PCB Stackup Design Considerations for Intel® FPGAs

ID 683883
Date 6/28/2017
Public
Document Table of Contents

1. PCB Stackup Design Considerations for Intel® FPGAs

This application note presents an overview of the PCB stackup construction and material selection criteria. It discusses the important material parameters that influence the electrical performance and manufacturability of the design, as well as layer usage and the importance of layer organization within the stackup for arriving at a well-designed PCB. Cost consideration is also discussed where applicable. Finally, specific recommendations and requirements for Intel® FPGAs, including the Stratix® , Arria® , MAX® , and Cyclone® device families, are listed at the end of this app note.

The PCB stackup design plays a central part in the overall system performance, especially with high-performance FPGAs that incorporate transceiver technology. The PCB stackup is the substrate upon which all design components are assembled. A poorly designed PCB stackup with inappropriately selected materials can degrade the electrical performance of signal transmission, power delivery, manufacturability, and long term reliability of the finished product. To successfully design PCB stackups for FPGA designs, you must have a good understanding of both PCB construction and the factors that influence material selection and cost.