Defense Speak Interpreted: If CHIPS Cuts Back, What Happens to Electronics Packaging Funds?
American Made Advocacy: Where’s the Budget for a Modern Military Run on Microelectronics?
Beyond the Board: Orbital High Ground—Why Space Superiority Is Slipping Away
Invention of Forge-proof ID to Revolutionise Security
November 13, 2015 | Lancaster UniversityEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Scientists have discovered a way to authenticate or identify any object by generating an unbreakable ID based on atoms.
The technology, which is being patented at Lancaster University and commercialised through the spin-out company Quantum Base, uses next-generation nanomaterials to enable the unique identification of any product with guaranteed security.
The research published today in Nature’s Scientific Reports uses atomic-scale imperfections that are impossible to clone as they comprise the unmanipulable building blocks of matter.
First author Jonathan Roberts, a Lancaster University Physics PhD student of the EPSRC NOWNANO Doctoral Training Centre, said: “The invention involves the creation of devices with unique identities on a nano-scale employing state-of-art quantum technology. Each device we’ve made is unique, 100% secure and impossible to copy or clone.”
Current authentication solutions such as anti-counterfeit tags or password-protection base their security on replication difficulty, or on secrecy, and are renowned for being insecure and relatively easy to forge. For example, current anti-counterfeiting technology such as holograms can be imitated, and passwords can be stolen, hacked and intercepted.
The ground-breaking atomic-scale devices do not require passwords, and are impervious to cloning, making them the most secure system ever made. Coupled with the fact that they can be incorporated into any material makes them an ideal candidate to replace existing authentication technologies.
Writing in Nature’s Scientific Reports, the researchers said: “Simulating these structures requires vast computing power and is not achievable in a reasonable timescale, even with a quantum computer. When coupled with the fact that the underlying structure is unknown, unless dismantled atom-by-atom, this makes simulation extremely difficult.
Electronically stimulating an atomically random system, represented above by a key, produces a unique pattern that can be used for authentication or identification purposes whilst being fundamentally unclonable.
Page 1 of 2
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
Intel Announces Key Leadership Appointments to Accelerate Innovation and Strengthen Execution
09/09/2025 | Intel CorporationIntel Corporation today announced a series of senior leadership appointments that support the company’s strategy to strengthen its core product business, build a trusted foundry, and foster a culture of engineering across the business.
DARPA, State of New Mexico Establish Framework to Advance Quantum Computing
09/08/2025 | DARPAAs part of the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), DARPA signed an agreement with the State of New Mexico’s Economic Development Department to create the Quantum Frontier Project.
LPKF Strengthens LIDE Technology Leadership with New Patent Protection in Korea
09/04/2025 | LPKFLPKF Laser & Electronics SE today announced that its groundbreaking LIDE (Laser Induced Deep Etching) technology has received additional patent protection in Korea through the Korean Patent Office (KPCA), effective September 1, 2025.
UHDI Fundamentals: UHDI Technology and Industry 4.0
09/03/2025 | Anaya Vardya, American Standard CircuitsUltra high density interconnect (UHDI) technology is rapidly transforming how smart systems are designed and deployed in the context of Industry 4.0. With its capacity to support highly miniaturized, high-performance, and densely packed electronics, UHDI is a critical enabler of the smart, connected, and automated industrial future. Here, I’ll explore the synergy between UHDI and Industry 4.0 technologies, highlighting applications, benefits, and future directions.
CEE PCB Launches PCBpedia: A New Knowledge Hub for Circuit Board Technology
09/03/2025 | CEE PCBCEE PCB, a leading manufacturer of PCBs and FPCs, is responding to the growing demand for reliable technical knowledge. With PCBpedia, CEE introduces a new knowledge platform featuring expert articles on key topics in circuit board technology – from FPC design rules to surface finishes.