A two-step methodology for CMOS VLSI reliability improvement: step one

Reliability improvement of CMOS VLSI circuits depends on a thorough understanding of the technology, failure mechanisms, and resulting failure modes involved. Failure analysis has identified open circuits, short circuits and MOSFET degradations as the prominent failure modes. Classical methods of fault simulation and test generation are based on the gate level stuck-at fault model. This model has proved inadequate to model all realistic CMOS failure modes. An approach, which will complement available VLSI design packages, to aid reliability improvement and assurance of CMOS VLSI is outlined. A ‘two-step’ methodology is adopted. Step one, described in this paper, involves accurate circuit level fault simulation of CMOS cells used in a hierarchical design process. The simulation is achieved using SPICE and pre-SPICE insertion of faults (PSIF). PSIF is an additional module to SPICE that has been developed and is outlined in detail. Failure modes effects analysis (FMEA) is executed on the SPICE results and FMEA tables are generated. The second step of the methodology uses the FMEA tables to produce a knowledge base. Step two is essential when reliability studies of larger and VLSI circuits are required and will be the subject of a future paper. The knowledge base has the potential to generate fault trees, fault simulate and fault diagnose automatically.

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