A chip-less and battery-less subharmonic tag for wireless sensing with parametrically enhanced sensitivity and...

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Sensor Technology
• Internet of Things (IoT)

Background:

• Wireless sensor nodes (WSNs) are crucial for the Internet of Things (IoT) but face power limitations for continuous sensing and data transmission.
• Existing WSNs rely on batteries or inefficient energy harvesting, restricting performance and communication range.
• Recent advancements in on-chip sensors offer higher sensitivity but do not resolve the inherent power challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a fundamentally new paradigm in WSN design: a chip-less, battery-less, tag-based system.
• To demonstrate a WSN capable of sensing and transmitting data without requiring supplied or harvested DC power.
• To showcase a WSN with enhanced sensitivity and dynamic range, comparable or superior to on-chip sensors, using simple components.

Main Methods:

• Development of a WSN using off-the-shelf lumped components on a printed substrate.
• Implementation of a full-duplex transceiver design for interrogating nodes to mitigate self-interference.
• Operation and performance testing of the prototype WSN in the Ultra-High-Frequency (UHF) range.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of a chip-less and battery-less WSN operating without external power.
• Achieved passive and continuous remote temperature detection.
• Exhibited parametric dynamical behavior leading to extraordinary sensitivity and dynamic range, surpassing some on-chip sensors.
• The system operates in the UHF range and enables full-duplex communication.

Conclusions:

• The developed tag-based WSN offers a paradigm shift, eliminating the need for batteries or energy harvesting.
• This technology enables cost-effective, high-performance sensing solutions for IoT applications.
• The system's unique design provides superior sensitivity and dynamic range, paving the way for advanced remote sensing capabilities.