Using a periodic square wave test signal to detect crosstalk faults

Built-in self test (BIST) scheme simplifies the detection of crosstalk faults in deep-submicron VLSI circuits in the boundary scan environment. The scheme tests for crosstalk faults with a periodic square wave test signal under applied random patterns generated by a linear feedback shift register (LFSR), which is transconfigured from the embedded circuit´s boundary scan cells. The scheme simplifies test generation and test application while obviating the fault occurrence timing issue. Experimental results show that coverage for the induced-glitch type of crosstalk fault for large benchmark circuits can easily exceed 90%.