Scan design has been popular as a design-for-testability technique. A memory array, however, has been considered non-scannable. This paper describes unified scan design that makes a memory array scannable and allows mixing of memory arrays and ordinary flip-flops in a single scan path. Based on a rule that considers ordinary flip-flops as a memory array with one word, the existing CAD system can generate the test pattern automatically without making any distinction between flip-flops and memory arrays. A long scan path involving a number of memory arrays can be split into multiple scan paths to reduce scan operation time.
Index Terms:
design for testability; logic CAD; integrated memory circuits; automatic testing; fault diagnosis; flip-flops; arrays; shift registers; unified scan design; scannable memory arrays; design-for-testability; flip-flops; single scan path; scan operation time; scannable register file
Citation:
S. Yano, "Unified scan design with scannable memory arrays," ats, pp.153, Fourth Asian Test Symposium (ATS'95), 1995