Self-destructing chip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9842812-B2
Application number	US-201514660726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2015
Priority date	Mar 24, 2014
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments herein provide for a self-destructing chip including at least a first die and a second die. The first die includes an electronic circuit, and the second die is composed of one or more polymers that disintegrates at a first temperature. The second die defines a plurality of chambers, wherein a first subset of the chambers contain a material that reacts with oxygen in an exothermic manner. A second subset of the chambers contain an etchant to etch materials of the first die. In response to a trigger event, the electronic circuit is configured to expose the material in the first subset of chambers to oxygen in order to heat the second die to at least the first temperature, and is configured to release the etchant from the second subset of the chambers to etch the first die.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A self-destructing chip comprising:
a first die including an electronic circuit;
a second die composed of one or more polymers that disintegrate at a first temperature, the second die defining a plurality of chambers, wherein a first subset of the chambers contain a material that reacts with oxygen in an exothermic manner, wherein a second subset of the chambers contain an etchant to etch materials of the first die;
wherein each of the first subset of the chambers comprises a valve, covering an opening of each of the first subset of chambers, where said valve is electrically coupled to the electronic circuit; and
wherein in response to a trigger event, the electronic circuit is configured to generate a voltage and cause current to pass through, and open, valves to:
expose the material in the first subset of chambers to oxygen in order to heat the second die to at least the first temperature; and
release the etchant from the second subset of the chambers to etch the first die.

2. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , wherein each valve is an oxygen and humidity barrier sheet (OHBS), where the OHBS opens by at least one of delaminating and cracking.

3. The self-destructing chip of claim 2 , wherein each OHBS is laminated to a silicon nitride layer that defines an opening to the respective chamber.

4. The self-destructing chip of claim 2 , wherein each OBHS is composed of graphene.

5. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , wherein the trigger event is an end of a period of time, wherein the electronic circuit is configured to couple the voltage to the second die at the end of a period of time.

6. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , wherein the trigger event includes a command to self-destruct the chip, wherein the electronic circuit comprises a wireless transceiver configured to receive a wireless signal including the command, wherein in response to the command the electronic circuit couples the voltage to the second die.

7. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , wherein the first die is mounted to the second die, wherein the self-destructing chip comprises:
a third die disposed adjacent the side of the first die that is reverse of the second die such that the first die is disposed between the second die and the third die, wherein the third die is composed of one or more polymers that disintegrate at the first temperature, the third die defining a second plurality of chambers, wherein at least a subset of the second plurality of chambers contain a material that reacts with oxygen in an exothermic manner,
wherein each of the subset of the second plurality of chambers comprises the valve, covering an opening of each of the first subset of chambers, where said valve is electrically coupled to the electronic circuit; and
wherein in response to a trigger event, the electronic circuit is configured to generate a voltage and cause current to pass through, and open, valves to expose the material in the at least the subset of the second plurality of chambers to oxygen in order to heat the third die to at least the first temperature.

8. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , wherein the second die comprises an acoustic sensor thereon that is composed of graphene.

9. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , wherein the second die comprises an antenna on the one or more polymers, wherein the trigger event is a command in a signal received at the antenna.

10. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , comprising:
a fuel cell coupled to the electronic circuit, the fuel cell having a container composed of one or more polymers that disintegrate at the first temperature.

11. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , wherein the etchant is xenon di-fluoride, wherein the xenon di-fluoride is configured to etch a silicon substrate of the first die to disintegrate the first die.

12. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , wherein exposing the material in the first subset of chambers to oxygen includes exposing the material to air.

13. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , wherein the one or more polymers that disintegrate at the first temperature is configured to degrade within 1 month by ultraviolet light in sunlight.

14. The self-destructing chip of claim 1 , wherein the first die includes an electronic circuit on a handle composed of one or more polymers that disintegrate at the first temperature, wherein the electronic circuit includes a silicon on insulator substrate, and the one or more polymers in the handle have a hydrofluoric acid precursor integrated therein, such that as the handle disintegrates, the hydrofluoric acid precursor combines with hydrogen to create hydrogen fluoride to etch silicon dioxide of the silicon on insulator substrate.

15. A self-destructing chip comprising:
a first die including an electronic circuit on a handle composed of one or more polymers that disintegrate at a first temperature, the electronic circuit including a wireless transceiver, wherein the electronic circuit includes a silicon on insulator substrate having a silicon bulk substantially removed, and the one or more polymers in the handle have a hydrofluoric acid precursor integrated therein, such that as the handle disintegrates, the hydrofluoric acid precursor combines with hydrogen to create hydrogen fluoride to etch silicon dioxide and metals of the electronic circuit;
a power source coupled to the first die and configured to provide operating power for the electronic circuit;
at least one sensor coupled to the electronic circuit;
a second die composed of one or more polymers that disintegrate at a first temperature, the second die defining a plurality of chambers, wherein a first subset of the chambers contain a material that reacts with oxygen in an exothermic manner, wherein a second subset of the chambers contain an etchant to etch materials of the first die,
wherein each of the plurality of chambers has a graphene sheet covering an opening of the respective chamber, the graphene sheet coupled between two electrodes, such that the plurality of chambers can be opened by passing current through the graphene sheet between the two electrodes causing the graphene sheet to delaminate or crack,
wherein the electronic circuit is configured to:
obtain information from the at least one sensor;
transmit a first signal using the wireless transceiver, the first signal including the information from the at least one sensor;
receive a second signal using the wireless transceiver, the second signal including a command to self-destruct the chip,
in response to the command, couple a voltage to the electrodes of the plurality of chambers causing the graphene sheets to delaminate or crack, exposing the material in the first subset of chambers to oxygen in order to heat the second die to at least the first temperature, and releasing the etchant from the second subset of the chambers to etch the first die.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc
• Univ Cornell

Inventors

• Tin Steven
• Kriz Jeffrey James
• Eickhoff Steven J
• Ridley Jeff A
• Lal Amit
• Ober Christopher
• Ardanuc Serhan
• Gund Ved
• Ruyack Alex
• Camera Katherine

Classifications

• H10P50/642

  Chemical etching · CPC title

• H10P50/287

  by chemical means · CPC title

• H10P34/42

  with electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser annealing (laser cutting H10P54/20) · CPC title

• H10P14/683

  carbon-based polymeric organic materials, e.g. polyimides, poly cyclobutene or PVC · CPC title

• H10W44/248

  for antennas · CPC title