Analysis of Random Discrete Dopants Embedded Nanowire Resonant Tunnelling Diodes for Generation of Physically Unclonable Functions

Abstract

In this work, we have performed quantum mechanical simulations of current flow in double-barrier III-V (GaAs/AlGaAs) nanowire resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs). Our simulations are based on the non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) quantum transport formalism implemented within our in-house simulator called NESS (Nano-Electronics Simulation Software). The NEGF formalism allows us to capture the detailed physical picture of quantum mechanical effects such as electrostatic quantum confinement, resonant tunneling of electrons through barriers in such structures and negative differential resistance. Also, by using NESS capabilities, we have simulated RTDs with Random Discrete Dopants (RDDs) as a source of statistical variability in the device. Our work shows that there is a direct correlation between the positions and the numbers of RDDs and main device output characteristics such as resonant-peak voltage and current (V $_\text{r}$ and I $_\text{r}$ ) variations. Such V $_\text{r}$ and I $_\text{r}$ variability in RTDs is shown to be independent and yet also correlated. Hence, both parameters can be used together to encode information. This provides the opportunity and possibility for using a single or multiple RTDs as Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs).