An 8×8 mm-Wave LP ACMPA Array for a Long-Range mm-Wave Chipless RFID Tag-Sensor Reader

An 8x8 linearly-polarized (LP) aperture-coupled microstrip patch antenna (ACMPA) array is presented for a long-range millimeter (mm)-wave chipless RFID tag-sensor reader. This antenna array is capable of reading the linearly-polarized (LP), orientation-insensitive (OI), and cross-polarized (CP) chipless RFID tags and sensors in the mm-wave frequency band from a long distance. A systematic approach is followed for developing the LP ACMPA array, which operates over the 22-27 GHz frequency band with 22 dBi gain. At first, a single antenna element is designed, which is followed by the design of a 1-64-way corporate feed network. Then, the 8x8 mm-wave LP ACMPA array is designed, optimized, fabricated, assembled, and tested. After that, the assembled antenna is used for measuring ten thermal printed mm-wave OI tags on paper from 30 cm and three CP tags on Taconic from 200 cm distance to validate its functionality in long-distance tag reading. Finally, the effects of different parameters on LP ACMPA are studied, which are used next for developing a novel step-by-step guideline for designing the LP ACMPAs with a new set of specifications. This high gain antenna array can be used commercially in a long-range mm-wave chipless RFID tag and sensor reader due to its low profile, low-cost, and lightweight structure.