Arria® V Device Handbook: Volume 1: Device Interfaces and Integration

ID 683213
Date 10/18/2023
Public
Document Table of Contents

4.2.9. Clock Multiplication and Division

Each Arria® V PLL provides clock synthesis for PLL output ports using the M/(N × C) scaling factors. The input clock is divided by a pre-scale factor, N, and is then multiplied by the M feedback factor. The control loop drives the VCO to match fin × (M/N).

The Quartus® Prime software automatically chooses the appropriate scaling factors according to the input frequency, multiplication, and division values entered into the ALTERA_PLL IP core.

VCO Post Divider

A VCO post divider is inserted after the VCO. When you enable the VCO post divider, the VCO post divider divides the VCO frequency by two. When the VCO post divider is bypassed, the VCO frequency goes to the output port without being divided by two.

Post-Scale Counter, C

Each output port has a unique post-scale counter, C, that divides down the output from the VCO post divider. For multiple PLL outputs with different frequencies, the VCO is set to the least common multiple of the output frequencies that meets its frequency specifications. For example, if the output frequencies required from one PLL are 33 and 66 MHz, the Quartus® Prime software sets the VCO to 660 MHz (the least common multiple of 33 and 66 MHz within the VCO range). Then the post-scale counters, C, scale down the VCO frequency for each output port.

Pre-Scale Counter, N and Multiply Counter, M

Each PLL has one pre-scale counter, N, and one multiply counter, M, with a range of 1 to 512 for both M and N. The N counter does not use duty-cycle control because the only purpose of this counter is to calculate frequency division. The post-scale counters have a 50% duty cycle setting. The high- and low-count values for each counter range from 1 to 256. The sum of the high- and low-count values chosen for a design selects the divide value for a given counter.

Delta-Sigma Modulator

The delta-sigma modulator (DSM) is used together with the M multiply counter to enable the PLL to operate in fractional mode. The DSM dynamically changes the M counter divide value on a cycle to cycle basis. The different M counter values allow the "average" M counter value to be a non-integer.

Fractional Mode

In fractional mode, the M counter divide value equals to the sum of the "clock high" count, "clock low" count, and the fractional value. The fractional value is equal to K/2^X , where K is an integer between 0 and (2^X – 1), and X = 8, 16, 24, or 32.

Integer Mode

For PLL operating in integer mode, M is an integer value and DSM is disabled.