Synopsys, Inc.

Synopsis Incorporated

Brian Archer

Ruifeng Guo

Xiaolei Cai

Kevin Chau

Anubhav Sinha

Abhijeet Samudra

Ajay Nagarandal

Hemasagar Babu Reddy

Akshay Kumar Gupta

Amit Kapatkar

William Albert Lloyd

Kranthi Kandula

Christopher Kevin Allsup

An integrated circuit (IC) device and a method for communicating test data utilizes test control circuitry, and a test controller. The test controller is coupled with the test control circuitry and decodes packetized test pattern data to identify configuration data for the test controller and test data for the test control circuitry. The test controller further communicates the test data to the test control circuitry, and packetizes resulting data received from the test control circuitry. The resulting data corresponds to errors identified by a test performed based on the test pattern data.

High-speed functional protocol based test and debug

To specifically identify faults within a semiconductor cell, a SPICE netlist associated with the semiconductor cell design is retrieved, and one or more transistor characteristics are identified within the SPICE netlist. An advanced cell-aware fault model is executed for the semiconductor cell, and results are returned for one or more fault test methods of the advanced cell-aware fault model for a cell of the semiconductor chip design. A method for identifying faults within the semiconductor cell continues by correlating one more faults detected as a result of the fault test methods with one or more transistor characteristics within the SPICE netlist, and a user interface is generated for identifying one or more faulty transistors within the semiconductor chip design.

Advanced cell-aware fault model for yield analysis and physical failure analysis

A cell-aware defect characterization method includes partitioning a multibit cell netlist file into multiple single-bit partition netlist files, and then generating a cell-aware test model for each partition netlist file. Partitioning is performed such that each partition netlist file includes a corresponding flip-flop along with input, output and control pins that are operably coupled to the input, output and control terminals of the corresponding flip-flop, and all active, passive and parasitic circuit elements that are coupled in the signal paths extending between the corresponding flip-flop and the input/output/control pins. Shared resources (e.g., clock or scan select pins and associated signal lines) that are utilized by two or more flip-flops are included in each associated partition. The partitioning process is performed using either a structural back-tracing approach or a logic simulation approach.

Cell-aware defect characterization for multibit cells

A computer-implemented method for characterizing a circuit is presented. The method includes receiving, by the computer, data representative of the circuit and at least one defect of the circuit. The method further includes simulating, using the computer, the circuit to obtain a first timing characteristic, and simulating, using the computer, the circuit with the at least one defect to obtain a second timing characteristic. The method further includes identifying, using the computer, an association between at least one test vector and the at least one defect in accordance with the first timing characteristic, the second timing characteristic, and a multitude of strobes applied during a first time interval associated with the at least one test vector, when the computer is invoked to characterize the circuit.

Cell-aware defect characterization and waveform analysis using multiple strobe points

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Brian Archer