Phase shifter and preparation method thereof

Abstract

A phase shifter and a method for manufacturing the same. The phase shifter comprises: a substrate; a first ground wire, a second ground wire, and a waveguide transmission line disposed on the substrate, the first ground wire and the second ground wire being located on either side of the waveguide transmission line; an insulating layer located on a surface of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate; a membrane bridge located on a side of the insulating layer away from the substrate, with a cavity defined between the membrane bridge and the waveguide transmission line; one end of the membrane bridge being connected to the first ground wire via a first anchor point, and the other end of the membrane bridge being connected to the second ground wire via a second anchor point; the first anchor point and the second anchor point being configured to be compressible and repositionable in a direction perpendicular to the substrate to drive the membrane bridge to move.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a phase shifter, and more particularly to a phase shifter and a method for manufacturing the same. Background Art

[0002] A phase shifter is a device that adjusts the phase of a wave and has a wide range of applications in radar, missile attitude control, accelerators, communications, instrumentation, and other fields. The advancement of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology has also led to the development of radio frequency micro-electromechanical systems (RF MEMS) phase shifters, which offer numerous advantages, including high linearity, high quality factor, and virtually no DC power consumption. MEMS phase shifters can be categorized into capacitive and resistive types.

[0003] Phase shift is an important indicator for measuring the quality of a phase shifter. The inventors of this application have found that the phase shift of capacitive MEMS phase shifters is insufficient. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a phase shifter and a method for manufacturing the same, which can solve the problem of insufficient phase shifting degree of capacitive MEMS phase shifters.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a phase shifter, comprising: a substrate; a first ground wire, a second ground wire, and a waveguide transmission line arranged on the substrate, the first ground wire and the second ground wire being respectively located on both sides of the waveguide transmission line; an insulating layer being located on a surface of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate; a membrane bridge being located on a side of the insulating layer away from the substrate, with a cavity between the membrane bridge and the waveguide transmission line; one end of the membrane bridge being connected to the first ground wire via a first anchor point, and the other end of the membrane bridge being connected to the second ground wire via a second anchor point; wherein the first anchor point and the second anchor point are configured to be compressible and reset in a direction perpendicular to the substrate to drive the membrane bridge to move.

[0006] In an exemplary embodiment, the first anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the first anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a first spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the second anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the second anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a second spring structure in a direction away from the substrate.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the first spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate overlap with each other; the second spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate overlap with each other.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, the first spring structure includes a first layer of spirals and a second layer of spirals along a direction away from the substrate, the first layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the second layer of spirals includes a single cantilever beam; the second spring structure includes a first layer of spirals and a second layer of spirals along a direction away from the substrate, the first layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the second layer of spirals includes a single cantilever beam.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, the first spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate do not overlap; the second spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate do not overlap.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, a rotation direction of the first spring structure is opposite to a rotation direction of the second spring structure.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the first anchor point includes a first sub-anchor point and a second sub-anchor point, and the first sub-anchor point and the second sub-anchor point are arranged along the extension direction of the first ground line; the first sub-anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the first sub-anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a first sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the second sub-anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the second sub-anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a second sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the second anchor point includes a third sub-anchor point and a fourth sub-anchor point, and the third sub-anchor point and the fourth sub-anchor point are arranged along the extension direction of the second ground line; the third sub-anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the third sub-anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a third sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the fourth sub-anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the fourth sub-anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a fourth sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the first sub-anchor point and the third sub-anchor point are located on the same side of the membrane bridge, and the rotation direction of the first sub-spring structure is opposite to the rotation direction of the third sub-spring structure; the second sub-anchor point and the fourth sub-anchor point are located on the same side of the membrane bridge, and the rotation direction of the second sub-spring structure is opposite to the rotation direction of the fourth sub-spring structure.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the first sub-spring structure and the third sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along a first center line, and the second sub-spring structure and the fourth sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along the first center line; the first center line is the center line of the membrane bridge perpendicular to its own extension direction.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, a rotation direction of the first sub-spring structure is opposite to a rotation direction of the second sub-spring structure; a rotation direction of the third sub-spring structure is opposite to a rotation direction of the fourth sub-spring structure.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the first sub-spring structure and the second sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along a second center line, and the third sub-spring structure and the fourth sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along the second center line; the second center line is the center line of the membrane bridge in its own extension direction.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, the phase shifter further includes a first patch and a second patch; the first patch is located between the first anchor point and the first ground line, the orthographic projection of the first anchor point on the substrate is located within the range of the orthographic projection of the first patch on the substrate, and the first patch and the first anchor point are an integral structure; the second patch is located between the second anchor point and the second ground line, the orthographic projection of the second anchor point on the substrate is located within the range of the orthographic projection of the second patch on the substrate, and the second patch and the second anchor point are an integral structure.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the material of the first patch is the same as the material of the first anchor point; the material of the second patch is the same as the material of the second anchor point.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, the material of the first anchor point and the material of the second anchor point are semiconductor materials or insulating materials.

