A two-step process for achieving an open test-development environment

For many of today's most advanced ICs and system-on-chip (SoC) devices, test costs have risen to as much as 50% of the total manufacturing cost. A major component of test cost is the time and resources required for test-program development. There are time-proven methods and test-development tools - both in-house and commercial - for translating a semiconductor device's functional events and scan patterns (from EDA) into test programs for specific, targeted automated test equipment (ATE) platforms. However, in the face of increasing device complexity and new manufacturing requirements, methodologies and tool flows have begun to break down. This paper details the demands on test-development engineers that are created by today's complex semiconductor devices, and outlines the set of solutions necessary to help speed these devices to market. Finally, this paper identifies areas to which the industry needs to apply additional work and resources.