Performance Evaluation of Radio Frequency Identification Tag Antenna for Commercial Applications

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has emerged as an effective technology for automatic identification across industries due to its capability to use radio signals while providing security. The most common type is the passive RFID tag, consisting of an RFID chip and an antenna. The tag's antenna plays a crucial role in determining system performance and impacting various metrics. This paper investigates different designs of commercial tag antennas. With computer processing, selecting the optimal design for business applications becomes more flexible, minimizing the need for specialized expertise. These tags are widely available at low costs, reducing reliance on antenna design tools. The procedure outlined in this paper provides a method for evaluating tag performance. Three standard Ultra High Frequency (UHF) RFID antenna models- tag 1, tag 2, and tag 3- were simulated and evaluated in the 0.6-2 GHz range using the Antenna Toolbox in MATLAB. Comparison metrics include return loss, mismatch loss, bandwidth (BW), and current distribution. The second tag design achieved the best return loss of 18 dBm and a lower Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) of 1.4 dB, while the first design offered the longest range between the tag and the reader.