Chip-processing method could assist cryptography schemes to keep data secure

2026-02-20 · Source: MIT News - Data · Field: Technology & Digital — Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, Emerging Technologies & Innovation, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning · Depth: Advanced, medium

Summary

MIT engineers have developed a novel chip-processing method that enables two CMOS chips to share an identical, unique "fingerprint" for direct authentication, eliminating the need for third-party server storage of secret keys. Published on February 20, 2026, this technique leverages microscopic, unavoidable manufacturing variations that create a physical unclonable function (PUF) in each chip. By splitting a specially designed chip during fabrication, each half receives a correlated breakdown state in paired transistors, resulting in a shared PUF. This low-cost method is compatible with standard CMOS foundry processes and achieves over 98 percent reliability in matching the generated PUF key. It offers enhanced privacy and energy efficiency, particularly for power-constrained electronic systems like ingestible medical sensors and their paired wearable patches.

Key takeaway

For CTOs evaluating secure hardware design for edge devices, this twin-paired PUF approach offers a compelling solution. By enabling direct chip-to-chip authentication without external key storage, your systems can achieve higher security and energy efficiency. Consider integrating this CMOS-compatible fabrication method into future product development, especially for non-interchangeable device pairs requiring robust, low-overhead security.

Key insights

A new chip fabrication method creates twin physical unclonable functions (PUFs) for direct, secure device authentication.

Principles

• Manufacturing variations create unique chip identifiers.
• Shared randomness can enable direct device authentication.

Method

The method involves fabricating two pairs of transistors along the edge of two chips, connecting them with metal layers, and inducing gate oxide breakdown with an LED to create correlated breakdown states before dicing the chips.

In practice

• Secure communication for medical sensors.
• Authentication in power-constrained edge devices.

Topics

• Physical Unclonable Functions
• Chip Authentication
• Hardware Security
• CMOS Fabrication
• Cryptographic Schemes

Best for: CTO, Research Scientist, AI Engineer, Security Engineer

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by MIT News - Data.