Transistor-based physically unclonable function
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorShih-Lien Linus Lu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated circuit is fabricated using a semiconductor fabrication process. One or more uncontrollable random physical processes in the semiconductor fabrication process can cause small differences between the integrated circuit and other similarly designed integrated circuit. These small differences can cause transistors of the integrated circuit to have different threshold voltages. The integrated circuit can use these different threshold voltages to quantify its physical uniqueness to differentiate itself from other integrated circuits similarly designed and fabricated by the semiconductor fabrication process.
Claims20
Physical unclonable function (PUF) circuitry, comprising:
- a difference generator circuit configured to provide a first voltage at a first circuit node and a second voltage at a second circuit node, respectively;
- a self-timed timing circuit configured to cause the difference generator circuit to cease to provide the first voltage and the second voltage in response to the first voltage or the second voltage being at a trigger voltage to trigger the self-timed timing circuit;
- and
- a sense amplifier configured to store a logical value indicating whether the first voltage is greater than or less than the second voltage in response to the first voltage or the second voltage being at the trigger voltage.
A method for implementing a physical unclonable function (PUF), the method comprising:
- providing a first voltage at a first circuit node of a PUF circuitry and a second voltage at a second circuit node of the PUF circuitry, respectively;
- ceasing to provide the first voltage and the second voltage in response to the first voltage or the second voltage being at a trigger voltage to trigger the self-timed timing circuit;
- and
- storing a logical value indicating whether the first voltage is greater than or less than the second voltage in response to the first voltage or the second voltage being at the trigger voltage.
Electronic circuitry, comprising:
- a controller configured to receive a challenge for an electronic signature of the electronic circuitry;
- and
- physical unclonable function (PUF) circuitry configured to:
- provide a first voltage at a first circuit node of the PUF circuitry and a second voltage at a second circuit node of the PUF circuitry, respectively,
- cease to provide the first voltage and the second voltage in response to the first voltage or the second voltage being at a trigger voltage,
- store a logical value indicating whether the first voltage is greater than or less than the second voltage in response to the first voltage or the second voltage being at the trigger voltage, and
- provide the logical value as a corresponding bit from among a plurality of bits of the electronic signature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.