A March Test for Functional Faults in Semiconductor Random Access Memories

Abstract

A test procedure requiring 14 N operations to detect functional faults in semiconductor random access memories (RAM's) is given. It is shown that the proposed test procedure detects modeled types of functional faults if only one type of fault is present in the RAM under test. The test procedure given belongs to a class of tests called march tests. It is proved that any march test requires at least 14 N operations to detect the modeled faults. Next, groups of different types of functional faults that can be simultaneously present in the RAM under test and yet be detected by the proposed test procedure or a given enhanced test procedure (requiring 16 N operations) are studied. Copyright © 1981 by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.