Mentor debuts TestKompress Xpress

TestKompress Xpress technology allows IC manufacturers to meet their quality objectives for process nodes at 65 nm and beyond. This latest version of the TestKompress product (which debuted in 2001) increases the achievable level of compression by providing a more efficient way to handle so-called “X-states”—the unknown states that can arise during manufacturing test. X-states can result in a loss of test coverage if not handled properly and tend to increase the test-pattern size required to test a device thoroughly.

Mentor Graphics’ patented Xpress compactor technology provides an efficient way to deal with X-states by combining embedded test-data selection circuitry with a software control algorithm. Using Xpress technology requires no change to the functional design and is transparent to the TestKompress user.

Mentor Graphics, www.mentor.com.