Patents by Inventor Dirk Pfeiffer

Dirk Pfeiffer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9506983
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a circuit identification number include determining a propagation time delay across a scan chain of known length; comparing the propagation time delay to a threshold associated with the scan chain length; storing an identifier bit based on the result of the comparison; repeating the steps of determining, comparing, and storing until a number of stored identifier bits reaches a threshold number; and outputting the stored identifier bits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Franco Motika, Dirk Pfeiffer, Peilin Song
  • Patent number: 9493025
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a security device, in particular, a multilayered security device. The multilayered security device includes a substrate layer having a first substrate. The substrate layer attaches to the product. The multilayered security device also includes a graphene layer. The graphene layer has a first continuous graphene sheet that is made of a monolayer of covalently-bonded carbon atoms. The graphene layer also forms, in response to exposure to a verification stimulus, a contrasting pattern with respect to an exposed substrate area from the substrate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Damon B. Farmer, Dirk Pfeiffer, Joshua T. Smith
  • Publication number: 20160325580
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a security device, in particular, a multilayered security device. The multilayered security device includes a substrate layer having a first substrate. The substrate layer attaches to the product. The multilayered security device also includes a graphene layer. The graphene layer has a first continuous graphene sheet that is made of a monolayer of covalently-bonded carbon atoms. The graphene layer also forms, in response to exposure to a verification stimulus, a contrasting pattern with respect to an exposed substrate area from the substrate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Damon B. Farmer, Dirk Pfeiffer, Joshua T. Smith
  • Patent number: 9472402
    Abstract: Increased protection of areas of a chip are provided by both a mask structure of increased robustness in regard to semiconductor manufacturing processes or which can be removed with increased selectivity and controllability in regard to underlying materials, or both. Mask structures are provided which exhibit an interface of a chemical reaction, grain or material type which can be exploited to enhance either or both types of protection. Structures of such masks include TERA material which can be converted or hydrated and selectively etched using a mixture of hydrogen fluoride and a hygroscopic acid or organic solvent, and two layer structures of similar or dissimilar materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Deok-kee Kim, Kenneth T. Settlemyer, Jr., Kangguo Cheng, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Carl J. Radens, Dirk Pfeiffer, Timothy J. Dalton, Katherina E. Babich, Arpan P. Mohorowala, Harald Okorn-Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9472450
    Abstract: Interconnect structures including a graphene cap located on exposed surfaces of a copper structure are provided. In some embodiments, the graphene cap is located only atop the uppermost surface of the copper structure, while in other embodiments the graphene cap is located along vertical sidewalls and atop the uppermost surface of the copper structure. The copper structure is located within a dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Griselda Bonilla, Christos D. Dimitrakopoulos, Alfred Grill, James B. Hannon, Qinghuang Lin, Deborah A. Neumayer, Satoshi Oida, John A. Ott, Dirk Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 9448277
    Abstract: Systems for reliability testing include a picometer configured to measure a leakage current across a device under test (DUT); a camera configured to measure optical emissions from the DUT based on a timing of the measurement of the leakage current; and a test system configured to apply a stress voltage to the DUT and to correlate the leakage current with the optical emissions using a processor to determine a time and location of a defect occurrence within the DUT by locating instances of increased noise in the leakage current that correspond in time with instances of increased optical emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jifeng Chen, Dirk Pfeiffer, Thomas M. Shaw, Peilin Song, Franco Stellari
  • Publication number: 20160207345
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a security device, in particular, a multilayered security device. The multilayered security device includes a substrate layer having a first substrate. The substrate layer attaches to the product. The multilayered security device also includes a graphene layer. The graphene layer has a first continuous graphene sheet that is made of a monolayer of covalently-bonded carbon atoms. The graphene layer also forms, in response to exposure to a verification stimulus, a contrasting pattern with respect to an exposed substrate area from the substrate layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Damon B. Farmer, Dirk Pfeiffer, Joshua T. Smith
