Overdriving Core Voltage for speed

[raviganesh]

Our Cyclone 10 1.2V (speed grade 7) device works fine at 480MHz clock - accepting a 80MHz 12b serial LVDS out ADC. Due to component shortage I am forced to use a 1.0V (speed grade   device. With the best of compiler optimisation I am not able to run it past 360MHz. 

Can I over drive the voltage to 1.2V to get speed benefit?

What does core voleage mean in general? Is the 1.0V device purposefully manufactured for low power or is it just graded during testing post fabrication. Because the chip ID is the same for both cores?

Any pointers on core voltage and speed will be greatly appreciated.

RG

[Ash_R_Intel]

Hi,

Can you share the exact part numbers of the two devices you are using?

Regards

[raviganesh]

Hi,

They are

10CL120YF484I7G

and

10CL120ZF484I8G

RG

[Ash_R_Intel]

Few more questions:

Are you claiming the device to work on hardware or the timing report?

Is the IO being driven at 80MHz or 480MHz?

What is the VCCIO of the bank in use? I am assuming IO standard as LVDS.

Regards

[raviganesh]

Dear Intel Support,

Very simple question. Can a 1.0V device be operated at 1.2V??

R

[Ash_R_Intel]

Hi,

Driving 1.2V to a 1.0V device is beyond max range of recommended operating conditions i.e. 1.03V as per the datasheet.

As 1.2V is under Absolute Max of 1.8V, we can only guarantee the reliability for the device, but not functional performance.

Regards

[raviganesh]

Driving a 1.0V device to 1.2V definetely imporoves speed as i have observed. It is upto you to verify if this speed improvment meets your expectation. Also to be noted is that the power cosumption is slightly higher and again it is upto you to decide if this can be tolerated.

So much so from the user side. It would be find if the manufactures discloses why and how this device was graded as a 1,0V device. Is it due to a manufacturing defect? Or a manufacturing miracle? Any insight will be greatly useful to the user in taking a learned decision in using that part.

R

[Ash_R_Intel]

Cyclone 10 LP is targeted for low power applications. Two core voltage options are available to meet different customer applications.

There is no manufacturing defect or miracle here. It is just the devices are manufactured that way.

For driving a lower voltage device with higher voltage, as I said earlier, may not immediately damage the device as it is within Absolute Max spec. However, a prolonged exposure to out of spec voltages, may degrade the performance and reliability of the device.

Intel does not take responsibility of any damage or performance issues that may be happening due to beyond published specifications. Devices are well characterized and enough tested before shipping.

Regards

[Ash_R_Intel]

As the query as been answered, this thread will be transitioned to community support. If you have a new question, feel free to open a new thread to get the support from Intel experts. Otherwise, the community users will continue to help you on this thread. Thank you