Agilex 7 R-Tile RBES FPGA – Board Fails to Power On and JTAG Not Detected

1. What is the failure symptom? Please elaborate on the failure symptoms in detail.
The FPGA power LED does not turn on, and Quartus fails to detect the JTAG interface.
Debugging steps performed:
•    Board Test System (BTS) attempted
•    JTAG detection fails in BTS as well
A factory reset was attempted but did not resolve the issue.

2. When did the failure happen? When did you buy the part, and when did you receive it?
The failure occurred around early August 2025.
The device was received approximately one year ago.

3. How did you discover the failure? Please describe it in detail.
Quartus failed to detect the JTAG device, and the FPGA power LED was observed to remain off.

4. In which part of your process did you find the issue (Lab, production, quality, etc.)?
Lab environment.
4.1 Was the device already in the field? How many times has it been used?
No. The device has only been used in a controlled lab environment for bring-up and testing.

5. How many units failed and how many units were used/tested by you? Which is the production code?
•    Failed units: 1
•    Units tested: Multiple Agilex FPGA boards
•    Production code: Not available
Only this unit exhibits the failure.

6. How did you determine the failure? Please elaborate on the procedures.
Multiple bring-up attempts were conducted using known-good hardware, software, and bitstreams.
•    6.1 Internal Debug: The device was sent to a university repair shop; however, the issue could not be resolved.
•    6.2 Device Swap: Yes. Replacing the board with a known-good FPGA resolves the issue.

7. Was the failing unit ever working before the failure?
Yes. The device was functioning correctly before the failure.

8. How did you rule out electrical overstress (EOS) or electrostatic discharge (ESD)?
There is no visible physical damage on the FPGA or PCB.
The board has been handled according to standard ESD-safe lab procedures.

9. What are your expectations from this failure analysis?
Identify the root cause of the failure and restore proper CXL IP functionality, or provide a replacement device.

10. Have you re-balled your device? If yes, was it lead-free reballing?
Yes. The device was re-balled by a university repair facility.

11. Please add pictures of the device from the top and the bottom. See attached. 

12. Is there any other relevant information that could assist in the failure analysis?
No additional information at this time.

13. Are there any known changes to the process, materials, or design that could have contributed to the failure?
No.