A Novel Physical Unclonable Function Based on Silver Nanowire Networks

Abstract

AbstractAs digital security demands continue to rise, physical unclonable functions (PUFs) have emerged as a potential solution for providing unique identifiers and cryptographic keys. However, conventional memory‐based PUFs have limited encoding capacity, which can compromise their security. Herein, an Ag nanowire‐based PUF that offers a high encoding capacity is introduced. The prototype PUF leverages the intrinsic topology of the nanowire network for encoding, which enables to achieve encoding capacities that are on the order of nn−2. The encoding method for a 4‐node PUF is validated and its encoding capacity distribution at binary and ternary bit levels is assessed. The ternary bit encoding method allows for more detailed differentiation of the internal topological connection structure of the PUF, resulting in a larger encoding capacity. Additionally, an authentication system that is proposed. For a 7 × 7 array PUF, the estimated decryption time is ≈1.5*1058 years, demonstrating the PUF's resistance to attacks. The Ag nanowire‐based PUF design offers a promising approach to enhancing authentication system security and overcoming limitations of existing PUFs. Further exploration of this innovative PUF technology in the realm of hardware security can have significant implications for digital security in modern devices.