Integrated circuit authentication using mask fingerprinting

A system for authenticating a semiconductor chip, the system comprising:

• a processor in communication with one or more types of memory, the processor configured to:
• control a chip testing unit to measure, for each bit of a plurality of bits in the semiconductor chip, mask dimensions for a feature to determine variations of the feature within each bit;
• predict based on the variations, for each bit of the plurality of bits, a probability of being “0” or “1” to provide predicated probabilities;
• group, based on the predicted probabilities, each bit of the plurality of bits and select a subset of bits to provide a subset of predicted results;
• control the chip testing unit to measure each bit of the subset of bits is in a state is “0” or “1” to provide measured results;
• compare the subset of predicted results to the measured results to provide a comparison;
• and
• determine, based on the comparison, that the semiconductor chip has been fabricated using an altered mask.

A computer program product for authenticating a semiconductor chip, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing program instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
• controlling, using a processor, a chip testing unit to measure, for each bit of a plurality of bits in the semiconductor chip, mask dimensions for a feature to determine variations of the feature within each bit;
• using the processor to predict based on the variations, for each bit of the plurality of bits, a probability of being “0” or “1” to provide predicated probabilities;
• using the processor to group, based on the predicted probabilities, each bit of the plurality of bits and selecting a subset of bits to provide a subset of predicted results;
• controlling, using the processor, the chip testing unit to measure each bit of the subset of bits is in a state is “0” or “1” to provide measured results;
• using the processor to compare the subset of predicted results and the measured results to provide a comparison;
• and
• using the processor to determine, based on the comparison, that the semiconductor chip has been fabricated using an altered mask.