Semiconductor Device Having Features to Prevent Reverse Engineering

Abstract

It is desirable to design and manufacture electronic chips that are resistant to modern reverse engineering techniques. Disclosed is a method and device that allows for the design of chips that are difficult to reverse engineer using modern teardown techniques. The disclosed device uses devices having the same geometry but different voltage levels to create different logic devices. Alternatively, the disclosed uses devices having different geometries and the same operating characteristics. Also disclosed is a method of designing a chip using these devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic element comprising:
 a first device having a first geometry and a first characteristic;   a second device having a second geometry and a second characteristic, wherein the first geometry and the second geometry are the same and the second characteristic is different than the first characteristic; and   an output, wherein a level of the output is dependent upon a difference in the first characteristic and the second characteristic, wherein the difference is determined by a difference in doping levels of the first device and the second device.