SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SECURED INTEGRATED ENGINEERING ANALYSIS

• US 20080159539A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Huang, Chien-Chung, Chen, Szu-Chin, Chiu, Chui-Chung, Kuo, Hui-Chun
• Granted Patent: US 8,881,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/277
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics

Abstract

A method, computer-readable medium, and semiconductor device for securing integrated engineering analysis are provided. A die ID is generated from a lot ID, wafer ID, die coordinates, or other product information. The die ID is encrypted with a key and written to the die. The encryption key and encrypted die ID may be stored in a secure storage. A die is fabricated with an encryption module and an unencrypted die ID. The encryption module is provided with an unencrypted die ID, encrypts the unencrypted die ID, and writes the encrypted die ID to a die fuse.

Claims

1. A method of writing an identifier to a die of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

receiving a location of the die and a wafer identifier of a wafer on which the die is fabricated;

generating a die identifier from the location and the wafer identifier;

supplying the die identifier to an encryption algorithm that generates an encrypted die identifier from the die identifier and the wafer identifier; and

writing the encrypted die identifier to the die.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein supplying the die identifier further comprises supplying the die identifier to an encryption algorithm that generates an encrypted die identifier from the die identifier and a key, the method further comprising storing the key and the encrypted die identifier in association with one another.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises receiving a lot identifier of a lot with which the wafer is associated.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein generating further comprises generating a die identifier from the location, the wafer identifier, and the lot identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein writing the encrypted die identifier further comprises writing the encrypted identifier as a fuse identifier of the wafer.

6. A method of obtaining position information of a die, comprising;

reading an encrypted die identifier from a die;

interrogating a database with the encrypted die identifier;

obtaining a key from the database, wherein the key is associated with the encrypted die identifier in the database; and

decrypting the encrypted die identifier with the key, wherein the decrypted die identifier includes the position information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising performing a function test of circuitry of the die to generate function test electronic design automation data of the die.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the function test electronic design automation data is stored in a repository in association with the decrypted die identifier.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein reading an encrypted die identifier further comprises reading a fuse identifier of the die.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein reading an encrypted die identifier further comprises accessing an encryption module of the die.

11. A die fabricated from a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

a functional circuit;

an encryption module comprising a circuit adapted to perform encryption of an input supplied thereto; and

an identification component adapted to maintain a die identifier, wherein the die identifier may be supplied to the identification component from the encryption module.

12. The die of claim 11, wherein the identification component comprises a fuse.

13. The die of claim 11, wherein the encryption module is adapted to be accessed by a chip probe test program and to obtain an unencrypted die identifier from the chip probe test program.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the computer-executable instructions for writing an identifier to a die of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:

instructions that receive a location of the die and a wafer identifier of a wafer on which the die is fabricated;

instructions that generate a die identifier from the location and the wafer identifier;

instructions that supply the die identifier to an encryption algorithm that generates an encrypted die identifier from the die identifier and the wafer identifier; and

instructions that write the encrypted die identifier to the die.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions that supply the die identifier further comprise instructions that supply the die identifier to an encryption algorithm that generates an encrypted die identifier from the die identifier and a key, the computer-readable medium further comprising instructions that store the key and the encrypted die identifier in association with one another.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions that receive further comprise instructions that receive a lot identifier of a lot with which the wafer is associated.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions that generate further comprise instructions that generate a die identifier from the location, the wafer identifier, and the lot identifier.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions that write the encrypted die identifier further comprise instructions that write the encrypted identifier as a fuse identifier of the wafer.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the computer-executable instructions for obtaining position information of a die, comprising;

instructions that read an encrypted die identifier from a die;

instructions that interrogate a database with the encrypted die identifier;

instructions that obtain a key from the database, wherein the key is associated with the encrypted die identifier in the database; and

instructions that decrypt the encrypted die identifier with the key, wherein the decrypted die identifier includes the position information.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions that perform a function test of circuitry of the die to generate function test electronic design automation data of the die.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the function test electronic design automation data is stored in a repository in association with the decrypted die identifier.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions that read an encrypted die identifier further comprise instructions that read a fuse identifier of the die.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions that read an encrypted die identifier further comprise intrusions that access an encryption module of the die.