Metamaterial Wireless Pressure Sensor Based on Deformable Substrate

Conventional pressure sensors typically comprise an electronic board, a battery, and locally measured quantities. In this study, we introduce a novel passive pressure sensor based on a millimeter-wave resonator that enables wireless interrogation. The sensor features a sandwich structure consisting of a metasurface and a Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer, supported by a ground plane. When pressure is applied from the ground plane side, the PDMS layer compresses, altering its thickness and permittivity, which in turn shifts the resonator's resonance peak. The key innovation of this work lies in leveraging the mechanical deformation of PDMS to induce electromagnetic changes, leading to a resonance shift. The sensor is initially analyzed by electromagnetic simulations and through a circuit model approach. Subsequently, an experimental validation is reported to confirm the theoretical analysis.