Crypto Quantique Attopsemi partner to simplify implementation of PUF tech in MCUs and SoCs
Crypto Quantique, a provider of quantum-driven security for the Internet of Things (IoT), announced a collaboration with Attopsemi Technology, a provider of One-Time Programmable (OTP) intellectual property based in Hsinchu, Taiwan.
The companies integrated Crypto Quantique’s QDID physical unclonable function (PUF) with Attopsemi’s I-fuse OTP technology, allowing PUF error correction data to be securely stored in the OTP. This error correction data, known as ‘helper data’, is invisible to users, preventing manipulation or corruption and ensuring a highly secure approach. Additionally, the integration frees up non-volatile memory for other system functions.
The QDID embedded hardware PUF, compliant with NIST standards, exploits the quantum tunnelling effect to create unique, immutable, and unclonable random numbers, generating digital fingerprints within semiconductors, particularly in microcontrollers (MCUs) and systems on chips (SoCs). The PUF technology measures minuscule electron flows resulting from quantum tunnelling across variations in gate oxide thickness in the CMOS chip manufacturing process. To maintain consistency in the PUF fingerprint, error correction is required, which is handled by the helper data.
Attopsemi’s I-fuse OTP, recognised for its reliability, utilises a patented fuse structure. It is programmed through heat-assisted electromigration below a designated breakpoint, supports a wide voltage range for fast, in-field programming, and requires only a small silicon area of approximately 0.027mm² for 8K bits.
The combination of QDID and I-fuse® technologies enables the creation of a secure, compact hardware root-of-trust within CMOS semiconductors, compatible with process nodes from 12nm to 55nm.
Shahram Mossayebi, Crypto Quantique’s CEO, commented: "This collaboration is an important step in making our QDID PUF more accessible and easier to implement for our customers and their end users. It saves design time and cost while boosting security by eliminating the risk of side-channel attacks on stored security credentials."
Meisie Jong, Attopsemi’s CEO, added: “This application is a perfect example of how OTP technology can contribute to IoT device security, one of the biggest challenges facing embedded developers today. It makes PUF implementation simpler and more cost-effective.”
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