Manufacturing pattern development for the Alpha 21164 microprocessor

Author

Stolicny, Carol ; Davies, Richard ; Mckernan, Pamela ; Truong, Tuyen

Author_Institution

Digital Semicond., Hudson, MA, USA

fYear

1997

fDate

1-6 Nov 1997

Firstpage

278

Lastpage

285

Abstract

Functional test patterns play a key role in the test strategy of many microprocessors. This paper describes the process of creating and fault grading an initial set of functional test vectors. The fault simulation results are used to identify design verification test (DVT) hard faults and to guide additional test development. Moreover, this paper details the effectiveness of test creation heuristics and the role functional tests play in identifying defective devices. This process has been used to improve the outgoing quality levels of Digital´s second generation Alpha microprocessor

Keywords

automatic testing; computer testing; design for testability; digital simulation; fault location; integrated circuit testing; microprocessor chips; production testing; quality control; Alpha 21164 microprocessor; design verification test; effectiveness; fault grading; functional test patterns; functional test vectors; hard faults; manufacturing pattern; outgoing quality levels; second generation Alpha microprocessor; test strategy; Automatic testing; Design for testability; Fault diagnosis; Logic testing; Manufacturing; Microprocessors; Observability; Semiconductor device manufacture; Semiconductor device testing; System testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Test Conference, 1997. Proceedings., International

Conference_Location

Washington, DC

ISSN

1089-3539

Print_ISBN

0-7803-4209-7

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/TEST.1997.639628

Filename

639628