Fingerprint sensing

techniques
0920 2007
Biometrics Tech. and Application
Dr. Hsu, Wen-Hsing
Fingerprint sensing techniques
Optical readers
Reflection
Transmission
Sweep, sweep with a roller
Touchless
TFT
Electro-optical readers
Capacitance
Silicon chips
TFT
RF field - AC capacitance
Pressure
Resistive membrane on silicon, TFT
Tactile MEMS
Thermal
Ultra-sound
Ink
Ink and paper are the
tried-and-true way to
take fingerprints, but
technology has found
ways to eliminate
smudges and ink
stains.
Optical readers
Reflection
The oldest 'live-scan' readers use frustrated refraction over a glass prism (when the skin
touches the glass, the light is not reflected but absorbed). The finger is illuminated from
one side with a LED while the other side transmits the image through a lens to a camera.
(FTIR: frustrated total internal reflection).
 Optical readers -Reflection
Many companies are offering such devices, this is a common technology. .

Here is the example of the Compaq fingerprint

reader (CMOS camera, around 2000).
Generally, one fingerprint is taken at a time,
but some devices are able to acquire several
fingers at a time. (Rolling Fingerprint)

Nagoya University uses a micro-collimator instead of the fiber

optic, enabling direct fingerprint comparison.
Reflection with sweep
Kinetic Sciences and Cecrop/Sannaedle have proposed sweep optical
sensors based on this principle. Cecrop seems to have abandonned this
device
Kinetic Sciences Paper describing the sensor
Cecrop/Sannaedle
 Casio + Alps Electric uses a roller with the
sensor inside. The roller acts like the prism.
Casio
Alps Electric

As well as Digital Persona with the

Firefly
Digital Persona Firefly
Reflection touchless
TST removed the prism by
directly reading the fingerprint,
so the finger does not touch
anything (but still need a guide
to get the right optical
distance). Thales (formerly
Thomson-CSF) also proposed
the same, but with the use of a
special powder to put on the
finger. The BERC lab from
Yonsei University (Korea) also
developped a touchless
sensor (2004).
(2005) TBS launch a touchless
sensor with the "Surround
Imaging".
Transmission
It is also possible to directly read the light transmitted
by the finger.
 Mitsubishi proposes to read the fingerprint with a regular
camera.
 NEC and Delsy (and Secom?) use a
CMOS camera which is the size of the
finger, with a fiber optic in-between,
the light is coming from the edges in
this case. Mitsumi & NEC proposes
the same but with a sweep sensor.
Delsy
NEC
Mitsumi

In July 2005, NanoIdent unveils a flexible fingerprint sensor using polymer/organic photodetector.
TFT optical / TFT optique
Philips replaces the
CMOS sensor by a TFT
display, used as sensor.
Philips has also worked
with Ethentica to combine
their technologies, but
without known product.
LG has also studied a
TFT sensor.
Other companies proposing TFT fingerprint sensors:
Casio
SiliconImageWorks
Silicon Display Technology
Alps Electric
Mitsubishi
Seiko/Epson
Electro-optical readers
A variant of TFT devices is the use of capacitance
information instead of reflected light.
 Some polymers are able to
emit light when properly
excited with the proper voltage
(generally quite a high voltage
is required. This polymer is
directly contacting a CMOS
camera, which is necessarily
the size of the finger. Generally,
the finger acts as the ground,
and the polymer emits light
where the ridges touch.
Ethentica and TesTech
propose such a solution.
Ethentica
TesTech
Capacitance
After optical sensing, the measurement of the capacitance between the skin and the pixel is the most
physical effect used to acquire fingerprints. Where there is a ridge or a valley, the distance varies, as
does the capacitance. Because an electrical field is measured and the distance between the skin and
the pixel must be very low to provide enough sensitivity, the coating must be as thin as possible (a
few microns). A significant drawback is vulnerability to strong external electrical fields, the most
dangerous being ESD (Electro-Static Discharge).
Silicon chips + capacitance
Silicon chips can be seen as a variant of the CMOS
cameras: instead of using the light, another physical effect
is used.
Companies proposing (or having proposed) capacitance
sensing:
Veridicom, Fujitsu, Infineon, Sony, Upek, LighTuning,
Melfas, Atrua, NTT, Symwave, ...
Labs working (or having worked) on
silicon capacitance sensors:
Seoul University
A 600-dpi Capacitive Fingerprint Sensor
Chip and Image-Synthesis Technique (Lee
& als, Seoul National University, 1998)

