Abstract-In this paper, the feasibility of inkjet printing of circuit and microwave structures on paper-based substrates is investigated for the first time in the implementation of a complete low-cost wireless platform for sensors. First, the system-level design of the module including the amplifier characterization were carried out to ensure optimum performance of the sensor modules in the UHF bands used in RF identification communication. These results were then used to design two different antenna structures, which are printed on paper along with their respective circuit layouts using inket-printing technology. Different techniques were investigated for the assembly of circuit components on the silver printed layouts. Finally, wireless link measurements on the assembled prototypes verified the good performance on the wireless and sensing sides.

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Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) can be utilized for the tagging of a wide variety of application. A Planar Inverted F Antenna (PIFA) for real time locating has been designed, built and characterized on paper substrate. In specific the PIFA for tagging of metallic objects such as containers in ports or automotive applications is designed, fabricated, and characterized on a paper substrate. The antenna interconnect, or simply the shorting via A via, was drilled though the paper substrate using laser in one of the corners of the structure and, and is characterized by plotting S parameters. Agreement between simulation and measurements provide the proof of concept that paper is a good candidate for a multilayer low cost substrate. This effort proves for the first time, the feasibility of building 3D structure on paper with zinterconnects. I. IntroductionRFID is a wireless automatic identification method that uses the electromagnetic (EM) waves as a mean of communicating data between an RFID reader and an RFID tag placed on an object. RFID which does not require Line of Sight (LoS) to communicate with the reader and allows for simultaneous read/write from multiple tags, can modify or erase information already defined in tags such as the WRITE or KILL command, as well as an easy remote and selective activation of sensor devices based on their unique ID's [1].Due to increasing demand for automatic identification, RFID's find countless applications in different areas such as item-level tracking, access control, electronic toll collection and vehicle security. However, conventional or generally used label-fabricated RFID tags do not operate when in close vicinity to metals since the EM wave becomes totally reflected by metallic surfaces in a destructive manner unless placed at a certain interval (such as multiple of λ/4; where λ is the wavelength of the EM wave, which is not feasible in many tracking applications), and while metallic objects such as cargo containers in ports, building construction parts such as pipes, Automotive-ID, Aero-ID, and space witness more demand for automatic identification, an RFID enabled on metal mount becomes crucial.