Increasing the on-die nodal observability and controllability use of advanced design for debug circuit features

Abstract

A post-silicon design validation methodology using on-die clock design for debug (DFD) circuits working together with advanced optical silicon probing techniques has been developed. Innovations are on increasing the nodal observability by using an infrared photon-emission (IREM) logic state image (LSI) technique and on increasing the nodal controllability by using a laser assisted device alternation (LADA) technique. This new approach provides a better solution for determining the root causes of marginal circuits associated with process variations or logic cones across multiple clock, voltage, and/or temperature operation domains.