Atmel has introudced a 363-bit read/write transponder for RFID tags in a very small XDFN package .
The transponder IDIC ATA5577M1 is a high-volume low-frequency (LF, 100-150kHz) RFID device designed for small tag applications including animal ID ear and bolus tags, standard key fobs or clamshell cards for access control solutions.
"Measuring at 2mm x 1.5mm x 0.37mm, the XDFN package is the world's smallest RFID package available," claimed the company.
The two coil wires can directly be soldered onto the two pads of the package and mounted or glued onto the antenna coil. The direct mounting and small packaging allows for extremely small end products since the resulting RFID tag size is determined by the size of the coil.
The package can also be soldered on a standard printed circuit board (PCB), for example, in combination with a PCB-mounted antenna. Since the chip has a 330pF on-chip capacitor trimmed to +/- 3%, the antenna coil is the only external component required to form a trimmed LF-RFID tag.
The incorporated ATA5577 chip provides a manufacturer-programmed and locked unique ID which enables the traceability of the product to prevent cloning or counterfeiting of the tag IC.
The unique ID and the extended read/write distances have been optimised for next-generation access control applications. The device also operates according to ISO 11784 and ISO 11785 (FDX-B) standards, making it well-suited for animal identification and waste management applications.
Since the ATA5577 is a low frequency device, it can be used worldwide. The device is not sensitive to rugged environments and can also be used under conditions that normally complicate the application of RFID devices, such as water, metal, dirt, or being applied to the body.
The new device architecture enables outstanding read/write performance with differing types of coils, readers, and parameters which is especially important for animal and waste management applications.
A special on-chip digital register allows the maximum overall read and write distance for each application environment. Based on the dedicated write procedure (downlink, reader-to-tag), the write distance has been increased to industry-leading distances. This increased write distance is especially beneficial for applications in difficult environments.
There is an evaluation kit, which is based on the Atmel LF-RFID reader chip U2270B and the AVR microcontroller ATmega128. The kit includes all C-routines and PCB layout data in Gerber format.
More information on the Atmel LF RFID IC ATA5577M1
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