Xradia, Inc.

University of Southern California

Andrei V Tkachuk

Wenbing Yun

Michael Feser

Yuxin Wang

Frederick William Duewer

Ziyu Wu

Peiping Zhu

Qingxi Yuan

Wanxia Huang

Thomas Anthony Case

Srivatsan Seshadri

Hauyee Chang

Michael P K Feser

Michael A Bajura

John N Damoulakis

Younes Boulghassoul

A method and system for verifying the integrity of integrated circuits (ICs) by detecting the presence of unauthorized circuit insertions or modifications using non-destructive x-ray microscopy is disclosed. A reference image based on a trusted IC or a trusted design file may be generated. An un-trusted IC may be received from an un-trusted foundry, which IC is manufactured in response to the trusted design file provided to the foundry. An x-ray microscope may record a plurality of sets of base images of the un-trusted IC, each set corresponding to a different viewing angle. One or more un-trusted images may be produced from the base images. The reference images may be compared with the un-trusted images to illuminate any additions or modifications in circuit elements or other parameters.

Verification of integrated circuits against malicious circuit insertions and modifications using non-destructive X-ray microscopy

A process to determine the porosity and/or mineral content of mineral samples with an x-ray CT system is described. Based on the direct-projection techniques that use a spatially-resolved x-ray detector to record the x-ray radiation passing through the sample, 1 micrometer or better resolution is achievable. Furthermore, by using an x-ray objective lens to magnify the x-ray image in a microscope configuration, a higher resolution of up to 50 nanometers or more is achieved with state-of-the-art technology. These x-ray CT techniques directly obtain the 3D structure of the sample with no modifications to the sample being necessary. Furthermore, fluid or gas flow experiments can often be conducted during data acquisition so that one may perform live monitoring of the physical process in 3D.

Process for examining mineral samples with X-ray microscope and projection systems

An x-ray imaging system uses a synchrotron radiation beam to acquire x-ray images and at least one integrated x-ray source. The system has an imaging system including sample stage controlled by linear translation stages, objective x-ray lens, and x-ray sensitive detector system, placed on a fixed optical table and a mechanical translation stage system to switch x-ray sources when synchrotron radiation beam is not available.

X-ray microscope with switchable x-ray source

Mechanism for switching sources in x-ray microscope

An x-ray source comprises a structured anode that has a thin top layer made of the desired target material and a thick bottom layer made of low atomic number and low density materials with good thermal properties. In one example, the anode comprises a layer of copper with an optimal thickness deposited on a layer of beryllium or diamond substrate. This structured target design allows for the use of efficient high energy electrons for generation of characteristic x-rays per unit energy deposited in the top layer and the use of the bottom layer as a thermal sink. This anode design can be applied to substantially increase the brightness of stationary, rotating anode or other electron bombardment-based sources where brightness is defined as number of x-rays per unit area and unit solid angle emitted by a source and is a key figure of merit parameter for a source.

Structured anode X-ray source for X-ray microscopy

Growing community of inventors

Concord, CA, United States of America

Andrei V Tkachuk