Analyzing the impact of process variations on DRAM testing using border resistance traces

As a result of variations in the fabrication process, different memory components are produced with different operational characteristics, a situation that complicates the fault analysis process of manufactured memories. This paper discusses the issue of process variations, and shows how to deal with it in the context of fault analysis and test generation. The paper also introduces the concept of border resistance traces as a tool to optimize test stresses and inspect the impact of process variations on the optimization procedure. The concepts are discussed in the paper with the help of a practical example of a specific defect in the memory.