Inductively coupled small self resonant coil (SSRC) reader antennas for HF RFID applications

A new model of inductively coupled high frequency radio frequency identification (HF RFID) reader antennas is presented in this paper based on the idea of using the self resonance frequency (SRF) of a small multi turn coil. The introduced multi turn small self resonant coil (MT SSRC) antenna is mathematically analyzed in terms of SRF, number of turns, dimensions and dielectric characteristics of the insulation, where present. Based on the analysis, a compact planar version of MT SSRC antennas having two turns, the two turn planar SSRC (TTP SSRC), is investigated and the dependency of the SRF to the antenna dimension is observed. A TTP SSRC antenna operating at 13.56 MHz is fabricated and is compared with an old model of HF RFID antennas; an optimized Q factor and a more uniform near field pattern is obtained for the new antenna. The benefits of the obtained optimized Q factor and uniform near pattern is explained for smart shelf application. Also, a number of TTP SSRC antennas operating at a distinct frequency, 13.56 MHz here, are fabricated on different substrates and it is shown that the Q factor and dimension of the TTP SSRC antenna could be controlled and adjusted based on the dielectric characteristics of the substrate. The new antenna prototype has a beneficial application to smart shelf applications in HF RFID.