Design of Flat Spiral Rectangular Loop

Antenna for HF-RFID System

Abstract — This paper is introduced a flat spiral rectangular loop antenna in
walk-through gate installation for improving the distribution of magnetic field
in High-Frequency Radio Frequency Identification (HF-RFID) systems. The
spiral structure can provide the magnetic field distribution to cover desired
region in various directions. This antenna is designed as a walk-through gate
for anti-theft application. The prototype antenna was fabricated and measured
to confirm the antenna performance.
Keywords- HF-RFID, Flat Spiral Rectangular Loop Antenna, Anti-Theft
System.
Introduction
The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system is become popular in many
applications such as industrial automation and supply chain management
because it can provide fast and automation operating. Tags in contactless smart
cards used in building-access and anti-theft systems. In practice, these tags are
oriented in many directions. Conventionally, the rectangular or circular loop
reader antennas are always employed, but they cannot provide sufficient
magnetic field intensities in some required directions. Therefore, a large
number of publications and patents are available in the literature for loop
antenna in various configurations. Most techniques can improve the magnetic
field distribution but antenna structure is complicated. In this paper, the flat
spiral rectangular loop antenna arranged as a walk-through gate is proposed
for the anti-theft system. Anti-theft system is also expected to be applied in the
shop or store to protect the thievery. A typical RFID anti-theft system as
shown in Fig. 1 consists of three main parts: antenna system, reader and
computer. This propose reader antenna is low cost and simple structure,
including ability to communicate with various tag orientations.

Antenna Analysis
The flat spiral rectangular loop antenna is improved from the rectangular loop
antenna to provide better magnetic field distributions in various directions a
spiral configuration as shown in Fig. 2, where d is the separation distance
between each spiral loop In this design, the dimension of antenna are 50 cm of
width and 80 cm of height (with d=10 cm). In addition, the matching circuit is
designed to match the antenna to the reader 50 Ω input impedance as shown in
Fig. 3. The percentage of volume of magnetic field intensity is used as a figure
of merit. The percentage of volume for communication achievement is
probability of all points in the space that have magnetic field strength stronger
than the activation field intensity (Ht) of a tag. This paper considers the
percentage of volume in three principal axes (x-axis, y-axis and z-axis) as a
antenna performance. where Pvx, Pvy and Pvz are the percentages of volume in
x, y and z axes, respectively. The evaluation of percentage of volume starts
from considering percentage of line (Pl). It is determined by considering a tag
goes through gate along a straight line from the entrance to the exit. If some
points in the line (parallel to the x-axis) has H(x,y,z) ≥ Ht, then the percentage
of that line is 100%. However, if every point along the line has H(x,y,z) < Ht,
the percentage of line is 0%. Note that H(x,y,z) is the magnetic field intensity
simulated by NEC [4] at any point parallel to the x-z plane. (Ht is assumed to
be 56 mA/m for the ISO card). The evaluation of the percentage of surface is
subsequently calculated by (1).
N

 P (z )
l n
Ps ( ym )  n 1

, N (1)
where N is the total number of lines along the z axis, Ps(ym) is the percentage
of surface in the x-z plane, Pl(zn) is the percentage of line along the x axis.
Note that Ps(ym)≤100%. The subdivided area is shown in Fig.4a. The
percentage of surface is consequently used to evaluate the percentage of
volume (Pv) by equation (2).
M
 Ps ( ym )
Pv  m1
M , (2)
where M is the total number of surface parallel to the x-z plane between two
gate as shown in Fig.4b. Note that Pv≤100%. In addition, the considered
volume must cover all regions between two antennas. Therefore, this paper
uses the following dimension to obtain the percentage of volume: x-axis from
-0.25 m to 0.25 m, y-axis from 0 to 1 m and z-axis from -0.4 m to 0.4 m. The
simulation result of the percentage of volume in principle axes equal to 100%,
97.01% and 90.06%.

Measured Results
The prototype antenna was fabricated by using enamel wire 16 AWG, and
connected to RFID reader (ACENTECH 13.56 MHz) with a matching circuit
as shown in Fig. 5. The tag under test is the ISO card tag. The measure result
magnitude of S11 of antenna with matching circuit shows in Fig. 6. It is found
that |S11| equal to -17 dB at 13.56 MHz bandwidth of 500 kHz. The antenna
performance is found in term of the percentage of volume in principal
directions, that is the probability of communication between RFID reader and
tag as shown in Fig. 8. It has the percentage of volume are 100%, 95.23% and
89.62% in x-, y- and z-direction, respectively. From Fig. 7 shows the
communication performance between reader and tag of the spiral rectangular
loop antenna, it improved the communication performance in x and z axes.
The gray slot represents the activated fields whereas the black slot represents
the null fields.