Kaist
IML KAIST

NTT
NTT Microsystem Integration Laboratories
A Single-Chip Fingerprint Sensor and Identifier
(Shigematsu & als)
Capacitance + TFT
Flat panel technology rather
than bulk silicon has been
studied by Philips Korea and
some others, using
capacitive sensing. This is
still at the laboratory stage.
A Capacitive Fingerprint
Sensor with Low-
Temperature Poly-Si TFTs
Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
(April 2004) Alps Electric
develops 2 fingerprint
sensors. One is transparent,
electrostatic (capacitive).
RF field - AC capacitance
Sometimes confused with
capacitance sensing, the only
common point between RF
field sensing and capacitance
sensing is the "capacitance"
connection of the signal.
Companies proposing (or
having proposed) RF/AC-
capacitance sensing:
Authentec, Fingerprint Cards
Labs working (or having worked) on RF
capacitance sensing:
Labs working (or having worked) on RF capacitance sensing:
Validity / Philips Korea

An alternate solution consists in having connection through wires, so the finger is not
mandatory directly in contact with the silicon part.

Validity
Pressure
This is one of the oldest ideas, because when you put your finger
on something, you apply a pressure. Piezo-electric material has
existed for years, but unfortunately, the sensitivity is very low.
Moreover, when you add a protective coating, the resulting image is
blurred because the relief of the fingerprint is smoothed.
These problems have been solved, and now some devices using
pressure sensing are available.

Several solutions, depending on the material, have been proposed:

Conductive membrane on a CMOS silicon chip.
Conductive membrane on TFT.
Micro-electromechanical switches on silicon chip.
Conductive membrane on silicon
Opsis (a french company) offered a device using a
conductive membrane deposited on a CMOS chip (July
1994).
Conductive membrane on TFT
Since 2002, BMF is offering a product using a TFT substrate
(developed with Sanyo)
Fidelica offers since mid-2004 the FIS-3002, also using a TFT
substrate from Sanyo.
(April 2004) Alps Electric develops 2
fingerprint sensors. One is based on
pressure.

The Fraunhofer IKTS is working on 1-3 piezocomposites to create a fingerprint

sensor (for CrossMatch, 2004).
Tactile MEMS
Micro electro-mechanical devices allow engineers to
make extremely tiny silicon switches. When a ridge
touches a switch, it closes. But the coating remains
a significant problem, and moreover, a binary image
is the result, leading to minimal information. No
further development has been done with this
technique beyond the laboratory.
 NTT Microsystem
Integration Laboratories
NTT research group

Michigan University (Wise)

 Tima homepage
N.Galy thesis page and the
thesis

Leti, pressure sensors (Rey)

