Product category:
Design and Development Software
News Release from: Mentor Graphics UK | Subject: MBISTArchitect
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 11 October 2004
BIST tool tackles embedded memories
New enhancements to the MBISTArchitect built-in self-test (BIST) tool provide thorough on-chip testing for embedded memories generated by Artisan Components.
New enhancements to the MBISTArchitect built-in self-test (BIST) tool provide thorough on-chip testing for embedded memories generated by Artisan Components Additionally, Artisan has recognised the MBISTArchitect tool as a qualified BIST solution for testing its embedded memories and facilitating its Flex-Repair Redundancy solution for yield improvement
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 19 Sep 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
BIST tool boosts SoC memory reliability
Mentor Graphics has increased its support for Artisan Components embedded memory products.
Mentor Graphics and UMC deliver IC design kits
Mentor Graphics and UMC have joined to deliver a complete turnkey design flow, including the availability of IC design kits, for UMC's RF and analogue/mixed-signal process technologies.
This collaboration will enable joint customers to employ a high quality test, diagnostic and repair strategy for all their embedded memory needs.
As the use of embedded memory continues to increase, thorough testing and defect diagnosis has become paramount to product quality and yield enhancement.
Memory BIST has emerged as the most efficient method to test and diagnose problems with embedded memories.
Further reading
Mentor supports TI DSPs and MCUs
Mentor Graphics is the first to reach agreement with Texas Instruments to deliver coverification processor support packages (PSPs) for Texas Instruments DSP and microcontroller solutions.
Mentor and Xilinx have cores for communications
Mentor Graphics and Xilinx have released two high-level IP products to accelerate the design cycle of high-density FPGAs in communications applications.
Mentor upgrades wiring harness design suite
Mentor Graphics has upgraded its Capital H wire harness engineering software, used primarily by the automotive and aerospace industries.
The MBISTArchitect tool generates and inserts BIST for a wide variety of embedded memory arrays.
It boasts the largest set of industry accepted test algorithms, including March, retention, and various background patterns that can be used to thoroughly test Artisan memories.
The MBIST Flex feature offers users the ability to implement custom algorithms to help enable even the detection of subtle defects that can elude conventional test techniques.
The tool's online algorithm selection capability provides users with the ability to choose tests that should be executed during manufacturing, allowing for the perfect balance between test time and increased coverage during production.
"Defining solid embedded memory test strategies is an essential step in the design process and working with leading EDA vendors enables best-in-breed solutions to help IC designers achieve silicon success", said Neal Carney, Artisan's Vice President of Marketing.
"Collaborating with Mentor Graphics, we are able to offer mutual customers integrated test and repair solutions to help ensure their successful path-to-silicon and help meet faster time-to-market".
Artisan has developed a detailed and comprehensive set of tests specifically targeted for its embedded memories.
Mentor Graphics worked closely with Artisan to incorporate complete support of these tests within the MBISTArchitect tool.
This collaborative effort enables more efficient, higher quality memory testing.
Artisan's Flex-Repair Redundancy solution provides the ability to correct most prevalent types of memory faults.
The MBISTArchitect tool supports the Flex-Repair solution, facilitating the diagnosis and repair process.
"Because of the amount of memory used in today's designs, our customers need an effective and efficient means to thoroughly test them", said Robert Hum, Vice President and General Manager, Design-for-Test business unit, Mentor Graphics.
"Our collaboration with Artisan provides customers with a proven solution to test, diagnose and repair memories without compromising time, cost or, most importantly, quality".
The MBISTArchitect tool features complete at-speed test and diagnostic capabilities for improved detection of nanometre defects.
Its unique at-speed operation, MBIST Full-Speed, enables the tool to run the Artisan-recommended memory tests at-speed.
Using a patented pipelining architecture, the tool has been successfully applied to memories that have operating speeds approaching 1GHz.
To complete the full support of Artisan's recommended algorithms, the MBISTArchitect tool will offer enhanced test algorithms for individual memory select lines and multiport memories by late 2004.
• Mentor Graphics UK: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
