Can a degaussing coil erase passive RFID chips?

Question

Degaussing coils are used to correct color issues on television sets (and other types of video monitors). Many computer monitors have a degauss button built-in, many televisions do not. The coil creates a powerful magnetic field. This field can erase floppy disks, cassettes, etc. What about RFID chips (such as the type forced upon US passport holders starting next year)?

Answer 1

Possibly. In some pharmacies and stores, they will rub a purchase over a certain marked area on the countertop, which (presumably) holds an induction coil. This deactivates the RFID chip in the sales tag and prevents the store theft alarm from going off, as it would if the item were shoplifted.

I don’t see the wisdom in doing this, however, if you wish to use your nice new passport. Why bother getting one? A transformer-type soldering gun (with a wire-loop tip) can also be used to degauss things; they are especially good for small tools.

I don’t know whether the RFID package contains a magnetic memory device, or if the changing magnetic field induces currents which damage the devices inside. I suppose either is possible, and different ones may use different technologies. A ball-peen hammer also works, and it is much less expensive than any other degaussing tool.

I’m not sure whether I should wish you this, but good luck not running afoul of the customs and immigration and naturalization folks.

29 DEC 06, 2324 hrs, GMT.

Answer 2

The data is not susceptible to magnetic fields such as that in a degaussing coil as it is stored in EEPROM. A powerful radio field like that in a microwave oven would do the trick of making a passport invalid by destroying rather than erasing the chip.