SBIR/STTR Phase I: Flexible Displays for RFID Applications

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project will demonstrate the feasibility of producing flexible displays that can be used to make radio frequency identification (RFID) electronic labels. These labels will be electronic analogs of paper labels. The innovation will be to combine known flexible RFID circuitry with flexible displays to create an electronic paper-like label that can be wirelessly updated. . The Phase I activities will involve active matrix backplane fabrication on polyimide substrates followed by display construction using a polymerized liquid crystal mixture. The commercial applications include retail electronic shelf labels, airline security luggage identification, and employee identification tags. The use of these tags for airline security luggage tags and employee identification represent applications that address issues in homeland security.