A chip tampering detector is disclosed. The chip tampering detector includes a plurality of resistor-capacitor circuits. Each resistor-capacitor circuit includes a capacitor having a planar area that covers a sensitive area of an integrated circuit of the chip. The resistor-capacitor circuits can be probed with an input signal to generate output signals. The output signals can be measured to determine respective time-constants resistor-capacitor circuits. Tampering with a chip can alter the capacitance of a capacitor covering a sensitive area. Accordingly, a significant change of a time-constant of one or more of the resistor-capacitor circuits can be used to detect chip tampering.

The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to a photonic chip security structure and methods of manufacture. The structure includes an optical component and a photonic chip security structure having a vertical wall composed of light absorbing material surrounding the optical component.

Chip packages with improved tamper resistance and methods of using such chip packages to provide improved tamper resistance. A lead frame includes a die attach paddle, a plurality of outer lead fingers, and a plurality of inner lead fingers located between the outer lead fingers and the die attach paddle. A chip is attached to the die attach paddle. The chip includes a surface having an outer boundary and a plurality of bond pads arranged proximate to the outer boundary. A first plurality of wires extend from the outer lead fingers to respective locations on the surface of the chip that are interior of the outer boundary relative to the bond pads. A tamper detection circuit is coupled with the first plurality of wires. A second plurality of wires extend from the inner lead fingers to the bond pads on the chip. The second plurality of wires are located between the lead frame and the first plurality of wires.

A semiconductor chip includes a chip substrate; a self-destructive layer arranged on the chip substrate, the self-destructive layer including a pyrophoric reactant; and a sealant layer arranged on a surface of the self-destructive layer, on sidewalls of the self-destructive layer, and on the chip substrate such that the sealant layer forms a package seal on the semiconductor chip; wherein the pyrophoric reactant ignites spontaneously upon exposure to air.

Methods and apparatus for providing an assembly including a base substrate, a lid substrate, and a ring frame between the base substrate and the lid substrate to define a protected volume, where the ring frame includes through vias. A die may be contained in the protected volume. Sensor circuitry can include conductive pillars in the protected volume and the die can include circuity to determine an impedance of the pad and the pillars for tamper detection. An edge cap can be coupled to at least one side of the assembly for tamper detection.

A method for producing a PUF-film includes printing a layer of dielectric material on a film substrate, such that a variable thickness of the layer is obtained by the printing. The method includes arranging a structured electrode layer on the dielectric material such that the structured electrode layer is influenced with respect to an electric measurement value due to the variable thickness.

A bonded structure with protective semiconductor elements including a semiconductor element with active circuitry and a protective element including an obstructive layer and/or a protective circuitry layer. The obstructive layer is configured to inhibit external access to at least a portion of the active circuitry. The protective circuitry layer is configured to detect or disrupt external access to the protective element and/or the active circuitry of the semiconductor element. The semiconductor element and the protective element are directly bonded without an adhesive along a bonding interface.

Example embodiments of systems and methods for creating a chip fraud prevention system with a fraud prevention fluid are provided. A chip fraud prevention system includes a device including a chip. The chip may be at least partially encompassed in a chip pocket which contains a fraud prevention fluid. The fraud prevention fluid may be contained in a capsule or implemented as an adhesive. One or more connections may be communicatively coupled to at least one surface of the chip. The one or more connections may be placed in close proximity and/or in contact to the fraud prevention fluid.

A bonded structure is disclosed. The bonded structure can include a first semiconductor element having a first front side and a first back side opposite the first front side. The bonded structure can include a second semiconductor element having a second front side and a second back side opposite the second front side, the first front side of the first semiconductor element directly bonded to the second front side of the second semiconductor element along a bond interface without an adhesive. The bonded structure can include security circuitry extending across the bond interface, the security circuitry electrically connected to the first and second semiconductor elements

A physically unclonable function circuit (PUF) is used to generate a fingerprint value based on the uniqueness of the physical characteristics (e.g., resistance, capacitance, connectivity, etc.) of a tamper prevention (i.e., shielding) structure that includes through-silicon vias and metallization on the backside of the integrated circuit. The physical characteristics depend on random physical factors introduced during manufacturing. This causes the chip-to-chip variations in these physical characteristics to be unpredictable and uncontrollable which makes more difficult to duplicate, clone, or modify the structure without changing the fingerprint value. By including the through-silicon vias and metallization on the backside of the integrated circuit as part of the PUF, the backside of the chip can be protected from modifications that can be used to help learn the secure cryptographic keys and/or circumvent the secure cryptographic (or other) circuitry.