DFT and BIST of a multichip module for high-energy physics experiments

Engineers at Politecnico di Torino designed a multichip module for high-energy physics experiments conducted on the Large Hadron Collider. An array of these MCMs handles multichannel data acquisition and signal processing. Testing the MCM from board to die level required a combination of DFT strategie

Memory Fault Simulator for Static-Linked Faults

Static linked faults are considered an interesting class of memory faults. Their capability of influencing the behavior of other faults causes the hiding of the fault effect and makes test algorithm design and validation a very complex task. This paper presents a memory fault simulator architecture targeting the full set of linked fault

Memory read faults: taxonomy and automatic test generation

This paper presents an innovative algorithm for the automatic generation of March tests. The proposed approach is able to generate an optimal March test for an unconstrained set of memory faults in very low computation time. Moreover, we propose a new complete taxonomy for memory read faults, a class of faults never carefully addressed in the past

FPGA Implementation of NPSF Testing Using Block Code Technique

This paper presents a test structure for high speed memories. Built in self test (BIST) give the solution for testing memories and associate hardware for test pattern generation and application for a variety of test algorithms. Memory test algorithm for neighborhood pattern sensitive faults (NPSF) is developed by using block code technique to identify the base cell and deleted neighborhood cells. Test pattern generation can be done by using LFSR and Euler pattern generation. The testing process is verified using Xilinx ISE 14.2 and implemented on Nexys 4 DDR Artix 7 FPGA board

MarciaTesta: An Automatic Generator of Test Programs for Microprocessors' Data Caches

SBST (Software Based Self-Testing) is an effective solution for in-system testing of SoCs without any additional hardware requirement. SBST is particularly suited for embedded blocks with limited accessibility, such as cache memories. Several methodologies have been proposed to properly adapt existing March algorithms to test cache memories. Unfortunately they all leave the test engineers the task of manually coding them into the specific Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) of the target microprocessor. We propose an EDA tool for the automatic generation of assembly cache test program for a specific architectur

An Optimal Algorithm for Detecting Pattern Sensitive Faults in Semiconductor Random Access Memories

Random-access memory (RAM) testing to detect unrestricted pattern-sensitive faults (PSFs) is impractical due to the size of the memory checking sequence required. A formal model for restricted PSFs in RAMs called adjacent-pattern interference faults (APIFs) is presented. A test algorithm capable of detecting APIFs in RAMs requiring a minimum number of memory operations is then developed