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Course contents

  • How to Use This Course
  • DFT Metrics Reference
  • DFT Glossary
  • Reading Path
  • Scan Fundamentals61
  • Compression & Diagnosis61
  • ATPG & Pattern Generation61
    • Fault Models
    • ATPG Constraints
      • ATPG Constraints: Mechanism
      • ATPG Constraints: Inputs & Outputs
      • ATPG Constraints: Reports & Metrics
      • ATPG Constraints: Debug Playbook
      • ATPG Constraints: Worked Example
      • ATPG Constraints: Pitfalls & Red Flags
      • ATPG Constraints: Interview Drills
      • ATPG Constraints: Review Checklist
      • ATPG Constraints: Theory Deep Dive
      • ATPG Constraints: Design Space
      • ATPG Constraints: Expanded Case Study
      • ATPG Constraints: Step-by-Step Walkthrough
      • ATPG Constraints: Comparison Matrix
      • ATPG Constraints: Software / Programmer View
      • ATPG Constraints: Silicon PPA Impact
    • Pattern Signoff
    • Coverage Closure
    • ATPG & Pattern Generation: Tricky Q&A
  • MBIST & LBIST61
  • Boundary Scan & JTAG61
  • Test Timing & Power61
  • DFT Physical Integration61
  • DFT Interview Prep61
  • DFT / ATPG Cheatsheet
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‹ATPG Constraints
  1. Topics
  2. Design for Test
  3. ATPG & Pattern Generation
  4. ATPG Constraints
  5. ATPG Constraints: Review Checklist

DFT / ATPG · All levels

ATPG Constraints: Review Checklist

Review Checklist for ATPG Constraints.

On this page

    Review checklist

    Review Checklist for ATPG Constraints focuses on constraint consistency errors, illegal state count, pattern abort rate. The goal is to convert metric movement into mechanism, owner, and release decision.

    • Run tags and scenario context are explicit.

    • Constraints and legality assumptions are documented.

    • Quality, timing, and test-power checks are included.

    • Diagnosis evidence supports residual-risk decision.

    • Owners signed: ATPG owner, RTL owner, DFT owner.

    Signoff ownership

    Diagram
    OWNERSHIP MAP - ATPG Constraints
    
    artifact              owner
    ----------------      -----------------
    architecture/report ATPG owner
    constraints/setup   RTL owner
    physical/test       DFT owner
    
    Name an owner for each failing metric cluster.

    DFT deep dive

    ATPG quality comes from fault model choice plus legal constraints, not raw pattern volume alone.

    Concept diagram

    Diagram
    ATPG FLOW
    
    fault model -> constraints -> generation -> simulation -> coverage closure -> signoff

    Metric graph

    Diagram
    COVERAGE GAP
    
    target coverage
      ^
      |      o before closure
      |          o after fixes
      +---------------------> iteration

    Reports and artifacts

    • fault model coverage

    • untestable class report

    • constraint legality errors

    • pattern signoff memo

    Mini case study

    Transition coverage stalled due to clock constraints mismatch; updated at-speed capture definitions recovered target.

    Debug branches

    • Classify untestable faults

    • Diff ATPG constraints each run

    • Pair coverage with pattern budget

    Senior review question

    Ask: what evidence proves this DFT decision is safe for production?

    Key takeaways

    • State metric, lot/corner context, and pattern tag with every claim.

    • Treat timing, power, and quality as one signoff problem.

    Common pitfalls

    • Chasing coverage without legality checks.

    • Ignoring test-power side effects of pattern changes.

    • Debugging silicon without reproducible tags.

    Principal DFT review addendum

    ATPG constraints encode legal test-mode behavior, clocks, resets, and masks so generated patterns are both executable and meaningful.

    Metric: constraint consistency errors, illegal state count, pattern abort rate

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    See also

    • ATPG Constraints: Mechanism
    • ATPG Constraints: Inputs & Outputs
    • ATPG Constraints: Reports & Metrics