Digital leakage detector that detects transistor leakage current in an integrated circuit

Abstract

In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes at least one digital leakage detector that includes digital circuitry configured to detect an approximation of a magnitude of the leakage current in transistors of the integrated circuit and configured to generate a digital output representing the approximated magnitude. In another embodiment, a leak detector includes leak circuits and clocked storage devices. Each leak circuit is configured to generate an output signal indicative of a different magnitude of leakage current in a transistor. The clocked storage devices are configured to capture a state representing the output signals of the leak circuits. In another embodiment, a method includes running a test for leakage current in a digital leakage detector, wherein a digital output of the digital leakage detector represents a magnitude of a leakage current being experienced by the integrated circuit during use; and outputting the digital output from the integrated circuit.