[0019] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for preparing a phase shifter, the method comprising: forming a first ground wire, a second ground wire, and a waveguide transmission line on a substrate, the first ground wire and the second ground wire being located on both sides of the waveguide transmission line respectively; forming an insulating layer on the surface of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate; forming a first anchor point on the side of the first ground wire away from the substrate, and forming a second anchor point on the side of the second ground wire away from the substrate; forming a membrane bridge on the side of the first anchor point and the second anchor point away from the substrate; one end of the membrane bridge is connected to the first ground wire through the first anchor point, and the other end of the membrane bridge is connected to the second ground wire through the second anchor point; forming a cavity between the membrane bridge and the waveguide transmission line; wherein the first anchor point and the second anchor point are configured to be able to be compressed and reset in a direction perpendicular to the substrate to drive the membrane bridge to move.

[0020] The phase shifter provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure changes the height of the membrane bridge by compressing and resetting the anchor points at both ends of the membrane bridge, thereby achieving a change in the size of the capacitance. The membrane bridge itself does not deform, avoiding the capacitance loss and life loss caused by the bending deformation of the membrane bridge, improving the phase shift degree of the phase shifter, and also improving the accuracy of the phase shift and the service life of the phase shifter. By utilizing the compression and resetting of the anchor points to drive the movement of the membrane bridge, the movement performance of the membrane bridge in the direction perpendicular to the substrate is enhanced. The electrostatic adsorption force only needs to drive the compression of the anchor points to achieve a change in capacitance. The electrostatic adsorption force required for the membrane bridge to pull down is smaller, which can reduce the driving voltage. When the driving voltage is disconnected, when the anchor points are reset after compression, their own elastic force can help the membrane bridge quickly return to its original position. The problem of insufficient phase shift of capacitive MEMS phase shifters is solved.

[0021] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in the following description, and in part will become apparent from the description, or will be understood by practicing the present invention. The purposes and other advantages of the present invention can be realized and obtained by the structures particularly pointed out in the description, claims and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The accompanying drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the technical solution of the present disclosure and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present disclosure, they are used to explain the technical solution of the present disclosure and do not constitute a limitation to the technical solution of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 1 is a top view of the phase shifter;

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Cross-sectional view at AA in the middle;

[0025] Figure 3 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a phase shifter provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Top view of the mid-phase shifter;

[0027] Figure 5 for Figure 3 Main view of the mid-phaser;

[0028] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a first anchor point in an exemplary embodiment;

[0029] Figure 7 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a phase shifter provided as another exemplary embodiment;

[0030] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Top view of the mid-phase shifter;

[0031] Figure 9 for Figure 7 Main view of the mid-phaser;

[0032] Figure 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a first anchor point in yet another exemplary embodiment;

[0033] Figure 11 is a schematic structural diagram of a first anchor point in yet another exemplary embodiment;

[0034] Figure 12 In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 11 A front view of the phase shifter with an anchor structure is shown;

[0035] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the force on the membrane bridge when the rotation directions of the first anchor point and the second anchor point are opposite in an exemplary embodiment;

[0036] Figure 14 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a phase shifter with a double anchor point structure in an exemplary embodiment;

[0037] Figure 15 for Figure 14 Top view of the mid-phase shifter;

[0038] Figure 16 is a structural diagram of a first anchor point of a dual anchor point structure in an exemplary embodiment;

[0039] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the force on the membrane bridge with a double anchor structure in an exemplary embodiment;

[0040] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view after a waveguide transmission line, a first ground line, and a second ground line are formed on a substrate in an exemplary embodiment;

