Next-Generation Computer Aided Design Flow Challenges for Field Programmable Gate Arrays

现场可编程门阵列（FPGA）是定制芯片设计的替代方案;它们可以在现场进行配置，以实现任何电路。现代FPGA包含可配置逻辑块（CLB）的可重新配置阵列、嵌入式硬知识产权（IP）块和可编程路由结构，并且每个器件具有最高的晶体管数量。它们使用的是只有计算机处理器公司（如英特尔、英伟达）才使用的领先工艺技术。Altera和Xilinx的最新器件采用28 nm工艺技术制造，晶体管数量分别为39亿和68亿。对于许多公司来说，FPGA提供了足够的容量和速度，使公司能够“无晶圆厂”，以避免昂贵和耗时的代工服务。

Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are an alternative to custom chip design; they can be configured, in the field, to implement any circuit. Modern FPGAs contain a reconfigurable array of Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs), embedded hard Intellectual Property (IP) blocks, and a programmable routing fabric and have one of the highest transistor counts per device. They use the same leading-edge process technology that is otherwise only used by computer processor companies (e.g. Intel, NVIDIA). The latest devices from Altera and Xilinx are fabricated with 28nm process technology with transistor counts of 3.9 and 6.8 billion, respectively. For many companies, FPGAs provide sufficient capacity and speed, allowing the company go "fabless" to avoid the expensive and time consuming services of a foundry.