Hardware Security Book Series 1: Quantum Tunneling PUF

Lead Author: Dr. Kent, Kai-Hsin Chuang

I still remember the first time I heard about Physically Unclonable Function (PUF), it was a complete fascination. Even without thinking deeply about how to use it, the fact that it can turn the undesired device variability into good use is already a shock in the head. After spending years working on academic and industrial research projects about PUFs, I am even more convinced that PUFs are indispensable in the future of hardware security. Now it is my turn to convince you to join the exploration in this fascinating field of research.

Through writing this book, I hope to give you a glimpse of what makes PUF so interesting and why it is so important to hardware security. For those who are not yet familiar with hardware security, this book aims to help you begin the journey throughout this field from its foundation. For more proficient readers, the goal is to provide you with in-depth insights about PUF and how it can be used to build various security applications.

This book begins with the basics of hardware security and PUF, including essential PUF properties, popular PUF implementations, and common challenges when designing PUFs. In this part, I want to emphasize the importance of PUF in hardware security, and more specifically, why we urge to seek even better PUF solutions.

Afterward, more advanced topics about how to design highly robust PUFs will be discussed, and in particular, the quantum tunneling PUF technology will be introduced. By showing these examples, I hope you can gain some insight into how to design or choose the right PUF solution for your security systems or applications.

Table of contents

1. Physically Unclonable Functions
   1.1. PUFs in Integrated Circuits
   1.2. Generic PUF-based Security Application
   1.3. PUF Properties
   1.4. PUF Implementations
   1.5. Conclusion
   
2. Making a PUF Highly Reliable
   2.1. Why a PUF Must Be Reliable
   2.2. Reliability Improvement Techniques
   2.3. Intrinsically Reliable PUFs
   2.4. Conclusion
   
3. NeoPUF Quantum Tunneling
   3.1. Quantum Tunneling Mechanism
   3.2. Circuit Implementation
   3.3. Reliability and Robustness
   3.4. Radiation Hardness
   3.5. Uniqueness and Randomness
   3.6. Anti-tampering Features
   3.7. Conclusion
   
4. NeoPUF vs.SRAM PUF
   4.1. Comparison on Functionality
   4.2. Feasibility for Mass-production
   4.3. Vulnerability Against Attacks
   4.4. Conclusion
   
5. PUF-based Security Applications and Root of Trust Solutions
   5.1. Security Applications
   5.2. PUF-based Root of Trust Solution
   5.3. Conclusion
   
6. Conclusions