Chip-Level Reverse Engineering
Chip-level reverse engineering extracts the internal workings of a semiconductor device by analysing the die itself. Layers are exposed, imaged, and characterised until the functional architecture of the integrated circuit can be described.
Why go inside the die
A datasheet describes what a chip does. It rarely says how — which blocks are actually present, how they're wired together, or what a given structure is built from. That gap is where licensing conversations stall, because a claim written at the level of silicon can't be settled by marketing material.
Opening the die replaces the gap with physical evidence: the geometry of the device and the materials it's built from.
What the work involves
We specialise in advanced chip-level reverse engineering to extract the internal workings of semiconductor devices. The package is removed, layers are exposed one at a time, and each is imaged and characterised until the circuit can be reconstructed — revealing the functional architecture of the integrated circuit for use in licensing discussions and technical diligence.
Five techniques, one picture
No single method shows both the geometry of a device and what it's made of. These are run in combination, each filling in a piece the others can't.
| Technique | What it's for |
|---|---|
| SEM | Scanning electron microscopy — images the exposed structures layer by layer. |
| TEM | Transmission electron microscopy — resolves thin cross-sections where individual layers matter. |
| EELS | Electron energy loss spectroscopy — identifies which elements sit in a given layer. |
| EDX | Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy — a second, complementary read on elemental composition. |
| SIMS | Secondary ion mass spectrometry — measures composition through the depth of the sample. |
Chip-level analysis or a product teardown?
They sit at different depths, and one usually points to the other.
Chip-level reverse engineering
Answers how a function is implemented on the die — which materials were used, and whether a claimed structure is present at all.
Product teardown
Works at the level of the board: which parts a product contains, how they connect, and who supplied each one.
A teardown is usually what identifies the chip worth analysing in the first place — it answers what a chip-level study cannot: which component to open up next.
A datasheet tells you what a chip is supposed to do. The die tells you what it actually does.
Where the findings go
Licensing conversations
Useful the moment a discussion turns on whether a device really implements a given structure or signal path — the answer rests on physical evidence, not a datasheet.
More than one use
The images and material analysis stay on record, so one round of work can support several conversations about the same product.
Who commissions it
Patent holders & licensing teams
Need to know how a competitor's IC really works before a licensing conversation starts.
Technical counsel
Supporting deals that ultimately turn on chip architecture rather than published specifications.
What you receive
- Analysis of the internal workings extracted from the semiconductor device
- A description of the functional architecture of the integrated circuit
- Imaging and material analysis using SEM, TEM, EELS, EDX and SIMS
- A written report of the findings for use in licensing discussions
Frequently asked questions
What is chip-level reverse engineering?
Analysis of a semiconductor device down to the structures on the die. The package is removed, layers are exposed one at a time, and each is imaged and characterised until the circuit can be reconstructed. The output describes the functional architecture of the integrated circuit — which blocks are present, how they connect, and what materials sit in each layer.
Which techniques are used?
SEM images the exposed structures. TEM resolves thin cross-sections where individual layers matter. EELS and EDX identify the elements present in those layers. SIMS measures composition through the depth of the sample. Used together they give both the geometry of the device and the materials it's built from.
How does this differ from a product teardown?
A teardown works at the board level — which parts a product contains and how they connect. Chip-level reverse engineering goes inside one of those parts, answering what a teardown can't: how a function is implemented in silicon, which materials were used, and whether a particular structure is present at all. The two fit together, since a teardown is usually what identifies the chip worth analysing.
How are the results used in a licensing discussion?
The analysis reveals the functional architecture of the IC, which is the level many patent claims are written at. It becomes useful once a discussion turns on whether a device really implements a given structure, because the answer then rests on physical evidence rather than a datasheet. The images and analysis stay on record, so one round of work can support several conversations about the same product.
Get the die opened up
Tell us which device and which claim elements are in question, and we'll scope the imaging and analysis.