[0041] Figure 19is a cross-sectional view after silicon nitride is deposited and photoresist is patterned in an exemplary embodiment;

[0042] Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view after an insulating layer is formed on a side of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate in an exemplary embodiment;

[0043] Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view of a single cantilever beam after being formed in an exemplary embodiment;

[0044] Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view after forming the first anchor point and the second anchor point in an exemplary embodiment;

[0045] Figure 23 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view after forming a membrane bridge on the first anchor point and the second anchor point in an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiments can be implemented in a variety of different forms. A person skilled in the art can easily understand that the methods and contents can be transformed into various forms without departing from the purpose and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited to the contents described in the following embodiments. In the absence of conflict, the embodiments in the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other in any way.

[0047] In the drawings, the sizes of various components, layer thicknesses, or regions may be exaggerated for clarity. Therefore, one embodiment of the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to these dimensions, and the shapes and sizes of the components in the drawings do not reflect true proportions. Furthermore, the drawings schematically illustrate idealized examples, and one embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to the shapes or numerical values ​​shown in the drawings.

[0048] In this specification, ordinal numbers such as “first”, “second” and “third” are provided to avoid confusion among constituent elements, and are not intended to limit the number.

[0049] In this specification, for convenience, words and phrases indicating orientation or positional relationships, such as "middle," "upper," "lower," "front," "back," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inside," and "outside," are used to illustrate the positional relationships of constituent elements with reference to the accompanying drawings. This is merely for the purpose of facilitating the description of this specification and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. The positional relationships of constituent elements may be appropriately changed depending on the direction in which each constituent element is described. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the words and phrases described in the specification and may be appropriately replaced according to the circumstances.

[0050] In this specification, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed, removable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct connections, indirect connections through intermediaries, or internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this disclosure.

[0051] In this specification, "electrically connected" includes components connected together via an element having some electrical function. There are no particular limitations on the "element having some electrical function" as long as it enables transmission of electrical signals between the connected components. Examples of "element having some electrical function" include not only electrodes and wiring, but also switching elements such as transistors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, and other components with various functions.

[0052] In this specification, "parallel" refers to a state where the angle formed by two straight lines is greater than -10° and less than 10°, and thus also includes a state where the angle is greater than -5° and less than 5°. Furthermore, "perpendicular" refers to a state where the angle formed by two straight lines is greater than 80° and less than 100°, and thus also includes a state where the angle is greater than 85° and less than 95°.

[0053] In this specification, the terms "film" and "layer" may be interchanged. For example, "conductive layer" may be replaced with "conductive film." Similarly, "insulating film" may be replaced with "insulating layer."

[0054] The triangles, rectangles, trapezoids, pentagons or hexagons in this specification are not in the strict sense, but may be approximate triangles, rectangles, trapezoids, pentagons or hexagons, etc. There may be some small deformations caused by tolerances, and there may be chamfers, arc edges and deformations.

[0055] Figure 1 A top view of the phase shifter. Figure 2 for Figure 1 The cross-sectional view at AA in the figure shows the state after the membrane bridge is pulled down. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, in some technologies, the phase shifter includes a substrate 1, a waveguide transmission line 3 arranged on the substrate 1 and ground wires 2 located on both sides of the waveguide transmission line 3, a membrane bridge 5 spanning the waveguide transmission line 3 and with both ends arranged on the two ground wires 2 respectively, and a cavity between the membrane bridge 5 and the waveguide transmission line 3. The waveguide transmission line 3 and the ground wire 2 extend in a substantially parallel direction on the substrate 1, and an insulating layer 4 is provided between the waveguide transmission line 3 and the membrane bridge 5. When the membrane bridge 5 is pulled down, the insulating layer 4 can separate the waveguide transmission line 3 from the membrane bridge 5. The membrane bridge 5 and the ground wire 2 are generally connected by patch-type anchor points, and the membrane bridge 5 can be made of a metal material with a low hardness coefficient, such as aluminum, to facilitate deformation. When the phase shifter is working, current passes through the waveguide transmission line 3, and an electrostatic field is generated between the waveguide transmission line 3 and the membrane bridge 5. Under the action of the electrostatic adsorption force, the membrane bridge 5 is deformed, and the deformed membrane bridge 5 is pulled down and in close contact with the insulating layer 4. Figure 2 The direction of the arrow in the figure indicates the direction of the electrostatic attraction force. The membrane bridge 5 and the waveguide transmission line 3 form a structure similar to a parallel plate capacitor. When the membrane bridge 5 is pulled down, the spacing between the parallel plate capacitors decreases, and the capacitance increases, causing the transmission rate of the microwave signal on the waveguide transmission line 3 to change. The phase of the microwave signal changes with the change in transmission rate, resulting in a phase shift phenomenon. The principle of this capacitive phase shifter is that when current flows through the waveguide transmission line 3, the membrane bridge 5 is deformed and pulled down by electrostatic attraction. By changing the distance between the membrane bridge 5 and the waveguide transmission line 3, the phase shift constant on the transmission path is changed, thereby achieving phase shift.

