Labyrinthine Microstructures with a High Dipole Moment Boron Complex for Molecular Physically Unclonable Functions.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Organic Chemistry
• Cryptography

Background:

• Physically unclonable functions (PUFs) are crucial for secure authentication and anticounterfeiting.
• Developing novel molecular materials with advanced encoding properties is essential for next-generation PUFs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a new molecular material for high-entropy PUF patterns.
• To investigate the formation of unique labyrinthine structures using this material.
• To validate the PUF characteristics of the fabricated patterns.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a high dipole-moment small molecule, InIm-BF2.
• Fabrication of thin films using spin-coating and thermal annealing.
• Characterization of labyrinthine patterns via image analysis and deep learning.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of InIm-BF2 with specific π-stacking and intermolecular interactions.
• Formation of intricate, interconnected labyrinthine patterns (≈50-100 μm) via a facile two-step process.
• Demonstration of excellent PUF characteristics and high entropy in the labyrinthine patterns, authenticated by deep learning.

Conclusions:

• A facile method for fabricating high-entropy molecular PUF patterns using InIm-BF2 was established.
• The unique labyrinthine structures exhibit promising security features for anticounterfeiting and cryptography.
• Insights into designing molecular materials for advanced security applications were provided.