A Survey on Physical Unclonable Functions Based on Current-Voltage Characteristics

Physical Unclonable Functions（PUFs） leverage the inherent microscopic randomness in physical devices to provide unique and secure hardware authentication and cryptographic key generation solutions. In recent years, PUFs based on current-voltage（I-V） characteristics have attracted significant attention due to their ability to be seamlessly integrated into standard integrated circuits. This paper systematically reviews the latest research progress on such PUFs, focusing on their working principles, design methodologies, performance optimization, and security evaluation for traditional circuit-based, complex dynamical system-based, novel material-based, and quantum effect-based PUFs. In particular, semiconductor super-lattice PUFs based on quantum effects exhibit excellent robustness and attack resistance, rendering them suitable for high-security applications. Finally, this paper discusses the future research challenges and potential improvement directions in this field, aiming to provide insights for the further development of PUF technology.