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DARPA Technology Could Uncover Counterfeit Microchips

Posted by samzenpus on from the go-ahead-and-scan dept.

coondoggie writes The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency said this week one of its contractors, working on one of the agency's anti-counterfeit projects has developed and deployed what it calls an Advanced Scanning Optical Microscope that can scan integrated circuits by using an extremely narrow infrared laser beam, to probe microelectronic circuits at nanometer levels, revealing information about chip construction as well as the function of circuits at the transistor level.

2 of 35 comments (clear)

  1. This tool needs to hit the market asap. by Grog6 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I have had numerous problems with counterfeit transistors and Zener diodes.

    How can you profitably screen thousands of rectifier diodes for their zener point, then grind off the original markings, and mold on new partnumbers??

    At $0.003 each?

    At least the transistors failed spectacularly. :)

    --
    Truth isn't Truth - Guliani
  2. Counterfeiting? Or...? by blackiner · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am no engineer or scientist, but are these precise enough to be used to extract hw encryption keys? Because if so, I think I can guess the real purpose for developing these.