Minimizing the Impact of Scan Compression

Abstract

Scan is widely accepted as the basis for reducing test cost and improving quality, however its effectiveness is compromised by increasingly complex designs and fault models that can result in high scan data volume and application time. The authors present a scan compression method designed for minimal impact in all aspects: area overhead, timing, and design flow. Easily adopted on top of existing scan designs, the method is fully integrated in the scan synthesis and test generation flows. Data and test time compressions of over 10times were obtained on industrial designs with negligible overhead and no impact on schedule.