Radiation-Sensitive Thyristor for Local Fault Attack Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional integrated circuits lack effective protection against local fault attacks, as existing light sensors designed to protect large areas are ineffective against smaller, individual circuit blocks, and their operational principles differ from those of digital circuits, making it difficult to recognize and counter local radiation-induced faults.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a radiation-sensitive thyristor structure that shorts the power supply terminals upon irradiation, optimized to turn on at a lower radiation power density than required to alter data, thereby providing protection against local fault attacks by creating a conductive connection between the supply voltage and ground, potentially leading to deactivation or destruction of the circuit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional light sensors are integrated to protect large areas, then global attack protection is improved, but local attack detection capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveglobal attack protectionVSAvoidlocal attack detection

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the protection mechanism into two segments: conventional light sensors for global area protection and radiation-sensitive thyristor structures for local block protection. Each segment operates independently with optimized characteristics for its specific detection scope, allowing simultaneous improvement of both global and local protection capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If analog circuits are used for radiation detection, then global protection is achieved, but compatibility with digital circuit fault attack mechanisms deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveradiation detection capabilityVSAvoidcompatibility with digital circuit protection

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces analog detection mechanisms with digital-compatible thyristor structures that operate based on the same physical effects (radiation-induced carrier generation) as digital circuits. This substitution enables the protection mechanism to be seamlessly integrated with digital logic while maintaining effectiveness against radiation-induced faults.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If radiation threshold for thyristor is set lower than data alteration threshold, then protection effectiveness is improved, but circuit functionality may be affected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection effectivenessVSAvoidcircuit deactivation risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary protective action by designing the thyristor to trigger at a lower radiation threshold than data alteration. This creates a safety margin where the thyristor activates before critical data changes occur, preventing fault propagation while the lower threshold ensures activation under attack conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 thyristor structure effectively protects integrated circuits from radiation-induced faults by turning on before data alteration occurs, unintentionally triggering a short that can deactivate or destroy the circuit, thereby preventing attackers from successfully executing local fault attacks.

Implementation Method 1

a radiation-sensitive thyristor structure configured to turn on responsive to a region of the thyristor structure being irradiated with radiation to which the thyristor structure is sensitive

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRadiation sensitivity: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentUS8130008B2Integrated circuit with a radiation-sensitive thyristor structure

Publication Date: 2012.03.06 INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG

AI summary

An integrated circuit comprises a circuit used for storing or processing data and a radiation-sensitive thyristor structure configured to conditionally short two power supply terminals of the integrated circuit. The thyristor structure is configured to turn on in response to a region of the thyristor structure being irradiated with radiation to which the thyristor structure is sensitive, in order to establish an electrically conductive connection between a first power supply terminal of the power supply terminals of the integrated circuit and a second power supply terminal of the power supply terminals of the integrated circuit. The thyristor structure is further configured so that a power density of the radiation needed for turning on the thyristor structure is lower than a power density of the radiation needed for a change of data of the circuit used for storing or processing data.