SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to building a very small form factor radio frequency antenna for radio frequency identification (RFID) applications in smart tags. HiPoint has invented and patented a high performance, low cost, small size silicon chip antenna using wafer batch processing that will be combined with a standard, passive (batteryless) RFID chip to form a low cost, high performance RFID tag with small dimensions. The antenna and the RFID chip are stacked directly on top of each other. Passive RFID systems are used in applications such as object tagging, asset management, hazardous materials tracking and tracking of important documents. The existing RFID technology is limited by the need for large transponder antennas (~ 1' x 2' minimum) and costly multi- component assembly. In Phase I proof-of-principle will be demonstrated by building an antenna chip and connecting and characterizing it with a standard RFID chip. Success in Phase I will lead to a Phase II effort where HiPoint will integrate the antenna and the RFID chip using a wafer stacking technology accessible to the company. The product will be commercialized in Phase III in collaboration with manufacturing and marketing partners.

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will build a small form factor silicon chip antenna for radio frequency identification (RFID) applications in smart tags. A new high-performance, low cost, small size silicon chip antenna, fabricated by wafer batch processing, will be combined with a standard, passive (no battery) RFID chip to form a low cost, high-performance RFID tag of small dimensions. The antenna and the RFID chip are stacked directly on top of each other. Phase I used a simplified process and scaled up structures. In Phase II the process will be optimized, devices with the intended dimensions will be used, and the antenna chip and the RFID chip will be stacked. Passive RFID systems are used in applications such as object tagging, asset management, hazardous materials tracking, and tracking of important documents. Existing RFID technology is limited by the need for large transponder antennas (~ 1 inch by 2 inch minimum) and costly multi-component assembly. The silicon wafer batch processed antenna chip technology will produce millimeter-scale smart tags (programmable replacement for bar codes), enabling products for large commercial markets.