RFID Technology Advances: Magic ink that makes metal grow

From BBC News, UK ... It means antennas for tiny mobiles or radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, used for tracking goods, could be made cheaply and quickly. ...

QinetiQ is Europe's largest science and technology organisation. Formerly an agency of the MOD, the company has a distinguished heritage as a leading provider of technology solutions and a supplier of impartial and trusted advice. QinetiQ's core business is providing scientific research, test and evaluation for military customers to give them leading edge competitive advantage. In many areas the problems posed by the defence environment require the creation of intellectual property well beyond the state of the art in commercial markets. QinetiQ's move into the private sector facilitates access to this treasure trove of technology by customers from fields as diverse as transport, health, energy and telecommunications. The commercial production of low-cost, high volume RFID security / tracking tags along with a host of other applications where a fine metal pattern is needed (labels, smart cards, antenna, frequency selective surfaces), moved a major step closer. QinetiQ announced that Sun Chemical Corporation, the world's largest manufacturer of printing inks and pigments used to produce credit cards and security documents, will manufacture base inks for its patented QinetiQ Metal Printing processes, through its Coates Screen business unit. The QinetiQ process is uniquely based on printing a desired pattern on either a flexible or rigid substrate using industry standard printing processes, and then 'growing' pure fully densified metal where required by immersion in chemical baths. With significantly fewer production stages than current techniques, the process produces negligible waste, is exceptionally cost effective as it requires substantially less metal, is much more flexible and has better 'green' credentials. QinetiQ originally developed this metal printing process because it needed large 'sheets' (up to 2m2) of Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS) for use in radar applications and as part of its development of its MillimetreWave security screening device. FSSs allow only certain wavelengths to pass through them and are commonly found as the protective screening in microwave ovens or used in various radar applications. QinetiQ (pronounced ki' ne tik as in 'kinetic energy') is one of Europe's largest science and technology solutions companies that employs nearly 10,000 staff, including many of the UK's leading scientists and internationally acclaimed experts. Founded from the laboratories of the UK Government, today QinetiQ operates in markets as diverse as marine, energy, telecommunications, automotive, rail, electronics, defence, space, health, oil & gas, aerospace and information technology. QinetiQ's facilities include indoor and outdoor ranges, wind tunnels, marine testing facilities, automotive test tracks and climatic testing laboratories. QinetiQ's heritage covers the pioneering research and development of many household technologies such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), carbon fibre, the technology for flat panel speakers, infra-red sensors and microwave radar, a life saving foetal heart monitoring system, plus other significant advancements in the areas of healthcare, passenger security and transport.