Power-aware testing for low-power VLSI circuits

Abstract

Low-power VLSI circuits are indispensable for almost all types of modern electronic devices, from battery-driven mobile gadgets to harvested-energy-driven wireless sensor systems. However, the testing of such low-power VLSI circuits has become a big challenge, especially due to the excessive power dissipation during scan testing. This paper will highlight three major test-power-induced problems (namely heat, false failures, clock stretch) and describe how to mitigate them with power-aware VLSI testing. Future research topics in this field will also be discussed.