The relevant chips of microcontroller units (MCU) include Wi-Fi chips, bluetooth low energy transmission chips, touch and fingerprint identification chips and smart audio related chips.
According to the analysis of iSTART-TEK, the chips mentioned above all require the use of 32-bit central processing units (CPU) to execute the communication protocols stored in the memory or various algorithms. Thus, the demand for SRAM in the chip will increase significantly. The reason is this type of chips require an SRAM to store the major program that drives the chip to run. Therefore, it is important for IC design companies and chip developers to accurately identify SRAM defects and reduce the defect parts per million (DPPM).
iSTART-TEK stated that although the MCU-related chips are relatively small, as process improvements are made, these chips have higher requirements for yield rates. Thus, the built in self-test (BIST) in MCU-related chips are used to accurately control the chip yield.
iSTART-TEK provides customers with EDA tools and IPs for memory testing and repairing that can be applied in various types of memories (SRAM, ReRAM, MRAM, eFlash, OTP, MTP and DRAM). In order to provide the most high-efficiency memory testing solutions to MCU chip suppliers, iSTART-TEK has launched EZ-BIST, which is based on a graphical user interface (GUI).
The user-friendly GUI enables users to easily complete the BIST circuit in the chips. EZ-BIST also offers a range of built-in algorithms for memory testing. Users can select among these algorithms based on their chip development processes and chip applications, so that the memory algorithm circuits can be realized. Additionally, EZ-BIST can generate the BIST circuits through GUI, enabling MCU chip developers to easily determine the memory algorithm. If MCU chip developers need specific memory algorithms, EZ-BIST supports a user defined algorithm (UDA) platform, which is also based on GUI.
As the price rise of foundries has been a forgone conclusion, the IC design requires higher efficiency. Through iSTART-TEK’s patented UDA, chip developers can design the most appropriate memory testing algorithms according to the processes, program types and applications.
Both EZ-BIST and UDA support GUI, enabling MCU chip developers to generate BIST circuits in a very short time. With EZ-BIST’s built-in graphical algorithm interface, MCU chip developers can easily implement memory algorithms according to the process and chip application. In conjunction with UDA, MCU chip developers can also quickly generate customized memories, greatly reducing DPPM and increasing the chip yield.