Reduced power apparatus and method for testing high speed components

Abstract

A system for testing a high speed integrated circuit includes a test device having a test clock with a first maximum frequency for performing level sensitive scan design (LSSD) testing of the integrated circuit device under test, a frequency multiplier circuit for multiplying the test clock signal to a higher second frequency capable of operating the device under test, and a finite state machine for generating a first internal clock for testing the device under test. In a practical embodiment, the internal clock speed may be running at a frequency many multiples of the test clock. Alternatively, a method of testing a device under test (DUT) at design speed includes running a predetermined group of tests with a test device operating at a lower speed than the design speed; incorporating LSSD or boundary scan test techniques in the device under test, together with a frequency multiplying device; generating a global clock for the device under test from the frequency multiplying circuit and using a finite state machine as a synchronizer and pulse generator to control a capture clock with respect to the global clock.