Sensing semiconductor devices with terahertz waves

Project Summary

This project is founded upon The University of Adelaide’s (UoA)unique synergy between side-channel attacks and terahertz technology. It presents opportunities in dual use of security and non-contact circuit evaluation, highly attractive to our defence partner, DSTG, and UoA’s commercial partner, Keysight.

UoA’s earlier unfunded trials with a generic terahertz system showed promising results on discrete transistors. This project will focus on a proof of concept in actual scenarios with those semiconductor devices operating at their GHz clock speeds. A novel terahertz system will be purposely built from off-the-shelf components.

The project is highly challenging with a high return. As a continuation, UoA will rely on three experienced PhD students to explore this concept with their complementary capabilities.