High-Voltage-Discharge Self-Destruct Mechanisms

This proposal presents a plan for developing and perfecting new high-voltage technology capable of permanently destroying the functionality, the residual data remanence, and internal structure of semiconductor memory, semiconductor processors, and many other micro-devices that may contain secured information that must be protected from unauthorized tampering. The envisioned technology can be implemented on the semiconductor die, IC chip, pc-board, or device platform level equally effectively with components specifically customized for this technology or retrofitted at a later stage in their incorporation into secure systems. The proposed effort will: conduct basic R&D to perfect and optimize the technology; pursue advanced fabrication development to increase the capabilities of the technology and make the technology amenable to large scale production; and produce advanced prototypes to test and demonstrate the technology in real anti-tamper system applications.