Method and apparatus for protecting sensitive information contained in thin-film microelectonic circuitry

Claim 1

SELF-DESTRUCT TWO-PART MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUIT APPARATUS COMPRISING A FITST ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FORMED OF AN INCOMPLETE NETWORK OF CIRCUIT ELEMENTS, A WAFER-LIKE CIRCUIT CHIP, AND A SECOND ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CARRIED BY SAID CHIP AND HAVING A NETWORK OF RESISTIVE ELEMENTS, SAID FIRST AND SECOND CIRCUITS BEING ADAPTED TO BE DETACHABLY INTERCONNECTED FOR ELECTRICALLY COMPLETING SAID TWO-PART MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUIT; SAID CHIP INCLUDING: A GLASS LIKE SUBSTRATE, AN IGNITABLE SELF-DESTRUCT THIN FILM SANDWICH FORMED OF ALUMINNUM AND A METAL OXIDE DEPOSITED ADJACENTLY ONE ON THE OTHER ON SAID SUBSTRATE, SAID FILM SANDWICH HAVING AN AUTO IGNITION TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 1500*F AND BEING CAPABLE WHEN IGNITED TOO PRODUCE AN EXOTHERMIC CHEMICAL REACTION SUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN COMBUSTION, IGNITION MEANS COUPLED TO SAID FILM SANDWICH A THIN ELECTRICALL INSULATOR FILM DEPOSITED ON SAID SANDICH, AND THE AFOREMENTIONED NETWORK OF RESISTOR ELEMEMTS; SAID NETWORK BEING FORMED FROM ATHIN FILM OF ELECTRICALLY RESISTIVE MATERIAL DEPOSITED ON SAID INSULATIVE FILM, WHEREBY INFORMATION CONTAINED IN SAID RESISTIVE NETWORK CAN BE DESTROYED BY IGNITTING SAID FILM SANDWICH, THE HEAT OF REACTION OF SAID IGNITED SANDWICH MECHANICALLY DISTORTING SAID NSULATIVE FILM SUFFICIENTLY TOO DESTROY SAID RESISTIVE NETWORK DEPOSITED THEREON.