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© November 2008
Altera Corporation
AN 436: Using DDR3 SDRAM in Stratix III and Stratix IV Devices
AN-436-4.0
© November 2008
AN 436: Using DDR3 SDRAM in Stratix III
and Stratix IV Devices
Introduction
DDR3 SDRAM is the latest generation of DDR SDRAM technology, with improvements that
include lower power consumption, higher data bandwidth, enhanced signal quality with
multiple on-die termination (ODT) selection and output driver impedance control.
DDR3 SDRAM brings higher memory performance to a broad range of applications, such as
PCs, embedded processor systems, image processing, storage, communications, and
networking.
Although DDR2 SDRAM is currently the more popular SDRAM, to save system power and
increase system performance you should consider using DDR3 SDRAM. DDR3 SDRAM
offers lower power by using 1.5 V for the supply and I/O voltage compared to the 1.8-V
supply and I/O voltage used by DDR2 SDRAM. DDR3 SDRAM also has better maximum
throughput compared to DDR2 SDRAM by increasing the data rate per pin and the number
of banks (8 banks are standard).
1
The Altera
®
ALTMEMPHY megafunction and DDR3 SDRAM high-performance
controller only support local interfaces running at half the rate of the memory
interface.
Altera Stratix
®
III and Stratix IV devices support DDR3 SDRAM interfaces with dedicated
DQS, write-, and read-leveling circuitry.
displays the maximum clock frequency for DDR3 SDRAM in Stratix III devices.
Table 1.
DDR3 SDRAM Maximum Clock Frequency Supported in Stratix III Devices
Speed Grade
f
MAX
(MHz)
–2
533
–3 and I3
400
–4, 4L, and I4L at 1.1 V
333
–4, 4L, and I4L at 0.9 V
Not supported
Notes to
(1) Numbers are preliminary until characterization is final. The supported operating frequencies are memory interface maximums for the device
family. Your design's actual achievable performance is based on design and system specific factors and static timing analysis of the completed
design.
(2) Applies to modules and components using fly-by termination with leveling scheme.
(3) Timing can close at the target speed in the Quartus II software version 8.0. In Quartus II software version 8.1, you can use these designs for
prototyping, but you should not go to production until Altera releases final DDR3 models in Quartus II software version 9.0..
(4) Performance is based on 1.1-V core voltage. At 1.1-V core voltage, the –4L speed grade devices have the same performance as the –4 speed
grade devices.
(5) The Quartus II software version 8.1 does not support DDR3 SDRAM below 360 MHz. The DLL mode is not supported below 360 MHz. The
Quartus II software incorrectly shows that the design meets I/O timing.