Passive methods of loose die identification

A system for identifying an integrated circuit (IC) chip, the system comprising:

• an imaging device configured to take an image of a portion of the chip;
• a memory having computer readable instructions;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
• generating, with the imaging device, the image of the chip;
• determining one or more optical features of the chip within the image;
• generating a candidate unique optical feature comprising one of the one or more optical features;
• in response to determining that a database does not include a previously stored optical feature that matches the candidate unique optical feature, storing the candidate unique optical feature in the database;
• determining metadata associated with the chip;
• and
• linking the candidate unique optical feature of the chip with the metadata and a unique identifier of the chip.