Electronic Circuit Anti-Tamper Conformal Coating

GVD and its partners propose to develop an active anti-tamper conformal coating based on GVD"s proprietary polymer thin film vapor deposition technology. There is an immediate need to for improved anti-tamper (AT) technologies to protect critical program information (CPI) found in the software of weapon systems used by the US Military and its allies. Current state-of-the-art AT coatings applied to circuit boards containing CPI do not protect from electrical probing attacks and do not offer adequate heat dissipation of a board"s powered electronics. GVD offers polymer coatings that are grown directly on the surface of a circuit board from the vapor phase at low temperature without use of solvents and without the need for post-deposition drying or curing. Because GVD coatings are ultra-thin (typical thickness range is from 50nm to 5µm) they do not significantly inhibit heat dissipation from electronics. GVD will use its process to design a coating architecture that meets all requirements by combining coatings of various functionalities. In Phase I, we will demonstrate material properties needed to achieve the targeted anti-tamper functionality. This will include the ability to counter both direct probing measures as well as non-invasive attacks. We will also demonstrate the feasibility of GVD"s AT concept through analytical modeling and materials testing. Finally, we will develop a plan for risk reduction for further development, prototyping, and scale-up to be carried-out during Phase II.