Configure FPGAs using SPI serial flash

This application note by Xilinx tackles the serial peripheral interface (SPI) configuration mode introduced in the Virtex-5 and Spartan-3E FPGA families. The required connections to configure the FPGA from an SPI serial flash device are discussed and the configuration flow for the SPI mode is shown. Special precautions for configuring from an SPI serial flash are given, and the ISE Design Suite iMPACT direct SPI programming solution is described.

The ISE Suite iMPACT tool version 11.4 is the last supported release for direct in-system SPI programming and is captured in this application note. For new designs, the iMPACT indirect in-system SPI programming solution is recommended. This solution uses a single JTAG connection to both configure the FPGA and indirectly program the flash.

The principles described in this application note apply to the external SPI flash configuration mode of the Extended Spartan-3A family with few differences.

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