Benefiting from the precise electromagnetic (EM) wave manipulation capability of metasurface (MTS), MTS-based EM tags exhibit significant potential for advancement in the field of radio frequency identification (RFID). This article presents the theoretical analysis, design, and experimental verification of an MTS-based tag employing spatial–frequency coding. Unlike conventional RFID tags and prior MTS-based tags, the proposed tag is an active MTS-based identification platform integrating phase modulation circuits, power amplifiers (PAs), and polarization conversion antennas. By exploiting these functionalities, the tag modulates the interrogation signal to generate tunable harmonics, whose spatial combinations encode the tag information. The backscattered response is further polarization-converted and amplified, rendering it cross-polarized with respect to environmental clutter and extending the read range. An X-band prototype is fabricated, featuring a 700-MHz bandwidth and a 10-dB enhancement in backscattered power compared to a metallic plate of the same aperture. Experiments under strong reflection and long read range conditions verify the feasibility of the proposed tag.
Wang, Y., Ning, Z., Li, M., Zhu, Y., Gu, J., Ramaccia, D., et al. (2026). A multiple spatial–frequency EM tag for identification improvement. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, 1-17 [10.1109/tmtt.2026.3692924].
A multiple spatial–frequency EM tag for identification improvement
Ramaccia, Davide;Toscano, Alessandro;Bilotti, Filiberto;
2026-01-01
Abstract
Benefiting from the precise electromagnetic (EM) wave manipulation capability of metasurface (MTS), MTS-based EM tags exhibit significant potential for advancement in the field of radio frequency identification (RFID). This article presents the theoretical analysis, design, and experimental verification of an MTS-based tag employing spatial–frequency coding. Unlike conventional RFID tags and prior MTS-based tags, the proposed tag is an active MTS-based identification platform integrating phase modulation circuits, power amplifiers (PAs), and polarization conversion antennas. By exploiting these functionalities, the tag modulates the interrogation signal to generate tunable harmonics, whose spatial combinations encode the tag information. The backscattered response is further polarization-converted and amplified, rendering it cross-polarized with respect to environmental clutter and extending the read range. An X-band prototype is fabricated, featuring a 700-MHz bandwidth and a 10-dB enhancement in backscattered power compared to a metallic plate of the same aperture. Experiments under strong reflection and long read range conditions verify the feasibility of the proposed tag.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
