Plastic circuits and tags for 13.56MHz radio-frequency communication

Abstract

a b s t r a c tWe discuss the design and implementation of 64-bit and 128-bit plastic transponder chips for radio-frequency identification tags. The 64-bit chips, comprising 414 organic thin-film transistors, are integrated into fully functional plastic radio-frequency identification tags with 13.56 MHz communication. The required supply voltage on the tag is generated from the AC input signal detected by the antenna, using a plastic double half-wave rectifier circuit. The tag is fully functional at a magnetic field strength of 1.26 A/m, which is below the minimum required radio-frequency magnetic field stated in the standards. We discuss the reading distance that can be achieved with our plastic rectifiers, and show that this reading distance is not limited by the performance of the plastic rectifier or transponder chip. The 128-bit transponder chip includes further features such as Manchester data encoding and a basic ALOHA anti-collision protocol. It employs 1286 organic thin-film transistors and generates the 128 bit sequence at 24 V supply voltage at a data rate of 1.5 kb/s. Data rates up to 2 kb/s could be achieved on chips with an 8-bit transponder chip.

Organic RFID Tags

“…The organic RFID tags in this chapter operate in DC load modulation mode. Nevertheless, organic RFID tags operating in AC load modulation mode have also been achieved (Myny et al, 2009). …”

“…tags that generate a fixed code sequence when powered by an RF field. We infer this from the current state of the art of the technology: code generators that generate code sequences up to 128 bit are possible in organic electronics (Myny et al, 2009) and chips comprising 414 organic-based thin-film transistors (OTFTs) can today be integrated into fully functional organic RFID tags with HF communication frequency of 13.56 MHz (Myny et al, 2009). More complex RFID embodiments that comprise e.g.…”

“…Ullmann et al demonstrated a 64-bit tag working at a bit rate exceeding 100 b/s, readout by inductive coupling at a base carrier frequency of 13.56 MHz (Ullmann et al, 2007). We review in this chapter recent advances in both the digital transponder chip and the analog front-end of organic RFID tags, and demonstrate that organic electronics can result in a tag with a realistic code size, bit rate and reading distance at a reasonable and allowed field strength (Myny et al, 2008;Myny et al, 2009). We also demonstrate significant increases in complexity of RFID transponder chips where the data have been Manchester encoded and a basic anti-collision protocol has been added that will allow the readout of multiple organic RFID tags in the field of a single reader at once (Myny et al, 2009).…”

“…We review in this chapter recent advances in both the digital transponder chip and the analog front-end of organic RFID tags, and demonstrate that organic electronics can result in a tag with a realistic code size, bit rate and reading distance at a reasonable and allowed field strength (Myny et al, 2008;Myny et al, 2009). We also demonstrate significant increases in complexity of RFID transponder chips where the data have been Manchester encoded and a basic anti-collision protocol has been added that will allow the readout of multiple organic RFID tags in the field of a single reader at once (Myny et al, 2009). The different sections in this chapter discuss the following building blocks of an organic RFID tag: the antenna coil, the HF-capacitor, the rectifier and the 64-bit transponder chip with integrated load modulator.…”

Inkjet-printed graphene electronics

“…1 Applications include touch screens, 2 electronic paper (e-paper), 3,4 sensors, 5 radio frequency tags, 6 photovoltaic cells, 7,8 and electronic textiles. 9 To date, it mainly relies on two fabrication strategies: one in which substrates bearing thousands of Field-effect Transistors (FETs) are bonded to plastic by transfer printing or pickand place methods; 10 another in which FETs are prepared directly on the target substrate by several coating, curing and lithographic steps.…”