Leti, a research institute of CEA Tech, and Mapper Lithography, a provider of maskless lithography equipment for the semiconductor and nanofabrication industries, have announced a low-cost cyber-security breakthrough that encrypts individual chips with a code.
The non-falsifiable code is generated by using a unique chip design that leverages direct multi-beam writing in a process that fits in a conventional CMOS flow with an extra level of lithography and without photomasks. Throughput on Mapper's FLX-1200 tool installed at Leti is compatible with optical systems.
The markets for these chips include data security, traceability and combatting imports of counterfeit chips.
Leti, a specialist in electron-beam lithography, and Mapper, a Dutch company, presented a paper on the breakthrough, "Process development of a maskless N40 via level for security application with multi-beam lithography," at SPIE Advanced Lithography 2018 in San Jose, Calif. The paper demonstrates a patterning integration that is compliant with standard CMOS 40 nm process flow.
The maskless lithography system, based on massively parallel electron-beam writing capability developed by Mapper, is designed for high-volume specialty chips and low-volume advanced logic.
Leti and Mapper are demonstrating the breakthrough for their customers at Leti's facility in Grenoble, France.