NXP releases thinnest contactless chip module for passport and ID cards

NXP Semiconductors N.V. released its new, ultra-thin contactless chip module that significantly improves the design flexibility of passport and identity cards.

At only 200 μm thick ­– which is approximately four times the thickness of an average human hair – the MOB10 is 20 percent thinner than its predecessor, making it ideally suited for use in ultra-thin inlays for passport data pages and identity cards.

The MOB10 is currently the thinnest contactless module available in high volumes and supports polycarbonate technology, as well as new security and durability features.

The chip is also the first ultra-thin platform designed to be compatible with existing production lines so manufacturers can integrate it into devices without retooling, allowing them to support multiple products without increasing costs or slowing down production.

The MOB10 is designed to combat electronic document fraud by enabling slimmer and more secure eDatapages, eCovers and ID card inlays that are more difficult to forge or alter.

The ultra-thin nature of the chip allows manufacturers to include new security features and integrate the secure microcontroller and its antenna without adding bulk to passports, national eID cards, eHealth cards, citizenship cards, resident cards, driver licenses, and smart cards.

For passports, the MOB10 now allows the IC to be relocated from the cover of the passport booklet to the personal data page inside the passport.

This new feature increases security by preventing attempts to peel off or re-insert the IC after tampering.

The chip is also designed to reduce micro-cracks, sustain mechanical and environmental stresses, and better safeguard it against reverse-engineering or other security attacks.

“We are experiencing increased demand for slimmer solutions that can meet the future embedding requirements needed to produce thinner, and more cost-effective identity documents,” said Sebastien Clamagirand, general manager of the secure identification business line at NXP. “As the world’s thinnest contactless chip module, the MOB10 is uniquely suited to answer this need and will empower a new generation of passports and ID cards that are thinner, more durable and even more secure than ever before.”

The MOB10 is designed for high volume and offers higher density per reel, which optimizes machine throughput and storage space so that identity document manufacturers are able to cut costs, operate more efficiently, and deliver more resilient end products.

The MOB10 solution is compatible with ICAO 9303 and ISO/IEC 14443 standards to ensure flexibility in implementation.

Earlier this year, Precise Biometrics and NXP Semiconductors signed a framework agreement covering Precise Biometrics fingerprint software.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  electronic identity cards  |  NXP Semiconductors  |  passports