Integrated Circuit Authentication Film Void Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing concern of reverse-engineering and counterfeiting in the microelectronics industry poses a risk of tampering in the supply chain, making it difficult to authenticate integrated circuits (ICs) and ensuring their integrity, especially in critical applications like medical devices.
Innovation Solution
The method involves forming an authentication film (AF) material within the IC structure, converting it into a void, and creating an authentication map to verify the IC's authenticity, using a polyimide layer and metal wiring layers with strategically placed voids that define an authentication pattern, which can be optically detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If authentication film material is formed within the IC structure, then authentication capability is improved, but detection difficulty increases because the AF material is optically indistinguishable from adjacent materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the authentication film material from solid to void by converting it through evaporation or removal processes. This parameter change transforms the undetectable AF material into a detectable void space, resolving the contradiction between authentication capability and detection difficulty
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication film material undergoes phase transition from a condensed solid state to a void state through thermal evaporation or chemical removal. This phase transition creates optically detectable voids while maintaining the authentication pattern, solving the detection difficulty problem
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If voids are created in the IC structure for authentication, then detection ease is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication film material is deposited in a predetermined pattern before final IC processing steps. This preliminary action establishes the authentication pattern early in manufacturing, simplifying subsequent void creation processes and reducing overall manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication film material serves as an intermediary that facilitates controlled void formation. By using the AF material as a sacrificial layer, the patent simplifies the void creation process compared to direct void formation, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining detection ease
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
This solution provides a robust authentication mechanism that prevents unauthorized tampering and ensures the authenticity of ICs, even in complex supply chains, by using optically indistinguishable AF materials that become detectable only upon specific processing, thus maintaining the integrity of sensitive components.
Implementation Method 1
converting the first AF material into a void within the IC structure
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a method to authenticate an integrated circuit (IC) structure. The method may include forming a first authentication film (AF) material within the IC structure. A composition of the first AF material is different from an adjacent material within the IC structure. The method includes converting the first AF material into a void within the IC structure. Additionally, the method includes creating an authentication map of the IC structure to include a location of the void in the IC structure for authentication of the IC structure.