Fast mixed-mode simulation for accurate MOS bridging fault detection

A dynamic mixed-mode approach for the simulation of physical faults in MOS VLSI circuits is described, with emphasis on bridging faults. Bridging faults in digital circuits could cause the affected gates or subcircuits, and possibly their immediate fanouts, to behave as analog subcircuits in a localized region within a design. Mixed digital gate-level and switch-level simulation with dynamic localized analog simulation, depending on the location of a fault, provides a robust and fast way to perform digital fault simulation accurately and fast enough for practical fault simulation.<>