Comparative Evaluation of Xilinx RFSoC Platform for Low-Level RF Systems

Shreeharshini Dharanesh Murthy; Victoria Moore; Qiang Du; Angel Jurado; Michael Chin; Keith Penney; David Nett; Benjamin Flugstad

arXiv · 2510.13711

Comparative Evaluation of Xilinx RFSoC Platform for Low-Level RF Systems

Shreeharshini Dharanesh Murthy·Victoria Moore·Qiang Du·Angel Jurado·Michael Chin·Keith Penney·David Nett·Benjamin Flugstad

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Abstract

The rapid advancement of Radio Frequency System-onChip (RFSoC) technology from Xilinx (AMD) has enabled the integration of high-speed data converters and programmable logic within a single package. RFSoC platforms are already widely adopted in telecommunications, radar, and satellite communications, where they promise reductions in system footprint and power consumption. However, their suitability for Low-Level RF (LLRF) control systems in accelerator environments - where stability requirements are critical - has not been quantitatively evaluated. This paper presents a comparative measurement-based assessment of RFSoC-based and conventional LLRF designs, focusing on signal fidelity, phase noise, latency, system complexity, and integration challenges. The advantages and challenges of adopting RFSoC-based direct conversion architectures are discussed, providing guidance for future LLRF system implementations.

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Shreeharshini Dharanesh Murthy, Victoria Moore, Qiang Du, Angel Jurado, Michael Chin, Keith Penney, David Nett, Benjamin Flugstad. 2025-10-15. Comparative Evaluation of Xilinx RFSoC Platform for Low-Level RF Systems. https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.13711

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