VLSI Test Principles and Architectures: Design for Testability (Systems on Silicon)

Noting that a common element in most causes of runtime failure is the extent of circuit activity, i.e. the rate at which its nodes are switching, the author proposes a measure of activity, called the transition density, which may be defined as the average switching rate at a circuit node. An algorithm is also presented to propagate density values from the primary inputs to internal and output nodes. To illustrate the practical significance of this work, it is shown how the density values at internal nodes can be used to study circuit reliability by estimating the average power and ground currents; the average power dissipation; the susceptibility to electromigration failures; and the extent of hot-electron degradation. The density propagation algorithm has been implemented in a prototype density simulator which is used to assess the validity and feasibility of the approach experimentally. The results show that the approach is very efficient, and makes possible the analysis of VLSI circuits. >

Transition density: a new measure of activity in digital circuits

This paper discusses the basics of design for testability. A short review of testing is given along with some reasons why one should test. The different techniques of design for testability are discussed in detail. These include techniques which can be applied to today's technologies and techniques which have been recently introduced and will soon appear in new designs.

Design for testability&#8212;A survey

A system that includes self-test features must have facilities for generating test patterns and analyzing the resultant circuit response. This article surveys the structures that are used to implement these self-test functions. The various techniques used to convert the system bistables into test scan paths are discussed. The addition of bistables associated with the I/O bonding pads so that the pads can be accessed via a scan path (external or boundary scan path) is described. Most designs use linear-feedback shift registers for both test pattern generation and response analysis. The various linear-feedback shift register designs for pseudorandom or pseudoexhaustive input test pattern generation and for output response signature analysis are presented.

Built-In Self-Test Techniques

This book is a comprehensive guide to new DFT methods that will show the readers how to design a testable and quality product, drive down test cost, improve product quality and yield, and speed up time-to-market and time-to-volume.

· Most up-to-date coverage of design for testability. 
· Coverage of industry practices commonly found in commercial DFT tools but not discussed in other books. 
· Numerous, practical examples in each chapter illustrating basic VLSI test principles and DFT architectures.
· Lecture slides and exercise solutions for all chapters are now available.
· Instructors are also eligible for downloading PPT slide files and MSWORD solutions files from the manual website.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Introduction
Chapter 2 - Design for Testability
Chapter 3 - Logic and Fault Simulation 
Chapter 4 - Test Generation 
Chapter 5 - Logic Built-In Self-Test
Chapter 6 - Test Compression
Chapter 7 - Logic Diagnosis
Chapter 8 - Memory Testing and Built-In Self-Test
Chapter 9 - Memory Diagnosis and Built-In Self-Repair
Chapter 10 - Boundary Scan and Core-Based Testing
Chapter 11 - Analog and Mixed-Signal Testing
Chapter 12 - Test Technology Trends in the Nanometer Age

VLSI Test Principles and Architectures: Design for Testability

Classical testing of combinational circuits requires a list of the fault-free response of the circuit to the test set. For most practical circuits implemented today the large storage requirement for such a list makes such a test procedure very expensive. Moreover, the computational cost to generate the test set increases exponentially with the circuit size.

Syndrome-Testable Design of Combinational Circuits

The testing of large logic networks with random patterns is examined. Work by previous workers for single faults is extended to a class of multiple fault situations. Not only is the problem of fault detection in the presence of nonmasking multiple faults treated, but the question of distinguishing between them is also examined. It is shown that a test that merely exposes each fault has a high probability of distinguishing between the faults. The relationships between quality, diagnostic resolution, and random pattern test length are developed. The results have application to self-test schemes that use random patterns as stimuli.

On Random Pattern Test Length

With the advent of VLSI, testing has become one of the most costly, complicated, and time consuming problems. The method of syndrome- testing is applicable toward VLSI testing since it does not require test generation and fault simulation. It can also be considered as a vehicle for self-testing. In order to employ syndrome-testing in VLSI, we electronically partition the chip into macros in test mode. The macros are then syndrome tested in sequence.

The Weighted Syndrome Sums Approach to VLSI Testing

In this paper we show that good controllability and observability do not guarantee good testability. In fact, one can easily find examples of faults that are difficult or impossible to detect, although both the controllability and observability figures are good.

Good Controllability and Observability Do Not Guarantee Good Testability

Intermittent faults in combinational circuits may appear and disappear randomly; hence, their detection requires many repeated applications of test vectors. Since testing reduces the time available for computation, it is necessary to efficiently minimize the time required for a test, while still achieving a high degree of fault detection.

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Savir

Papers

Syndrome-Testable Design of Combinational Circuits

On Random Pattern Test Length

The Weighted Syndrome Sums Approach to VLSI Testing

Good Controllability and Observability Do Not Guarantee Good Testability

Testing for Single Intermittent Failures in Combinational Circuits by Maximizing the Probability of Fault Detection