VOLTAGE EXCURSION DETECTION APPARATUS

It is common that the presence of a defect causes abnormal gate output voltage excursions in data buffers, AND gates, OR gates and multiplexers in current-mode logic circuits. A voltage excursion is detected by a voltage excursion detection apparatus which includes a built-in detector. The detector, which is little overhead, is used to monitor output swings of all gates (differential circuits) and flags all abnormal voltage excursions. These detection results cover classes of faults that cannot be tested by stuck-at testing methods only. The voltage detection apparatus works well below "at-speed" frequencies.