Mg. Karpovsky et Vn. Yarmolik, TRANSPARENT RANDOM-ACCESS MEMORY TESTING FOR PATTERN SENSITIVE FAULTS, JOURNAL OF ELECTRONIC TESTING-THEORY AND APPLICATIONS, 9(3), 1996, pp. 251-266
This paper presents a new methodology for RAM testing based on the PS(
n, k) fault model (the k out of n pattern sensitive fault model). Acco
rding to this model the contents of any memory cell which belongs to a
n n-bit memory block, or the ability to change the contents, is influe
nced by the contents of any k-1 cells from this block. The proposed me
thodology is a transparent BIST technique, which can be efficiently co
mbined with on-line error detection. This approach preserves the initi
al contents of the memory after the rest and provides for a high fault
coverage for traditional fault and error models, as well as for patte
rn sensitive faults. This paper includes the investigation of testing
approaches based on transparent pseudoexhaustive testing and its appro
ximations by deterministic and pseudorandom circular tests. The propos
ed methodology can be used for periodic and manufacturing testing and
require lower hardware and time overheads than the standard approaches
.