Efficacy of Side-Channel Analysis for Hardware Trojan Detection: A Case Study of CNTFET

As the semiconductor industry shifts towards low-power devices, it is critical to investigate hardware Trojan detection methods. Here, we conducted a comprehensive study on the effectiveness of side-channel analysis (SCA), a nondestructive technique, for hardware Trojan detection on two transistor technologies based on carbon nanotube and silicon. We compared the ability of the side-channel analysis to detect hardware Trojans of carbon nanotube field effect transistors (CNTFETs) and silicon-based metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs). We evaluated several side-channel analysis techniques on benchmark circuits, including power, timing, and clock sweep analyses. The results indicated that side-channel analysis was effective in detecting hardware Trojans in Si MOSFET technology; however, its performance in CNTFET technology was sub-optimal due to the lower capacitance and efficient electron transport capability of the CNTFET. We identified some differences in the behavior of the two technologies. This study provided crucial insights into using side-channel analysis for hardware Trojan detection for low-power devices, which will be beneficial in designing secure and reliable electronic systems.