Digital Circuits Testing Laboratory

The VLSI test laboratory was founded based on industrial grade design automation tools provided by Mentor, a Siemens Business (formerly Mentor Graphics Corporation, OR, USA). This software comprises several best-in-class EDA solutions, including DFTAdvisor, FastScan, TestKompress, YieldAsist, MemoryBIST, and ModelSim, used to generate, simulate, and apply production test patterns for digital circuits and systems. The institute houses a high-performance computing cluster where this test-related software is running. Tutorials, lab assignments, lecture notes, and projects were all prepared in collaboration with Mentor Graphics within the framework of its Higher Education Program that provides universities with the leading edge design tools for classroom instruction. During classes, students learn how to automate the process of test genera-tion, fault simulation, test point insertion, and fault diagnosis. Furthermore, they are taught basics of modern HDL design for testability (using Verilog), test compression, and built-in self-test.

Equipment:

• PCs with Linux
• beamer

Technologies studied and specialist software used:

• DFTAdvisor, FastScan, TestKompress, YieldAsist, Tessent MemoryBIST, Leonardo Spectrum and ModelSim
• Verilog

Realized courses:

• Digital circuit testing

Laboratory supervisor:

Prof. Jerzy Tyszer, PdD