Scan-chain optimization algorithms for multiple scan-paths

Abstract

This paper presents an algorithm framework for the scan-chain optimization problem in multiple-scan design methodology. It also presents algorithms we propose based on the framework; these are the first algorithms ever proposed for multiple-scan designing. Experiments using actual design data show that, for ten scan-paths, our algorithms achieved a 90% reduction in scan-test time at the expense of a 7% total scan-path length increase as compared with the length of a single optimized scan-path.