Abstract: In various embodiments, a comparison circuit compares voltages within an integrated circuit. The comparison circuit includes a comparison capacitor, an inverter, and multiple switches. A first terminal of the comparison capacitor is coupled to both a first terminal of a first switch and a first terminal of a second switch. A second terminal of the comparison capacitor is coupled to both a first terminal of a third switch and an input of the inverter. An output of the inverter is coupled to both a second terminal of the third switch and a first terminal of a fourth switch. A second terminal of the fourth switch is coupled to a first terminal of a fifth switch and a first output of the comparison circuit. At least a portion of the switches are turned on during a comparison model and are turned off during a reset mode.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a comparison circuit compares voltages within an integrated circuit. The comparison circuit includes a comparison capacitor, an inverter, and multiple switches. A first terminal of the comparison capacitor is coupled to both a first terminal of a first switch and a first terminal of a second switch. A second terminal of the comparison capacitor is coupled to both a first terminal of a third switch and an input of the inverter. An output of the inverter is coupled to both a second terminal of the third switch and a first terminal of a fourth switch. A second terminal of the fourth switch is coupled to a first terminal of a fifth switch and a first output of the comparison circuit. At least a portion of the switches are turned on during a comparison model and are turned off during a reset mode.

Abstract: In various examples, permanent faults in hardware component(s) and/or connections to the hardware component(s) of a computing platform may be predicted before they occur using in-system testing. As a result of this prediction, one or more remedial actions may be determined to enhance the safety of the computing platform (e.g., an autonomous vehicle). A degradation rate of a performance characteristic associated with the hardware component may be determined, detected, and/or computed by monitoring values of performance characteristics over time using fault testing.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a current measurement circuit measures an input current within an integrated circuit. The current measurement circuit includes an integration capacitor, an operational amplifier, a comparison capacitor, an inverter, and multiple switches. The current measurement circuit is coupled to a clocking circuit that, during operation, generates a two-phase clock having a frequency that is proportional to the input current. At least a portion of the switches are turned on during a first phase of the two-phase clock and are turned off during a second phase of the two-phase clock.

Abstract: Latency of in-system test (IST) execution for a hardware component of an in-field (deployed) computing platform may be reduced when a value of a physical operating parameter can be changed without rebooting the computing platform. A test (e.g., patterns or vectors) is executed for varying values of the physical operating parameter (e.g., supply voltage, clock speed, temperature, noise magnitude/duration, operating current, and the like), providing the ability to detect faults in the hardware components.

Abstract: In-chip decoupling capacitor circuits refer to decoupling capacitors (DCAPs) that are placed on a chip. These DCAPs are generally used to manage power supply noise for the chip, and can be utilized individually or as a distributed system. In some cases, DCAPs may make up a significant portion of the chip. Unfortunately, defects in DCAPs will degrade over time, will encroach into active logic, and will further cause automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) failure. To date, there has been a lack of structural test coverage for DCAP circuits, which reduces test coverage of the chip as a whole. To this end, defects on the chip as they relate to DCAPs (i.e. shorts in the DCAP) may not be detected. The present disclosure provides a structural test system and method for DCAPs and other passive logic components located on-chip.

Abstract: Latency of in-system test (IST) execution for a hardware component of an in-field (deployed) computing platform may be reduced when a value of a physical operating parameter can be changed without rebooting the computing platform. A test (e.g., patterns or vectors) is executed for varying values of the physical operating parameter (e.g., supply voltage, clock speed, temperature, noise magnitude/duration, operating current, and the like), providing the ability to detect faults in the hardware components.

Abstract: In various examples, permanent faults in hardware component(s) and/or connections to the hardware component(s) of a computing platform may be predicted before they occur using in-system testing. As a result of this prediction, one or more remedial actions may be determined to enhance the safety of the computing platform (e.g., an autonomous vehicle). A degradation rate of a performance characteristic associated with the hardware component may be determined, detected, and/or computed by monitoring values of performance characteristics over time using fault testing.

Abstract: A test system and method for selecting a derating factor to be applied to a ratio of transistors having disparate electrical characteristics in a wafer fabrication process. In one embodiment, the test system includes: (1) structural at-speed automated test equipment (ATE) operable to iterate structural at-speed tests at multiple clock frequencies over integrated circuit (IC) samples fabricated under different process conditions and (2) derating factor selection circuitry coupled to the structural at-speed ATE and configured to employ results of the structural at-speed tests to identify performance deterioration in the samples, the performance deterioration indicating the derating factor to be employed in a subsequent wafer fabrication process.

