Diagnostic resolution enhancement with reversible scan chains

A system comprising:

• a memory system configured to store computer-executable instructions;
• and
• a computing system, in response to execution of the computer-executable instructions, is configured to:
• generate test patterns to apply to a reversible scan chain in an integrated circuit, wherein the reversible scan chain is configured to serially load and unload the test patterns in multiple directions to generate test responses;
• detect a presence of a suspected defect associated with the reversible scan chain based on the test responses;
• identify which of the multiple directions used to load and unload the test patterns corresponds to the suspected defect in the reversible scan chain based on the test responses;
• and
• determine a portion of the integrated circuit to inspect for a manufacturing fault corresponding to the suspected defect based, at least in part, on the identification of which of the multiple directions corresponds to the suspected defect in the reversible scan chain.

An apparatus comprising at least one computer-readable memory device storing instructions configured to cause one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:

• generating test patterns to apply to a reversible scan chain in an integrated circuit, wherein the reversible scan chain is configured to serially load and unload the test patterns in multiple directions to generate test responses;
• detecting a presence of a suspected defect associated with the reversible scan chain based on the test responses;
• identifying which of the multiple directions used to load and unload the test patterns corresponds to the suspected defect in the reversible scan chain based on the test responses;
• and
• determining a portion of the integrated circuit to inspect for a manufacturing fault corresponding to the suspected defect based, at least in part, on the identification of which of the multiple directions corresponds to the suspected defect in the reversible scan chain.