• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.24-33
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• 2002

For mixed signal circuits that integrate both analog and digital blocks onto the same chip, testing the mixed circuits has become the bottleneck. Since most of mixed signal circuits are functionally tested, mixed signal testing needs expensive automatic test equipments for test input generation and response acquisition. In this paper, a new efficient BIST is developed which can be used for mixed signal circuits. In the new BIST, only faults on embedded resistances, capacitances and its combinations are considered. To guarantee the quality of chips, the new BIST performs both voltage testing and phase testing. Using these two testing modes, all the faults are detected. In order to support this technique, the voltage detector and the phase detector are developed. Experimental results prove the efficiency of the new BIST.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.713-718
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• 2016

Predicting precise specifications of differential mixed-signal circuits is a difficult problem, because analytically derived correlation between process variations and conventional specifications exhibits the limited prediction accuracy due to the phase unbalance, for most self-tests. This paper proposes an efficient prediction technique to provide accurate specifications of differential mixed-signal circuits in a system-on-chip (SoC) based on a nonlinear statistical nonlinear regression technique. A spectrally pure sinusoidal signal is applied to a differential DUT, and its output is fed into another differential DUT through a weighting circuitry in the loopback configuration. The weighting circuitry, which is employed from the previous work [3], efficiently produces different weights on the harmonics of the loopback responses, i.e., the signatures. The correlation models, which map the signatures to the conventional specifications, are built based on the statistical nonlinear regression technique, in order to predict accurate nonlinearities of individual DUTs. In production testing, once the efficient signatures are measured, and plugged into the obtained correlation models, the harmonic coefficients of DUTs are readily identified. This work provides a practical test solution to overcome the serious test issue of differential mixed-signal circuits; the low accuracy of analytically derived model is much lower by the errors from the unbalance. Hardware measurement results showed less than 1.0 dB of the prediction error, validating that this approach can be used as production test.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.201-208
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• 2005

In this paper, absolute and differential eddy current signals from various defects in the steam generator tube are numerically predicted and their signal slope characteristics are investigated. The signal changes due to frequency increase are also observed. After studying signal patterns from various defects and frequencies, the analysis of mixed defect signals affected by the presence of a ferromagnetic support plate is attempted. For the signal prediction, axisymmetric finite element modeling is used and this leads us to the slope angle analysis of the signal. Results show that differential signals are useful for locating the position of a defect under the support plate, while absolute signals are easy to presume and interpret even though the effect of support plate is mixed. Combined use of these two types of signals will help us accomplish a more reliable inspection.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.154-156
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• 2010

Oscillation-based testing of analog-to-digital converters represents a viable option for low-cost built-in self-testing in mixed-signal design. While numerous papers have addressed implementation issues, little attention has been paid to the measurement accuracy. In this letter, we highlight an inherent measurement uncertainty which has to be considered when deriving the parameters from the oscillation frequency.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.109-119
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• 2013

Static testing of analog-to-digital (A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) converters becomes more difficult when they are embedded in a system on chip. Built-in self-test (BIST) reduces the need for external support for testing. This paper proposes a new static BIST structure for testing both A/D and D/A converters. By sharing test circuitry, the proposed BIST reduces the hardware overhead. Furthermore, test time can also be reduced using the simultaneous test strategy of the proposed BIST. The proposed method can be applied in various A/D and D/A converter resolutions and analog signal swing ranges. Simulation results are presented to validate the proposed method by showing how linearity errors are detected in different situations.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.07a
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• pp.1862-1863
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• 2007

Testing the analog/mixed-signal circuitry of a mixed-signal IC has become a difficult task. Offset error, gain error, Non-monotonic behavior, Differential Non-linearity(DNL) error, Integral Non-linearity(INL) error are important specifications used as test parameters for DAC. In this paper, we propose an efficient BIST structure for DAC testing. The proposed BIST adds the circuit which uses the capacitor and op-amp, and accomplishes a test.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.901-904
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• 2005

Testing of mixed-signal circuit has become a difficult task for test engineers and efficient test solution to these problems are needed. In this paper a new specification-based mixed-signal test method called TSS(Time Slot Specification) using high performance current sensors and a novel test point selection technique without heavy computational overhead are proposed. External output and power nodes are used for test points and accessed by the current sensors in the ATE.

• Journal of information and communication convergence engineering
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2005

In this paper, we propose a novel test method to effectively detect hard and soft faults in CMOS 2-stage op-amps. The proposed method uses a very high frequency sinusoidal signal that exceeds unit gain bandwidth to maximize the fault effects. Since the proposed test method doesn't require any complex algorithms to generate the test pattern and uses only a single test pattern to detect all target faults, therefore test costs can be much reduced. The area overhead is also very small because the CUT is converted to a unit gain amplifier. Using HSPICE simulation, the results indicated a high degree of fault coverage for hard and soft faults in CMOS 2-stage op-amps. To verify this proposed method, we fabricated a CMOS op-amp that contained various short and open faults through the Hyundai 0.65-um 2-poly 2-metal CMOS process. Experimental results for the fabricated chip have shown that the proposed test method can effectively detect hard and soft faults in CMOS op-amps.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.174-180
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• 2006

Steam generator (SG) tubes are expanded inside tubesheet holes by using explosive or hydraulic methods to be fixed in a tubesheet. In the tube expansion process, it is important to minimize the crevice gap between expanded tube and tube sheet. In this paper, absolute and differential signals are computed by a numerical method for several different locations of tube expansion inside and outside a tubesheet and signal variations due to tubesheet, tube expansion and operating frequencies are observed. Results show that low frequency is good for detecting tubesheet location in both types of signals and high frequency is suitable for sizing of tube diameter as well as the detection of transition region. Also learned is that the absolute signal is good for measuring tube diameter, while the differential signal is good for locating the top of tubesheet and both ends of the transition region. In the case of mingled anomaly with tube expansion and tubesheet, low frequency inspection is found to be useful to analyze the mixed signal.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.7-12
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• 2012

Steam generator tubes are critical boundary of the primary and secondary side in nuclear power plants. Eddy current testing is commonly used as the method of non-destructive testing for the safety and integrity of steam generator tubes in the nuclear power plants. Changes in the geometric shape act as a stress concentration factor likely to cause a defect during the steam generator operation. The mixed-signals with the geometric shape are distorted and attributes that are difficult to detect signals. An example is bending stress due to compression process at a U-bend occurring in the intrados region which has a small radius of curvature. The resulting change in the geometric shape may lead to a dent like occurrences. The dent can cause stress concentration and generates stress corrosion cracks. In this study, the steam generator tubes of nuclear power plant were selected to study for analysis of mixed-signal containing dent and stress corrosion cracks.