Conclusions
The flat spiral rectangular loop antennas in walk-through gate is found to
provide better magnetic field distributions in various directions. Resulting is
the enhancement of communication performance over the rectangular. It is
found that the percentages of volume for this antenna are Pv , H = 100%, Pv , H =
x y

95.23% and Pv , H = 89.62%, respectively. Thus, this antenna can be efficiently

z

used in the HF–RFID anti-theft system.

 References
[1] Dominique Paret, RFID and Contactless Smart Card Applications, John
wiley&Sons, 2005.
[2] Hassan M. Elkamchouchi and Mona N. Abd El-Salam, “Square Loop
Antenna Miniaturization using Fractal Geometry,” Antennas and
Propagation Society International Symposium IEEE, Vol.4, June 2003,
pp.254-257.
[3] Klaus Finkenzeller, RFID-Handbook, John wiley&Sons, 1999.
[4] G. J. Burke and A. J. Poggio. Numerical Electromagnetics Code (NEC)
Method of Moment, Part I-III. Lawrence LiverMore Nat. Lab.,
Livermore, CA, 1981.

Figures
Antenna System

Reader

Computer

z
Walk-through y
x

Figure 1 The RFID anti-theft system.

50 cm
D
z

d
z
80 cm

x y
y
x

Connect to matching circuit walk-through

Figure 2 The flat spiral rectangular loop antenna in walk-through gate.

Antenna 1

Spiral Rectangular Matching

Loop Antenna Circuit
50 Ω
Antenna 2 Power Splitter RFID Reader

Spiral Rectangular Matching

Loop Antenna Circuit

Figure 3 The flat spiral rectangular loop in walk-through gate of RFID system.
 z
z
x1 x2 x3 z xK
z1
z2
z3
y
x
x
y

zN
Ps (y1 ) Ps(y2 ) Ps (y3 ) Ps (yM)

(a) (b)
Figure 4 The evaluation of percentage of volume: (a) Consideration of the
percentage of line parallel to the x-z plane. (b) Consideration of the
percentage of volume.

Figure 5 Fabricated flat spiral rectangular loop antenna.

0

-2

-4

-6
|S11| (dB)

-8

-10

-12

-14 13.56 MHz

-17 dB
-16

-18
13 13.1 13.2 13.3 13 .4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 13.9 14
Frequency (MHz)

Figure 6 Measure result magnitude of |S11| of antenna with matching circuit.

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
81 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 81 81 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 81 81 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Distance
1 1 from
1 1antenna
1 1(cm)1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
81
78 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 78 78 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 78 78 1 78
75 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 75 75 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 75 75 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
75
72 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 72 72 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 72 72 1 72
69
69 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 69 69 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 69 69 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
66 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 66 66 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 66 66 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 66
63 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 63 63 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 63 63 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 63
60 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 60 60 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 60 60 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 60
57 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 57 57 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 57 57 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 57
54 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 54 54 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 54 54 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 54
A n t e n n a H e ig h t ( c m )
A n te n n a H e ig h t (c m )

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 51
A n te n n a H e ig h t ( c m )

51 1 51 51 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 51 51
48 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 48 48 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 48 48 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 48
45 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 45 45 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 45 45 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 45
42 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 42 42 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 42 42 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 42
39 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 39 39 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 39 39 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 39
36 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 36 36 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 36 36 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 36
33 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 33 33 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 33 33 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 33
30 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 30 30 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 30 30 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 30
27 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 27 27 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 27 27 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 27
24 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 24 24 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 24 24 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 24
21 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 21 21 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 21 21 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 21
18 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 18 18 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 18 18 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 18
12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12
9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9
6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6
3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3
0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
Distance from antenna (cm) Distance from antenna (cm) Distance from antenna (cm)

(a) Pl , H x (c) Pl , H (b) Pl , H y z

Figure 7 The communication performance between RFID reader

and tag in the straight line between antennas in principal
directions of flat spiral rectangular loop antennas.