On optimizing test strategies for analog cells

The purpose of this paper is to analyze an optimization method to improve the testability of structural defects, such as bridges and opens, in low-power low-voltage analog circuits. The approach consists of finding an optimum subset of tests which maximizes the fault coverage with minimum cost. An application example is given to illustrate the proposal by studying the fault coverage obtained using different test sets on a simple 2-stage Nested Transconductance Capacitance Compensated (NGCC) amplifier.