Using test elements of an integrated circuit for integrated circuit testing

摘要

In some examples, a system, such as an integrated circuit device (IC), includes functional elements interspersed with access elements and associated test elements. The access elements and associated test elements may be used to determine a health status of the IC or an area of the IC. A health status determination can include, for example, identification of an area of the IC where performance may have degraded (e.g., has degraded or is about to degrade beyond desirable levels of performance). For example, a test element can be configured to generate a parametric output in response to an electrical stimulus, where the parametric output indicates a health status of one or more functional elements of the IC.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
an integrated circuit device comprising:
a plurality of functional elements arranged to span an area of the integrated circuit device and configured to provide at least one function to the integrated circuit device via at least one first interconnection of the integrated circuit device;a plurality of test elements interspersed with the plurality of functional elements, each of the plurality of test elements being electrically isolated from the at least one first interconnection; anda plurality of access elements, each access element of the plurality of access elements being electrically isolated from the at least one first interconnection and electrically coupled via at least one second interconnection of the integrated circuit device to at least one test element of the plurality of test elements, wherein:
each access element of the plurality of access elements is configured to relay an electrical stimulus to the at least one test element to which the access element is coupled, via the at least one second interconnection while the plurality of functional elements provides the at least one function,the at least one test element is configured to generate a parametric output in response to the electrical stimulus via the at least one second interconnection of the integrated circuit device while the plurality of functional elements provides the at least one function,each access element of the plurality of access elements is further configured to output the parametric output generated by the at least one test element to which the access element is coupled, andeach of the plurality of functional elements is electrically isolated from the at least one second interconnection.