Abstract: A wafer acceptance test (WAT) system and method that, in one embodiment, includes: (1) a saturation current WAT subsystem operable to generate a weighted standard deviation based on target NMOS and PMOS saturation currents and saturation current WAT results, (2) a wafer IC speed WAT subsystem operable to generate a speed performance probability distribution of wafer ICs based on the weighted standard deviation and speed WAT results, (3) a wafer IC power WAT subsystem operable to employ the speed WAT results and power WAT results to generate a power performance model of wafer ICs, and (4) a yield calculator operable to generate a power performance variance probability distribution of wafer ICs based on the power performance model and the power WAT results, and to employ the speed performance probability distribution and the power performance variance probability distribution to generate the yield forecast with respect to a target performance profile.

Abstract: An IDDQ test system and method that, in one embodiment, includes 1) an empirical extraction subsystem operable to generate an IDDQ versus temperature model for a given semiconductor device design, 2) an automatic test equipment (ATE) test subsystem operable to obtain a measured IDDQ value (IDDQm) at a measured temperature (Tm) for a specific semiconductor device embodying the given semiconductor device design, the measured temperature (Tm) obtained within 5 seconds of obtaining the measured IDDQ value (IDDQm), and 3) a scaling subsystem operable to scale the measured IDDQ value (IDDQm) at the measured temperature (Tm) to a compensated IDDQ value (IDDQc) at a desired temperature (Td) using the IDDQ versus temperature model.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for verifying sensitivity test program stability. A sensitivity test program including a set of tests is run on a plurality of integrated circuit die fabricated on a silicon wafer, where each test in the set of tests specifies a different set of operating parameters for structures within each integrated circuit die. Results of the sensitivity test program are received for each integrated circuit die and the results of the sensitivity test program are stored in shadow bins allocated within a memory, where each shadow bin corresponds to a different test in the set of tests. The results may be used to verify and optimize operating voltage and operating frequency of different tests in the production test program and wafer fabrication process sensitivity.

Abstract: An IDDQ test system and method that, in one embodiment,deg includes 1) an empirical extraction subsystem operable to generate an IDDQ versus temperature model for a given semiconductor device design, 2) an automatic test equipment (ATE) test subsystem operable to obtain a measured IDDQ value (IDDQm) at a measured temperature (Tm) for a specific semiconductor device embodying the given semiconductor device design, the measured temperature (Tm) obtained within 5 seconds of obtaining the measured IDDQ value (IDDQm), and 3) a scaling subsystem operable to scale the measured IDDQ value (IDDQm) at the measured temperature (Tm) to a compensated IDDQ value (IDDQc) at a desired temperature (Td) using the IDDQ versus temperature model.

Abstract: A wafer acceptance test (WAT) system and method that, in one embodiment, includes: (1) a saturation current WAT subsystem operable to generate a weighted standard deviation based on target NMOS and PMOS saturation currents and saturation current WAT results, (2) a wafer IC speed WAT subsystem operable to generate a speed performance probability distribution of wafer ICs based on the weighted standard deviation and speed WAT results, (3) a wafer IC power WAT subsystem operable to employ the speed WAT results and power WAT results to generate a power performance model of wafer ICs, and (4) a yield calculator operable to generate a power performance variance probability distribution of wafer ICs based on the power performance model and the power WAT results, and to employ the speed performance probability distribution and the power performance variance probability distribution to generate the yield forecast with respect to a target performance profile.

Abstract: A test system and method for selecting a derating factor to be applied to a ratio of transistors having disparate electrical characteristics in a wafer fabrication process. In one embodiment, the test system includes: (1) structural at-speed automated test equipment (ATE) operable to iterate structural at-speed tests at multiple clock frequencies over integrated circuit (IC) samples fabricated under different process conditions and (2) derating factor selection circuitry coupled to the structural at-speed ATE and configured to employ results of the structural at-speed tests to identify performance deterioration in the samples, the performance deterioration indicating the derating factor to be employed in a subsequent wafer fabrication process.