Vanishing via for hardware IP protection from reverse engineering
AssigneeUniversity of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsSwarup Bhunia, Haoting Shen, Mark M. Tehranipoor, Domenic J. Forte, Navid Asadizanjani
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Abstract
A semiconductor device can include a first metal trace, a first via disposed on the first metal trace, a second metal trace disposed on the first via, and an insulator interposed between the first metal trace and the first via. The insulator can be configured to lower an energy barrier or redistribute structure defects or charge carriers, such that the first metal trace and the first via are electrically connected to each other when power is applied. The semiconductor device can further include a dummy via disposed on the first metal trace.
Claims17
A semiconductor device, comprising:
- a first metal trace;
- a first via disposed on the first metal trace;
- a dummy via disposed on the first metal trace;
- a second metal trace disposed on the first via;
- and
- an insulator interposed between the first metal trace and the first via, and between the dummy via and the first metal trace,
- wherein the insulator is configured to lower an energy barrier or redistribute structure defects or charge carriers, such that the first metal trace and the first via are electrically connected to each other when power is applied.
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a first metal trace;
- an inter metal dielectric disposed on the first metal trace;
- a first via formed in the inter metal dielectric;
- a second via formed in the inter metal dielectric;
- a third via formed in the inter metal dielectric;
- a second metal trace disposed on the first via;
- a third metal trace disposed on the second via;
- a fourth metal trace disposed on the third via;
- a first switch between the second metal trace and the third metal trace;
- and
- a second switch between the second metal trace and the fourth metal trace.
An integrated circuit, comprising:
- a first metal trace;
- an inter metal dielectric disposed on the first metal trace;
- a first via formed in the inter metal dielectric;
- a second via formed in the inter metal dielectric;
- a second metal trace disposed on the first via;
- a third metal trace disposed on the second via;
- and
- a first liquid metal droplet between the second metal trace and the third metal trace.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.