An etched antenna for autoclaveable RFID tags

The smart structures community has become interested in embedding of antennae into carbon-epoxy composite materials to facilitate the delivery of power to an embedded sensor system as well as transfer of data and instructions to and from the sensor system. Once a sensor is attached to this embedded antenna, the resultant sensor system can be used to measure, for example, temperature, strain, acceleration, or chemical processes, and thus be used to monitor the “health” of the structure, the state of cure of the part, or perhaps external stimuli.