5. Scan Chains and Serial Testing
Scan chains and serial testing are pivotal techniques in Design for Testability (DFT) that enhance the testability of digital circuits. These methods enable designers to access and test internal components of complex integrated circuits, ensuring functionality through structured fault detection. While offering high fault coverage and reduced testing costs, challenges such as increased design complexity and limited fault coverage in complex systems should also be addressed.
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What we have learnt
- Scan chains improve testability by allowing direct access to the internal states of digital circuits.
- Serial testing enables effective fault detection for both combinational and sequential logic.
- Scan-based testing simplifies the testing process and enhances the reliability of electronic systems.
Key Concepts
- -- Scan Chain
- A sequence of flip-flops connected in series that allows for access to internal states of a digital system for testing purposes.
- -- Serial Testing
- A testing method where test vectors are applied in a series to test the internal behavior of a system.
- -- Fault Coverage
- The ability of a testing process to detect various types of faults within a digital circuit.
- -- Design for Testability (DFT)
- The design approach that ensures a product is easily testable, increasing its reliability at a lower cost.
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