Enhanced signal observability for circuit analysis

Details Enhanced signal observability for circuit analysis Enhanced signal observability for circuit analysis

2007-12-03

2008-11-04

Nguyen, Ha (Department: 2829)

Electricity: measuring and testing

Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components

Of individual circuit component or element

C324S701000, C324S1540PB

Reexamination Certificate

active

07446550

ABSTRACT:
Methods and arrangements to enhance photon emissions responsive to a signal within an integrated circuit (IC) for observability of signal states utilizing, e.g., picosecond imaging circuit analysis (PICA), are disclosed. Embodiments attach a beacon to the signal of interest and apply a voltage across the beacon to enhance photon emissions responsive to the signal of interest. The voltage is greater than the operable circuit voltage, Vdd, to enhance photon emissions with respect to intensity and energy. Thus, the photon emissions are more distinguishable from noise. In many embodiments, the beacon includes a transistor and, in several embodiments, the beacon includes an enablement device to enable and disable photon emissions from the beacon. Further, a PICA detector may capture photon emissions from the beacon and process the photons to generate time traces.

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