Nonvolatile Memories for Hardware Security: From OTP (One-time-programming) to PUF(Physical Unclonable Function)

Chair Professor Steve S. Chung, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), Taiwan, https://eenctu.nctu.edu.tw/en/teacher/p1.php?num=129&page=1, Taipei, Taiwan, on behalf of Victorian IEEE Electron Devices Society (Aus)

Registration is Required and the Link – https://events.vtools.ieee.org/m/269390

Abstract: Encryption, security, functionality and identification setting become indispensable in the IoT and the upcoming 5G era for high-end consumer electronics. As a result, various SoC applications bring up increasing demands of logic memory IP in advanced technology nodes. Comparing to the stand-alone memory chips (NAND, NOR flash), the development of the specific function of memory, such as One-Time-Programming or PUF(Physical Unclonable Function), becomes more popular in terms of its simplicity based on the pure logic process.

In this talk, a non-volatile OTP memory cell, using a specific dielectric breakdown, named dFuse, discovered as a third breakdown different from conventional soft-breakdown and hard-breakdown has been able to achieve high density and excellent data storage, for reliable and high-security applications. Based on the device physics, the mechanism of the dielectric breakdown will first be introduced and the origin of the breakdown will be described. Its applications which led to the further development of OTP cell design and macro chips will also be demonstrated. Further implementation as a PUF will then be demonstrated. In particular, the opportunities and challenges on the current 28nm HKMG generations and beyond will be addressed