STTR Phase II: Flexible and Extended Range Radio Frequency Identification Tags

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project focuses on developing a commercially viable process for producing a versatile passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. Existing passive tag technologies have many limitations that hinder their widespread use. The most significant limitations include minimal operating range, high unit costs, and a rigid form that makes the tag difficult to adhere to curved or irregularly shaped surfaces. This project aims to overcome these limitations by utilizing two innovative technologies. The first technology is a new type of field-effect transistor (FET) that is fabricated from high-purity and semiconducting-enriched single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) solutions. These innovative FETs provide improvements in operating frequency and current-carrying capacity which enable an extended RFID range. The second innovation is a high-speed, highly accurate, and ultrafine-dimension-capable system for depositing electrical components and antennas onto flexible substrates at or near room temperature. This project aims to culminate in the production and evaluation of prototype carbon nanotube-based RFID tags that meet the value-added needs of the RFID marketplace.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be the development of low-cost, flexible, and extended-range RFID tags. These tags will provide industry and the U.S. Government with a reliable and economic methodology for managing and tracking supply chain inventory, will allow an expansion in the use of smart cards, and will enable the identifying and tracking of animals and marine life, a critical element in protecting endangered species. The results of the project will also improve applications such as passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, flexible electronics, IR-invisible antennas, and embedded IR sensing, imaging, and communications.