# US 2019/0318998 A1 · Method and system for providing a reverse-engineering resistant hardware embedded security module > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0318998 A1 - Document ID: US20190318998A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/453,475 - Filed: 2019-06-26 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-16 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Harsono S. Simka; Ganesh Hegde; Joon Goo Hong; Rwik Sengupta; Mark S. Rodder - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190318998A1 ## CPC - H10W 42/40: protecting against tampering, e.g. unauthorised inspection or reverse engineering - H04L 9/3278: {using physically unclonable functions [PUF]} - H10D 89/10: Integrated device layouts - H10W 20/498: {Resistive arrangements or effects of, or between, wiring layers} - G09C 1/00: Apparatus or methods whereby a given sequence of signs, e.g. an intelligible text, is transformed into an unintelligible sequence of signs by transposing the signs or groups of signs or by replacing them by others according to a predetermined system (cryptographic typewriters G09C3/00) - H10W 20/4403: {based on metals, e.g. alloys, metal silicides (H10W20/4484 takes precedence)} - H10W 20/4405: {the principal metal being aluminium} - H10W 20/4421: {the principal metal being copper} - H10W 20/4432: {the principal metal being a noble metal, e.g. gold} - H10W 20/4441: {the principal metal being a refractory metal} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES - G09C: CIPHERING OR DECIPHERING APPARATUS FOR CRYPTOGRAPHIC OR OTHER PURPOSES INVOLVING THE NEED FOR SECRECY ## Abstract A hardware-embedded security system is described. The system includes connective components, circuit elements and an insulator. The connective components include a variable conductivity layer that is conductive for a first stoichiometry and insulating for a second stoichiometry. A first portion of the circuit elements are connected to a first portion of the connective components and are active. A the second portion of the circuit elements are connected to a second portion of the connective components and are inactive. The insulator is adjacent to at least a portion of each of the connective components. The first stoichiometry is indistinguishable from the second stoichiometry via optical imaging and electron imaging of a portion of the insulator and the variable conductivity layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hardware-embedded security system comprising: a plurality of connective components including a variable conductivity layer, the variable conductivity layer being conductive for a first stoichiometry and being insulating for a second stoichiometry; a plurality of circuit elements coupled with the plurality of connective components, a first portion of the plurality of connective components being connected to a first portion of the plurality of circuit elements, a second portion of the plurality of connective components being connected to a second portion of the plurality of circuit elements such that the first portion of the plurality of circuit elements are active and the second portion of the plurality of circuit elements are inactive; and an insulator adjacent to at least a portion of each of the plurality of connective components; wherein the first stoichiometry is indistinguishable from the second stoichiometry via optical imaging and electron imaging of a portion of the insulator and the variable conductivity layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hardware security system of claim 1 wherein the variable conductivity layer in the first portion of the plurality of conductive components is conductive and the variable conductivity layer in the second portion of the plurality of conductive components is insulating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hardware security system of claim 1 wherein the variable conductive layer includes at least one of a TayNx layer, a TiyNx layer, a WyNx layer, a HfyNx layer, a ZryNx layer and a MoyNx, wherein x and y indicate a varying stoichiometry. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The hardware security system of claim 3 wherein the first stoichiometry is a nitrogen poor stoichiometry and the second stoichiometry is a nitrogen rich stoichiometry. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hardware security system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of connective components is selected from a plurality of gates, a plurality of interconnects and a plurality of conductive vias. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The hardware security system of claim 5 wherein the variable conductivity layer for the plurality of conductive components adjoins the plurality of circuit elements. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The hardware security system of claim 5 wherein each of the plurality of connective components further includes a high conductivity layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The hardware security system of claim 7 wherein the high conductivity layer includes at least one of Cu, Al, Co, W, Ru and a silicide. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The hardware security system of claim 7 wherein high conductivity layer includes a top, a bottom and a plurality of sides, the variably conductivity layer covering at least one of the top and the bottom. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The hardware security system of claim 7 wherein the variable conductivity layer covers the sides and the at least one of the top and the bottom. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The hardware security system of claim 7 wherein portions of the variable conductivity layer are interleaved with portions of the high conductivity layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The hardware security system of claim 11 wherein the portions of the variable conductivity layer are adjacent to the plurality of circuit elements and reside between the plurality of circuit elements and the portions of the high conductivity layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The hardware security system of claim 1 wherein the first portion and second portion of the plurality of connective components are configured to camouflage the first portion of the plurality of circuit elements that are active. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The hardware security system of claim 1 wherein the variable conductivity layer has a thickness of not more than five nanometers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The hardware security system of claim 14 wherein the thickness is at least one nanometer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The hardware security system of claim 14 wherein the plurality of circuit elements includes at least one of a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells and a plurality of gates. ### Claim 17 A method for providing a hardware security system comprising: providing a plurality of connective components including a variable conductivity layer, the variable conductivity layer being conductive for a first stoichiometry and being insulating for a second stoichiometry; providing a plurality of circuit elements, a first portion of the plurality of connective components being connected to a first portion of the plurality of circuit elements, a second portion of the plurality of connective components being connected to a second portion of the plurality of circuit elements such that the first portion of the plurality of circuit elements are active and the second portion of the plurality of circuit elements are inactive; and providing an insulator adjacent to at least a portion of each of the plurality of connective components; wherein the first stoichiometry is indistinguishable from the second stoichiometry via optical imaging and electron imaging of a portion of the insulator and the variable conductivity layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the variable conductive layer includes at least one of a TayNx layer, a TiyNx layer, a WyNx layer, a HfyNx layer, a ZryNx layer and a MoyNx, wherein x and y indicate a varying stoichiometry. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the first stoichiometry is a nitrogen poor stoichiometry and the second stoichiometry is a nitrogen rich stoichiometry. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the plurality of connective components is selected from a plurality of gates, a plurality of interconnects and a plurality of conductive vias.