Random Interconnection Structure for Unclonable Integrated Circuit Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) in integrated circuits are sensitive to environmental variations and aging, making them unreliable for secure authentication, and require costly post-processing circuits to maintain robustness.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to create a PUF by delimiting an integrated circuit into standard and security zones, where a layer of resin loaded with contaminant particles randomly obstructs vias in the security zone, forming a random interconnection structure that is insensitive to environmental conditions and difficult to clone, using nanoparticles like silicon or silicon dioxide, and applying a metalization process to form a unique, unclonable function.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If PUFs operate at the limits of electronic constraints to achieve uniqueness, then the PUF function becomes unclonable, but the circuit becomes highly sensitive to environmental variations and aging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of environmental variations and aging into a beneficial feature by using contaminant particles to create intentional defects. These defects, which would normally be considered harmful variations, become the source of the unique PUF response. The contaminant particles introduce controlled imperfections in the interconnection structure that generate unclonable characteristics while being insensitive to further environmental changes.
2Reliability
If PUFs operate at the limits of electronic constraints to achieve unclonability, then the authentication becomes secure, but post-processing circuits are required to maintain robustness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the need for complex post-processing circuits by incorporating the security function directly into the physical structure of the interconnection. The contaminant particles create inherent unclonability in the wiring structure itself, eliminating the requirement for additional processing circuits that would otherwise be needed to maintain authentication robustness.
3Ease of manufacture
If contaminant particles are introduced to create random interconnection structure, then cloning cost increases, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses contaminant particles as an intermediary element that simplifies the manufacturing process while achieving the desired security. Instead of complex manufacturing steps to create random interconnection structures, the contaminant particles naturally introduce the required randomness during standard fabrication processes. This intermediary approach makes cloning difficult while keeping the manufacturing process relatively simple.
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 approach results in a robust and secure authentication mechanism that is resistant to environmental changes and aging, with a high cloning cost and reduced variability, ensuring the uniqueness of each integrated circuit without additional manufacturing modifications.
Implementation Method 1
introducing of a layer of resin loaded with contaminant particles configured to randomly obstruct during a step of etching of the security zone a portion of the vias provided in said security zone
Implementation Method 2
metalizing of said random set of vias of the security zone in order to form a random interconnection structure
Data Source
AI summary
A method for securing an integrated circuit during the realization thereof, including the following steps: delimiting the integrated circuit into a first zone referred to as standard zone and into a second zone referred to as security zone, forming of a set of vias in the security zone, and introducing of a layer loaded with contaminant particles configured to randomly obstruct a portion of the vias, thus forming a random interconnection structure in the security zone, the random interconnection structure creating a physical unclonable function.