Schlumberger Introduces Circuit Analyzer Software

Schlumberger Automated Test Equipment (ATE) introduced Circuit Analyzer as a new productivity enhancement software option to run on its family of electron beam and focused ion beam systems. The analyzer, which also runs as a standalone tool, helps circuit analysts to understand and navigate through unfamiliar designs.

Circuit Analyzer will read a netlist and produce on-the-fly a complete schematic. Thus, the netlist data is displayed in an intuitive, hierarchical format that is easy for the user to understand. The schematic that is generated by Circuit Analyzer links directly to the IDS Layout Tool and can be used for navigation through the circuit during a device analysis session.

In addition to the ability to generate schematics, Circuit Analyzer also has the ability to link reference waveforms or simulator output waveforms directly to the schematic display. This allows the user to access stored reference waveforms associated with any net in the schematic.

Circuit Analyzer also offers a guided probe capability that can be used to assist the user in locating the failing element of a circuit. The guided probe advises the user regarding where to probe in order to trace a fault through the circuit.

Circuit Analyzer is specifically designed to run on the Schlumberger ATE Diagnostic Systems group's electron beam and focused ion beam equipment, which includes:

The IDS 10000 plus electron beam probing systems. It provides image resolution that enables probing design rules from 0.18 to 0.35 µm, and supports timing resolution of 2.5 ps for devices with 1GHz clock rates.

The IDS P2Xplus allows probe point creation for buried layer probing by the IDS 10000plus. It uses the same CAD navigation environment with the IDS 10000plus. The probe point creation and waveform acquisition turnaround time typically is reduced by 75%.

The Circuit Analyzer will be available in late August 1998.