Abstract
Oscillation-based testing (OBT) has been proven to be a simple, yet effective VLSI test for numerous circuit types. This paper investigates, for the first time, the application of OBT verification for second generation current conveyors (CCIIs). The OBT is formed by connecting the CCII into a simple Wien bridge oscillator and monitoring both the amplitude and frequency of oscillation. The fault detection rate, taking into account both the open and short circuit fault simulation analyses, indicates 96.34% fault coverage using a combination of amplitude and frequency output sensing in all technology corners. The only nondetected faults are short circuits between VDD and VSS, which can be detected using other techniques such as IDDQ testing. This method is found to be sensitive to resistor and capacitor process variation in the Wien bridge oscillator, but mitigating test steps are proposed.
Highlights
Despite the digital implementation of modern communication subsystems, analog front-ends and active filters are still used extensively in mixed-signal ICs
We evaluate the suitability of Oscillation-based testing (OBT) for testing CCIIs for the first time and develop a novel test procedure for CCIIs by making use of the linear characteristics in the feedback loop
As open and short circuits on-chip may assume a wide variety of impedance values [18], it would be prudent to analyse the effect of substituted impedance value variation on the OBT technique
Summary
Despite the digital implementation of modern communication subsystems, analog front-ends and active filters are still used extensively in mixed-signal ICs. Some attempt at a formalized test of a CCII was made in [7], but the procedure is not exhaustive and the conclusions are not generally applicable It depends significantly on the configuration used and on a very singular fault-set selection. Faulty behavior is indicated by deviation from the fault-free operation in either the frequency or the amplitude of the oscillations [9] This method has been used extensively for operational amplifiers, filters, and data converters [8,9,10]. The benefit of this approach is that a single test (with a single output and no input vector) can detect multiple problems, reducing the number of test points and probe pads. OBT, avoids the problem of test vector generation, requires relatively simple and few measurement vectors, and generally does not require
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