 LighTuning

Micron Technology: Tactile sensor using an insulated flexible matrix loaded with filler
particles US 6,561,044
Thermal
Pyro-electric material is able to convert changes in temperature into a specific voltage. This
effect is quite large, and is used in infrared cameras. This type of sensor doesn't measure
the difference of temperature between the skin in the ridges and valleys, because the
difference is negligible. In fact, as the finger is directly placed on the material, the ridge's
temperature is what's measured, as it's in contact. The valleys don't make contact, so the
temperature of the pyro-electric material under the valleys remains almost unchanged. A
drawback of the technique is that the image disappears quickly. When you place your finger
on the sensor, there is a big change of temperature, and therefore signal, but after a short
period (less than a tenth of a second), the image vanishes. The finger and the chip have
reached thermal equilibrium, and as there is no change in temperature, there is no signal.
This effect disappears when you sweep your finger over the sensor, because of the touch/no
touch of ridge/valley.
Atmel (formerly Thomson-CSF) proposes the FingerChip
Hunno Technologies & Hyung-Kew Lee (Korea, KAIST) have studied a thermal fingerprint
sensor in 1999, probably using bolometers.
Nagoya University has studied a thermal sensor based on MEMS, using a resistor to heat a
sensor above a cavity.
INO (Institut National d'Optique / Canada) has used bolometers to make a 160x120 pixel
fingerprint sensor (US patent 6,633,656). Bolometric FPA for fingerprint recording
 Ultra-sound
Ultra-sound fingerprint reading is not common. It may be seen as a kind
of echography. Ultra-sound sensing requires quite a big device with
mechanical parts, and is quite expensive. Moreover, it takes a few
seconds to grab an image. It is not suited for large production volumes at
low cost. Its main advantage is the reading of the derma, the sub-surface
of the skin, rather than the surface.

Ultrascan Optel is still at R & D stage

Surface impedance impediography
(2004) CrossMatch is developping a fingerprint sensor based on piezo-electric pillars glued in teflon and covered with
urethan, based on ultra-sound
Fingerprint: List of silicon
sensors
List of fingerprint sensors / sensing area / JF Mainguet 2005
( sweep sensor area sensor)
R x y
Rele x y
Sensing Part es. pi pi
Company Brand T ase m m notes
type number dp xe xe
date m m
i l l
50 16 16 8. 8.
FC8x8 1997 prototype
8 0 0 0 0
50 35 17 2.
FC2x17 1997 40 prototype
8 0 .5 0
FC15A1 50 28 14 1.
Atmel 1998 30 prototype
40 8 0 .0 5
formerly Finger
thermal AT77C1
2000
50 28
8
14 0.
formerly FCD4B14
Thomso Chip 01B 8 0 .0 4
n-CSF
AT77C1 50 23 11 0.
2004 8 navigation
04 8 2 .6 4

5 2 0
AT77C 200 11 navigation & low
0 3 8 .
105 5 .6 voltage I/Os
8 2 4
 prot
pressure - 2004 - - - - - -
o

Alps

prot
optical TFT - 2004 - - - - - -
o

prot
Alps/Casio optical roller - 2003 Feb 600 288 - 12.2 - sweep rolling tube
o

AT
Atrua capacitive - W1 2002 363 192 8 13.5 0.6 Formely I-Control / ICS-3000
00
 AF-
2000 May 250 128 128 13.0 13.0 -
S2

AFS
FingerLoc 2002 May 250 96 96 9.75 9.75 Discontinued.
8500

AFS
2004 Jan 250 96 96 9.75 9.75 -
8600

AES
2000 Sep 250 96 96 9.75 9.75 -
4000

AES
2001 Oct 500 128 128 6.5 6.5 USB. Discontinued.
3500

Authentec
AES
spin-off RF modulation 2002 Sep 500 128 128 6.5 6.5 -
3400
from Harris

AES
2002 Nov 500 192 16 9.75 0.81 USB. Replaced by the AES2501.
2500

Entrad

AES
2003 Dec 500 192 16 9.75 0.81 USB
2501

AES
2003 Dec 500 192 16 9.75 0.81 SSI
2502

AES
2004 Jun 500 192 16 9.75 0.81 serial, 8 bit-parallel
2510

1510 2005 Mar 500 128 8 6.4 0.4 4bit-parallel, master SSI
 BLP-
2002 Feb 438 256 384 14.8 22.2 pixel pitch is 0.058mm (width/height not OK)
100

BMF pressure TFT -

BLP-
2003 508 192 192 9.6 9.6 Hitachi
60

prot
- 2004 Oct 423 368 368 22.08 22.08 demonstrated over a LCD display / CEATEC 2004
o

Casio optical TFT

prot
- 2004 500 200 240 10.0 12.0 Backlight
o

CM
- 2001 508 288 384 12 18
OS

Delsy optical trans. Discontinued?

