On-Chip Multi-Channel Waveform Monitoring for Diagnostics of Mixed-Signal VLSI Circuits

Koichiro Noguchi (1) , Makoto Nagata (1)

1 Dep. of Computer and Engineering

Multi-channel waveform monitoring technique enhances built-in test and diagnostic capability of mixed-signal VLSI circuits. An 8-channel prototype system incorporates adaptive sample time generation with a 10-bit variable step delay generator and algorithmic digitization with a 10-bit incremental reference voltage generator. The prototype in a 0.18-µm CMOS technology demonstrated on-chip waveform acquisition at 40-ps and 200-µV resolutions. The waveforms were as accurate as those by an off-chip measurement technique, while more than 95% reduction of the waste time in waveform monitoring was achieved. The area of 700µm x 600µm was occupied by a single waveform acquisition kernel that was shared with 8 front-end modules of 60µm x 200µm each. The developed on-chip multi-channel waveform monitoring technique is waveform accurate, area efficient, and low cost, which are all requisite factors for diagnosing methodology toward mixed analog and digital signal integrity in a systems-on-a-chip era.

Domaines: Architectures Matérielles [cs.AR]; Electronique

Koichiro Noguchi, Makoto Nagata. On-Chip Multi-Channel Waveform Monitoring for Diagnostics of Mixed-Signal VLSI Circuits. DATE'05, Mar 2005, Munich, Germany. pp.146-151. ⟨hal-00181508⟩