Project Details
Projekt
nanoEBeam - E Beam Probing for backside attacks against nanoscale ICs
Subject Area
Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering
Term
since 2020
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 440183574
Positioned in Area 1 (Nano-electronics for Security) and IG3 (resilience against physical attacks) of the “Nano Security: From Nano-Electronics to Secure Systems” call, this project proposal aims at investigating new attack possibilities which so far seemed out of reach for nanoscale electronics. Currently the most successful attacks are performed through optical techniques for IC signal tracking and defect localization, which are strongly challenged by miniaturization of technology nodes below 10nm. They require complex access strategies such as sophisticated chip substrate thinning down to the µm range [1]. In the context of this project, novel physical side channel attack strategies based on electron beams via E-Beam Probing from the chip backside are to be tested on appropriate highly integrated modern circuits. E-Beam probing through the silicon substrate from the chip backside has already been demonstrated for 120nm technologies [2]. In addition, the successful application for fault localization has recently been demonstrated on a 10nm-node FinFET technology [3]. Conduction of fundamental research of this approach as a potential IC attack technique particularly to the nanotechnology is therefore urgently required. Due to the achievable local resolution in the nanometer range, which is considerably improved compared to existing optical techniques, the risk of novel attack scenarios arise. Within the framework of this project, e-beam-based attack strategies in combination with novel FIB preparation strategies for precise backside access to functional IC structures on modern 10nm chip technologies will be investigated and compared with previously established optical methods. IC attacks with these techniques are currently unknown.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
Co-Investigator
Professor Dr.-Ing. Christian Boit
