Digital-Like Built-In Defect-Oriented Test for Analog-Mixed Signal Circuits

Abstract

<p>In this paper, we present a novel digital-like defect-oriented Built-In Self-Test (BIST) methodology for Analog and Mixed-Signal (AMS) circuits. The core idea of this approach centers around the segmentation of complex AMS circuits into smaller, more manageable units for analysis. Emphasizing resource utilization efficiency, we highlight the necessity of employing purely digital circuits for both injectors and monitors within the BIST framework. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach through the development of a BIST system for a 12-bit Successive Approximation Register Analog-to-Digital Converter (SAR ADC). Notably, our methodology achieves 100% defect coverage without introducing additional BIST circuitry for subcircuit testing, relying solely on digital monitors for sampling switch evaluation. Furthermore, our proposed approach incurs minimal area overhead, resulting in a fast and comprehensive defect-oriented BIST solution. This versatile test method can be deployed post-manufacturing or in-field, offering flexibility in its application timing.</p>