- CCD 2001 - 512 576 - -

Firefl
Digital Persona optical roller FireFly 2003 May 600 345 - 14.5 - 600dpi max (500dpi sweep dir.) depends on speed.
y

T-
Ethentica electro-optical TactileSense 2001 403 225 306 14.2 19.3 Formerly Who?Vision
FPM

FIS-
Fidelica pressure - 2004 Feb 508 256 256 12.8 12.8 -
3002
 FPC
2002 363 152 200 10.6 14.0 FPC1011
1010
active
Fingerprint Cards -
capacitive
FPC
2002 363 152 32 10.6 2.2 FPC1031
1030

MBF
2001 500 300 300 15.0 15.0 (= Veridicom FPS110)
110

MBF
2001 500 256 300 12.8 15.0 USB. (= Veridicom FPS200)
200

Fujitsu capacitive -

MBF
2002 Mar 500 256 32 12.8 1.7 Discontinued.
300

MBF
2003 Jul 500 218 8 10.9 0.4 Replaces the MBF300.
310

Idex AC capacitive SmartFinger - 2000 500 256 - 12.8 - Sweep 1 line. Non-active pixels on silicon.

FTF
Infineon capacitive FingerTip 2000 513 224 288 11.1 14.3 Discontinued in 2004.
1100

INO thermal - FPA 2003 Sep 488 160 120 8.3 6.2 Bolometers

- proto 2002 500 210 100 10.5 5.0 -

KAIST univ. capacitive

- proto 2005 462 200 160 11.0 8.8 integrated processor for recognition.

KSI / Cecrop optical sweep - - 2000 900 - 3 19.1 - -

Leti MEMS pressure - proto 2002 391 92 92 6.0 6.0 -

LTT
capacitive - 2003 313 192 128 15.4 10.3 -
C300

LTT
LighTuning capacitive - 2003 500 236 192 11.8 9.6 -
C500

LTT
capacitive - 2004 Oct 500 200 16 10 0.8 sweep-type
S500

LG-Philips optical TFT FingerTalk proto 2000 300 240 256 20.1 26.8 backlight

MFCS
Melfas capacitive - - 400 150 - 9.6 - -
1000

Michigan univ. tactile - proto - 500 16 16 0.8 0.8 -

Optical TFT - proto 2003 feb 423 250 320 15.0 19.2 -

Mitsubishi capacitive TFT - proto 2003 Feb 423 250 320 15.0 19.2 -

optical trans. - R&D 2003 - - - - - -

SEF-
Mitsumi optical - 2005 jun 600 256 - 10.8 - Proto shown May 2004.
A1

NanoIdent photo-organic - proto 2005 250 256 256 - - (announced resolution is likely an error)

