Physical unclonable function with improved start-up behavior

摘要

An electric physical unclonable function (PUF) (100) is provided comprising a semiconductor memory element (110) connectable to a PUF control means for reading content from the memory element and for deriving at least in part from said content a digital identifier, such as a secret key. Upon powering the memory element it settles into one of at least two different stable states. The particular stable state into which the memory element settles is dependent at least in part upon random physical characteristics of the memory element introduced during manufacture of the memory element. Settling of the memory element is further dependent upon a control input (112) of the memory element. The electric physical unclonable function comprises shielding means (142, 144) for shielding, during a time period including the power-up of the memory element and lasting at least until the settling of the memory element, the control input from receiving control signals upon which the particular stable state into which the memory element settles is dependent. In this way, the dependency of the memory element on its physical characteristics is improved, and dependency on possibly irreproducible control signals is reduced.

主权项

1. An electric physical unclonable function (PUF) (100, 200) comprising a semiconductor memory element (110) connectable to a PUF control means (120) for reading content from the memory element and for deriving at least in part from said content a digital identifier, the memory element being of a type that is configurable into at least two different stable states, the stable states representing the content of the memory element,
the memory element comprising
a power input for electrically powering the memory element and bringing the memory element into a powered-up state, anda control input (112) for receiving one or more control signals, the control signals configuring the memory element into a selected one of the at least two different stable states, the memory element being configured to settle into one of the at least two different stable states upon power-up, the particular stable state into which the memory element settles being dependent at least in part upon the at least partially random physical characteristics of the memory element, wherein
the particular stable state into which the memory element settles upon power-up is also dependent upon the control input receiving a control signal,the electric physical unclonable function further comprises shielding means (142, 144) for shielding, during a time period including the power-up of the memory element and lasting at least until the settling of the memory element, the control input from receiving control signals upon which the particular stable state into which the memory element settles is dependent, by connecting the control input with a reference voltage line.