"Logistics" addresses the development and integration of components for manufacturing new smart labels which autonomously and wirelessly transfer data and to some extent energy with optimal quality at minimal production costs. They are used for instance in the automation of supply chains. Therefore application-specific antenna systems are designed and printed primary cells as well as wireless power supply systems based on near field coupling are developed. If necessary these customer specific products are produced at low cost with high throughput printing systems. Additionally a further focus is on the development of complex RF labels with integrated MEMS sensors for data acquisition. Electronic components, that are necessary for the RF technology and sensor systems, are supplied by industrial partners.

In the field of application-specific antennas, the intention is to analyze the dielectric environment of the material to be marked during the lifetime in advance and to include the results in the design of the RFID solution. In addition, beyond printing technology work is carried out in the field of antenna begin in the ultra high frequency (UHF) and super high frequency (SHF) range and for matters of electro magnetic compatibility.

In order to bring together elements printed with silicon based chips in terms of a hybrid solution there is a strong cooperation with the core competences "Interconnect Technologies" and "System Integration Technologies" as well as the business unit "Micro and Nano Electronics/ Back-end of Line".

This strategy targets at the growth market of packaging. Parallel to the activities of the pure packaging market, approaches are developed to integrate MEMS-based sensors in non-rigid, thin and smart labels, which collect, store and process data measured. Such complex systems are used e.g. for container labeling. They require an integrated, wireless power supply in addition to optimized dielectric antennas and sensor systems. For simple single-use applications, environmentally friendly primary batteries may be used, which are based on zinc-manganese dioxide and deliver voltages of 1.5 to 6 volts.

Therefore, highly efficient production technologies are used based on printing processes. They will be further developed to inexpensively produce thin, flexible energy reservoirs in (almost) any form. Competitive advantages exis for the printed batteries last but not least from the in-house design and the existing infrastructure for their characterization and reliability testing.

Fraunhofer ENAS offers the following services:

• Antenna design and modeling
• Prototype antenna manufacturing and metrological characterization
• System design for energy supply by wireless near-field coupling
• Integration of sensors/ MEMS in smart label
• Development of assembling and packaging technologies of printed elements and silicon components
• Adaptation of printing production technologies
• Design and modeling of printed batteries and intergration of these elements
• Small batch production and metrological characterization of batteries.