On the Analysis and the Mitigation of Power Supply Noise and Power Distribution Network Impedance Variation for Scan-Based Delay Testing Techniques

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the impact of the power supply noise and the power distribution network (PDN) impedance variation on the timing margin in both modes for ICs with multiple clock domains. We investigate the so-called intermodulation products (IMPs). We show that IMPs are mainly induced by the dependent nature of the transistors. We also provide experimental results showing that scan-based delay testing can be optimistic with respect to the mission mode for maximum achievable nominal frequency prediction, even at lower clock frequencies. We also show that IMPs can induce timing margin fluctuations that can be larger than that of the ones induced by the voltage droop in the test mode. Using an improved HSpice simulation model of a PDN validated by experimental results, we also quantify the timing margin variation due to power noise in the test mode as a function of the clock frequency, including the so-called clock stretching phenomenon. Finally, we propose a robust test signal scheme for multiple clock domain chips. The simulation results reveal that this scheme is less sensitive to PDN impedance variation than that of the most popular existing test schemes, and that it provides timing margins closer to those obtained in the mission mode.