Acousto-Optic PUF Generation Without Precision Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical PUFs are complex, costly, and have low integrability and reliability due to their bulkiness and precise alignment requirements, making them unsuitable for IoT and wearable devices.
Innovation Solution
An acousto-optic system using coherent optical beams, acoustic waves, and scattering mediums to generate multiple challenge-response pairs through acousto-optic effects, reducing complexity and enabling miniaturization and high reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional optical PUFs are used to generate challenge-response pairs, then security is improved, but device complexity and bulkiness increase, reducing integrability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical alignment stages and movable components with an acousto-optic system that uses acoustic waves to control light diffraction. The acousto-optic modulator uses electrical signals to generate acoustic waves that diffract optical beams, eliminating the need for mechanical positioning systems while maintaining the ability to generate multiple challenge-response pairs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from mechanical position to acoustic frequency. By varying the frequency and amplitude of acoustic waves in the acousto-optic modulator, different diffraction patterns are generated, creating multiple challenges without requiring physical movement or reconfiguration of the optical path.
2Measurement precision
If traditional optical PUFs with precise alignment are used, then measurement precision is improved, but reliability decreases due to alignment sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical alignment systems with an acousto-optic control system. The acoustic waves create dynamic diffraction patterns that are controlled by electrical signals rather than mechanical positioning, eliminating alignment sensitivity and improving reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic control through acoustic waves that can be rapidly modulated in frequency and amplitude. This dynamic approach allows the system to generate multiple challenges without mechanical repositioning, making the system more robust to environmental variations and improving reliability.
3Ease of operation
If mechanical stages are used for alignment in optical PUFs, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical alignment stages with an acousto-optic modulator controlled by electrical signals. The ease of operation is maintained through simple electrical signal generation, while the complexity and size of mechanical components are eliminated.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic waves as an intermediary between electrical control signals and optical beam manipulation. This intermediary allows precise control of light diffraction without direct mechanical intervention, simplifying the system architecture.
4Reliability
If disordered three-dimensional microstructures are used for strong PUFs, then security is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the approach from creating complex three-dimensional microstructures to using a planar acousto-optic medium with controlled acoustic wave parameters. The security is maintained through the complexity of acoustic wave diffraction patterns, while manufacturing precision requirements are reduced to standard semiconductor fabrication capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a high number of challenge-response pairs with reduced complexity, integrability, and increased reliability, suitable for IoT and wearable devices without mechanical stages or alignment precision, using commercialized devices and CMOS-compatible processes.
Implementation Method 1
an acousto-optic medium (5) connected to the acoustic wave generator (3) and configured to diffract the optical beam (2) generated tuning a propagation direction, a wavelength and/or an intensity as a function of frequency and amplitude of the acoustic waves (4)
Implementation Method 2
a scattering medium (7) configured to scatter the diffracted optical beams (6), producing multiple scattered optical beams (8)
Data Source
Figure 1a~3
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Figure 6~7
AI summary
An acousto-optic system and method for generating strong physical unclonable functions (PUFs) comprising: one or more coherent optical beam generators, configured to generate each one an optical beam; one or more acoustic wave generators configured to produce acoustic waves, and driven by radiofrequency (RF) control signals; one or more acousto-optic mediums connected to the acoustic wave generators and configured to tune a propagation direction, a wavelength and/or an intensity of the optical beams generated which propagates through said acousto-optic mediums as a function of frequency and amplitude of the acoustic waves, defining the characteristics of the tuned optical beam as a challenge (Ci); one or more scattering mediums configured to scatter the optical beams generated, producing multiple scattered optical beams; and a measuring device to measure the optical beams scattered, generating a speckle pattern as a response (Ri).