NHanced to present MEMS security framework
Researchers will showcase a hardware-level security approach using MEMS-enabled silicon interposers and AI-enhanced inspection techniques to combat semiconductor counterfeiting and reverse engineering.
NHanced Semiconductors and the University of Florida will present a new hardware-level security framework designed to protect semiconductor devices from counterfeiting, reverse engineering, and tampering at the 2026 SMTA Symposium on Counterfeit Parts & Materials.
The technical presentation, titled “AI Enhanced Physical Inspection for Counterfeit Microelectronics,” will be delivered by NHanced Semiconductors vice president Dr. Charles Woychik and a research team led by Dr. Navid Asadizanjani from the University of Florida.
The symposium will take place from June 23–25 in Hyattsville, Maryland.
The proposed approach integrates micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) switch arrays within silicon interposer architectures to create dynamic and reconfigurable circuit layouts.
By concealing and randomizing routing structures, the methodology is intended to make semiconductor packages resistant to physical inspection and unauthorized reconstruction.
According to the researchers, the framework combines heuristic-driven placement techniques with entropy-based analysis to increase design complexity and hinder attempts to reverse engineer device functionality.
Without access to authorized configuration data, intercepted substrates would effectively remain unusable, providing an additional layer of protection for critical electronic systems.
The work addresses growing concerns over counterfeit and cloned semiconductor components as advanced packaging technologies become increasingly important in high-performance and mission-critical applications.
As sophisticated imaging and inspection tools continue to evolve, traditional hardware and software security measures face mounting challenges in preventing unauthorized analysis of electronic devices.
The researchers believe the proposed solution could help strengthen supply-chain security for defense, aerospace, industrial, and other high-reliability markets where component authenticity and integrity are essential.
The SMTA Symposium on Counterfeit Parts & Materials is organized by the Surface Mount Technology Association (SMTA) in collaboration with the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE).
The event focuses on raising awareness of counterfeit electronic components and promoting strategies to detect, prevent, and mitigate their impact across the electronics industry.
