Integrated circuit authentication from a die material measurement

Patent Number: 10,942,215
Issued: 3/9/2021
Official Filing: View the Complete Patent
Abstract: The various technologies presented herein relate to measuring a signal generated by a die-based test circuit incorporated into an IC and utilizing the measured signal to authenticate the IC. The signal can be based upon a sensor response generated by the test circuit fabricated into the die, wherein the sensor response is based upon a property of the die material. The signal can be compared with a reference value obtained from one or more test circuit(s) respectively located on one or more reference dies, wherein the reference dies are respectively cut from different wafers, and the location at which the reference dies were cut is known. If the measured signal matches the reference value, the die is deemed to be from the same cut location as the dies from which the reference value was obtained. If the measured signal does not match the reference value, the die is not authenticated.
Filed: 8/20/2019
Application Number: 16/545,943
Government Interests: STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention.