GEPDFs: Path Delay Faults Based on Two-Cycle Gate-Exhaustive Faults

Path delay faults model small delay defects that affect the operation of the circuit when they accumulate along a path. For lines on a path, the propagation conditions can be related to those of transition faults. Two-cycle defect-aware, cell-aware and gate-exhaustive faults model delay defects with more complex activation conditions than transition faults. This article observes that detecting gate-exhaustive faults along a path results in the detection of small delay defects with more complex activation conditions than transition faults. Such path delay faults are referred to as gate-exhaustive path delay faults. This article defines gate-exhaustive path delay faults and describes a path selection procedure to support test generation. The experimental results for benchmark circuits demonstrate the possibility of detecting gate-exhaustive path delay faults.