[0056] Through research, the inventors of this application discovered that bending and deformation during the pull-down process of the membrane bridge 5 generates capacitance loss, resulting in insufficient phase shifting of the phase shifter. Furthermore, deforming the membrane bridge itself requires a significant electrostatic adsorption force, which in turn requires a high drive voltage. This continuous deformation of the membrane bridge itself can easily lead to irreversible plastic deformation, affecting the accuracy of phase shifting and the lifespan of the phase shifter.

[0057] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a phase shifter, comprising: a substrate; a first ground wire, a second ground wire, and a waveguide transmission line arranged on the substrate, the first ground wire and the second ground wire being located on either side of the waveguide transmission line, respectively; an insulating layer being located on a surface of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate; a membrane bridge being located on a side of the insulating layer away from the substrate, with a cavity being provided between the membrane bridge and the waveguide transmission line; one end of the membrane bridge being connected to the first ground wire via a first anchor point, and the other end of the membrane bridge being connected to the second ground wire via a second anchor point; wherein the first anchor point and the second anchor point are configured to be compressible and reset along a direction perpendicular to the substrate to drive the membrane bridge to move.

[0058] The phase shifter provided by the disclosed embodiment changes the height of the membrane bridge by compressing and resetting the anchor points at both ends of the membrane bridge, thereby achieving a change in the size of the capacitance. The membrane bridge itself does not deform, avoiding capacitance loss and life loss caused by bending and deformation of the membrane bridge, improving the phase shift degree of the phase shifter, and also improving the accuracy of the phase shift and the service life of the phase shifter. By utilizing the compression and resetting of the anchor points to drive the movement of the membrane bridge, the movement performance of the membrane bridge in a direction perpendicular to the substrate is enhanced. The electrostatic adsorption force only needs to drive the compression of the anchor points to achieve a change in capacitance. The electrostatic adsorption force required for the membrane bridge to pull down is smaller, which can reduce the driving voltage. When the driving voltage is disconnected, when the anchor points are reset after compression, their own elastic force can help the membrane bridge quickly return to its original position.

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment, the first anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the first anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a first spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the second anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the second anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a second spring structure in a direction away from the substrate.

[0060] In this embodiment, the fixed patch-type anchor point is designed as a movable spring-type structure, so that the power source of the membrane bridge movement is changed from the original deformation of the membrane bridge to the compression and reset of the spring structure. The contraction performance of the spring structure is utilized to enhance the movement performance of the membrane bridge in the direction perpendicular to the substrate. The electrostatic adsorption force required in the process of pulling down the membrane bridge is smaller, which can reduce the driving voltage. When the driving voltage is disconnected, the elastic force of the spring structure during reset can help the membrane bridge quickly return to its original position.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment, the first spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate overlap with each other; the second spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate overlap with each other.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, the first spring structure includes a first layer of spirals and a second layer of spirals along a direction away from the substrate, the first layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the second layer of spirals includes a single cantilever beam; the second spring structure includes a first layer of spirals and a second layer of spirals along a direction away from the substrate, the first layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the second layer of spirals includes a single cantilever beam.

