Method and apparatus for using supply voltage for testing in semiconductor memory devices

摘要

A method and apparatus for using a supply signal, rather than a programming signal, to test bitline stress and multicolumn programming in semiconductor memory devices is disclosed. The memory device includes a bitline driver that controls the voltage on the bitline. The method has the step of generating a programming signal and a supply signal. Both the programming signal and the supply signal are suitable for powering the memory device. The supply signal is provided to the bitline driver during the test-programming of the memory device. The memory device includes a bitline driver circuit which provides an output to a data line. The circuit isolates the programming signal from the data line, and the supply signal is placed in electrical communication with the data line.