Optical nano artifact metrics using silicon random nanostructures

Abstract

Nano-artifact metrics exploit unique physical attributes of nanostructured matter for authentication and clone resistance, which is vitally important in the age of Internet-of-Things where securing identities is critical. However, expensive and huge experimental apparatuses, such as scanning electron microscopy, have been required in the former studies. Herein, we demonstrate an optical approach to characterise the nanoscale-precision signatures of silicon random structures towards realising low-cost and high-value information security technology. Unique and versatile silicon nanostructures are generated via resist collapse phenomena, which contains dimensions that are well below the diffraction limit of light. We exploit the nanoscale precision ability of confocal laser microscopy in the height dimension; our experimental results demonstrate that the vertical precision of measurement is essential in satisfying the performances required for artifact metrics. Furthermore, by using state-of-the-art nanostructuring technology, we experimentally fabricate clones from the genuine devices. We demonstrate that the statistical properties of the genuine and clone devices are successfully exploited, showing that the liveness-detection-type approach, which is widely deployed in biometrics, is valid in artificially-constructed solid-state nanostructures. These findings pave the way for reasonable and yet sufficiently secure novel principles for information security based on silicon random nanostructures and optical technologies.

Directional Emphasis Filtering in Artifact Metrics for Rejecting Raster-Scanning-Created Clones

“…The existing mainstream artifact-metrics systems include those that employ optical cameras to measure microscopic physical features [2] [3]. When artifact metrics are based on microscopic features, attackers can create precise clones via various methods, such as raster processing, or stacking.…”

Fabrication and characterization of a nano-convex-embedded Si MOSFET for nano-scale electrical discrimination

“…18) However, this approach is quite inconvenient for the practical use. As an alternative technique, in parallel with a simple optical approach, 20,21) we recently proposed an electrical discrimination using a Si MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor fieldeffect transistor). 22,23) The basic concept and the feasibility of electrical discrimination has been confirmed by the device simulation.…”

Plastic deformation of synthetic quartz nanopillars by nanoindentation for multi-scale and multi-level security artefact metrics

“…Integrated circuits with the variations of wires and transistors produce arbiter-based unclonable functions 5 . Randomly collapsed polymer resist nanostructures 6 and random silicon nanostructures 7 fabricated using lithographic methods can be identified optically. In addition to having such unique physical features, the artefact metrics must satisfy the following requirements: individuality, measurement stability, durability, and clone resistance.…”