Novel approaches of tunable devices for millimeter wave applications based on liquid crystal (LC) are presented. In the first part of the paper, a novel concept of a tunable LC phase shifter realized in Low Temperature Cofired Ceramics technology is shown while the second part of the paper deals with a tunable high-gain antenna based on an LC tunable reflectarray. The reflectarray features continuously beam scanning in between ±25°. Also first investigations on radiation hardness of LCs are carried out, indicating that LCs might be suitable for space applications.
Continuously tuneable liquid crystal based stripline phase shifter realised in LTCC technology
(2015)
This work presents the design, fabrication and measurements of a low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) integrated liquid crystal (LC) phase shifter. The effective permittivity of the phase shifter and therefore its differential phase shift can be tuned continuously by orienting the LC directors with electric fields. The phase-shift demonstrator is designed for Ka-band frequencies around 30 GHz and represents a stripline filled with LC, embedded inside an LTCC multilayer structure, which provides a space-qualified and hermetically-sealed LC cavity within an RF-capable material system. The total length of the device is 37 mm while the phase shifting LC section has a length of 14.6 mm. At 30 GHz it exhibits a differential phase shift of 60° with an insertion loss around 6 dB, resulting in a figure of merit around 10°/dB. An advantage is that the insertion loss is nearly independent of the tuning state of the LC. The response time of the phase shifter, depending on the desired LC orientation, is between 62 ms and 37 s.
Reliability study of a tunable ka-band SIW-phase shifter based on liquid crystal in LTCC-technology
(2014)
A tunable substrate-integrated waveguide phase shifter using low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC)-technology is presented in this paper. By changing the effective permittivity in the liquid crystal (LC)-filled waveguide, the differential phase can be tuned continuously. This is achieved by means of an analog signal applied to the electrodes, surrounding the LC. The design allows for precise tuning of the differential phase, which is proven with a Monte Carlo measurement resulting in phase errors of less than 3° at 28 GHz. Besides that, the ambient temperature dependency of the module is shown. The phase shifter has a high integration level and can be included into a complete and lightweight single-phased array antenna module. The phase shifter is realized with a high level of integration which is available through the multilayer process of the LTCC. It has a length of 50 and provides a differential phase shift of more than 360° at 28 GHz. The figure of merit for tunable phase shifters is >40°/dB.