High Precision EM-FI Probe Tips

The EM-FI probe tips are used for electromagnetic fault injection (EM-FI) attacks on semiconductor targets, for example embedded devices or smart cards. The tips are designed to fit on the EM-FI Transient Probe and are easily replaceable. The different tips enable a pulsed high voltage, provided by the EM-FI Transient Probe, to be transferred into a spot-sized, electrical or electromagnetical perturbation. The spot size is dependent on the size of the tip.

The High Precision tips are made of a copper winding around a ferrite core. An electric current pulse through the winding generates a transient electromagnetic field. This field penetrates an encapsulation and any deeper metal layers. By orienting the probe perpendicular to the target surface, the direction of the EM field will also be perpendicular to the target surface. The perturbation is most effective in (un)intended circuit loops, for example between neighboring logic gates and shared power lines. The white, yellow and Green tip differ in diameter and windings. When the required penetration distance is more than 1.5 mm, for example due to the thickness of encapsulation, use the larger diameter tip.

• Reduce the area of impact for the injected fault, making it easier to analyze what exact part of the chip is vulnerable.
• Increase your fault injection success rate.
• Because of the high power the tips are able to generate, decapping the chip is not always needed.

Area: 5 mm x 5 mm, 25 x 25 steps, 0.2 mm per step.

• The induced voltage measured with 0.3 mm air loop at 60% power of EM-FI transient probe.
• Hot spot: area with 80% – 100% of EM field strength.

• Induced voltage measured with 0.3 mm air loop at 60% power of EM-FI transient probe
• Hot spot: area with 80% – 100% of EM field strength
• All tips with SMA connector for easy connection to EM-FI transient probe