Microchip
RISC-V
SiFive

PolarFire SoC Icicle Kit

A low-cost dev kit for Microchip's PolarFire SoC, a low-power FPGA integrated with a hardened quad core 64-bit RISC-V microprocessor subsystem

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$599

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Together at Last: FPGA + RISC-V

The Icicle Kit is the first development board for the groundbreaking PolarFire SoC, the world’s first FPGA and Linux-capable RISC-V system in a single chip.

Whether you are developing cutting-edge applications in embedded machine learning, wired networking, or industrial automation, or simply exploring RISC-V and FPGAs, the Icicle Kit and its robust Mi-V ecosystem of tools are the perfect way way to get started.

Features & Specifications

1. PolarFire® SoC MPFS250T-FCVG484EES15. J17
2. JTAG header for embedded programming - For FACTORY USE ONLY16. J15
3. USB Embedded Programming Connector17. 40-pin Raspberry Pi® Expansion Connector
4. J2418. CAN Connector
5. J3419. Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 Jacks
6. J4320. J31
7. Power ON/OFF Switch21. mikroBUS™ Expansion Connector
8. 12 VDC Power Supply Input22. USB - UART Terminal
9. Push Buttons23. SPI Flash
10. User and Power LEDs24. J45
11. eMMC Flash25. J28
12. SD Card Slot26. J35
13. J4627. x4 PCIe® Connector
14. USB OTG28. JTAG Programming Header

Icicle Kit Block Diagram

PolarFire SoC

The Icicle Kit is based on Microchip’s PolarFire SoC (MPFS250T-FCVG484EES), which is a system-on-chip that combines the state-of-the-art PolarFire FPGA with a five-core RISC-V microprocessor subsystem by SiFive.

To quote the official PolarFire SoC documentation:

The PolarFire® SoC FPGA family delivers a combination of low power consumption, thermal efficiency and defense-grade security for smart, connected systems. It is the first System-on-Chip (SoC) FPGA with a deterministic, coherent RISC-V CPU cluster and a deterministic L2 memory subsystem for creating Linux® and real-time applications. PolarFire SoC FPGAs span from 25K to 460K Logic Elements (LEs) and feature 12.7 Gbps transceivers.

Built on the award-winning, mid-range, low-power PolarFire FPGA architecture, PolarFire SoC delivers up to 50% lower power than comparable FPGAs.

The unique architecture of the PolarFire SoC combines the power of RISC-V and Linux with the determinism needed for real-time hardware applications. See Microchip’s PolarFire SoC brochure and overview for more information.

PolarFire SoC Block Diagram

Support & Documentation

Icicle Kit (Top)

Icicle Kit (Bottom)

Development Tools

The Mi-V ecosystem brings together tools and vendors tailored for the PolarFire SoC, including:

Free Libero Silver License

Developing on the PolarFire SoC Icicle kit requires a Libero Silver license, which is free of charge and valid for one year. Once that license has expired, you will be able to generate a new license each year for free.

Demo: Linux Quick Start

Linux development on the Icicle Kit does not require any closed source tools or familiarity with FPGA development tools. Here’s how to get started quickly:

  1. Connect the Icicle Kit USB-UART port J11 to host machine.
  2. Connect the 12 VDC power supply to the Icicle Kit and the SW6 switch to ON. 3. Use a serial terminal (e.g., Putty, ExtraPutty, minicom, screen, etc.) to open four connections to the four UARTs available through the J11 USB connector using these serial port settings:
    • 115200 baud
    • eight data bits
    • no flow control
    • no parity
  3. Power cycle the board. You should see boot messages on two of the serial terminal sessions:
    • One terminal displays Hart Software Services boot messages.
    • Another terminal displays U-Boot and Linux boot messages and provides a Linux prompt.
  4. In the terminal with the Linux prompt, log in with user name root and either no password or, in some cases, a password of microchip.

That’s it! You are now logged into Linux running on the Icicle Kit.

Development History

Icicle Kit is an evolution of HiFive Unleashed by SiFive and the accompanying HiFive Unleashed Expansion Board by Microchip. We worked closely with SiFive to integrate their RISC-V cores into PolarFire SoC and consolidate everything onto a single board.

HiFive Unleashed (right) and HiFive Unleashed Expansion Board (left)

Icicle Kit underwent several prototype iterations before arriving at the final design.

Icicle Kit

In the Press


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Produced by Microchip in Chandler, AZ.

Sold and shipped by Crowd Supply.

PolarFire SoC Icicle Kit

This kit includes the Icicle development board, a quick-start instructions card, a 12 VDC / 5 A power adapter and cord, an Ethernet cable, and a micro USB cable.

$599 Free US Shipping / $18 Worldwide

About the Team

Microchip

 · 

Microchip Technology Inc. is a leading provider of microcontroller, analog, FPGA, connectivity, and power management semiconductors. Its easy-to-use development tools and comprehensive product portfolio enable customers to create optimal designs which reduce risk while lowering total system cost and time to market. The company’s solutions serve more than 130,000 customers across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications, and computing markets. Get Launched is a start-up and incubator support program which helps companies achieve rapid time-to-production/market by utilizing Microchip’s technical expertise to advise throughout the design process.

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