METHOD FOR PROTECTING A MEMS UNIT AGAINST INFRARED INVESTIGATIONS AND MEMS UNIT

Abstract

A method is provided for protecting a MEMS unit against infrared investigations, at least one layer being built into the structure of the MEMS unit or at least one layer being applied on a surface of the MEMS unit. The at least one layer absorbs, reflects or diffusely scatters more than 50%, in particular more than 90% of an infrared light incident upon it.

Claims

1. A method for protecting a MEMS unit against infrared investigations, the method comprising: one of: (i) building at least one layer into a structure of the MEMS unit, or (ii) applying at least one layer onto a surface of the MEMS unit; and one of absorbing, reflecting or diffusely scattering, more than 50% of an infrared light incident on the at least one layer.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the MEMS unit is a MEMS sensor.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one layer one of absorbs, reflect or diffusely scatters more than 90% of the infrared light incident upon the at least one layer.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one layer is built in or applied during production of the MEMS unit.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the at least one layer is one of: (i) applied on an inner surface of the MEMS unit facing a cavity, or (ii) inserted near the inner surface facing the cavity.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one layer is applied on an outer surface of the MEMS unit after production of the MEMS unit.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein another wafer is built into the structure of the MEMS unit or is applied on the surface of the MEMS unit as the at least one layer.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a metallic layer is built into the structure of the MEMS unit or is applied on the surface of the MEMS unit as the at least one layer.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein infrared light striking the at least one layer from any angle of incidence is absorbed, reflected or diffusely scattered by the at least one layer at at least 50%.

10. A MEMS unit, including at least one of a built-in or applied layer, the layer to one of absorb, reflect or diffusely scatter more than 50% of an irradiated infrared light.

11. The MEMS unit as recited in claim 10, having a base structure, a sensor structure, a cavity, and a sensor cap.

12. The MEMS unit as recited in claim 11, wherein the layer is situated in such a way that light from any direction passes through the layer between a surface of the MEMS unit and the cavity.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0015] The present invention is explained below in greater detail with reference to the appended drawing and on the basis of exemplary embodiments.

[0016] FIG. 1 schematically shows an exemplary MEMS sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0017] In measurements using laser IR vibrometry on MEMS sensors, transmission values for infrared frequencies were ascertained in the range of typically approx. 50%. With such measurements, it is possible to determine frequencies in the sensor structure and thus to make inferences regarding the physical properties of the MEMS sensor on which a PUF is based and thus inferences regarding the PUF. The present invention relates to securing MEMS sensors against an investigation using infrared spectroscopy. Aside from MEMS sensors it is also possible to use MEMS units, whose proper functional MEMS structure is optimized in such a way for PUF functionality that the MEMS unit is no longer able to perform any (significant) sensor functions, but serves primarily as a PUF unit. Such MEMS units are also to be protected against infrared investigations.

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a MEMS sensor 1. MEMS sensor 1 has a base wafer 11, whose delimitation vis-a-vis the other layers 14 is shown by separating line 12. MEMS sensor 1 has additional layers 14, which together with base wafer 11 enclose a cavity 15. Layers 14 may be connected to layers 11 by a bonding method. Layers 14 are also referred to as a so-called sensor cap. A vacuum is preferably produced in cavity 15. The actual functional sensor structure 13 of MEMS sensor 1 is situated in cavity 15 and on base wafer 11.

[0019] While layers 11 and layers 14 as well as sensor structure 13 are usually made up of silicon, the MEMS sensor in FIG. 1 has a metallic layer 16 or metallic plies 16, which is/are situated on the inner surface of layers 11 and 14, that is, the surface facing cavity 15. This metallic layer prevents or renders more difficult an investigation of the MEMS sensor using infrared-spectroscopic methods since they are (largely) non-transparent for infrared frequencies and therefore sufficient transmission values for a spectroscopic investigation are not achieved. The layer thickness and the material used should be selected in such a way that at least 50% of the IR light irradiated upon the layer is absorbed, reflected or diffusely scattered, in particular at least 90%. Due to the location in the interior of the MEMS sensor 1, a removal of layers 16 by an attacker of the PUF is hardly possible since this would massively damage sensor 1 as well as destroy the vacuum of cavity 15. Such an intervention into the sensor structure may also have the consequence that impressed mechanical states of stress (e.g., from the molding process) or pressure ratios change and that as a result the physical properties or the precise expression of the sensor properties, on which the PUF is based, change slightly. The security against manipulation is thus greatly increased. For these reasons, in an alternative development having an inserted, that is, buried layer, it is also preferred that this layer is inserted near the surface facing the cavity.

[0020] In alternative developments, the at least one layer having appropriate optical properties may as be inserted (in particular buried) or applied in other locations of the MEMS sensor as well. Thus, e.g., metallic layers on the outer surface of the MEMS sensor may also be suitable. Here, a protection against a removal of the layers is no longer quite as high as in the previously described exemplary embodiment. However, grinding down the layers continues to be laborious and may damage MEMS sensor 1 so that an attack on the PUF of the MEMS sensor is at least rendered much more difficult.

[0021] Alternatively, it may already suffice to provide the at least one layer only in or on the base wafer or only in or on the sensor cap.

[0022] Apart from metallic layers, fundamentally other layers having the mentioned optical properties are also suitable. The layers may be applied in a variety of ways. Apart from deposition or ablation methods, layers may also be applied by bonding. Thus it is possible for example to use bonding methods to apply at least one additional wafer on a surface of the other wafer layers.