[Cryptech Tech] Selection of Lattice FPGA as key memory for the Alpha board

[Joachim Strömbergson]

Aloha!

Replying to myself here. Reading up on device programming I found an issue:

[iCE40 Programming and
Configuration](http://www.latticesemi.com/view_document?document_id=46502)

It turns out that the LM versions of iCE40 lacks the in-package
non-volatile configuration memory (NVCM). We want to have this memory.
This removes the LM-device below from the list of candidates. The
LP-versions includes the NVCM.

Regards,
JoachimS


On 2020-03-24 16:34, Joachim Strömbergson wrote:
> Aloha!
> 
> (Lets do this on @tech. Hopefully somebody else want to chime in with
> suggestions and ideas.)
> 
> Pavel, I’ve looked at possible FPGA devices to be integrated onto the
> new Cryptech board to be used as FPGA based master key memory
> (fpga_mkm). Here are my reasoning for the devices I’ve selected.
> 
> We want to use a device supported by the Project IceStorm toolchain:
> [Project IceStorm"](http://www.clifford.at/icestorm/). The toolchain
> supports a number of devices in the iCE40 LP/HX/LM series:
> https://www.latticesemi.com/Products/FPGAandCPLD/iCE40
> 
> We are currently using the iCEstick evaluation board for the
> development. The iCEstick is supported by the toolchain. [iCEstick
> Evaluation Kit - Lattice
> Semiconductor](http://www.latticesemi.com/en/Products/DevelopmentBoardsAndKits/iCEstick).
> 
> The dev board sports a iCE40HX1K device. Judging by resource numbers we
> are currently using 15% of the Programmable Logic Blocks. This means
> that we could use a smaller device. But the 1K-devices contain an PLL
> that can be used as clock source (meaning no external clock). I would
> therefore suggest that we choose one of the 1K-devices.
> 
> We also need very few I/Os. We currently use nine I/Os, and one is for
> clock and two are just for debugging (red and green LEDs)
> 
> Based on this, and looking at availability, I have the following LP1L
> devices on my list:
> 
> * [ICE40LP1K-SWG16TR Lattice Semiconductor Corporation | Integrated
> Circuits (ICs) |
> DigiKey](https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/lattice-semiconductor-corporation/ICE40LP1K-SWG16TR/ICE40LP1K-SWG16TR-ND/4572398).
> 
> * [ICE40LP1K-CM36 Lattice Semiconductor Corporation | Integrated
> Circuits (ICs) |
> DigiKey](https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/lattice-semiconductor-corporation/ICE40LP1K-CM36/220-1564-ND/3083574)
> 
> The 16-ball WLCSP has 0.35 mm spacing and the 36-ball ucBGA has 0.40 mm
> spacing.
> 
> From LM1K I would suggest:
> * [ICE40LM1K-SWG25TR Lattice Semiconductor Corporation | Integrated
> Circuits (ICs) |
> DigiKey](https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/lattice-semiconductor-corporation/ICE40LM1K-SWG25TR/ICE40LM1K-SWG25TR-ND/4572404)
> 
> The 25-ball WLCSP has 0.35 mm spacing.
> 
> All devices seems to be in active production and accessible in single
> quantities for around 3 USD. Do you think any of these would work?
> Anyone that you prefer?
> 
> I haven’t looked at how we are going to program the devices on the
> board. The devices contain a Flash based config memory that can be
> programmed and then locked. This is a feature we want to use.
> 
> 
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> 


-- 
Med vänlig hälsning, Yours

Joachim Strömbergson
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                               Assured AB
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