FlexARTwo - Flexible Active Radar Backscatter Tags with Organic Electronics

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FlexARTwo aims to demonstrate bendable high-performance active and passive transponders for fully integrated RFID systems based on organic thin-film semiconductor devices for precision short range localization and identification applications. The project combines the complementary competences of the groups of Prof. Leo (IAPP, with focus on organic semiconductors materials, device development and optimization), Prof. Ellinger (CCN, with expertise in the high-frequency characterization, modelling and circuit design), and Prof. Vossiek (LHFT, with expertise in wireless systems and radar design). The credit-card size flexible wireless tags, together with the transmission of magnetic fields, can be used for the localization of objects up to a 15 m radius (active) and up to a 0,5 m radius (passive). The localization tags can be applied for medical sensors, object tracking in crowded areas and logistics. Printed passive elements, organic diodes and thin-film transistors (OTFTs) will allow for a low-cost mass fabrication. Furthermore, the use of high-performance vertical organic transistors will enable operation at a few MHz, facilitating a very good robustness against obstacles in the radar detection path.Excellent results have been achieved so far during the FlexART project, such as a new word record transit frequency (fT) of 40 MHz for organic transistors at 8.6 V, and demonstrating the fastest organic oscillator at 5.2 MHz. Based on these breakthroughs, we plan to substantially increase the functionality of the tag within FlexARTwo. In this regard we follow two strategies. First, we will propose a new tag architecture allowing for on-tag energy harvesting and resonance frequency tuning. Secondly, we will develop organic devices with higher gain and higher cut-off frequency to reduce the overall tag power consumption and increase the application potential. Regarding the new architecture, we plan to exploit co-integrated oscillator circuits with organic permeable base transistors (OPBT), thin-film passive components, and organic digital circuits with OTFTs onto a single flexible substrate. The proposed RFID system includes novel base station and tag architectures for a passively supplied transponder and the ability to compensate bending effects. Several tags located next to each other (multi-user techniques) can be distinguished by this system. Our second strategy to increase the tag functionality and performance is to explore device concepts and fabrication methods allowing for integration of high-gain (>35 dB) and high cut-off frequency (>40 MHz), low-noise, low-voltage organic transistors paving the road towards a higher localization radius and a higher data rate.The FlexARTwo consortium is eager to continue the successful developments done in FlexART and bring new functionalities to the organic RFID systems. Furthermore, we are very motivated to co-operate with other members of the SPP in order to work on a new vision for future wireless systems.