Jitter amplifier circuit, signal generation circuit, semiconductor chip, and test apparatus

A signal generation circuit for generating an output signal including jitter injected thereto, comprising:

• a reference signal generating section that generates a reference signal;
• a jitter injecting section that injects jitter into the reference signal output from the reference signal generating section;
• and a jitter amplifier circuit that receives the reference signal including the jitter injected thereto by the jitter injecting section, and amplifies the jitter included in the reference signal, wherein the jitter amplifier circuit includes:
• a distorting circuit that receives the reference signal including the jitter injected thereto by the jitter injecting section, and distorts a waveform of the received reference signal so as to generate a distorted signal having at least a harmonic component of the reference signal;
• and a filter constructed and arranged to filter the distorted signal and pass only a harmonic component of a certain order which is determined in accordance with an amplification ratio, related to a radian amplitude, of the jitter amplifier circuit.

A test apparatus for testing a device under test, comprising:

• a pattern generating section that generates a predetermined logic pattern;
• a signal generation circuit that generates a clock signal including jitter injected thereto;
• a waveform shaping section that generates a test signal by sampling the logic pattern in accordance with the clock signal, and inputs the generated test signal into the device under test;
• and a judging section that judges acceptability of the device under test based on a to-be-measured signal output from the device under test in response to the test signal, wherein the signal generation circuit includes:
• a reference signal generating section that generates a reference signal;
• a jitter injecting section that injects jitter to the reference signal output from the reference signal generating section;
• and a jitter amplifier circuit that receives the reference signal including the jitter injected thereto by the jitter injecting section, the jitter amplifier circuit including:
• a distorting circuit that receives the reference signal including the jitter injected thereto by the jitter injecting section, and distorts a waveform of the received reference signal so as to generate a distorted signal having at least a harmonic component of the reference signal;
• and a filter, constructed and arranged to filter the distorted signal and pass only a harmonic component of a certain order which is determined in accordance with an amplification ratio, related to a radian amplitude, of the jitter amplifier circuit, so as to generate the clock signal.