DFT Training
DFT Training – Design for Testability Course (Scan, ATPG, JTAG, MBIST)Design for Testability (DFT) involves using advanced test techniques such as Scan, ATPG, JTAG, MBIST, LBIST and Test Compression to improve hardware testability.
- 119 HoursCourse Duration
- 77 SessionsRecorded & Live
- 4.8/5Learner Rating
- 20000+Enrolled Learners
Course Overview
About Course
DFT Training – Design for Testability Course (Scan, ATPG, JTAG, MBIST)
Design for Testability (DFT) involves using advanced test techniques such as Scan, ATPG, JTAG, MBIST, LBIST and Test Compression to improve hardware testability. These techniques are essential for identifying manufacturing defects like stuck-at faults, transition delay faults, path delay faults, and other structural defects in ASIC and SoC designs.
This industry-oriented DFT Training course is designed to provide in-depth exposure to complete DFT flow, Scan architecture, ATPG pattern generation, Debug methodologies, and Diagnosis techniques used in semiconductor companies.
What You Will Learn in DFT Training
- DFT fundamentals and testability concepts
- Different fault models: Stuck-at, Transition Delay, Path Delay faults
- SoC Scan Architecture and various Scan types
- Scan insertion and Hierarchical Scan Design
- ATPG DRC Debug and ATPG Simulation Debug
- Test Compression techniques (TestKompress)
- DFT Diagnosis methodologies
- JTAG (Boundary Scan) architecture and applications
- Memory BIST (MBIST) and Logic BIST (LBIST)
Hands-On DFT Practical Training
As part of the training, students will work on a complex SoC design example with multiple embedded memories. Practical sessions include:
- Scan chain insertion and validation
- MBIST controller integration and memory testing
- Boundary Scan (JTAG) implementation
- ATPG pattern generation for different fault models
- Test pattern compression using TestKompress
- Pattern validation through simulations
Compressed test patterns reduce IO usage, minimize tester memory requirements, and improve production test efficiency.
Tool-Based Training – Mentor Graphics Tessent
The course uses Mentor Graphics Tessent Tool, one of the most widely adopted DFT tools in the semiconductor industry. Industry surveys indicate that Tessent is used by more than 80% of leading semiconductor companies.
Students will gain practical exposure to:
- Scan insertion using Tessent
- ATPG pattern generation and coverage analysis
- ATPG debug and fault simulation
- Compression setup and validation
Students will have access to the Tessent tool at the institute for 12 months after course completion, with an option to extend access.
Who Should Enroll?
- VLSI freshers aiming for DFT Engineer roles
- RTL Design engineers transitioning to DFT
- Verification engineers exploring Test Engineering
- Working professionals upgrading DFT tool skills
This DFT Training ensures strong conceptual clarity, extensive hands-on experience, and industry-ready expertise in Scan, ATPG, JTAG, MBIST, and Test Compression methodologies.
Detailed Syllabus
17 modules- ASIC & VLSI Design Flow
- Session covering complete flow overview from product requirements to Post silicon validation.
- Advanced Digital Design
- 2 weeks dedicated course focusing on all aspects of Digital design.
- www.vlsiguru.com/digital-design-complete
- Verilog programming basics
- 3 Weeks of Verilog training covering all the aspects of Verilog required for DFT engineer
- This course is done in parallel with Advanced Digital design course
- Linux OS
- 1 week training on Linux OS and hands on
- TCL Scripting
- 1 week training on TCL scripting for flow automation
- DFT Basics
- SoC Scan architecture overview
- Types of Scan
- ATPG DRC Debug
- ATPG Simulation Mismatch Debug
- JTAG
- MemoryBIST
- Scan and ATPG
- Test compression technigues
- Hierarchical Scan Design
- Full SOC flow - DFT
- DFT Architecture and Basics
- Test Plan
- Different DFT schemes
- Comparison between Functional and DFT Vectors
- Understanding of SCAN Insertion
- Scan methodology
- Types of Scan
- Top-down and Bottom-up Approach
- Scan insertion Flow
- Scan insertion Scripts
- Multiple Clock domains
- Design Rule Checking
- Pre-DRC and Post DRC
- Lock up and Terminal lockup latches
- Hands-on Scan insertion
- Assignments
- Introduction to compression
- Compression Architecture
- Decompressor and Compactor
- Compression Ratio
- DRC Analysis
- Modular Compression
- X-Masking logic
- Hands-on Compression
- Assignments
- Scan insertion with compression
- On-chip clocking for at-speed testing
- Hierarchical Scan Design
- Bypass mode
- Hands on Scan and compression
- Interaction session scan and compression
- Memory faults
- Algorithms
- Diagnostic mode
- ATPG Overview
- Different types of Faults
- Types of fault models
- DRC analysis
- Test Coverage and Fault Coverage
- Coverage improvement Analysis
- Chain and Capture patterns
- Assignments
- Simulations- No-timing
- At speed fault model (In detail)
- Understanding Transition fault ATPG
- Two pulse generator
- Test procedure
- Launch on capture and Launch on Shift
- Top-off Pattern generation
- Path delay
- Introduction to JTAG
- JTAG State Machine
- Boundary Scan
- Different instructions
- Industry Standard Project
- Revision
- Mock Interview
Session-wise Content
77 sessions · 50h 5m- 1What is DFT Manufacturing Defects, Why Testing Major Challenges in DFT52m