[0063] In an exemplary embodiment, the first spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate do not overlap; the second spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate do not overlap.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, a rotation direction of the first spring structure is opposite to a rotation direction of the second spring structure.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, the first anchor point includes a first sub-anchor point and a second sub-anchor point, and the first sub-anchor point and the second sub-anchor point are arranged along the extension direction of the first ground line; the first sub-anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the first sub-anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a first sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the second sub-anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the second sub-anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a second sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the second anchor point includes a third sub-anchor point and a fourth sub-anchor point, and the third sub-anchor point and the fourth sub-anchor point are arranged along the extension direction of the second ground line; the third sub-anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the third sub-anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a third sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the fourth sub-anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the fourth sub-anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a fourth sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment, the first sub-anchor point and the third sub-anchor point are located on the same side of the membrane bridge, and the rotation direction of the first sub-spring structure is opposite to the rotation direction of the third sub-spring structure; the second sub-anchor point and the fourth sub-anchor point are located on the same side of the membrane bridge, and the rotation direction of the second sub-spring structure is opposite to the rotation direction of the fourth sub-spring structure.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, the first sub-spring structure and the third sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along a first center line, and the second sub-spring structure and the fourth sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along the first center line; the first center line is the center line of the membrane bridge perpendicular to its own extension direction.

[0068] In an exemplary embodiment, a rotation direction of the first sub-spring structure is opposite to a rotation direction of the second sub-spring structure; a rotation direction of the third sub-spring structure is opposite to a rotation direction of the fourth sub-spring structure.

[0069] In an exemplary embodiment, the first sub-spring structure and the second sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along a second center line, and the third sub-spring structure and the fourth sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along the second center line; the second center line is the center line of the membrane bridge in its own extension direction.

[0070] In an exemplary embodiment, the phase shifter further includes a first patch and a second patch; the first patch is located between the first anchor point and the first ground line, the orthographic projection of the first anchor point on the substrate is located within the range of the orthographic projection of the first patch on the substrate, and the first patch and the first anchor point are an integral structure; the second patch is located between the second anchor point and the second ground line, the orthographic projection of the second anchor point on the substrate is located within the range of the orthographic projection of the second patch on the substrate, and the second patch and the second anchor point are an integral structure.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, the material of the first patch is the same as the material of the first anchor point; the material of the second patch is the same as the material of the second anchor point.

[0072] In an exemplary embodiment, the material of the first anchor point and the material of the second anchor point are semiconductor materials or insulating materials.

[0073] Figure 3 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a phase shifter provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 for Figure 3 Top view of the mid-phase shifter. Figure 5 for Figure 3 The main view of the phase shifter in the middle shows the state before the membrane bridge is pulled down. Figures 3 to 5As shown, the phase shifter provided by the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a substrate 1 and a first ground line 21, a second ground line 22, a waveguide transmission line 3, an insulating layer 4, a film bridge 5, a first anchor point 61, and a second anchor point 62 disposed on the substrate 1. The first ground line 21 and the second ground line 22 are located on either side of the waveguide transmission line 3, respectively. The waveguide transmission line 3, the first ground line 21, and the second ground line 22 may extend in substantially parallel directions on the substrate 1. An insulating layer 4 is disposed on the surface of the waveguide transmission line 3 facing away from the substrate 1. The orthographic projection of the insulating layer 4 on the substrate 1 covers the orthographic projection of the waveguide transmission line 3 on the substrate 1. The membrane bridge 5 is located on the side of the insulating layer 4 away from the substrate 1, and there is a cavity between the membrane bridge 5 and the waveguide transmission line 3; one end of the membrane bridge 5 is connected to the first ground wire 21 through the first anchor point 61, and the other end of the membrane bridge 5 is connected to the second ground wire 22 through the second anchor point 62. The first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62 are configured to be able to be compressed and reset in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 1. When the first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62 are compressed, the membrane bridge 5 can be driven to move in the direction of the substrate 1. When the first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62 are reset, the membrane bridge 5 can be driven to move in the direction away from the substrate 1 and return to its original position. Figure 5 The direction of the middle arrow indicates the direction of the electrostatic adsorption force. The phase shifter provided by the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure reduces the height of the membrane bridge by compressing the anchor points at both ends of the membrane bridge, thereby achieving a change in the size of the capacitance. The membrane bridge itself does not deform, avoiding the capacitance loss caused by the bending deformation of the membrane bridge, improving the phase shift degree of the phase shifter, and also improving the accuracy of the phase shift and the service life of the phase shifter. By using a spring-type anchor point to connect the membrane bridge and the ground wire, the compression and reset of the anchor point can be used to drive the movement of the membrane bridge, thereby enhancing the movement performance of the membrane bridge in a direction perpendicular to the substrate. The electrostatic adsorption force only needs to drive the compression of the anchor point to achieve a change in capacitance. The electrostatic adsorption force required for the membrane bridge to pull down is smaller, and the required driving voltage is also smaller. Moreover, when the driving voltage is disconnected, the elastic force of the spring structure during reset can help the membrane bridge quickly return to its original position.

