Optimizing error masking in BIST by output data modification

The error masking in conventional built-in self-test schemes is known to be around 2−m when the output data is compacted in an m-bit multi-input linear feedback shift register. In the recent years, several schemes have been proposed which claim to reduce the error masking in a significant way while maintaining the need for a small overhead. In this paper, a completely new scheme for reducing error masking is proposed. Unlike the previous schemes in the literature, the new scheme is circuit-dependent and uses the concept of output data modification. This concept suggests modifying the original test output sequence before compaction, in order to obtain a new sequence with a reduced error masking probability. It is shown that the output data modification scheme provides a simple trade-off between the desired error masking which could run into (21thousands) and the area overhead needed (which would usually be equal to a 16 or 32 bit multi-input linear feedback shift register) for this masking. Finally, a formal proof is presented which establishes that despite circuit-dependency, the proposed scheme will on the average always lead to the desired error masking.

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