Advancing Semiconductor Reliability with Device Aware Testing for Next-Generation Non-Volatile Memory Technologies

Introduction

Non-volatile memory (NVM) technologies are essential to modern society, supporting key functions in healthcare, automotive safety, and communication infrastructure. These cases highlight the importance of NVM reliability and the need for rigorous testing of memory semiconductors to protect technologies that impact millions of lives.

Challenges in Testing

Advanced memory technologies come with unique physical properties and new failure modes, making traditional testing methods less effective. This can lead to test escapes—defective chips passing undetected—posing risks to critical applications.

Additionally, it lowers yields (the percentage of defect-free chips) and raises operational costs.

Our Solution

Our solution, the Device Aware Testing (DAT) platform, integrates precise physical defect modeling into the testing process. This improves fault detection accuracy by two orders of magnitude, reducing the likelihood of defective chips reaching the market and improving product reliability.

Project Overview

The POPCORN project will develop and demonstrate a prototype of the DAT platform in real-world settings, advancing it to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6. Key activities include:

1. Building a scalable defect and model library
2. Automating fault modeling and test generation
3. Demonstrating the platform in an industrial setting

Expected Outcomes

By the project's end, we expect societal and economic benefits, including:

• Improved semiconductor quality
• Increased reliability of critical technologies
• A boost in Europe's semiconductor industry

With interest from major players in the industry, the project is on track to launch its market-ready product by 2031, offered via a Software as a Service (SaaS) model for sustainable profitability.