[0074] Figure 6 FIG is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first anchor point in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 6 As shown, the first anchor point 61 may include a plurality of cantilever beams 60, which may be connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction to form a first spring structure in a direction away from the substrate 1. One end of the first spring structure is connected to the first ground line 21, and the other end of the first spring structure is connected to the membrane bridge 5. When the first spring structure is compressed, it can drive one end of the membrane bridge 5 to move toward the substrate 1. When the first spring structure is reset, it can drive one end of the membrane bridge 5 to reset. Figure 4 and Figure 6As shown, the orthographic projection of the first anchor point 61 on the substrate 1 may be a square. In other embodiments, the orthographic projection of the first anchor point 61 on the substrate 1 may be a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a rectangle, a polygon of other shapes, or an irregular shape, etc., which is not limited in the present disclosure. Figure 6 As shown, the cantilever beam 60 can be rectangular, and the lengths of the multiple cantilever beams 60 can be equal. The first spring structure can be equivalent to a cylindrical coil spring, which can include multiple layers of coils, each layer of coils including multiple cantilever beams 60. The radius of each coil layer (i.e., the distance between the geometric center of the orthographic projection of the multiple cantilever beams 60 included in each coil layer and the first anchor point 61 on the substrate 1) can be equal. In a direction perpendicular to the substrate 1, the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams 60 in different layers of coils can overlap. In other embodiments, the cantilever beam 60 can be curved, wavy, or other shapes. The shape of the cantilever beam 60 can be set as needed, and this disclosure is not limited to this. The thickness of the cantilever beam 60 can be the distance between the surface of the cantilever beam 60 close to the substrate 1 and the surface of the cantilever beam 60 away from the substrate 1. The thickness of the cantilever beam 60 can be set as needed, and the thickness of the multiple cantilever beams 60 can be equal or unequal, and this disclosure is not limited to this. When the distance between the membrane bridge and the ground line is constant, the greater the thickness of the single cantilever beam 60 is, the fewer the number of spiral layers included in the first spring structure.

[0075] In an exemplary embodiment, the second anchor point 62 may include a plurality of cantilever beams 60, which may be connected end-to-end in a clockwise direction to form a second spring structure in a direction away from the substrate 1. One end of the second spring structure is connected to the second ground line 22, and the other end of the second spring structure is connected to the membrane bridge 5. When the second spring structure is compressed, it can drive the other end of the membrane bridge 5 toward the substrate 1. When the second spring structure is reset, it can also drive the other end of the membrane bridge 5 to reset. Through the cooperation of the first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62, the membrane bridge 5 can smoothly reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 1. The second spring structure can rotate in the opposite direction to the first spring structure. Other parameters can refer to the description of the first spring structure and are not repeated here. Since the first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62 are respectively located at the two ends of the membrane bridge 5, by setting the second spring structure to rotate in the opposite direction to the first spring structure, the force points at the two ends of the membrane bridge 5 can be not in a straight line, which helps to ensure that the force of the membrane bridge 5 is balanced and will not tilt to one side, so that the membrane bridge 5 itself remains flat, and the distance between the membrane bridge 5 and the substrate 1 is more uniform, which helps to maintain the stability of the working state of the phase shifter, and under the condition of balanced force, the movement process of the membrane bridge 5 is also smoother. In other embodiments, the multiple cantilever beams of the first spring structure can be connected end to end in a clockwise direction, and the multiple cantilever beams of the second spring structure can be connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction, or the rotation direction of the first spring structure and the rotation direction of the second spring structure can be set as needed, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0076] In an exemplary embodiment, the materials of the first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62 can be semiconductor materials or insulating materials. Specifically, the cantilever beam 60 can be made of semiconductor materials or insulating materials. A material with a higher elastic modulus, such as polycrystalline silicon, can be selected as needed to enhance the elasticity of the anchor points. This disclosure is not limited to this. Since the first and second anchor points 61 and 62 have a spring-like helical structure, using semiconductor materials or insulating materials can prevent electromagnetic induction from occurring at the first and second anchor points 61 and 62.

