Puf method using and circuit having an array of bipolar transistors
AssigneeNXP B.V.
InventorsTony Vanhoucke, Viet Nguyen
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Abstract
A method of identifying a component by a response to a challenge is disclosed, the component comprising an array of bipolar transistors connectable in parallel so as to have a common collector contact, a common emitter contact and a common base contact, the challenge comprising a value representative of a total collector current value, the method comprising: receiving the challenge; supplying the total collector current to the common collector contact; detecting instability in each of a group of the transistors; and determining the response in dependence on the group. A circuit configured to operate such a method is also disclosed.
Claims15
A method of identifying a component by a response to a challenge, the component comprising an array of bipolar transistors each having a base contact, and each having main contacts being a collector contact and an emitter contact, and being either connectable in parallel or connected in parallel, so as to have a common collector contact, a common emitter contact and a common base contact,
- the method comprising:
- receiving the challenge;
- in response to the challenge, supplying a total main contact current to one of the common main contacts by increasing a current supplied to the respective common main contact from a first level to a second level;
- detecting instability in each of a group of the transistors;
- and
- determining the response in dependence on the group.
A physical unclonable function circuit comprising
- an array of bipolar transistors each having a base contact, and each having main contacts being a collector contact and an emitter contact, and being connectable in parallel or connected in parallel, so as to have a common collector contact, a common emitter contact and a common base contact,
- a stimulator for providing a stimulus to the array in dependence on a challenge, and
- a detector for detecting an onset of instability in each of a group of the bipolar junction transistors response to the challenge,
- and a response-generator for generating the response in dependence on the group,
- wherein the stimulus comprises a total main contact current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.