A plastic electronic circuit based on low voltage, organic thin-film transistors for monitoring the X-Ray checking history of luggage in airports

Stefano Lai, Giulia Casula, Piero Cosseddu, Laura Basiricò, Andrea Ciavatti, Franck D’Annunzio, Christophe Loussert, Vincent Fischer, Beatrice Fraboni, Massimo Barbaro, Annalisa Bonfiglio

Organic Electronics 58, 263-269 (2018)

A circuit based on low voltage Organic Field-Effect Transistors (OFETs) and conceived for monitoring the security check history of luggage in airport environment is reported. An OFET-based, direct X-Rays detector is used as sensing element and integrated in an organic circuit for digitization and memorization of the X-Ray exposure event. An integrated interface to a commercial RFID chip and antenna is also realized to allow remote readout of the circuit status. The operation mechanism of the circuit is described and a complete explanation of the strategy adopted for circuit design is reported. Simulations of the systems in Cadence^® Virtuoso environment are presented: X-Ray response of the sensor is modelled, and the overall functionality of the detection and memorization schema are demonstrated. Fabrication and characterization of the circuit under X-Rays in laboratory environment are described. In particular, the correct functionality of the circuit is demonstrated, as well as its actual capability in driving the commercial RFID tag system. The robustness of the circuit to aging and exposure to X-Rays in operation conditions is finally discussed.