RFID Powder

The new record on the world's smallest and thinnest RFID tags is by Hitachi. Tiny miracles of miniaturization, these chips measure just 0.05 x 0.05 millimeters.

The previous record-holder, the Hitachi mu-chip, is just 0.4 x 0.4 millimeters.

These chips have a 128-bit ROM for storing a unique 38 digit number. Hitachi used semiconductor miniaturization technology and electron beams to write data on the chip substrates to achieve the new, smaller size.

Admitting that these miniatures are mostly useless without a connected antenna but then such an antenna will definitely be thinner than human hair and probably less than half an inch.

Hitachi's mu-chips are already in production; they were used to prevent ticket forgery at last year's Aichi international technology exposition. RFID 'powder,' on the other hand, is so much smaller that it can easily be incorporated into thin paper, like that used in paper currency and gift certificates.

How far away can you read this RFID from? About 10 inches. Something that will work very well for paper products that are susceptible to forgery such as currency notes, tickets, legal papers etc.

RFID technology is getting exciting day by day with its application areas expanding limitless.