PFI-TT: Embedded Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to secure the semiconductor supply chain

这项创新-技术转化伙伴关系（PFI-TT）项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是保护电子设备的完整性。假冒集成电路是对国家安全的威胁，因为它们可以出现在关键任务系统中，例如核潜艇。目前的供应链有许多潜在的弱点。该项目推进了一项解决假冒产品的技术。插入所提出的无线识别电路使半导体芯片能够在供应链中任何有价值的跟踪点进行查询。这种跟踪可以由制造商、海关和最终用户验证，从而形成一个实时的“信任但经过验证”的生态系统，以保证真实性。该项目将演示一个完整的嵌入式射频识别（RFID）块，包括一个唯一的识别码，用于在大约0.5厘米的范围内从读取器加密生成查询响应。它可以在0.2秒内读取，对校准的灵敏度最小。该项目的目标包括：(1)设计合适的天线，(2)结合非易失性存储器来存储半导体芯片的唯一识别码，(3)去除电压偏置电路，以及(4)设计和集成加密识别通信系统。原型将使用经过验证的电路设计技术，使用半导体代工厂提供的设计套件，在现有的商业代工厂制造成演示半导体芯片，然后组装到测试和验证站。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project is to protect the integrity of electronic devices. Counterfeit integrated circuits are a national security threat as they can appear in mission-critical systems, such as a nuclear submarine. The current supply chain has many potential weaknesses. This project advances a technology to address counterfeits. Inserting the proposed wireless identification circuit enables a semiconductor chip to be interrogated at any point in the supply chain where tracking is valued. This tracking can be validated by manufacturers, customs, and end users, leading to a real-time “trust but verify” ecosystem that guarantees authenticity. The project will demonstrate a complete embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) block, including a unique identification number to cryptographically generate a query response from a reader at a range of approximately 0.5 cm. It can be read in under 0.2 s with minimal sensitivity to alignment. The project goals include: (1) design of a suitable antenna, (2) incorporation of a Non-Volatile Memory to store the semiconductor chip’s unique identification number, (3) removal of a voltage bias circuit, and (4) design and integration of a cryptographic identification communication system. The prototype will be built using validated circuit design techniques using a semiconductor foundry-provided design kit, fabricated into a demonstration semiconductor chip at an existing commercial foundry, and then assembled into a test and validation station.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.