"NCSU Team Builds Smallest RFID Chip, Could Mean Better Security"

Researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU) have developed what is believed to be the smallest Gen2-compatible RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip. This chip is expected to drive the cost of RFID tags down. The chip's design also allows RFID tags to be embedded into computer chips and other high-value chips, thus strengthening the security of supply chains for high-end technologies. Gen2-compatible RFID chips are state-of-the-art and are already widely deployed, but the new RFID chips differ in that their size measures 125 micrometers by 245 micrometers. Manufacturers have made smaller RFID chips using earlier technologies, but the researchers have not been able to identify smaller RFID chips compatible with the current Gen2 technology. The design of the circuits used by the team is compatible with a wide range of semiconductor technologies, including those implemented into conventional computer chips. As this makes it possible to incorporate RFID tags into computers, users will be able to track individual chips throughout their lifecycle, which could help reduce counterfeiting and enable the ability to verify whether a component is what it claims to be. According to the researchers, these new RFID chips can be built using existing manufacturing technologies. This article continues to discuss the creation of the smallest Gen2-compatible RFID chip by a team of NCSU researchers, as well as the advantages and future of these chips. 

WRAL TechWire reports "NCSU Team Builds Smallest RFID Chip, Could Mean Better Security"