Test-Quality Comparison between Full- Scan, Partial-Scan and On-Line Techniques for a Periodic Synchronizer

-Because of shrinking minimum feature sizes, IC clock frequencies are increasing. It is no longer possible, nor desired, to distribute a single clock over the entire IC. Multipleclock domains design will no longer be an isolated design style. This new trend in the industry, referred to as future standard by some companies, poses many test problems due to special modules utilized at the interface between clock domains. These modules are called synchronizers. This paper will present and compare different test strategies used for testing multiple-clock domain systems in general and synchronizers in particular. Keywords--full-scan testing, partial-scan testing, on-line testing, periodic synchronizer