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Quietest: A methodology for selecting I DDQ test vectors

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Abstract

Even high stuck-at fault coverage manufacturing test programs cannot assure high quality for CMOS VLSI circuits. Measurement of quiescent power supply current (I DDQ ) is a means of improving quality and reliability by detecting many defects that do not have appropriate representation in the stuck-at fault model. Since each I DDQ measurement takes significant time, a hierarchical fault analysis methodology is proposed for selecting a small subset of production test vectors for I DDQ measurements. A software system QUIETEST has been developed on the basis of this methodology. For two VLSI circuits QUIETEST selected less than 1% of production test vectors for covering all modeled faults that would have been covered by I DDQ measurement for all of the vectors. The fault models include leakage faults and weak faults for representing defects such as gate oxide shorts and certain opens.

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Mao, W., Gulati, R.K. Quietest: A methodology for selecting I DDQ test vectors. J Electron Test 3, 349–357 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00135338

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00135338

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