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Implementation of laser beam sensitive cells: A new approach for integrated circuits testing
Author(s) -
Fouillat P.,
GervaisDucouret S.,
Lapuyade H.,
Dom J. P.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
quality and reliability engineering international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1099-1638
pISSN - 0748-8017
DOI - 10.1002/qre.4680100405
Subject(s) - controllability , observability , beam (structure) , electronic circuit , laser , computer science , sensitivity (control systems) , integrated circuit , electronic engineering , engineering , electrical engineering , optics , physics , mathematics
The use of library cells, specially designed for their sensitivity to a laser beam, is a potential solution for both ‘observability’ and ‘controllability’ problems encountered by the test engineers. The basic principle relies on the photo‐induced current generated in the laser beam‐silicon interaction. The ‘observation’ cells, when probed by the beam, are used to read directly a logic level inside the circuit, whereas the ‘control’ cells are used to force a particular node of the circuit. A test structure including a 16 bits counter with 16 ‘observation’ cells and 1 ‘control’ cell has been fabricated in BiCMOS technology in order to illustrate this new testing method.