Ultrahigh resolution dynamic ic chip activity detection for hardware security

Abstract

A system and method for detecting dynamic electromagnetic emission of an integrated circuit (IC) chip is provided. One embodiment of the method, includes exciting nitro vacancy (NV) centers of a diamond slide located in close proximity to the IC chip via use of light, resulting in an NV fluorescence; providing an optical readout of the NV fluorescence, wherein the optical readout provides quantum states of the NV centers, thereby providing a spectra of electromagnetic fields of the IC chip. A determination is then made of at least one of the group comprising clock frequencies of the IC chip, referred to herein as determined clock frequencies, and data bandwidth of the IC chip, referred to herein as determined data bandwidth of the IC chip, from the spectra of electromagnetic fields of the IC chip. A comparison is then performed, comparing at least one of the group comprising determined clock frequencies and determined data bandwidth, to at least one of the group comprising expected clock frequencies of the IC chip and expected data bandwidth of the IC chip, thereby determining if a foreign device or software is located on the IC chip.