NXP Semiconductors P3041NXE7PNC

Overview

P3041NXE7PNC from NXP Semiconductors (formerly Freescale) is a quad-core Power Architecture® e500mc integrated processor designed for high-performance networking and telecom infrastructure. It integrates four 1.5 GHz e500mc cores with 128 KB L2 cache per core, a 64-bit DDR3 SDRAM controller with ECC, five 1-Gigabit Ethernet controllers with SGMII/RGMII interfaces, and one 10-Gigabit Ethernet (XAUI) controller. It targets base station controllers and packet processing in wireless infrastructure.

For engineers reviewing the P3041NXE7PNC datasheet, P3041NXE7PNC pinout, P3041NXE7PNC application, or P3041NXE7PNC equivalent, key selection considerations include its CoreNet fabric coherency support, IEEE 1588 timestamping capability across three-speed Ethernet interfaces, SerDes lane configuration for sRIO/PCIe/SATA, and thermal/power design constraints for 37.5 mm × 37.5 mm FC-PBGA-1295 packaging.

Technical Context

The P3041NXE7PNC implements a coherent CoreNet interconnect fabric enabling cache coherency among all four e500mc cores and platform-level peripherals. Its datapath acceleration includes Frame Manager, Pattern Match Engine, and Queue/Buffer Managers for wire-speed packet classification and distribution.

It supports dual 1.25 GHz SerDes blocks (18-lane total), each configurable for PCIe 2.0 (×4 or ×8), serial RapidIO 1.3/2.1 (×4), SATA 2.0 (×2), or SGMII/XAUI, with independent PLLs (AVDD_SRDS1/AVDD_SRDS2) and dedicated power domains (SVDD, AGND_SRDS).

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Package: FC-PBGA-1295, 37.5 mm × 37.5 mm, 1.0 mm ball pitch. Thermal pad on underside requires solder paste stencil design per Freescale AN3908.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar multicore communications processor applications.

Compared with T4240NXE7MM and LX2160A, the P3041NXE7PNC delivers optimal balance of deterministic real-time performance, IEEE 1588 precision, and proven field reliability in deployed wireless infrastructure-without the thermal or software migration overhead of higher-core-count alternatives.

Availability

P3041NXE7PNC is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for wireless infrastructure, carrier-grade routing, and defense communications requiring stable component supply across long product lifecycles.

Supply support for P3041NXE7PNC includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

NXP Semiconductors is a global semiconductor leader focused on secure connectivity solutions for automotive, industrial, and communications markets.

The P3041NXE7PNC belongs to the QorIQ P Series, engineered specifically for high-reliability, low-latency packet processing in telecom and aerospace systems where deterministic timing and hardware-assisted security are mandatory.

FAQ

What is the maximum DDR3 memory speed supported by the P3041NXE7PNC?

The P3041NXE7PNC supports DDR3/DDR3L memory up to 1600 MT/s with a 64-bit bus width and ECC protection. This enables up to 12.8 GB/s peak bandwidth, validated per JEDEC JESD79-3F specification and documented in Section 2.8 of the P3041EC Rev. 2 hardware specifications. The P3041NXE7PNC DDR3 controller includes programmable read/write leveling and training sequences for robust signal integrity.

Does the P3041NXE7PNC support IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol hardware timestamping?

Yes, the P3041NXE7PNC provides full hardware IEEE 1588-2008 timestamping on all six Ethernet interfaces (one 10GE XAUI and five 1GE ports). Each port includes dedicated timestamp registers, fine-resolution nanosecond counters, and event-triggered capture logic-enabling sub-100 ns timestamp accuracy as specified in Section 2.11 of the P3041EC Rev. 2 datasheet.

What SerDes protocols can be configured on the P3041NXE7PNC's two 18-lane blocks?

The P3041NXE7PNC features two independent 18-lane SerDes blocks, each configurable for PCIe 2.0 (×4 or ×8), serial RapidIO 1.3/2.1 (×4), SATA 2.0 (×2), or SGMII/XAUI. Configuration is done via hardware strapping and RCW settings; protocol mixing (e.g., PCIe + sRIO on same block) is not supported. Details appear in Sections 2.19 and 3.5 of the P3041EC Rev. 2 document.

Is the P3041NXE7PNC pin-compatible with other QorIQ P Series processors like the P2020 or P5020?

No, the P3041NXE7PNC is not pin-compatible with P2020 or P5020. It uses a unique FC-PBGA-1295 package with distinct ball map, power rail allocation (e.g., 69 GVDD balls), and SerDes pinout. Migration requires PCB redesign; only software compatibility exists within the QorIQ Power Architecture ecosystem. Pinout details are in Sections 1.1–1.2 of P3041EC Rev. 2.

What boot sources does the P3041NXE7PNC support, and how is secure boot enforced?

The P3041NXE7PNC supports boot from NOR flash, NAND flash, SPI flash, or PCIe endpoint via its integrated BootROM. Secure boot is enforced through immutable ROM code that validates RSA-2048 signatures on boot images stored in external flash before loading into L2 cache. Fuse-programmable keys and hash-based chain-of-trust ensure only authenticated firmware executes. Full implementation is described in Section 5 and Appendix A of P3041EC Rev. 2.