Apparatus and Method for Generating Identification Key

An apparatus for generating an identification key, the apparatus comprising:

• a generator including a first element having an electrical property value differing from electrical property values of elements designed identically to the first element, based on a semiconductor process variation, wherein an electrical value is output based on whether the electrical property value is greater than a reference value;
• an accumulator configured to perform an accumulation on the electrical value and provide a cumulative result value;
• and
• a reader configured to provide an identification key corresponding to the generator based on the cumulative result value,
• wherein the electrical property value includes a resistance value.

A method of operating an identification key generating apparatus to generate an identification key, the method comprising:

• generating, by a generator, a random event based on a semiconductor process variation;
• accumulating a result of the random event using a predetermined scheme and providing a cumulative result value obtained by accumulating a result value of the random event;
• and
• reading an identification key corresponding to the identification key generating apparatus using the cumulative result value,
• wherein the random event includes an event that, between two identically designed and manufactured elements, a first element has a greater electrical property value than that of a second element, and
• wherein each of the first element and the second element includes a resistor and the electrical property value includes a resistance value.