SA301
NEC optical trans. FingerThrough 2002 Oct 800 480 540 15 18 (approximative values)
-10
Fingerprint sweep sensing
 Fingerprint sweep (or swipe) sensors is a subcategory of fingerprint sensors, useful because of its
lower cost production compared to static (or area) sensors.
History of fingerprint sweep sensors
1997
May: Thomson-CSF (now Atmel) demonstrated the FingerChip FC2x17, at the CTST'97.
1998
May: Thomson-CSF demonstrated the FingerChip FC15A140.
May: Seoul University submits a paper about a capacitance swipe sensor (published April '99).
July: First prototype from Idex on its first sweep sensor.
1999
May: Sannaedle / Cecrop demonstrates MyFin, a swipe optical reader.
May: Kinetic Sciences demonstrates the KC-901 at the CTCT.
2000
May: Atmel unveils the FingerChip AT77C101.
May: Kinetic Sciences demonstrates a new version of their swipe optical sensor (K-1000?).
 2001
April: Idex & STm announce the development of SmartFinger.
Sept: Fingerprint Cards announces the FCP1030.
Nov: Citizen & IBM shows the WatchPad, the first watch with a built-in fingerprint reader, the FingerChip.
2002
Feb: Fujitsu announces the MBF300, and shows it at the CTST in May.
Summer: Tima publishes about a sweep tactile sensor.
Oct: I-Control promotes the ICS3000 / PDS3000
Nov: Authentec introduces the AES2500.
Nov: The HP iPAQ h5450 is the first PDA with a built-in fingerprint sensor, the FingerChip AT77C101 from Atmel.
Nov: STm unveils a TouchStrip prototype at the COMDEX.
2003
Feb: Alps Electrics + Casio unveiled their "rolling-tube head" scanner.
March: STm displays the TouchStrip on the web.
May: Digital Persona unveils the Firefly, a sweep optical fingerprint sensor using a roller.
Jul: Sharp announces the Mebius Muramasa, the first Tablet PC with a build-in sweep fingerprint sensor, the FingerChip.
Jul: Fujitsu announces the MBF310.
Sept: Melfas announces the MFCS1000.
Oct: YRP shows the Ubiquitous Communicator, a R&D study prototype, containing the Atrua sweep sensor.
Nov: Elsafe installs the first safe with a sweep fingerprint reader, the FingerChip.
2004
Feb: I-Control becomes Atrua and promotes "Atrua Wings" (ATW100).
Feb: Atmel announces the AT77C104, the FingerChip with integrated navigation.
Feb: Atmel announces the colored FingerChip.
Feb: The Fujitsu F900i cell phone contains the Authentec AES2500. (Japan only)
March: Upek becomes a spin-off from STm.
March: Fingerprint Cards announces the FPC1031B.
March: Validity unveils the VFS101 (USB), VFS131 (SPI) & FVS161 (LPC) (RF Fingerprint imaging on flexible tape)
March: Ritech announces the BioSlimDisk iCool containing the Upek TouchStrip.
March: Trek announces Thumdrive Swipe containing the Upek TouchStrip (to check).
April: Fujitsu announces the LOOX T series notebooks (t50H & T70H) with the Authentec AES2500.
April: Motion Computing announces the M1400 tablet PC with the Authentec AES2500.
April: MPC unveils the Transport X3000 with the Upek TouchStrip.
May: The Fujitsu F506i cell phone contains the Upek TouchStrip. (Japan only)
June: The F900it is the same as F900i, but with a twist screen.
June: The Gateway notebook 450XL contains the Upek TouchStrip.
June: Authentec announces the AES2510, a swipe sensor + navigation, available mid-June, $6.
 2005
Jan: Bionopoly unveilsBio-USB flash drive & Fingerprint Passcode Generator
using the Atmel FingerChip.
Feb: IBM announces a keyboard (and peripheral) with a swipe sensor.
Feb: Atmel releases the FingerChip AT77C105
Feb: Yulong announces the Coolpad 858F GSM with the Atrua swipe
fingerprint sensor.
March: Authentec unveils the Entrad 1510, a swipe sensor + navigation, $5.
March: Sandisk unveils the Cruzer?Profile USB drive (using the Upek swipe
sensor?).
March: IRevo introduces the Gateman MB740 door lock using the Atmel
FingerChip
March: Atrua announces the ATW200. No photo.
