Patent · US Expired

Enhanced security semiconductor device, semiconductor circuit arrangement and method or production thereof

US6404217B1 · kind B1 · utility

13Cited by
10References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 26, 1998
Grant dateJun 11, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 26, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/31719
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor circuit arrangement providing enhanced security has a first circuitry portion (12) on a semiconductor wafer (10), a second circuitry portion (16) on the wafer separate from the first circuitry portion, the second circuitry portion being coupled (26) to the first circuitry portion and containing access circuitry for allowing access to thereto, and the second circuitry portion being disposed on the wafer such that it can be destructively removed therefrom to leave the first portion of semiconductor circuitry inaccessible through the second portion of semiconductor circuitry. Isolation circuitry (30) is provided for electrically isolating the first circuitry portion following destructive removal of the second circuitry portion.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.