Test generation with high coverages for quiescent current test of bridging faults in combinational circuits

Two test strategies for external and internal shorts in FCMOS combinational circuits, based on current consumption monitoring, are proposed and analysed: (a) pseudorandom test with a small number of vectors, and (b) a new strategy called current testing vector generation based on stuck at Faults (CUTEGENS). Both test strategies have been experimented on a set of combinational benchmark circuits. The pseudorandom test strategy has been found efficient when testing external shorts but coverages for internal shorts are not as satisfactory. CUTEGENS provides test sets with a reduced number of vectors, which have a very high coverage for both external and internal shorts. In most of the experimented circuits, the coverage has been shown to be the highest obtainable with current consumption monitoring.<
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