Communications of the ACM
NDSU Researchers Develop Method for Embedding RFID in Paper
NDSU researchers used this prototype system to embed ultrasmall RFID chips onto a paper substrate.
Credit: RFID Journal
North Dakota State University (NDSU) researchers have developed a method for embedding ultrathin passive radio frequency identification chips on paper or other flexible substrates, which could lead to the production of radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled paper at a very low cost.
NDSU's method, known as Laser Enabled Advanced Packaging (LEAP), involves silicon chips so thin that they would not be detected when embedded in a piece of paper.
Most RFID chips are not thin enough to be integrated into paper without either requiring the paper to be thicker than desired, or creating a bump on its surface that could interfere with printing, says NDSU professor Val Marinov. However, the researchers developed a process for assembling ultrathin, ultrasmall chips, and have built a prototype of a solution capable of embedding ultrasmall RFID chips onto a paper substrate. The new prototype utilizes a plasma etcher to thin silicon wafers down to size and cut the wafers, as well as a laser beam to transfer each chip onto a substrate.
The LEAP manufacturing process is faster and more precise than conventional etching methods, according to Marinov. The LEAP method also works for assembling other types of integrated circuits and small components in addition to RFID chips.
From RFID Journal
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Abstracts Copyright © 2013 Information Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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