Optimized embedded memory diagnosis

This paper describes an optimized embedded memory diagnosis flow that exploits many levels of knowledge to produce accurate failure hypothesis. The proposed post-processing analysis flow is composed of many steps investigating failure shapes as well as cell fail syndromes, and includes advanced techniques to tackle incomplete data possibly due to tester noise and/or by faults showing intermittent effects. The effectiveness of the technique is demonstrated on an automotive-oriented System-on-Chip (SoC) manufactured in a 90nm technology by STMicroelectronics, which includes embedded SRAM memory cores tested using a programmable BIST. Scrambled BITMAPS gives a visual feedback leading to quick physical defect identification. Such research is relevant to aid on the manufacturing, material and process enhancements raising silicon yield.