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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
  • MBIST & LBIST61
  • Boundary Scan & JTAG61
  • Test Timing & Power61
    • Test-Mode SDC
    • Shift vs Capture Timing
    • Test Power & IR
    • Test Signoff Reports
      • Test Signoff Reports: Mechanism
      • Test Signoff Reports: Inputs & Outputs
      • Test Signoff Reports: Reports & Metrics
      • Test Signoff Reports: Debug Playbook
      • Test Signoff Reports: Worked Example
      • Test Signoff Reports: Pitfalls & Red Flags
      • Test Signoff Reports: Interview Drills
      • Test Signoff Reports: Review Checklist
      • Test Signoff Reports: Theory Deep Dive
      • Test Signoff Reports: Design Space
      • Test Signoff Reports: Expanded Case Study
      • Test Signoff Reports: Step-by-Step Walkthrough
      • Test Signoff Reports: Comparison Matrix
      • Test Signoff Reports: Software / Programmer View
      • Test Signoff Reports: Silicon PPA Impact
    • Test Timing & Power: Tricky Q&A
  • DFT Physical Integration61
  • DFT Interview Prep61
  • DFT / ATPG Cheatsheet
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‹Test Signoff Reports
  1. Topics
  2. Design for Test
  3. Test Timing & Power
  4. Test Signoff Reports
  5. Test Signoff Reports: Comparison Matrix

DFT / ATPG · All levels

Test Signoff Reports: Comparison Matrix

Comparison Matrix for Test Signoff Reports.

On this page

    Comparison matrix

    Shift speed, capture strategy, and pattern scheduling trade risk and throughput.

    Diagram
    +------------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+
    | Approach         | Strength       | Weakness       | Best when      |
    +------------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+
    | Conservative     | safe           | higher cost    | ramp-sensitive |
    | Balanced         | practical      | needs rigor    | production     |
    | Aggressive       | fast           | escape risk    | schedule pressure |
    | Architecture     | durable        | slow           | repeated pain  |
    +------------------+----------------+----------------+----------------+

    When to choose each approach

    • Tie approach to product risk and tester constraints

    Interview traps

    • Optimizing one metric only

    • No regression ownership

    Evidence comparison

    Diagram
    DFT EVIDENCE MATRIX - Test Signoff Reports
    
    +-------------------+------------------------+--------------------------+-------------------------+
    | Evidence           | Tells you              | Does not prove           | Next action             |
    +-------------------+------------------------+--------------------------+-------------------------+
    | coverage report    | fault detect trends    | silicon root cause       | inspect bucket details  |
    | pattern diff       | generation changes     | architecture quality     | replay suspect patterns |
    | timing/power report| test closure margin    | diagnosis confidence     | correlate fail logs     |
    | diagnosis summary  | likely defect classes  | ownership decision       | assign action owner     |
    | signoff checklist  | process completeness   | correctness of evidence  | peer review artifacts   |
    +-------------------+------------------------+--------------------------+-------------------------+

    DFT deep dive

    Test signoff fails when shift/capture timing and test power are treated independently.

    Concept diagram

    Diagram
    TEST SIGNOFF LOOP
    
    test SDC -> shift/capture timing -> power-aware ATPG -> IR validation -> release

    Metric graph

    Diagram
    TEST CURRENT
    
    functional current  baseline
    scan shift current  peak-risk zone

    Reports and artifacts

    • test-mode STA report

    • shift/capture split

    • test power IR map

    • waiver tracker

    Mini case study

    At-speed patterns passed timing but failed in production due to peak shift IR; staggered capture and power-aware fill resolved.

    Debug branches

    • Tag test and functional corners separately

    • Check hold in shift mode

    • Correlate fail bins with power hotspots

    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

    Test signoff consolidates coverage, timing, power, and diagnosis evidence into a release decision with explicit ownership and waivers.

    Metric: test readiness score, unresolved waivers, production release risk

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    See also

    • Test Signoff Reports: Mechanism
    • Test Signoff Reports: Inputs & Outputs
    • Test Signoff Reports: Reports & Metrics