The Semi-Invasive IC Unlock method alone is not sufficient for complete IC renewal, as it is vulnerable to electrical and magnetic analysis when the IC is exposed. In the past, the process of cracking microcontroller ICs involved decapsulating the IC package, exposing the memory protection bit with ultra-violet light, and unlocking old ICs with an EEPROM basement. We can look back fondly on those days of MCU cracking.
The Semi-Invasive IC Unlock method utilizes several techniques, including ultra-violet radiation, X-ray, laser, electrical magnetic, and heat, either individually or in combination, to unlock the IC. In the past, semi-invasive IC unlock was used mainly for failure analysis, using methods such as backside imaging and microprobe detection to identify triggers. However, modern deep micron ICs cannot rely on this method alone.
In more recent times, semi-invasive IC unlock has been used to analyze hardware security and prevent security issues, which can save time and money compared to other unlocking methods. This process can be carried out using inexpensive and simple facilities, and can be automated through a computer controller workstation. The entire IC unlock process can be completed within a few hours, which is significantly faster than invasive IC unlock methods that can take days or even weeks to complete.