Flexible thin-film NFC transponder chip exhibiting data rates compatible to ISO NFC standards using self-aligned metal-oxide TFTs

This work demonstrates the fastest NFC transponder IC with flexible thin-film transistors (TFTs) to be implemented in flexible NFC tags which could be the missing link between the Internet-of-Things and the Internet-of-Everything. The Internet-of-Everything requires low-cost identification and sensor tags, whereby the Silicon-IC could be replaced by lower cost TFT circuits. Our roadmap focuses on thin-film transistor technologies, fabricated directly on plastic film in an industrially upscalable process flow compatible with existing flat panel display (FPD) lines. As a consequence, it is conformal, extreme lightweight and can be placed onto every object. The charge carrier mobility of such transistors is quite low (around 10cm²/Vs), posing big challenges to comply with the different ISO standards set by Si-CMOS-IC.