Design Guide).
#### PCB Layout and Signal Integrity
With a 1760-ball BGA at 1.0 mm pitch in a 42.5 mm × 42.5 mm footprint, PCB routing requires careful planning. AMD recommends a minimum of 8–12 copper layers depending on via fanout strategy and transceiver placement. GTH transceiver lanes require AC-coupled, controlled-impedance differential traces in the 85–100 Ω range.
XCKU115-3FLVB1760E vs. Virtex UltraScale
Designers sometimes debate between the Kintex UltraScale and Virtex UltraScale families. The table below highlights the key trade-offs:
| Feature |
XCKU115 (Kintex US) |
XCVU190 (Virtex US) |
| Logic Cells |
1,143,000 |
1,956,450 |
| DSP Slices |
5,520 |
3,240 |
| GTH/GTY Transceivers |
32 GTH |
60 GTH + 20 GTY |
| HBM |
No |
No |
| Cost |
Lower |
Higher |
The XCKU115 is preferred when DSP density and cost efficiency are the primary requirements. The Virtex UltraScale family is chosen when maximum I/O count and higher transceiver lane count are needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between XCKU115-3FLVB1760E and XCKU115-2FLVB1760E? The only difference is the speed grade. The –3 variant offers faster propagation delays and higher maximum clock frequencies than the –2 variant. Both use the identical package and silicon die.
Q: Is the XCKU115-3FLVB1760E RoHS compliant? Yes. The part number suffix “E” refers to extended temperature range. RoHS compliance is indicated separately in the product documentation and is confirmed by the manufacturer.
Q: Can I use the XCKU115 with Vitis HLS or Vitis AI? Yes. AMD’s Vitis unified software platform fully supports the Kintex UltraScale family for high-level synthesis (HLS) and AI inference acceleration workflows.
Q: What evaluation boards support the XCKU115? AMD’s KCU116 Kintex UltraScale evaluation kit features the XCKU5P, but several third-party OEM vendors offer carrier boards with the KU115 device for prototyping and development.
Summary
The XCKU115-3FLVB1760E is the flagship device of AMD’s Kintex UltraScale portfolio, combining 1.14 million logic cells, 5,520 DSP slices, 75.9 Mb of Block RAM, and 32 high-speed GTH transceivers in a –3 speed grade, extended temperature package. It is the go-to solution for engineers building high-performance signal processing, networking, and data center acceleration systems that demand maximum throughput, wide temperature operation, and proven Xilinx UltraScale fabric reliability.
