RFID tag and RF structures on a paper substrate using inkjet-printing technology

In this paper, inkjet-printed UHF and microwave circuits fabricated on paper substrates are investigated for the first time as an approach that aims for a system-level solution for fast and ultra-low-cost mass production. First, the RF characteristics of the paper substrate are studied by using the microstrip ring resonator in order to characterize the relative permittivity (epsilon(r)) and loss tangent (tan delta) of the substrate at the UHF band for the first, time reported. A UHF RFID tag module is then developed with the inkjet-printing technology, proving this approach could function as an enabling technology for much simpler and faster fabrication on/in paper. Simulation and well-agreed measurement results, which show very good agreement, verify a good performance of the tag module. In addition, the possibility of multilayer RF structures on a paper substrate is explored, and a multilayer patch resonator bandpass filter demonstrates the feasibility of ultra-low-cost 3-D paper-on-paper RF/wireless structures.