A Peak Detect & Hold circuit to measure and exploit RTN in a 65-nm CMOS PUF

Abstract

A Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) that uses the Random Telegraph Noise (RTN) effect has been recently proposed. This PUF requires an analog sensing component whose design becomes critical to properly process the underlying entropy and thus provide a response to a given challenge. This analog sensing component needs to keep track of the RTN fluctuations through the detection and acquisition of the maximum and minimum excursions of a signal of interest that contains all the RTN information in a transistor. This paper describes the Peak Detect and Hold circuit that carries out that tracking, which has been designed with accuracy, reliability and fast dynamic response in mind. The proposed implementation has been designed in a 65-nm CMOS technology with a supply voltage of 1.2 V.