- 2Fault Models, Types of Test Logic Insertion41m
- 3Assignment Questions18m
- 4Difference between pin, port and pad & clock gating39m
- 5Disadvantages of clock gating cell (and gate), Integrated clock gating cell (ICG)25m
- 6Need of DFT47m
- 7Yield, Defect, Fault and error & DFT architecture1h 13m
- 8Scan Insertion1h 9m
- 9Calculating over all Test time post scan insertion21m
- 10Full sacn vs Partial scan, Types of scan cells51m
- 11Comparision of various scan cells, Scan chain operation42m
- 12Problems with scan designs22m
- 13Clock controllability DRC1h 55m
- 14Assignment answers discussions24m
- 15Reset controllability DRC26m
- 16Tristate buffer DRC, potential race condition44m
- 17X source DRC, Feedback loop DRC30m
- 18Deciding the no.of scan chains and scan chain length23m
- 19Bus contention, Top down apprach, Bottom up appraoch27m
- 20Inputs and outputs of scan, Scan chain reorder56m
- 21Edge mixing and domain mixing46m
- 22Practical Explanation of scan insertion25m
- 23Pre-existing scan chains22m
- 24Scan compression and its need1h 27m
- 25Decompressor, Compression ratio, Compressor18m
- 26Bypass, Pipeline flops in compressor1h 3m
- 27EDT waveform, masking logic29m
- 28Lock up latches, EDT insertions in hierarchical scan23m
- 29EDT DRCs20m
- 30Methods to fix DRCs, ATPG introduction38m
- 31D algorithm8m
- 32Other algorithms, Fault model29m
- 33Fault categories40m
- 34Coverage, Untestable faults, Flow of ATPG46m
- 35Fault classes55m
- 36ATPG Untestable (AU) class1h 2m
- 37Other AU faults, Untestable faults11m
- 38Assignment answers discussion and doubt clarrifications30m
- 39Patterns classification chain, serial, parallel16m
- 40Pattern classification (based on format and category)1h 13m
- 41ATPG practicals33m
- 42Simulations46m
- 43Practicals of ATPG TDF and simulations1h 27m
- 44Simulation mismatch debug36m
- 45Doubt clarifications, Assignment questions27m
- 46OCC part 11h 7m
- 47OCC part 212m
- 48Doubt clarification and assignment discussions12m
- 49Doubt clarification, Assignment discussions1h 3m
- 50ATPG IDDQ theory8m
- 51IDDQ lab17m
- 52Path Delay Fault Model (PDF)53m
- 53JTAG introduction, Boundary Scan20m
- 54Instructions (Mandatory + Optional)17m
- 55JTAG network, comparison between various standards20m
- 56BSDL33m
- 57Assignment answers discussion21m
- 58JTAG TAP architecture58m
- 59JTAG TAP Controller (16 state FSM)23m
- 60Memory Basics, Memory architecture16m
- 61Memory Faults52m
- 62Memory Faults (Contd...)15m
- 63Zero-One algorithm and Checkerboard algorithm14m
- 64March Algorithms (MATS, MATS+, MATS++, MarchX, March C)28m
- 65Algorithms supported by mentor tools56m
- 66Tessent MBIST25m
- 67Comparision between JTAG and IJTAG29m
- 68TSDB flow explanation1h 20m
- 69Lab MBIST insertion1h 6m
- 70TSDB output directory explanation, MBIST simulations58m
- 71Lab1h 4m
- 72Scan Wrappers1h 24m
- 73Lab3 (MBIST, EDT OCC insertion)21m
- 74Lab3 (Scan, ATPG, Simulation, MBIST patterns on netlist)21m
- 75Lab4 (MBIST, EDT OCC insertion)37m
- 76Lab4 remaining topics50m
- 77Level 4 projects THY50m
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What Our Students Say
Frequently Asked Questions
- Course presentations for all topics
- Session notes
- Lab documents with detailed steps
- User guides
Institute is driven by philosophy of ‘Quality education at affordable fee’. Education should be affordable to majority of the people. Even otherwise basic courses like Digital Design, Verilog, SV, UVM, UNIX and Scripting all together can’t cost 1 lakh+. These are just languages and some projects.
- Basic exposure to digital design concepts
Design for Testability is a methodology used to make semiconductor chips easier to test after manufacturing. It improves defect detection by inserting additional logic such as scan chains and test controllers during the design phase.
Modern chips are highly complex, and manufacturing defects can impact functionality. DFT techniques help identify structural faults early, reduce test costs, and improve product reliability before chips are shipped to customers.
The course covers Scan insertion, ATPG pattern generation, Boundary Scan (JTAG), Memory BIST, Logic BIST, compression techniques, and hierarchical scan architecture.
Yes. The training includes hands-on practice using Mentor Graphics Tessent, a widely adopted tool for test insertion, ATPG, and coverage analysis.
Yes. The program starts with fundamentals and gradually moves to advanced topics. It is designed to prepare fresh graduates for entry-level roles in semiconductor companies.
Absolutely. Engineers from RTL, verification, or non-VLSI backgrounds can enroll to transition into test engineering roles.
Students work on a complex design example that includes multiple memory blocks. Practical sessions involve scan chain implementation, compression setup, fault simulation, and pattern validation.
Basic knowledge of digital design is helpful but not mandatory. The course includes foundational concepts required for understanding test insertion flow.
You can apply for positions such as Test Engineer, DFT Engineer, ATPG Engineer, or SoC Test Engineer in semiconductor companies.
While digital design focuses on building functionality, this program emphasizes making hardware testable and validating it after fabrication.
Yes. The course covers different structural fault models including stuck-at, transition delay, and path delay faults.