Case Study of Advanced Diagnostic Techniques for Multi Port Register File

This paper is a case study of diagnostic techniques used to debug a particularly difficult fail in a multi-port register file memory that appeared to increase its minimum functional voltage (VMIN) over time. Some of the debug techniques used involved Array Built-In-Self Test (ABIST) before and after chips in burn in, CPA (Critical Parameters Analysis), PEM (Photon Emission Microscopy), PICA (Picosecond Image Circuit Analysis) and PFA (Physical Failure Analysis).