A Novel Kite-Shaped Chipless RFID Tag for Low-Profile Applications

Abstract

In this paper a novel, compact 10-bit chipless radio frequency identification (RFID) tag with stable readable characteristics is proposed. The tag is composed of several concentric novel kite-shaped loop resonators. The desired data sequence is obtained by the insertion or removal of nested elements, offering a 1:1 data bit to resonance correspondence. Each data sequence is encoded in the spectral domain of the tag. The proposed tag shows operability at different polarizations and incident angles of the impinging electromagnetic waves. Operating within the ultra-wideband (UWB), the tag is realized on the Roger RT/duroid^® 5880 substrate having physical dimensions of 13.55 × 13.55 mm². The measurement results of the design reveal a high code density and spectral efficiency of 5.44 bits/cm² and 2 bits/GHz, respectively. The compact and robust passive chipless RFID tag having scalable data storage potential can be deployed in numerous low-profile applications such as those of wearable and healthcare.

KEYWORDS:

• Chipless tag
• Radio frequency identification
• Radar cross section
• Frequency signature
• Backscattering

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by Vinnova (The Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems) and University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila, Pakistan through the Vinn Excellence Centers program and ACTSENA research group funding, respectively.

Notes on contributors

Nimra Tariq

Nimra Tariq received her BS degree in telecommunication engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila, Pakistan, in 2016. She is currently working as a full-time MS research scholar with the ACTSENA research group under the supervision of Muhammad Ali Riaz. Email: [email protected]

Muhammad Ali Riaz

Muhammad Ali Riaz received the MS and BS degrees in electrical engineering from Iowa State University in 2010 and 2009, respectively. From January 2009 to December 2010 he was a research assistant with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University. He is currently an assistant professor with ACTSENA research group at University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila. Email: [email protected]

Humayun Shahid

Humayun Shahid received his BS degree in communication systems engineering from the Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad, in the year 2008, and his MS degree in signal processing from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore in the year 2011. His current research interests include commercialization, antenna design, microwave engineering, and RFID technology. He currently serves as an assistant professor, University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila, and is also working toward his PhD degree from the same university with the ACTSENA research group. Email: [email protected]

Muhammad Jamil Khan

Muhammad Jamil Khan received his PhD degree in computer engineering and MS degree in telecommunication engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila, Pakistan. He is currently assistant professor, MS and PhD supervisor in the Telecommunication Department at the same university. His research interests include audio signal processing, computer vision, image processing, machine learning, and pattern recognition. Email: [email protected]

Yasar Amin

Yasar Amin is chairman and associate professor of Telecommunication Engineering Department, University of Engineering and Technology Taxila, Pakistan. He is the founder of ACTSENA research group at UET Taxila, Pakistan. He did his BSc in electrical engineering in 2001 with specialization in telecommunication and MSc in electrical engineering in 2003 with specialization in system-on-chip design from Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden. His PhD was in electronic and computer systems from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Sweden, with a research focus on printable green RFID antennas for embedded sensors, while has MBA in innovation and growth from Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, Finland. Email: [email protected]

Hannu Tenhunen

Hannu Tenhunen is chair professor of Electronic Systems at Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden. Prof Tenhunen has held professor position as full professor, invited professor, or visiting honorary professor in Finland (TUT, UTU), Sweden (KTH), USA (Cornel U), France (INPG), China (Fudan and Beijing Jiaotong Universities), and Hong Kong (Chinese University of Hong Kong), and has an honorary doctorate from Tallin Technical University. He has been the director of multiple national large-scale research programs or being an initiator and director of national or European graduate schools. He has actively contributed to VLSI and SoC design in Finland and Sweden via creating new educational programs and research directions, most lately at the European level as being the EU-level Education Director of the new European flagship initiative European Institute of Technology and Innovations (EIT), and its Knowledge and Innovation Community EIT ICT Labs. Email: [email protected]