VLSI Test Archives

by Anne Meixner 1 Comment

What Makes Memory Test Hard

Just One More Thing

Memory circuits store 1’s and 0’s for you so that you can retrieve them later. The 1/0’s can represent data or instructions.

Today, no computing device operates without some memory. Memory devices store pictures, music, documents. How many USB (Unified Serial Bus) memory sticks do you have scattered on your desk?

Semiconductor memory comes in many flavors: Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable Memory (EPROM), NAND/NOR Memory (a.k.a. Flash), Solid State Drive (SSD). Without power volatile memories like SRAM and DRAM lose their stored values. Non-Volatile memories retain their stored value when power is absence. [Read more…]

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Manufacturing Test Approaches and Product Expectations

Depending upon the type of engineer you ask the word test evokes a different notion of goals and expectations.

Engineers who work on the design of semiconductors test that their designs meet the specifications.

This can be done pre-silicon and naturally verified in-depth on silicon.

Engineers concerned with manufacturing of a product test to find defects and to verify performance.

Similar approaches can be taken by both engineers though there exist differences in the amount of time. To be cost effective, a manufacturing test must be completed in as short a time as possible. Let’s continue to compare and contrast design validation with manufacturing test. [Read more…]

by Anne Meixner 2 Comments

Introduction to Testing 1 2 3

Let’s Start At The Very Beginning

Before embarking on a complicated task one needs to have the basics understood.

In the musical “The Sound of Music,” Maria teaches the Von Trapp children to sing by first teaching them the musical scale.

She quickly discovers that the basics really do need to be learned one note at a time.

By the end of the “Do Re Mi” song she has them singing harmony while she sings a new melody with the words “When you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything.” [Read more…]