Robust and compact key generator using physically unclonable function based on logic-transistor-compatible poly-crystalline-Si channel FinFET technology

Abstract

This paper presents a robust and compact SRAM physically-unclonable-function (PUF) cell using a polycrystalline-Si channel (poly-Si) FinFET, for the first time. Its process is identical to that of a crystalline-Si FinFET except channel material. A systematic comparison between poly- and crystalline-Si FinFET PUF cells, reveals that the poly-Si cell improves the intra-PUF hamming distance to 1/3.4 of that of the crystalline-Si cell and 15k logic-transistors for stabilizing PUF reproducibility are reduced with keeping the same stability. For this analysis, a newly defined noise margin for SRAM PUFs, which is different from the SRAM static noise margin, is introduced.