Roadmaps: Use of ATE Drives Changes in FA: A Commentary

Many standard physical failure site isolation techniques require an electrical stimulus to drive test devices into a failing condition. This function has been provided by bench test electronics for some time, but increasing device complexity is causing a migration to more sophisticated equipment such as pattern generators and logic analyzers. In anticipation of further increases in pin count and density, a new class of small footprint testers is emerging. These portable systems, called ASIC verification testers, facilitate the transfer of ATE test programs to failure analysis laboratories at relatively low cost.