As the U.S. government further expands export restrictions on semiconductor technologies and EDA tools to China, the global chip design industry is facing heightened supply chain risks. In response to this growing geopolitical uncertainty, iSTART-TEK emphasizes that its flagship test algorithm platform, UDA (User-Defined Algorithm), is entirely self-developed, free from dependence on foreign core technologies. This ensures long-term licensing stability and provides a secure, sustainable path for chip design teams navigating both technological and policy shifts.
As semiconductor processes advance toward FinFET, GAA, and other cutting-edge nodes, SRAM defects have begun to “mutate” like viruses, with new fault types such as marginal faults, dynamic faults, and soft errors emerging. Traditional test algorithms like March C are increasingly inadequate, much like outdated vaccines that can no longer fend off evolving threats. To tackle this challenge, iSTART-TEK’s UDA platform acts as a flexible vaccine R&D lab, allowing users to mix and match test strategies based on product characteristics and application scenarios. The result is comprehensive fault “immunization” to ensure SRAM stability under any operating condition.
With its graphical user interface and modular design, UDA enables users to design custom test algorithms without the need to write complex code. For instance, to detect leakage defects common in high-temperature environments, specific test elements can be added to ensure these faults are not overlooked, reducing the risk of field failures.
iSTART-TEK further integrates its proprietary TEC (Testing Elements Change) technology. Using just three basic operations (w, r, s), users can flexibly adjust the structure of algorithms across CP and FT stages, boosting defect coverage within limited test time. Combined with both static and dynamic background control strategies, UDA can detect a wide range of complex faults, including SAF, TF, CF, WDF, and DRDF.
Additionally, UDA is fully compatible with iSTART-TEK’s in-house EDA tools such as START™ v5 and EZ-BIST, forming a streamlined workflow from algorithm creation to ATE pattern generation, maximizing test automation efficiency while reducing design costs and verification efforts.
As memory quality requirements rise across AI, high-performance computing, edge devices, and automotive systems, iSTART-TEK’s UDA platform can quickly generate defect-specific, optimized test programs — much like real-time vaccine responses to viral mutations. This not only improves yield but also reduces downstream RMA and warranty risks, ensuring chip reliability in critical domains such as AI, automotive, and aerospace.
Comparison Table: Vaccine Principles vs. SRAM Test Algorithms
| Feature | Vaccine Principle | SRAM Test Algorithm |
| Design Purpose | Created to protect the human body from pathogens by simulating or weakening them to “train” the immune system. | Designed to expose and detect potential defects in memory by simulating various operations. |
| Timing | Builds immunity before actual infection to prevent catastrophic consequences. | Detects hidden defects before ICs enter the market to prevent functional or reliability failures. |
| Challenges | Viruses continue to mutate. | Advanced processes (e.g., FinFET, GAA) introduce new SRAM fault types like marginal, dynamic, and soft errors. |
| Response Strategy | Develop different vaccines for specific viruses (e.g., COVID-19, HPV, influenza). | Tailor test operations based on product specs (e.g., high-temp, low-power) to create customized algorithms. |
| Comprehensive Defense | Mass vaccination ensures population-wide immunity. | Full-coverage test strategies ensure SRAM functions reliably across all usage conditions (temperature, voltage, and frequency). |