Spectral physical unclonable functions: downscaling randomness with multi-resonant hybrid particles
Abstract Optical physical unclonable functions (PUFs) are state-of-the-art in advanced security applications. Fabricated with inherent randomness, they generate fingerprint-like responses, serving as trust anchors for material assets. However, the existing PUFs, typically reliant on microscopic spat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60121-9 |
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| author | Martin Sandomirskii Elena Petrova Pavel Kustov Lev Chizhov Artem Larin Stéphanie Bruyère Vitaly Yaroshenko Eduard Ageev Pavel Belov Dmitry Zuev |
| author_facet | Martin Sandomirskii Elena Petrova Pavel Kustov Lev Chizhov Artem Larin Stéphanie Bruyère Vitaly Yaroshenko Eduard Ageev Pavel Belov Dmitry Zuev |
| author_sort | Martin Sandomirskii |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Optical physical unclonable functions (PUFs) are state-of-the-art in advanced security applications. Fabricated with inherent randomness, they generate fingerprint-like responses, serving as trust anchors for material assets. However, the existing PUFs, typically reliant on microscopic spatial features, face increasing threats from rapidly advancing microscale manipulation techniques. Here, we present novel PUFs based on random nanoscale variations within multi-resonant gold-silicon particles. These inevitable structural differences, coupled with strong optical resonances, provide unique spectral features in particles’ photoluminescence (PL), which we encode as unclonable keys. Our approach surpasses the shortcomings of diffraction-limited designs, additionally offering a multi-functional platform for robust authentication of goods and verification of individuals. We demonstrate two security label models based on PL mapping and direct PL imaging, as well as a concept for the first all-optical one-time password verification token with an exceptionally high storage density of unique information. This work paves the way toward nanoscale-enabled unclonability, bringing enhanced security for hardware-based cryptography, personalized access control, and cutting-edge anti-counterfeiting. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cbe3782bfdcf486bb7d91f0d30a50cea |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-cbe3782bfdcf486bb7d91f0d30a50cea2025-08-20T02:30:42ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-06-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-60121-9Spectral physical unclonable functions: downscaling randomness with multi-resonant hybrid particlesMartin Sandomirskii0Elena Petrova1Pavel Kustov2Lev Chizhov3Artem Larin4Stéphanie Bruyère5Vitaly Yaroshenko6Eduard Ageev7Pavel Belov8Dmitry Zuev9School of Physics and Engineering, Faculty of Physics, ITMO UniversitySchool of Physics and Engineering, Faculty of Physics, ITMO UniversitySchool of Physics and Engineering, Faculty of Physics, ITMO UniversitySchool of Physics and Engineering, Faculty of Physics, ITMO UniversitySchool of Physics and Engineering, Faculty of Physics, ITMO UniversityUniversité de Lorraine, CNRS, IJLSchool of Physics and Engineering, Faculty of Physics, ITMO UniversitySchool of Physics and Engineering, Faculty of Physics, ITMO UniversitySchool of Physics and Engineering, Faculty of Physics, ITMO UniversitySchool of Physics and Engineering, Faculty of Physics, ITMO UniversityAbstract Optical physical unclonable functions (PUFs) are state-of-the-art in advanced security applications. Fabricated with inherent randomness, they generate fingerprint-like responses, serving as trust anchors for material assets. However, the existing PUFs, typically reliant on microscopic spatial features, face increasing threats from rapidly advancing microscale manipulation techniques. Here, we present novel PUFs based on random nanoscale variations within multi-resonant gold-silicon particles. These inevitable structural differences, coupled with strong optical resonances, provide unique spectral features in particles’ photoluminescence (PL), which we encode as unclonable keys. Our approach surpasses the shortcomings of diffraction-limited designs, additionally offering a multi-functional platform for robust authentication of goods and verification of individuals. We demonstrate two security label models based on PL mapping and direct PL imaging, as well as a concept for the first all-optical one-time password verification token with an exceptionally high storage density of unique information. This work paves the way toward nanoscale-enabled unclonability, bringing enhanced security for hardware-based cryptography, personalized access control, and cutting-edge anti-counterfeiting.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60121-9 |
| spellingShingle | Martin Sandomirskii Elena Petrova Pavel Kustov Lev Chizhov Artem Larin Stéphanie Bruyère Vitaly Yaroshenko Eduard Ageev Pavel Belov Dmitry Zuev Spectral physical unclonable functions: downscaling randomness with multi-resonant hybrid particles Nature Communications |
| title | Spectral physical unclonable functions: downscaling randomness with multi-resonant hybrid particles |
| title_full | Spectral physical unclonable functions: downscaling randomness with multi-resonant hybrid particles |
| title_fullStr | Spectral physical unclonable functions: downscaling randomness with multi-resonant hybrid particles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spectral physical unclonable functions: downscaling randomness with multi-resonant hybrid particles |
| title_short | Spectral physical unclonable functions: downscaling randomness with multi-resonant hybrid particles |
| title_sort | spectral physical unclonable functions downscaling randomness with multi resonant hybrid particles |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60121-9 |
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