Designing the Xilinx Zynq-7000 Series 7020 Core Board from Scratch: Introduction
For a long time, I have wanted to create a high-speed development board. Due to financial and skill constraints, I had not taken action. To avoid regrets from my student days, I decided to give myself a graduation gift by designing a 6-layer 7020 core board. The main significance of this core board lies in its educational value; the key is to master some basic operations in AD and the operations involved in drawing high-speed differential lines. Additionally, I will review the schematic and learn about aspects I had never considered before, documenting the process from scratch and eventually compiling it into a collection to publish on my public account as a keepsake.
The following sections will revolve around two main aspects, focusing on the design and a Q&A session: 1. What is the ultimate goal of this core development board?
2. What obstacles must be overcome to achieve this goal?
1. What is the ultimate goal of this core development board?
Once the design is complete, we can use this development board to run some open-source example codes, serving as a learning platform for FPGA development. The specific peripherals include:
| Model/Interface | Function Description | Product Number |
|---|---|---|
| FPGA Model | XC7Z020-2CLG400I | C569043 |
| DDR3 | MT41K256M16TW-107:P | C367428 |
| Flash | W25Q128JVSIQ | C113767 |
| HDMI | 1 HDMI interface for sending and receiving | |
| Ethernet | For network communication applications | |
| USB Host | ||
| USB UART | For communication between ZYNQ and external devices | |
| Clock | 1 33.3333MHz on the PS side, 1 50MHz on the PL side | |
| Buttons | 1 on the PS side, 2 on the PL side | |
| LEDs | 1 on the PS side, 2 on the PL side | |
| Expansion Port | Expansion port currently undefined | |
| eMMC | KLM8G1GETF-B041 | C499918 |
2. What obstacles must be overcome to achieve this goal?
Layer Considerations: Currently, most solutions on the market use 8-layer boards, while 6-layer boards are rare. However, I cannot afford the manufacturing costs of an 8-layer board, so I must find a way to design a 6-layer board. It is not impossible to create an external baseboard. After all, we do not need to consider stability issues, and it is acceptable to cut down on some functions.
Power Supply: The power supply section is essentially a 5V input, which is then converted through various LDOs to 1.0V, 1.5V, 1.8V, 3.3V, etc. We also need to check the power-up timing requirements to avoid issues during startup.
SMT Section: Reflow soldering
DDR, eMMC, HDMI, USB Routing
BGA Fan-out, Differential Routing: PCB layout is the part I am most eager to work on, as I have not focused on it before. Through this PCB design, I aim to learn and lay a foundation for future studies.
Next:
Understanding the past cannot be changed, but the future can be pursued. The path may not be far, and realizing the present is different from the past. The boat sails lightly, and the wind blows gently. I ask the traveler about the road ahead, regretting the faint morning light.
I have not set a specific deadline for myself, but I aim to complete the entire project by the end of May, with one article per week. The next article will be about Schematic Design and Analysis. See you next week. Welcome to grow with me, goodbyeヾ(•ω•`)o