Secure chip identification using resistive processing unit as a physically unclonable function

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• biasing a crossbar array of resistive processing units (RPUs) under a midrange condition, the midrange condition causing resistances of the RPUs to result in a random output of low values and high values in about equal proportions;
• reinforcing the low values and the high values of the random output by setting the resistances of the RPUs to a state that forces the low values and the high values having resulted from the midrange condition, reinforcing the low values and the high values making the random output permanent even when the crossbar array of the RPUs is not biased under the midrange condition;
• and
• recording a sequence of the low values and the high values of the random output responsive to reinforcing the low values and the high values of the random output.

A system comprising:

• a memory having computer readable instructions;
• and
• one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
• biasing a crossbar array of resistive processing units (RPUs) under a midrange condition, the midrange condition causing resistances of the RPUs to result in a random output of low values and high values in about equal proportions;
• reinforcing the low values and the high values of the random output by setting the resistances of the RPUs to a state that forces the low values and the high values having resulted from the midrange condition, reinforcing the low values and the high values making the random output permanent even when the crossbar array of the RPUs is not biased under the midrange condition;
• and
• recording a sequence of the low values and the high values of the random output responsive to reinforcing the low values and the high values of the random output.