dft

name	dft
description	Design for Test — scan architecture planning, scan insertion, ATPG pattern generation, MBIST for embedded memories, and JTAG boundary scan. Use when planning a DFT strategy, inserting scan, generating test patterns, or verifying that a chip will be testable in manufacturing.
version	1.0.0
author	chuanseng-ng
license	MIT
allowed-tools	Read, Write, Bash

Skill: Design for Test (DFT)

Invocation

• If invoked by a user presenting a DFT task: immediately spawn the digital-chip-design-agents:dft-orchestrator agent and pass the full user request and any available context. Do not execute stages directly.
• If invoked by the dft-orchestrator mid-flow: do not spawn a new agent. Treat this file as read-only — return the requested stage rules, sign-off criteria, or loop-back guidance to the calling orchestrator.

Spawning the orchestrator from within an active orchestrator run causes recursive delegation and must never happen.

Pre-run Context

Before executing or advising on any stage, read the following files if they exist:

1. memory/dft/knowledge.md — known failure patterns, successful tool flags, PDK/tool quirks. Incorporate its guidance into every stage decision. If absent, proceed without it.
2. memory/dft/run_state.md — current run identity (run_id, design_name, tool, last_stage). Use this to resume correctly after interruption. If absent, a new run is starting; the orchestrator will create this file before the first stage.

This pre-run read applies whether this skill is loaded by a user or called by the orchestrator mid-flow. It ensures the fix database is consulted before any diagnosis step.

Purpose

Guide the complete DFT flow from architecture planning through ATPG pattern generation, BIST insertion, JTAG setup, and sign-off. Ensures the manufactured chip meets quality targets (fault coverage and DPPM).

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Supported EDA Tools

Open-Source

• Yosys DFT plugins (yosys) — basic scan insertion for open-source flows
• OpenROAD DFT utilities (openroad) — scan insertion within the OpenROAD/ORFS flow

Proprietary

• Synopsys TetraMAX ATPG (tmax) — pattern generation, fault simulation, and compression
• Cadence Modus Test (modus) — ATPG, scan DRC, and diagnosis
• Siemens Tessent (tessent) — full DFT suite: scan, ATPG, MBIST, IJTAG

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Stage: dft_architecture

Domain Rules

1. Scan architecture: full-scan preferred for ASIC; capture all sequential elements
2. Scan chain count: √(total flip-flops) as rule of thumb; balance test time vs routing
3. Chain length balance: ±5% of target length across all chains
4. Compression: EDT/OPMISR for designs > 1M FFs to reduce ATE test time
5. MBIST: one controller per memory group (same width/depth class)
6. JTAG: IEEE 1149.1 TAP controller; boundary scan for all IO pins
7. At-speed test: launch-on-capture (LOC) or launch-on-shift (LOS) — agree with test team
8. Test modes: scan_mode, mbist_mode, jtag_mode must be mutually exclusive
9. Power domains: scan must respect UPF power domain boundaries

DFT IO Signals Required

• scan_en (SE): primary input, must be controllable from ATE
• scan_in[] (SDI): one per chain
• scan_out[] (SDO): one per chain
• test_clk: separate from functional clock or gated version

QoR Metrics to Evaluate

• DFT spec completeness: all elements defined before insertion
• Estimated fault coverage: analytical pre-insertion estimate ≥ target
• Estimated test time: within ATE budget

Output Required

• DFT architecture document
• Scan chain plan (count, estimated length, IOs)
• Test mode definitions

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Stage: scan_insertion

Domain Rules

1. Replace all standard FFs with scan-equivalent cells (SDFF, SDFFRQ, etc.)
2. Exclude from scan: memory-mapped registers, MBIST controllers, JTAG cells
3. Do not place scan in: clock gating enables, async set/reset paths (without care cells)
4. EDT compression: insert compressor/decompressor for > 100K FFs
5. Lockup latches: insert between chains crossing clock domain boundaries
6. Scan re-ordering: minimise routing wirelength (use placement-aware reorder)
7. Test points: add controllability/observability points for low-coverage nets

Scan DRC Rules (all must pass before ATPG)

• No clock signals feeding into scan data path
• No combinational feedback loops through scan
• Scan enable is glitch-free during functional mode
• All scan FFs: correct SI/SE connections

QoR Metrics to Evaluate

• Scan FF count: 100% of sequential elements minus explicit exclusions
• Chain count and length: per architecture spec (±5%)
• Scan DRC: 0 errors

Output Required

• Scan-inserted netlist
• Scan chain definition file (.scandef)
• Scan DRC report

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Stage: atpg

Fault Model Targets

Fault Model	Target Coverage
Stuck-at (SAF)	≥ design_state.constraints.dft.saf_coverage_pct% (default: 99%)
Transition Delay	≥ design_state.constraints.dft.transition_coverage_pct% (default: 95%)
Cell-Aware	≥ design_state.constraints.dft.cell_aware_coverage_pct% (default: 95%)
Bridging	≥ design_state.constraints.dft.bridging_coverage_pct% (default: 90%)
Path Delay	Critical paths only

