Tamper-respondent assemblies with trace regions of increased susceptibility to breaking
Tamper-respondent assemblies with regions of increased susceptibility to a tamper event are provided, which include one or more tamper-detect sensors, one or more conductive traces, and an adhesive. The tamper-detect sensor(s) facilitates defining a secure volume about one or more electronic components to be protected, and the conductive trace(s) forms, at least in part, a tamper-detect network of the tamper-respondent assembly. The conductive trace(s) is disposed, at least in part, on the tamper-detect sensor(s). The adhesive contacts the conductive trace(s) on the tamper-detect sensor(s), and is disposed, at least in part, between and couples a surface of the tamper-detect sensor(s) to another surface of the assembly. Together, the tamper-detect sensor(s), conductive trace(s), and adhesive are a subassembly, with the subassembly being configured with multiple regions of increased susceptibility to breaking of the conductive trace(s) with a tamper event through the subassembly.
1. A tamper-respondent assembly comprising:
a tamper-detect sensor to facilitate defining a secure volume about at least one electronic component to be protected;
at least one conductive trace forming, at least in part, at least one tamper-detect network of the tamper-respondent assembly, the at least one conductive trace being exposed, at least in part, on the tamper-detect sensor;
an adhesive contacting the at least one conductive trace on the tamper-detect sensor, the adhesive being disposed, at least in part, between and coupling a surface of the tamper-detect sensor to another surface of the tamper-respondent assembly; and
the tamper-detect sensor, at least one conductive trace, and adhesive being a subassembly of the tamper-respondent assembly, the subassembly being configured with multiple regions of increased susceptibility to breaking of the at least one conductive trace with a tamper event through the subassembly.
2. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 1 , wherein the multiple regions of increased susceptibility to breaking of the at least one conductive trace comprise multiple regions of the subassembly where a bond interface of the at least one conductive trace to the tamper-detect sensor is different from multiple other regions of the subassembly.
3. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 2 , wherein the multiple regions of the subassembly comprise multiple regions of reduced bond strength of the at least one conductive trace to the tamper-detect sensor, compared with the multiple other regions of the subassembly.
4. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a release agent in the multiple regions of the subassembly at the bond interface of the at least one conductive trace to the tamper-detect sensor, the release agent facilitating the multiple regions of the subassembly with having the increased susceptibility to breaking of the at least one conductive trace.
5. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 4 , wherein the release agent comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of wax, polytetrafluorethylene, silicone, and hydrophobic silanes.
6. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 3 , wherein the multiple regions comprise multiple non-plasma-cleaned surface regions of the tamper-detect sensor, and the multiple other regions comprise multiple plasma-cleaned surface regions of the tamper-detect sensor, the at least one conductive trace adhering stronger to the tamper-detect sensor in the multiple plasma-cleaned surface regions than the multiple non-plasma-cleaned surface regions.
7. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 1 , wherein the multiple regions of increased susceptibility to breaking are defined by a varying bond line thickness of the adhesive disposed over, at least in part, and contacting the at least one conductive trace.
8. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 1 , wherein the multiple regions of increased susceptibility to breaking of the at least one conductive trace are spaced apart along the at least one conductive trace.
9. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tamper-detect sensor comprises a first tamper-detect sensor, and the tamper-respondent assembly further comprises a second tamper-detect sensor, the another surface of the tamper-respondent assembly being a surface of the second tamper-detect sensor.
10. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first tamper-detect sensor comprises at least one first flexible layer with tamper-detect circuit lines, and the second tamper-detect sensor comprises at least one second flexible layer with tamper-detect circuit lines.
11. A tamper-respondent assembly comprising:
an electronic enclosure to enclose, at least in part, at least one electronic component to be protected, the electronic enclosure comprising an inner surface;
a tamper-detect sensor comprising at least one flexible layer with tamper-detect circuit lines, the tamper-detect sensor covering, at least in part, the inner surface of the electronic enclosure and facilitating defining a secure volume about the at least one electronic component;
at least one conductive trace forming, at least in part, at least one tamper-detect network of the tamper-respondent assembly, the at least one conductive trace being exposed, at least in part, on the tamper-detect sensor;
an adhesive contacting the at least one conductive trace on the at least one tamper-detect sensor, the adhesive being disposed, at least in part, between and coupling a surface of the tamper-detect sensor to another surface of the tamper-respondent assembly; and
the tamper-detect sensor, at least one conductive trace, and adhesive being a subassembly of the tamper-respondent assembly, the subassembly being configured with multiple regions of increased susceptibility to breaking of the at least one conductive trace with a tamper event through the subassembly.
12. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 11 , wherein the multiple regions of increased susceptibility to breaking of the at least one conductive trace comprise multiple regions of the subassembly where a bond interface of the at least one conductive trace to the tamper-detect sensor is different from multiple other regions of the subassembly.
13. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 12 , wherein the multiple regions of the subassembly comprise multiple regions of reduced bond strength of the at least one conductive trace to the tamper-detect sensor, compared with the multiple other regions of the subassembly.
14. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a release agent in the multiple regions of the subassembly at the bond interface of the at least one conductive trace to the tamper-detect sensor, the release agent facilitating the multiple regions of the subassembly with having the increased susceptibility to breaking of the at least one conductive trace.
15. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 14 , wherein the release agent comprises an agent selected from the group consisting of wax, polytetrafluorethylene, silicone, and hydrophobic silanes.
16. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 13 , wherein the multiple regions comprise multiple non-plasma-cleaned surface regions of the tamper-detect sensor, and the multiple other regions comprise multiple plasma-cleaned surface regions of the tamper-detect sensor, the at least one conductive trace adhering stronger to the tamper-detect sensor in the multiple plasma-cleaned surface regions than the multiple non-plasma-cleaned surface regions.
17. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 11 , wherein the multiple regions of increased susceptibility to breaking are defined by a varying bond line thickness of the adhesive disposed over, at least in part, and contacting the at least one conductive trace.
18. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 11 , wherein the at least one tamper-detect sensor comprises a first tamper-detect sensor, and the tamper-respondent assembly further comprises a second tamper-detect sensor, the another surface of the tamper-respondent assembly being a surface of the second tamper-detect sensor.
19. The tamper-respondent assembly of claim 18 , wherein the first tamper-detect sensor comprises at least one first flexible layer with tamper-detect circuit lines, and the second tamper-detect sensor comprises at least one second flexible layer with tamper-detect circuit lines.
20. A method comprising:
fabricating a tamper-respondent assembly, the fabricating comprising:
providing a tamper-detect sensor to facilitate defining a secure volume about at least one electronic component to be protected;
providing at least one conductive trace forming, at least in part, at least one tamper-detect network of the tamper-respondent assembly, the at least one conductive trace being disposed, at least in part, on the tamper-detect sensor;
providing an adhesive contacting the at least one conductive trace on the tamper-detect sensor, the adhesive being disposed, at least in part, between and coupling a surface of the tamper-detect sensor to another surface of the tamper-respondent assembly; and
the tamper-detect sensor, at least one conductive trace, and adhesive being a subassembly of the tamper-respondent assembly, the subassembly being configured with multiple regions of increased susceptibility to breaking of the at least one conductive trace with a tamper event through the subassembly.