  • Patent number: 9394178
    Abstract: A method for transfer of a two-dimensional material includes forming a spreading layer of a two-dimensional material on a substrate, the spreading layer having a monolayer. A stressor layer is formed on the spreading layer, and the stressor layer is configured to apply stress to a closest monolayer of the spreading layer. The closest monolayer is exfoliated by mechanically splitting the spreading layer wherein the closest monolayer remains on the stressor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen W. Bedell, Christos D. Dimitrakopoulos, Keith E. Fogel, James B. Hannon, Jeehwan Kim, Hongsik Park, Dirk Pfeiffer, Devendra K. Sadana
  • Publication number: 20160191255
    Abstract: Techniques for use of carbon nanotubes as an anti-tampering feature and for use of randomly metallic or semiconducting carbon nanotubes in the generation of a physically unclonable cryptographic key generation are provided. In one aspect, a cryptographic key having an anti-tampering feature is provided which includes: an array of memory bits oriented along at least one bit line and at least one word line, wherein each of the memory bits comprises a memory cell, wherein the cryptographic key is stored in the memory cell, and wherein the memory cell is connected to the at least one bit line; and a metallic carbon nanotube interconnect which connects the memory cell to the at least one word line. A cryptographic key and method for processing the cryptographic key are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Wilfried Haensch, Shu-Jen Han, Keith A. Jenkins, Dirk Pfeiffer
  • Patent number: 9337837
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices related to authentication of chips using physical unclonable functions (PUFs) are disclosed. In preferred systems, differentials of PUFs are employed to minimize sensitivity to temperature variations as well as other factors that affect the reliability of PUF states. In particular, a PUF system can include PUF elements arranged in series and in parallel with respect to each other to facilitate the measurement of the differentials and generation of a resulting bit sequence for purposes of authenticating the chip. Other embodiments are directed to determining and filtering reliable and unreliable states that can be employed to authenticate a chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Dirk Pfeiffer, Jean-Olivier Plouchart, Peilin Song
  • Patent number: 9236298
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an interlevel dielectric layer formed over a substrate and has a first set of openings and a second set of openings formed through the interlevel dielectric layer. The substrate includes conductive areas. A conductive contact structure is formed in the first set of openings in the interlevel dielectric layer to make electrical contact with the conductive areas of the substrate. A functional component is formed in the second set of openings in the interlevel dielectric layer and occupies a same level as the conductive contact structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Qinghuang Lin, Dirk Pfeiffer
  • Publication number: 20150336800
    Abstract: A method for transfer of a two-dimensional material includes forming a spreading layer of a two-dimensional material on a substrate, the spreading layer having a monolayer. A stressor layer is formed on the spreading layer, and the stressor layer is configured to apply stress to a closest monolayer of the spreading layer. The closest monolayer is exfoliated by mechanically splitting the spreading layer wherein the closest monolayer remains on the stressor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: STEPHEN W. BEDELL, CHRISTOS D. DIMITRAKOPOULOS, KEITH E. FOGEL, JAMES B. HANNON, JEEHWAN KIM, HONGSIK PARK, DIRK PFEIFFER, DEVENDRA K. SADANA
  • Patent number: 9184751
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices related to authentication of chips using physical physical unclonable functions (PUFs) are disclosed. In accordance one such method, a test voltage is applied to a PUF system including a first subset of PUF elements that are arranged in series and a second subset of PUF elements that are arranged in series, where the first subset of PUF elements is arranged in parallel with respect to the second subset of PUF elements. In addition, the PUF system is measured to obtain at least one differential of states between the first subset of PUF elements and the second subset of PUF elements. Further, the method includes outputting an authentication sequence for the circuit that is based on the one or more differentials of states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Dirk Pfeiffer, Jean-Olivier Plouchart, Peilin Song
  • Publication number: 20150270219
