XU-TX: 6 GSPS Dual 16 bit Dac Board with PLL and Kintex Ultrascale FPGA all on XMC
September 2015
The XU-TX is an XMC module with two 8 lane high speed serial links connected to the host (one on XMC connector P15, and one on P16). These links can support several protocols (up to 8 lane PCIe on P15 , Aurora, user defined, etc…). The standard XU-TX features two AC coupled single ended 16 bit DAC outputs with programmable DC bias. The Analog Devices AD9162 DAC devices employed support synchronization, interpolation, fixed latency and their unique output circuits allow improved frequency synthesis in the 2nd and 3rd Nyquist zones. This can shift the Nyquist null frequency in the output spectrum to two times the typical Nyquist null frequency.
A Xilinx Kintex Ultrascale FPGA XCKU060 with 4GB DDR4 RAM memory provides a very high performance DSP core for demanding applications such RADAR and wireless IF generation. The close integration of the analog IO, memory and host interface with the FPGA enables real-time signal processing at rates exceeding 7000 GMAC/s.
The XU XMC modules couple Innovative’s powerful Velocia architecture with two high performance 8-lane PCI Express links connected to the carrier, and a new XMC carrier which connects the 8 lane XU-TX links to the 16-lane carrier PCIe link using a PCIe switch, contact the factory for availability). Alternate protocol 8-lane links to a host are also supported by the XU-TX’s hardware using either P15’s or P16’s link to a compatible host.
The XU family can be fully customized using VHDL and MATLAB and the FrameWork Logic toolset. The MATLAB BSP supports real-time hardwarein-the-loop development using the graphical, block diagram Simulink environment with Xilinx System Generator.
IP logic cores are also available for SDR applications that provide multichannel modulations for PSK and FSK systems. These IP cores transform the XU-TX module into versatile transmitter, ready for integration into your application.
Software tools for host development include C++ libraries and drivers for Windows and Linux. Application examples demonstrating the module features and use are provided, including streaming DAC samples from disk. The XU-TX can be used with the Andale high speed data record/playback system for arbitrary waveform generation from recorded data at sustained rates exceeding 6400 MB/s.