March: G&D unveils the StarSign Bio Token containing the FingerChip sweep
sensor.
 March: The Fujitsu Stylistic ST5022 Tablet PC with the Authentec swipe sensor.
April: IBM unveils the ThinkPad X41 with the TouchStrip from Upek.
April: LG releases the LG-LP3550 cameraphone containing the Authentec AES2500.
April: Scandinavian Ecotechnologies presents a biometric card with an embedded swipe sensor likely from Fingerprint Cards.
April: Toshiba introduces the Libretto U100 with the Authentec AES2500.
April: Toshiba introduces the Portege R200 = the Dynabook SS SX/190 with the Authentec AES2500.
April: Tychi unveils the BioKnob (door knob)
April: MPC's Transport X3100 with the sweep-type Upek TouchStrip.
May: Ritech unveils the iDEA containing the Upek TouchStrip.
May: Ritech unveils the BioMouse with the Upek TouchStrip.
May: Motion Computing announces the M1600 tablet PC with the Authentec AES2500.
May: Fujitsu LifeBook S6240, S7020 & S7021 / B6000 with the Authentec swipe sensor.
June: IBM unveils the ThinkPad X41 Tablet with the TouchStrip from Upek.
June: Aratek Fingo Mouse / Fingo Reader / Fingo Lock using a swipe sensor from Authentec.
June: NEC Versa C250/M350/P550 with the Upek TouchStrip sweep sensor
June: LaCie unveils the SAFE Mobile Hard Drive using a Upek TouchStrip sensor.
June: HP nx6125 laptop with an Authentec 2501 swipe sensor.
June: Mitsumi announces an optical sweep fingerprint sensor, the SEF-A1
July: The Pantech & Curitel PT-K1200 cellphone containing an Authentec swipe sensor is unveiled.
July: Motion Computing unveils the LS800 A5 tablet PC with the Authentec AES2501.
July: Card Media announces the Storeguard with the AUthentec swipe sensor.
July: MPC's Transport T3100 with the Upek TouchStrip.
Aug: Fujitsu LifeBook P1500 with the Authentec swipe sensor.
Aug: More info about the Symwave capacitance sweep fingerprint sensor SW-6888
Aug: The Fujitsu Stylistic ST5032 Tablet PC with the Authentec swipe sensor.
Aug: Sony announces the Vaio BX series with the Upek swipe sensor.
Aug: The Lenovo ThinkPad R52 now offers a Upek fingerprint sensor (as an option).
Sep: Itronix announces the GoBook?VR-1 with the Upek swipe sensor.
Sep: Lenovo unveils the ThinkPad Z60m & Z60t with the Upek swipe sensor.
Sep: Toshiba announces the Tecra S3 M740 & M780
Sep: Willcom unveil a cellphone proto using the Fujitsu swipe fingerprint sensor.
Sep: HP released the HP iPAQ hx2790 with Windows Mobile 5.0 with the Atmel FingerChip.
Oct: Fujitsu Lifebook FMV P8210, T8210 & TB12 Tablet PCs with the Authentec swipe sensor.
Oct: Sony introduces the Vaio AX series (VGN-AX570G) with the Upek swipe sensor.
Oct: Samsung unveils the SCH S370 cellphone using the Authentec swipe sensor.
Oct: Amoi announces the M606, M616 and A717 notebook PCs with the Upek swipe sensor.
Oct: Medion introduces the MD 96500 notebook PC with the Authentec EntrePad 2501A swipe sensor.
Atmel
Official homepage of
the FingerChip: Atmel
website

See also the (local)

FingerChip products page
for more information.
 Seoul University
A 600-dpi Capacitive
Fingerprint Sensor Chip
and Image-Synthesis
Technique
(Lee & als, Seoul
National University,
1998)
 Idex
Homepage: Idex
(1998) IFF120: first
sweep active AC
capacitance sensing
prototype, started with
Sintef. IFF 120 SmartFinger
(2001) SmartFinger:
development with ST.
Sannaedle / Cecrop / Kinetic Sciences
Homepage: Cecrop/Sannaedle.
Homepage: Kinetic Sciences (KSI).
In 1999, Sannaedle (now Cecrop) offered a device called MyFin. At the same
time, KSI offered the KC-901, which was probably the same device.
In 2002, Cecrop was offering the CFS2000, while KSI offered the K-1000.
In 2004, KSI is still displaying the device on their web site, while there is
no more information about an optical sweep sensor on the Cecrop website.