Breach sensor

• US 9,891,183 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2015
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Original Assignee: NXP B.V. (NXP Semiconductors NV)
• Inventors: Daamen, Roel, Nguyen, Viet Hoang, Nenadovic, Nebojsa, Bancken, Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woodward, Nathaniel T
• Application Number:
  US14/793,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20170010232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 73 2901, 380 4, 257 71, 365 53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8854 Grading and classifying of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8851 Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/223 for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity rain detectors on vehicle windows B60S1/0825
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/24 Investigating the presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/87 by means of encapsulation, e.g. for integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/57 Protection from inspection, reverse engineering or tampering
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/576 using active circuits
• 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 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• 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 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

One example discloses a breach sensor, comprising: a substrate including an integrated circuit; a passivation layer coupled to the substrate; a breach sensing element coupled to the circuit; wherein the breach sensing element is on a first side of the passivation layer and the substrate is on a second side of the passivation layer; a barrier configured to separate the breach sensing element from an ambient environment; wherein the breach sensing element is responsive to barrier damage.

Claims

1. A breach sensor, comprising:

a substrate including an integrated circuit;

a breach sensing element coupled to the circuit;

wherein the breach sensing element includes a light sensing element; and

a barrier configured to separate the breach sensing element from an ambient environment;

wherein the light sensing element is configured to capture light from the ambient environment admitted into the breach sensor in response to barrier damage;

wherein the light sensing element is configured to generate power in response to the barrier damage; and

wherein the integrated circuit is configured to operate on the power generated by the light sensing element.

2. The breach sensor of claim 1:

wherein the breach sensing element includes a humidity sensing element configured to detect a humidity level change in response to barrier damage.

3. The breach sensor of claim 2:

wherein the humidity sensing element is pre-calibrated with a first humidity level;

further comprising a second humidity sensing element pre-calibrated with a second humidity level, different from the first humidity level; and

wherein the first and second humidity sensing elements are separated by a second barrier.

4. The breach sensor of claim 2:

wherein the humidity sensor includes at least one of;

a capacitive sensing structure or a polyimide.

5. The breach sensor of claim 2:

wherein the humidity sensing element position is offset laterally from the light sensing element.

6. The breach sensor of claim 5:

wherein the breach sensor is configured such that barrier damage directly above the humidity sensing element is not detected by the light sensing element, and barrier damage directly above the light sensing element is detected by the humidity sensing element.

7. The breach sensor of claim 1:

wherein the barrier is directly bonded to the breach sensing element.

8. The breach sensor of claim 1:

wherein the barrier includes at least one of;

a encapsulation material, a cover, a wrapper, a glue, or a seal.

9. The breach sensor of claim 1:

wherein the barrier damage includes at least one of;

a focused ion beam hole, a de-capping, a shear, a tear, an etch, or a physical attack.

10. The breach sensor of claim 1:

wherein the light sensing element includes an avalanche photodiode.

11. The breach sensor of claim 1:

wherein the circuit, in response to the barrier damage, is configured to at least one of;

damage the circuit, erase a memory, transmit an alert, enter a decoy mode, or blow a fuse.

12. The breach sensor of claim 1:

further comprising an antenna coupled to the circuit and configured to transmit a breach signal in response to barrier damage.

13. The breach sensor of claim 1:

further comprising a second breach sensing element, proximate to the first breach sensing element; and

wherein the two breach sensing elements are separated by a second barrier configured to separate the second breach sensing element from the first breach sensing element.

14. The breach sensor of claim 13:

wherein the two breach sensors are at least one of;

stacked or side-by-side.

15. The breach sensor of claim 1:

further comprising a passivation layer coupled to the substrate;

wherein the breach sensing element is on a first side of the passivation layer and the substrate is on a second side of the passivation layer.

16. An article of manufacture including at least one non-transitory, tangible machine readable storage medium containing executable machine instructions for breach sensing, comprising:

wherein the article includes,

a substrate including an integrated circuit;

a breach sensing element coupled to the circuit;

wherein the breach sensing element includes a light sensing element;

a barrier configured to separate the breach sensing element from an ambient environment; and

wherein the instructions include,

monitoring an output signal of the breach sensing element;

detecting a change in the output signal in response to barrier damage;

capturing light from the ambient environment, admitted into the breach sensor in response to barrier damage, with the light sensing element;

generating power in response to the barrier damage, with the light sensing element; and

operating the integrated circuit on the power generated by the light sensing element.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein the monitoring instruction includes:

monitoring at least one of a humidity level change or a photo current change in response to barrier damage.

18. The article of claim 16, wherein in response to the barrier damage the instructions include at least one of:

damaging the circuit;

erasing a memory;

transmitting an alert;

placing the circuit into a decoy mode;

or

blowing a fuse.

19. The article of claim 16, wherein the instructions include:

distinguishing barrier damage due to at least one of;

a focused ion beam hole, a de-capping, a shear, a tear, an etch, or a physical attack.