This study is supposed to introduce a valid strategy for increasing the sensitivity of chipless radio frequency identification (RFID) encoders. The idea is to properly select the dielectric substrate in order to enhance the contribution of the sensitive layer and to maximize the frequency shift of the resonance peak. The specific case of a chipless sensor suitable for the detection of humidity in low-humidity regimes will be investigated both with numerical and experimental tests.
Chipless radio-frequency identification (RFID) sensors are not yet widespread in practical applications because of their limited sensitivity and selectivity when compared to more mature sensing technologies. The search for a suitable material to perform the sensing function has often been focused on the most common materials used in electrochemical sensing approaches, but little work has been done to directly relate the performances of chipless or microwave sensors to the characteristics of the materials used to fabricate them. In this work we are simulating the impact of the substrate material on the performances of a chipless RFID sensor for humidity detection. The dielectric parameters of the substrate material turn out to be very important to maximize the sensor performances, in relation to the operative range of the sensor (based on the desired application) and to the effective dielectric properties of the sensitive material used, we verify the simulated results with measurements of real chipless humidity cells with Nafion 117 sensitive material. We show which types of substrate are preferable for low-humidity detection and which substrates’ features are instead fundamental to operate in a wider humidity range.
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