Abstract: A customizing method includes steps which consist in: a) determining on the basis of a circuit model, a set of vectors each corresponding to a theoretical operating time of the circuit when a predetermined sequence of tests is applied, the coefficients of each vector representing the state of a common set of elements of the circuit among which the element to be customized (12); b) defining on the basis of a comparison of vectors, a composite of logic operators applied on the vectors and enabling to extract the coefficient corresponding to the element to be customized (30); c) producing images of the operating circuit at times corresponding to the vectors whereon is applied the composite of logic operators (32); and d) graphically combining the images produced in accordance with a composite of graphic operators corresponding to the composite of logic operators (36).

Abstract: A device (16) used to measure at least one component of a magnetic field, includes a magnetoresistive sensor (102) and a measuring chain (28). The input of the measuring chain is connected to the magnetoresistive sensor (102), while the output thereof is intended to supply information that is representative of the magnetic field in the region of the sensor. In addition, the measuring chain (28) includes elements (136) for isolating a frequency component of the signal from the sensor representative of the magnetic field for a unique pre-determined frequency (FI).

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: A process and installation for automatic optimal location of a servicing operation on an integrated circuit. The accessible polygons are retrieved on the basis of topographic descriptive data and data representing the electrical circuit. For each step, different execution options are determined, each corresponding to each of the different accessible polygons, and a rating is calculated and assigned to each execution option as a function of the depth of each possible initial polygon with respect to the access surface, and of accessibility parameters of each possible initial polygon, and the optimal execution option to be used for executing each step of the servicing operation is determined automatically by a numerical optimization calculation using the ratings assigned to the different execution options of each step of the servicing operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for laser-assisted fault mapping which synchronizes the laser control with the tester unit. The inventive method provides for laser-assisted pseudo-static fault mapping to localize defects in a device whose inputs are being stimulated dynamically by a tester. It further provides for laser-assisted dynamic soft error mapping, to localize in terms of location and to correlate with respect to a specific test vector, sensitive areas in a device by utilizing device performance criteria such as pass-fail status outputs. The apparatus includes a fully controllable dynamic laser stimulation apparatus connected to a control unit that provides complete synchronization with a tester unit.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an installation for fast location of a fault in an integrated circuit. A sequence of NRZ location vectors is created, the abnormal location vectors are determined, for which the value of the electrical consumption current at rest IDDQ of the circuit is abnormal, at least one set of images is produced with an abnormal location vector, and at least one abnormal vector image is compared with a reference image.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves processing of integrated circuit computer aided design data to identify transistors within the CAD data. The analysis may further involve the use of Boolean operators to process the CAD data to particularly identify, such as through a channel, the location of the NMOS and PMOS gates, the location of the drain and source, or some combination of the location of the gate and drain or source to particularly identify the pinch-off region.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: Methods for using measured time resolved photon emission data and simulated time resolved photon emission data for fault localization are provided and described. In one embodiment, a method of localizing a fault in a circuit includes generating simulation photon emission data for the circuit. Moreover, measured photon emission data for the circuit is generated. The simulation photon emission data is compared with the measured photon emission data to generate a comparison result. Further, the comparison result is classified according to predetermined criteria. The classified comparison result is used in a fault localization technique to determine next action in localizing the fault.

Abstract: A method for producing an input/output permutation of several conductive strips on an integrated circuit consists in: identifying, among the parallel branches of the conductive strips, a minimal group whereof the branches are designed to be subjected to input/output swapping; locating a bend (3) on a deflected branch (2) and carrying out a conductive deposit (5) perpendicular from said bend (3) between the two parallel branches (1, 2), and an inclined deposit (9) between the perpendicular branch (4) and the parallel branch (1) with breaks (7, 8) so as to swap the inputs and the outputs. The invention also concerns the resulting integrated circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for laser-assisted fault mapping which synchronizes the laser control with the tester unit. The inventive method provides for laser-assisted pseudo-static fault mapping to localize defects in a device whose inputs are being stimulated dynamically by a tester. It further provides for laser-assisted dynamic soft error mapping, to localize in terms of location and to correlate with respect to a specific test vector, sensitive areas in a device by utilizing device performance criteria such as pass-fail status outputs. The apparatus includes a fully controllable dynamic laser stimulation apparatus connected to a control unit that provides complete synchronization with a tester unit.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for comparing two recorded pixelated source images (2a, 2b) of the same rectangular format representing in contrasted form the equipotential lines on an integrated circuit chip. The method consists in subjecting each source image (2a, 2b) to an adaptive thresholding processing with three contrast levels, then forming a result image (14) from the processed source images (3a, 3b) by assigning to each pixel a contrast level defined according to a logical rule of comparison.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves processing of integrated circuit computer aided design data to identify transistors within the CAD data. The analysis may further involve the use of Boolean operators to process the CAD data to particularly identify, such as through a channel, the location of the NMOS and PMOS gates, the location of the drain and source, or some combination of the location of the gate and drain or source to particularly identify the pinch-off region.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for analyzing photon emission data to discriminate between photons emitted by transistors and photons emitted by background sources. The analysis involves spatial and/or temporal correlation of photon emissions. After correlation, the analysis may further involve obtaining a likelihood that the correlated photons were emitted by a transistor. After correlation, the analysis may also further involve assigning a weight to individual photon emissions as a function of the correlation. The weight, in some instances, reflecting a likelihood that the photons were emitted by a transistor. The analysis may further involve automatically identifying transistors in a photon emission image.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing an input/ output permutation of several tracks on an integrated circuit. The method consists in: identifying, among the parallel branches of the tracks, a minimal group whereof the branches are to be subjected to input/output swapping; locating a bend (3) on a deflected branch (2) and carrying out a conductive deposit (5) perpendicular from said bend (3) between the two parallel branches (1, 2), and an inclined deposit (9) between the perpendicular branch (4) and the parallel branch (1) with breaks (7, 8) so as to swap the inputs and the outputs. The invention also concerns the resulting integrated circuit.

Abstract: The invention concerns a customizing method comprising steps which consist in: a) determining on the basis of a circuit model, a set of vectors each corresponding to a theoretical operating time of the circuit when a predetermined sequence of tests is applied, the coefficients of each vector representing the state of a common set of elements of the circuit among which the element to be customized (12); b) defining on the basis of a comparison of vectors, a composite of logic operators applied on said vectors and enabling to extract the coefficient corresponding to said element to be customized (30); c) producing images of the operating circuit at times corresponding to the vectors whereon is applied said composite of logic operators (32); and d) graphically combining the images produced in accordance with a composite of graphic operators corresponding to said composite of logic operators (36).