Anti-tamper bond wire shield for an integrated circuit

• US 5,861,662 A
• Filed: 02/24/1997
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Candelore, Brant
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, Tom
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ALEXANDER O
• Application Number:
  US08/804,792
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 257/666, 257/668, 257/691, 257/700, 257/692, 257/787, 257/679, 257/784, 257/776, 257/786, 174/52.4, 380/24, 380/25, 380/30, 380/52, 380/4
• US Class Current: 257/679
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/87 by means of encapsulation, e.g. for integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07372 by detecting tampering with the circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/082 Features insuring the integrity of the data on or in the card
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/24 Memory cell safety or protection circuits, e.g. arrangements for preventing inadvertent reading or writing; Status cells; Test cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4813 Connecting within a semiconductor or solid-state body, i.e. fly wire, bridge wire
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49175 Parallel arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/576 using active circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01014 Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01015 Phosphorus [P]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01074 : Tungsten [W]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1433 : Application-specific integrated circuit [ASIC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19041 : being a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19043 : being a resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 : off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding

Abstract

An anti-tamper shield for an integrated circuit (IC) includes a bond wire which passes through a protective layer such as an epoxy encapsulating layer of the IC. The bond wire carries a signal, such as a steady state current, which allows an active component of the IC, such as a secure processor, to function. The bond wire is carried within and/or proximate to the encapsulating layer such that a decapsulation of the IC will cause a rupture of the electrically conductive member, thereby rendering the processor non-functional. The bond wire may be coupled to the processor in a variety of configurations, including the use of internal or external bond pads, lead frame contacts, and/or directly to a computer board on which the IC is carried. A metallic shield layer may be located between the active component and a top portion of the encapsulating layer to prevent a pirate from using an electron microscope, for example, to survey the active component region.

Claims

1. An anti-tamper apparatus for protecting an active component of an integrated circuit (IC) from probing, said apparatus comprising:

a wire for carrying an electric signal used by said active component to function;

wherein;

said wire extends, at least in part, over said active component to hinder access thereto from probing when said active component is functioning.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said wire extends between first and second terminuses; and

said first terminus is external to said active component and said second terminus is internal to said active component.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said wire extends between first and second terminuses; and

said first and second terminuses are both external to said active component.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said wire extends between first and second terminuses; and

said first and second terminuses are both internal to said active component.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said wire forms a grid pattern.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said wire is carried, at least in part, within a protective layer of said IC.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a metallic shield layer which shields at least a portion of said active circuit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said IC is embedded in a smart card; and

said wire is adapted to rupture when said IC is removed from said smart card.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said active component comprises a micro-electronic processor.

9. An anti-tamper apparatus for protecting an active component of an integrated circuit (IC) from probing, said apparatus comprising:

a conductive epoxy member for carrying an electric signal used by said active component to function;

wherein;

said conductive epoxy member extends, at least in part, over said active component to hinder access thereto from probing when said active component is functioning.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said conductive epoxy member is printed, at least in part, on said active component.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said IC is embedded in a smart card; and

said conductive epoxy member is adapted to rupture when said IC is removed from said smart card.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said conductive epoxy member extends between first and second terminuses; and

said first terminus is external to said active component and said second terminus is internal to said active component.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said conductive epoxy member extends between first and second terminuses; and

said first and second terminuses are both external to said active component.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said conductive epoxy member extends between first and second terminuses; and

said first and second terminuses are both internal to said active component.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said conductive epoxy member is carried, at least in part, within a protective layer of said IC.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a metallic shield layer which shields at least a portion of said active circuit.

20. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said active component comprises a micro-electronic processor.

21. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said conductive epoxy member is printed directly on a surface of the active component as a thin epoxy trace.

17. An anti-tamper apparatus for protecting an active component of an integrated circuit (IC) from probing, said apparatus comprising:

a wire structure which extends, at least in part, over said active component to hinder access thereto.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

said wire structure forms a grid pattern.