Performance screen ring oscillator formed from multi-dimensional pairings of scan chains

US9097765B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Margaret R. Charlebois · Jericho, US
• Christopher D. Hanudel · South Burlington, US
• Robert D. Herzl · South Burlington, US
• David W. Milton · Underhill, US
• Clarence R. Ogilvie · Waterbury, US
• Paul M. Schanely · South Burlington, US
• Tad J. Wilder · South Hero, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 8, 2014
• Grant date: Aug 4, 2015
• Expiry date: May 8, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F11/1423
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A performance screen ring oscillator (PSRO) is formed from multi-dimensional pairings of scan chains. In one embodiment, there is a multi-dimensional arrangement of scan chains in an integrated circuit. Each of the scan chains has interconnected scan chain elements that form a shift register to apply test patterns to inputs of combinational logic in the integrated circuit and read outputs from the combinational logic based on the inputted test patterns. A scan chain link links selected scan chain elements from the scan chains to form at least one PSRO loop within the multi-dimensional arrangement of the scan chains.