Date: 20/09/2011

NXP adds new NFC ICs for making RFID tags

NXP Semiconductors N.V. has introduced the NTAG203 NFC Forum-compliant Type 2 tag, the newest family of integrated circuits to enhance the deployment of NFC tags for OEMs, inlay customers and end users.

"Together with our customers, we analyzed market demand as well as new use cases, to enhance our portfolio of NFC tag ICs. The result is the NTAG203, an NFC tag IC that can enhance the performance of existing tags, or enable the design of smaller tags without compromising performance," said Chris Feige, general manager, tags and labels product line, Identification business, NXP Semiconductors.

"The new product family of NFC tag ICs complements NXP's RFID product portfolio," comments Michael Liard, research director, AutoID & Smart Cards at ABI Research. "It will enable NXP's customers and partners to develop NFC tag solutions and capitalize on expected NFC market growth."

NXP says the focus of the NTAG family is to facilitate easy reuse of existing inlays and tag designs already in production to ensure quick and cost-effective deployment, while minimizing the number of product types customers need to stock. A specific focus was to optimize the NTAG RF performance to tune for either longer read range with existing antenna designs, or facilitate smaller tags with read range equivalent to existing solutions, according to NXP. Now tags as small as 12 mm in diameter show a 20-25% increase in performance compared to equivalent sized tags, which in turn allow the mobile device to read the tag with more ease, claims NXP.

The NTAG203 is launched as an NFC Forum Type 2 Tag, with 144 bytes of memory, and optimized RF performance. The NTAG2 family is available now in sample quantities through selected NXP partners including Avery Dennison, Identive NFC, Mikron, Smartrac, and UPM RFID. There are multiple standard-sized tags, as well as the ability to have custom versions created. On request, NXP's partners can also facilitate the printing and programming of the tags for customers and end users.