Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Kun-Hsi Li

Shih-Lien Linus Lu

Shau-Wei Lu

Jonathan Tsung-Yung Chang

Saman M I Adham

Kuo-Hung Lo

Kang-Yu Hsu

Yao-Chung Hu

Yu-Der Chih

Cheng-En Lee

Shih-Liang Wang

Jui-Jen Wu

Cormac Michael O'Connell

Hao Wei Chang

Robert Lo

Chiting Cheng

George H Chang

Hao Yuan Chang

Systems and methods of generating a security key for an integrated circuit device include generating a plurality of key bits with a physically unclonable function (PUF) device. The PUF can include a random number generator that can create random bits. The random bits may be stored in a nonvolatile memory. The number of random bits stored in the nonvolatile memory allows for a plurality of challenge and response interactions to obtain a plurality of security keys from the PUF.

Integrated circuit (IC) signatures with random number generator and one-time programmable device

A Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cell includes a write port including a first inverter including a first pull-up transistor and a first pull-down transistor, and a second inverter including a second pull-up transistor and a second pull-down transistor and cross-coupled with the first inverter; and a read port including a read pass-gate transistor and a read pull-down transistor serially connected to each. A first doped concentration of impurities doped in channel regions of the second pull-down transistor and the read pull-down transistor is greater than a second doped concentration of the impurities doped in a channel region of the first pull-down transistor, or the impurities are doped in the channel regions of the second pull-down transistor and the read pull-down transistor and are not doped in the channel region of the first pull-down transistor.

Eight-transistor static random access memory, layout thereof, and method for manufacturing the same

An inter-hamming difference analyzer for a memory array having a plurality of sections is provided. The inter-hamming difference analyzer includes a controller, a storage device and a comparator. The controller is configured to obtain contents of the plurality of sections operating in a first operating condition and a second operating condition. The storage device is configured to store the contents of the plurality of sections corresponding to the first operating condition. The comparator is configured to obtain a plurality of inter-hamming differences of the plurality of sections according to the number of unlike bits between the content of a first section of the plurality of sections corresponding to the second operating condition and the contents of a plurality of sections other than the first section stored in the storage device.

Inter-hamming difference analyzer for memory array and measuring and testing methods for inter-hamming differences of memory array

A physically unclonable function (PUF) device and a method for maximizing existing process variation for a physically unclonable device are provided. The method of maximizing process variation of the PUF device includes: modeling a physically unclonable function (PUF) device, comprising a plurality of PUF cells, selecting the size of transistors in the PUF device to be smaller than a predetermined size defined according to a design rule check (DRC) and generate maximum variations among the plurality of PUF cells, varying the material of the PUF device, and driving the PUF device with a predetermined voltage. The physically unclonable device includes: a plurality of PUF cells, configured to generate an output. Each of the plurality of PUF cells includes a harvester circuit, configured to generate a bit line and a complementary bit line. The harvester circuit is selected to be smaller than a predetermined size defined according to a design rule check (DRC) and generate maximum variations among the plurality of PUF cells; and a sense amplifier having a plurality of transistors configured to receive a first input signal and a second input signal from the harvester circuit.

Physical unclonable device and method of maximizing existing process variation for a physically unclonable device

A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a memory array including a plurality of sections, and an inter-hamming difference analyzer. Each of the sections has an individual location in the memory array. The inter-hamming difference analyzer is configured to obtain a plurality of inter-hamming differences according to the number of unlike bits between content of each section of the plurality of sections corresponding to a first operating condition and content of another section of the plurality of sections corresponding to a second operating condition.

Memory array and measuring and testing methods for inter-hamming differences of memory array

A device is disclosed that includes a memory array, a comparing circuit, and a calculating circuit. The memory array is configured to store a first response of an under-test device. The comparing circuit is configured to compare the first response with a plurality of responses of the under-test device operated in conditions that are different from each other to generate comparing results. The calculating circuit is configured to output a maximum hamming distance between two of the first response and the plurality of responses according to the comparing results.

Hamming-distance analyzer

Eight-transistor static random-access memory, layout thereof, and method for manufacturing the same

A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a memory array including a plurality of sections, and an inter-hamming difference analyzer. Each section includes a plurality of bits, and the numbers of the bits of the plurality of sections are the same. The inter-hamming difference analyzer is configured to obtain contents of the plurality of sections operating in different operating conditions, to obtain a plurality of inter-hamming differences of the contents, and to provide a maximum inter-hamming difference and a minimum inter-hamming difference among the inter-hamming differences of the plurality of sections. The inter-hamming difference represents the number of unlike bits between the content of one section corresponding to a first operating condition and the content of another section corresponding to a second operating condition that is different from the first operating condition.

A write assist cell includes a first pull-down circuit configured to transfer data from a first bit line to a second bit line during a write operation. The write assist cell further includes a second pull-down circuit configured to transfer data from a third bit line to a fourth bit line during a read operation, wherein the write operation and the read operation occur simultaneously. A memory device includes a memory array, the memory array comprises a first bit line and a second bit line. The memory device further includes a write assist cell connected to the memory array, wherein the write assist cell is configured to transfer data from the first bit line in a write operation to the second bit line in a read operation, and the write operation and the read operation occur simultaneously. The memory device further includes a multiplexer connected to the write assist cell.

Memory write assist

A semiconductor device includes at least one memory cell die. The at least one memory cell die includes a data storage unit. The at least one memory cell die includes at least one read assist enabling unit electrically connected to the data storage unit. The at least one read assist enabling unit configured to lower a voltage of a word line. The memory cell die also includes at least one write assist enabling unit electrically connected to the data storage unit. The at least one write assist enabling unit configured to supply a negative voltage to at least one of a bit line or a bit line bar.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu, Taiwan

Kun-Hsi Li