What is a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and how does it work?
A field-programmable gate array is a type of configurable integrated circuit that can be repeatedly programmed after manufacturing. It consists of a grid-connected array of programmable logic blocks, including configurable logic blocks with lookup tables and flip-flops, connected by routing channels. Users define its behavior by writing in a hardware description language such as VHDL or Verilog, then loading a configuration file onto the chip via a serial interface like JTAG.
Who made the first commercially viable FPGA?
Xilinx produced the first commercially viable field-programmable gate array in 1985, called the XC2064. It had 64 configurable logic blocks, each with two three-input lookup tables. Altera had delivered an earlier reprogrammable logic device, the EP300, in 1984, but it required ultraviolet light erasure rather than full in-field reprogramming.
What is the FPGA market worth and how fast has it grown?
The global FPGA market was worth approximately 14 million dollars in 1987, grew to over 385 million dollars by 1993, and reached 5.4 billion dollars by 2013. Industry estimates project the market will reach approximately 23.34 billion dollars by 2030.
How does Microsoft use FPGAs in its data centers?
Microsoft began using FPGAs to accelerate its Bing search engine in 2014, attracted by the performance-per-watt advantage the chips provide. By 2018, the company had expanded FPGA deployment across other data center workloads for its Azure cloud computing platform.
What security vulnerabilities have been found in FPGAs?
In 2012, researchers Sergei Skorobogatov and Christopher Woods discovered a critical backdoor built into the silicon of the Actel/Microsemi ProAsic 3 FPGA, allowing access to cryptographic keys and configuration data. In 2020, a separate vulnerability called Starbleed was found across all Xilinx 7-series FPGAs, rendering bitstream encryption useless; Xilinx produced no hardware revision to address it.
How did Intel and AMD come to own the two leading FPGA companies?
Intel acquired Altera on December the 30th, 2015 for approximately 16.7 billion dollars after announcing the deal on June the 1st of that year. AMD acquired Xilinx in February 2022 in a transaction valued at about 50 billion dollars, announced on October the 27th, 2020. Altera became independent of Intel again in February 2024.