Temperature Compensation in Loop and Patch FSS Strain Sensors: Analysis and Experimental Validation

Frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) are arrays of conductive elements or apertures that exhibit frequency-dependent reflection and transmission properties. Their electromagnetic response is influenced by geometry and environmental conditions, making them attractive for wireless strain-sensing applications. However, temperature variations can produce frequency shifts similar to those caused by strain, reducing measurement accuracy. This work investigates the effects of intrinsic temperature compensation on two common FSS unit cell geometries&#x2014;loop and patch&#x2014;through comprehensive simulation analysis. The results show that loop-based cells offer superior thermal stability, while patch-based cells provide greater strain sensitivity, illustrating the tradeoff between thermal robustness and mechanical responsiveness. A patch-type FSS strain sensor was designed, fabricated, and characterized under varying temperature and strain. The sensor achieves a strain sensitivity of ~150 MHz per 1%<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\varepsilon }_{l}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, while temperature-induced drift is limited to ~12 MHz over a 200&#x00B0;C range, confirming the effectiveness of the intrinsic compensation strategy. The results provide valuable insights for optimizing FSS-based sensor design in structural health monitoring applications and balancing thermal stability with mechanical sensitivity to ensure reliable performance in thermally dynamic environments.