Low-cost optical fiber physical unclonable function reader based on a digitally integrated semiconductor LiDAR.

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Photonics
• Cybersecurity

Background:

• Existing fiber identification systems often lack cost-effectiveness and simplicity.
• Physical unclonable functions (PUFs) offer a promising avenue for secure device authentication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce an integrated, low-complexity, and cost-effective fiber PUF verification system.
• To enable secure device and communication verification using unique optical fiber properties.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a linear frequency-swept semiconductor laser source.
• Employed optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR)/LiDAR for measurements.
• Measured unique Rayleigh reflection patterns of optical fiber sections.

Main Results:

• Achieved a maximum equal error rate (EER) of 0.15% for a 5-cm fiber section.
• Demonstrated an EER below 1% for a 4-cm fiber section.
• Validated the system's robustness for fiber identification.

Conclusions:

• The developed system offers a robust and economical solution for fiber identification.
• This technology is suitable for device and communication verification applications.
• The integrated fiber PUF system significantly reduces complexity and cost compared to alternatives.