Study of front-side approach to retrieve stored data in non-volatile memory devices using scanning capacitance microscopy

J. Y. Tay; J. Cheah; Q. Liu; C. L. Gan

doi:10.1109/IPFA47161.2019.8984802

Study of front-side approach to retrieve stored data in non-volatile memory devices using scanning capacitance microscopy

J. Y. Tay, J. Cheah, Q. Liu, C. L. Gan

Nanyang Technological University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

8 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Data are stored as electrical charges in floating gates of the transistors in Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) devices. Reading back this stored data will help in understanding how memory is organized which is important in the digital forensics field. Sample preparation from back-side approach had been attempted and scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) can be used to probe the charges stored in the floating gate transistors directly. However, it is challenging to attain a uniform surface across the memory device using mechanical polishing and also difficult to read back the full data. In this paper, front-side sample preparation will be discussed for data retrieval with SCM probing method. The application has been demonstrated on 8-bit microcontroller with 16 KB ISP flash memory and 512 bytes EEPROM.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	26th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2019
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)	9781728135526
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/IPFA47161.2019.8984802
Publication status	Published - Jul 2019
Externally published	Yes
Event	26th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2019 - Hangzhou, China Duration: Jul 2 2019 → Jul 5 2019

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA

Conference

Conference	26th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2019
Country/Territory	China
City	Hangzhou
Period	7/2/19 → 7/5/19

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 IEEE.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Keywords

Data retrieval
Front-side sample preparation
Non-Volatile Memory
Scanning capacitance microscopy

Access to Document

10.1109/IPFA47161.2019.8984802

Cite this

Tay, J. Y., Cheah, J., Liu, Q., & Gan, C. L. (2019). Study of front-side approach to retrieve stored data in non-volatile memory devices using scanning capacitance microscopy. In 26th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2019 Article 8984802 (Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/IPFA47161.2019.8984802

Tay, J. Y. ; Cheah, J. ; Liu, Q. et al. / Study of front-side approach to retrieve stored data in non-volatile memory devices using scanning capacitance microscopy. 26th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2019. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2019. (Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA).

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title = "Study of front-side approach to retrieve stored data in non-volatile memory devices using scanning capacitance microscopy",

abstract = "Data are stored as electrical charges in floating gates of the transistors in Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) devices. Reading back this stored data will help in understanding how memory is organized which is important in the digital forensics field. Sample preparation from back-side approach had been attempted and scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) can be used to probe the charges stored in the floating gate transistors directly. However, it is challenging to attain a uniform surface across the memory device using mechanical polishing and also difficult to read back the full data. In this paper, front-side sample preparation will be discussed for data retrieval with SCM probing method. The application has been demonstrated on 8-bit microcontroller with 16 KB ISP flash memory and 512 bytes EEPROM.",

keywords = "Data retrieval, Front-side sample preparation, Non-Volatile Memory, Scanning capacitance microscopy",

author = "Tay, {J. Y.} and J. Cheah and Q. Liu and Gan, {C. L.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 IEEE.; 26th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2019 ; Conference date: 02-07-2019 Through 05-07-2019",

year = "2019",

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doi = "10.1109/IPFA47161.2019.8984802",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA",

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Tay, JY, Cheah, J, Liu, Q & Gan, CL 2019, Study of front-side approach to retrieve stored data in non-volatile memory devices using scanning capacitance microscopy. in 26th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2019., 8984802, Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 26th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2019, Hangzhou, China, 7/2/19. https://doi.org/10.1109/IPFA47161.2019.8984802

Study of front-side approach to retrieve stored data in non-volatile memory devices using scanning capacitance microscopy. / Tay, J. Y.; Cheah, J.; Liu, Q. et al.
26th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2019. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2019. 8984802 (Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Study of front-side approach to retrieve stored data in non-volatile memory devices using scanning capacitance microscopy

AU - Tay, J. Y.

AU - Cheah, J.

AU - Liu, Q.

AU - Gan, C. L.

PY - 2019/7

Y1 - 2019/7

N2 - Data are stored as electrical charges in floating gates of the transistors in Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) devices. Reading back this stored data will help in understanding how memory is organized which is important in the digital forensics field. Sample preparation from back-side approach had been attempted and scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) can be used to probe the charges stored in the floating gate transistors directly. However, it is challenging to attain a uniform surface across the memory device using mechanical polishing and also difficult to read back the full data. In this paper, front-side sample preparation will be discussed for data retrieval with SCM probing method. The application has been demonstrated on 8-bit microcontroller with 16 KB ISP flash memory and 512 bytes EEPROM.

AB - Data are stored as electrical charges in floating gates of the transistors in Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) devices. Reading back this stored data will help in understanding how memory is organized which is important in the digital forensics field. Sample preparation from back-side approach had been attempted and scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) can be used to probe the charges stored in the floating gate transistors directly. However, it is challenging to attain a uniform surface across the memory device using mechanical polishing and also difficult to read back the full data. In this paper, front-side sample preparation will be discussed for data retrieval with SCM probing method. The application has been demonstrated on 8-bit microcontroller with 16 KB ISP flash memory and 512 bytes EEPROM.

KW - Data retrieval

KW - Front-side sample preparation

KW - Non-Volatile Memory

KW - Scanning capacitance microscopy

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Tay JY, Cheah J, Liu Q, Gan CL. Study of front-side approach to retrieve stored data in non-volatile memory devices using scanning capacitance microscopy. In 26th International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA 2019. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2019. 8984802. (Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, IPFA). doi: 10.1109/IPFA47161.2019.8984802

Study of front-side approach to retrieve stored data in non-volatile memory devices using scanning capacitance microscopy

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

Access to Document

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