Domain Rules

1. Run ATPG at multiple capture clocks (slow and fast for transition)
2. X-bounding: apply to improve pattern quality
3. Untestable faults: classify as Redundant or ATPG-Untestable; document all
4. Pattern compression: use compressed patterns for EDT designs
5. At-speed patterns: verify capture timing with STA before signing off
6. Good-machine simulation: run all patterns on RTL or gate sim — 0 failures allowed

QoR Metrics to Evaluate

• SAF coverage: ≥ design_state.constraints.dft.saf_coverage_pct% (default: 99%)
• Transition coverage: ≥ design_state.constraints.dft.transition_coverage_pct% (default: 95%)
• Pattern count: minimised (ATE time = test cost)
• Good-machine simulation: 0 failures

Output Required

• Test pattern file (STIL or WGL)
• Fault report (coverage per model)
• Untestable fault list with classification

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Stage: bist_insertion

MBIST Rules

1. One MBIST controller per memory group (same width/depth class)
2. March algorithm: MATS+, March-C, or as required by quality spec
3. Memory isolation: memories disconnected from logic during BIST
4. Power: verify IR drop with all memories running BIST simultaneously
5. Access: via JTAG TAP or dedicated BIST port

LBIST Rules (if required)

1. STUMPS architecture: PRPG + MISR + scan chains
2. Alias probability: target < 1e-10
3. LBIST clock: separate from functional clock (usually divided)

QoR Metrics to Evaluate

• MBIST: all memory instances covered
• MBIST fault coverage: ≥ design_state.constraints.dft.mbist_coverage_pct% (default: 99%)
• BIST power: within IR drop budget during test
• LBIST alias probability: within target (if applicable)

Output Required

• BIST-inserted netlist
• BIST controller connection report
• MBIST fault coverage report
• BIST power estimate

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Stage: jtag_setup

Domain Rules

1. TAP pins: TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, TRST_N — dedicated pads required
2. Boundary scan cells: all digital IO pins must have BSR cells
3. Mandatory instructions: BYPASS, IDCODE, SAMPLE/PRELOAD, EXTEST
4. IDCODE register: 32-bit, unique per device, per IEEE 1149.1
5. TAP: accessible when core is in reset
6. Security: JTAG lockout mechanism for production (OTP/fuse based)

QoR Metrics to Evaluate

• TAP DRC: all required instructions implemented
• Boundary scan chain: all IOs included
• JTAG connectivity simulation: passes
• IDCODE: unique and correctly formatted

Output Required

• JTAG-inserted netlist
• BSDL file
• TAP connectivity report

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Stage: dft_signoff

Sign-off Checklist

• Scan DRC: 0 errors
• SAF coverage: ≥ design_state.constraints.dft.saf_coverage_pct% (default: 99%)
• Transition coverage: ≥ design_state.constraints.dft.transition_coverage_pct% (default: 95%)
• Good-machine simulation: 0 failures
• MBIST: all memories covered; coverage ≥ design_state.constraints.dft.mbist_coverage_pct% (default: 99%)
• JTAG: BSDL generated and verified
• DFT netlist: LEC vs pre-DFT netlist EQUIVALENT

Output Required

• DFT sign-off report
• Final test pattern files
• BSDL file
• DFT netlist (input to PD)

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Constraint Validation

See plugins/meta/skills/pipeline-orchestration/SKILL.md §Constraints Schema for the authoritative schema and stage-entry validation rule.

No required keys for DFT — all constraints in this domain are optional with schema defaults.

Optional (schema defaults apply when absent):

• constraints.dft.saf_coverage_pct (default: 99) — stuck-at fault coverage target %
• constraints.dft.transition_coverage_pct (default: 95) — transition delay coverage target %
• constraints.dft.cell_aware_coverage_pct (default: 95) — cell-aware fault coverage target %
• constraints.dft.bridging_coverage_pct (default: 90) — bridging fault coverage target %
• constraints.dft.mbist_coverage_pct (default: 99) — MBIST memory fault coverage target %
• constraints.dft.chain_balance_pct (default: 5) — max chain length deviation %

Tag constraint_ref in history entries when evaluating QoR against these values (e.g. "dft.saf_coverage_pct").

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Memory

Write on stage completion

After each stage completes (regardless of whether an orchestrator session is active), write or overwrite one JSON record in memory/dft/experiences.jsonl keyed by run_id. This ensures data is persisted even if the flow is interrupted or called without full orchestrator context.

Use run_id = dft_<YYYYMMDD>_<HHMMSS> (set once at flow start; reuse on each stage update). Every JSON record written must include a top-level "run_id" field whose value matches this key — reject or regenerate if missing before writing. Set signoff_achieved: false until the final sign-off stage completes.

Run state (write before first stage, update after each stage)

Write memory/dft/run_state.md as the first action before launching any tool:

run_id:      dft_<YYYYMMDD>_<HHMMSS>
design_name: <design>
tool:        <primary tool>
start_time:  <ISO-8601>
last_stage:  null

Update last_stage to the completed stage name only after each stage finishes successfully. This file lets wakeup-loop prompts and resumed sessions identify the correct run without relying on in-memory state. Create the file and parent directories if they do not exist.

Optional: claude-mem index

If mcp__plugin_ecc_memory__add_observations is available in this session, emit each applied fix as an observation to entity chip-design-dft-fixes after writing to experiences.jsonl. Skip silently if the tool is absent — JSONL is the canonical record.