Lattice Machxo2 PLD family sets new standards for low cost, low power designs

BANGALORE, INDIA: Lattice Semiconductor Corp. has unveiled its new MachXO2 PLD family, which offers designers of low-density PLDs an unprecedented mix of low cost, low power and high system integration in a single device.

Built on a low power 65-nm process featuring embedded Flash technology, the MachXO2 family delivers a 3X increase in logic density, a 10X increase in embedded memory, more than a 100X reduction in static power and up to 30% lower cost compared to the MachXO PLD family.

In addition, several popular functions used in low-density PLD applications, such as User Flash Memory (UFM), I2C, SPI and timer/counter, have been hardened into the MachXO2 devices, providing designers a “Do-it-All-PLD” for high volume, cost sensitive designs.

“Through the use of 65-nm embedded Flash technology, we have reduced costs and increased functionality for our traditional customers in the computing, industrial and telecommunication infrastructure markets, while dramatically reducing power consumption for designers of consumer equipment,” said Gordon Hands, Director of Marketing for Low Density and Mixed Signal Solutions. “Many early access customers are already evaluating and designing with MachXO2 devices in a broad range of applications.”

Three product options for maximum flexibility
The MachXO2 family offers three options for maximum flexibility. MachXO2 ZE devices range from 256 to 7K look-up tables (LUTs), operate off a nominal 1.2V power supply, and support system performance up to 60MHz.

With power specified as low as 19uW and packages as small as 2.5mmx2.5mm, the MachXO2 ZE devices are optimized for cost-sensitive, low power consumer design applications such as smart phones, GPS devices and PDAs.

MachXO2 HC devices range from 256 to 7K LUTs, operate off a nominal 3.3V or 2.5V power supply, and support system performance up to 150MHz. Offering up to 335 user I/O and a robust design solution (instant-on, non-volatile, input hysteresis and single-chip), these devices are ideal for control applications in end markets such as telecommunications infrastructure, computing, industrial and medical equipment.

MachXO2 HE devices range from 2K to 7K LUTs, operate off a nominal 1.2V power supply and support system performance up to 150MHz. These devices are optimized for power sensitive system applications.

Reaction from early access customers
“For the last two years, we have used MachXO PLDs in our CCTV video over fiber optic multiplexers because they deliver compelling system integration benefits combined with a flexible and cost effective architecture,” said Zhu Guangxin, VP of Engineering at Obtelecom. “For our next generation products, MachXO2 PLDs will enable us to provide more features to our customers at lower prices.”

“We have been actively designing with MachXO2 devices and will be using them in our CNC (computer numerical control) products,” said An Luping, R&D manager at KND CNC Technique. “The unique system integration benefits of the MachXO2 family, such as hardened I2C/SPI functions and User Flash Memory, combined with low power consumption and attractive price points, allow us to use these devices as alternatives to high risk and expensive discretes, ASICs and ASSPs.”

Customers can start designing with MachXO2 devices today using Lattice Diamond v1.1 software, which can be downloaded for free from the Lattice website.