    Abstract: An interconnect structure includes a patterned and cured dielectric layer located directly on a surface of a patterned permanent antireflective coating. The patterned and cured dielectric layer and the permanent antireflective coating form shaped openings. The shaped openings include an inverse profile which narrows towards a top of the shaped openings. A conductive structure fills the shaped openings wherein the patterned and cured dielectric layer and the permanent antireflective coating each have a conductively filled region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: ROBERT L. BRUCE, QINGHUANG LIN, ALSHAKIM NELSON, SATYANARAYANA V. NITTA, DIRK PFEIFFER, JITENDRA S. RATHORE
  • Publication number: 20150255337
    Abstract: An electronic device includes an interlevel dielectric layer formed over a substrate and has a first set of openings and a second set of openings formed through the interlevel dielectric layer. The substrate includes conductive areas. A conductive contact structure is formed in the first set of openings in the interlevel dielectric layer to make electrical contact with the conductive areas of the substrate. A functional component is formed in the second set of openings in the interlevel dielectric layer and occupies a same level as the conductive contact structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: QINGHUANG LIN, DIRK PFEIFFER
  • Publication number: 20150236693
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices related to authentication of chips using physical unclonable functions (PUFs) are disclosed. In preferred systems, differentials of PUFs are employed to minimize sensitivity to temperature variations as well as other factors that affect the reliability of PUF states. In particular, a PUF system can include PUF elements arranged in series and in parallel with respect to each other to facilitate the measurement of the differentials and generation of a resulting bit sequence for purposes of authenticating the chip. Other embodiments are directed to determining and filtering reliable and unreliable states that can be employed to authenticate a chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: DIRK PFEIFFER, JEAN-OLIVIER PLOUCHART, PEILIN SONG
  • Publication number: 20150219718
    Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a circuit identification number include determining a propagation time delay across a scan chain of known length; comparing the propagation time delay to a threshold associated with the scan chain length; storing an identifier bit based on the result of the comparison; repeating the steps of determining, comparing, and storing until a number of stored identifier bits reaches a threshold number; and outputting the stored identifier bits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: FRANCO MOTIKA, DIRK PFEIFFER, PEILIN SONG
  • Patent number: 9096050
    Abstract: A method for transfer of a two-dimensional material includes forming a spreading layer of a two-dimensional material on a substrate, the spreading layer having a monolayer. A stressor layer is formed on the spreading layer, and the stressor layer is configured to apply stress to a closest monolayer of the spreading layer. The closest monolayer is exfoliated by mechanically splitting the spreading layer wherein the closest monolayer remains on the stressor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen W. Bedell, Christos D. Dimitrakopoulos, Keith E. Fogel, James B. Hannon, Jeehwan Kim, Hongsik Park, Dirk Pfeiffer, Devendra K. Sadana
  • Patent number: 9088278
    Abstract: Methods, systems and devices related to authentication of chips using physical physical unclonable functions (PUFs) are disclosed. In preferred systems, differentials of PUFs are employed to minimize sensitivity to temperature variations as well as other factors that affect the reliability of PUF states. In particular, a PUF system can include PUF elements arranged in series and in parallel with respect to each other to facilitate the measurement of the differentials and generation of a resulting bit sequence for purposes of authenticating the chip. Other embodiments are directed to determining and filtering reliable and unreliable states that can be employed to authenticate a chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dirk Pfeiffer, Jean-Olivier Plouchart, Peilin Song
  • Patent number: 9075106
    Abstract: An emission map of a circuit to be tested for alterations is obtained by measuring the physical circuit to be tested. An emission map of a reference circuit is obtained by measuring a physical reference circuit or by simulating the emissions expected from the reference circuit. The emission map of the circuit to be tested is compared with the emission map of the reference circuit, to determine presence of alterations in the circuit to be tested, as compared to the reference circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kerry Bernstein, James Culp, David F. Heidel, Dirk Pfeiffer, Anthony D. Polson, Peilin Song, Franco Stellari, Robert L. Wisnieff