[0077] In this exemplary embodiment, since the membrane bridge 5 moves in an integral reciprocating motion and does not require deformation, the membrane bridge 5 can be constructed from a metal with a high hardness coefficient, such as molybdenum (Mo) or platinum (Pt), to minimize bending deformation of the membrane bridge 5 itself. This is not a limitation of the present disclosure. In actual fabrication, a metal with a high hardness coefficient also facilitates the release of the sacrificial layer, preventing deformation and curling of the membrane bridge 5. This ensures a smooth surface and contributes to the yield rate of the phase shifter fabrication process.

[0078] In an exemplary embodiment, the material of the ground wire 2 and the waveguide transmission line 3 is primarily copper (Cu), which can be a single-layer structure or a multi-layer stacked structure. For example, the material of the ground wire 2 and the waveguide transmission line 3 can be a double-layer stacked structure of MTD / Cu, or a triple-layer stacked structure of MTD / Cu / MTD, where MTD is a molybdenum alloy composed of metals such as molybdenum (Mo), titanium (Ti), and nickel (Ni). The ground wire 2 and the waveguide transmission line 3 can also be made of other materials, and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0079] In an exemplary embodiment, the material of the insulating layer 4 covering the waveguide transmission line 3 may be silicon nitride (SiNx), which is not limited in the present disclosure.

[0080] In an exemplary embodiment, the material of the substrate 1 may be glass. In other embodiments, the material of the substrate 1 may be silicon or aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), which is not limited in the present disclosure.

[0081] Figure 7 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a phase shifter provided as yet another exemplary embodiment. Figure 8 for Figure 7 Top view of the mid-phase shifter. Figure 9 for Figure 7 The main view of the phase shifter in FIG. 1 shows the state before the membrane bridge is pulled down. The phase shifter provided in this embodiment includes a substrate 1 and a first ground line 21, a second ground line 22, a waveguide transmission line 3, an insulating layer 4, a membrane bridge 5, a first anchor point 61 and a second anchor point 62 arranged on the substrate 1. Figure 3 The difference between the phase shifter and the phase shifter is the structural arrangement of the first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62. The components such as the substrate 1, the first ground line 21, the second ground line 22, the waveguide transmission line 3, the insulating layer 4, the membrane bridge 5, etc. can be referred to Figures 3 to 5 The description in , will not be repeated here.

[0082] Figure 10 FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of the first anchor point in another exemplary embodiment. Figure 10 As shown, the first anchor point 61 may include a plurality of cantilever beams 60, which may be connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction to form a first spring structure in a direction away from the substrate 1. One end of the first spring structure is connected to the first ground line 21, and the other end of the first spring structure is connected to the membrane bridge 5. When the first spring structure is compressed, it can drive one end of the membrane bridge 5 to move toward the substrate 1. When the first spring structure is reset, it can drive one end of the membrane bridge 5 to reset. Figures 7 to 10As shown, the orthographic projection of the first anchor point 61 on the substrate 1 can be in the shape of a spiral, and the shape of a single-turn spiral can be a square. In other embodiments, the orthographic projection of the single-turn spiral on the substrate 1 can be in the shape of a circle, an ellipse, a triangle, a rectangle, a polygon of other shapes, or an irregular shape, etc., which is not limited in the present disclosure. Figure 10 As shown, the cantilever beam 60 can be rectangular, and the lengths of some of the multiple cantilever beams 60 can be set to be equal. The first spring structure can be equivalent to a conical coil spring that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The conical coil spring can include multiple layers of coils, and each layer of coils includes multiple cantilever beams 60. In the direction away from the substrate 1, the radius of the different layers of coils (that is, the distance between each cantilever beam 60 of the single layer of coils and the geometric center of the orthographic projection of the first anchor point 61 on the substrate 1) gradually decreases. The orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams 60 of the different layers of coils on the substrate 1 do not overlap. This design can make the contact area between the first anchor point 61 and the first ground line 21 larger, and the connection between the first anchor point 61 and the first ground line 21 more secure. The shape, thickness and other parameters of the cantilever beam 60 can be set as needed. For details, please refer to the Figure 6 The description is not repeated here.

[0083] In an exemplary embodiment, the second anchor point 62 may include a plurality of cantilever beams 60, which may be connected end to end in a clockwise direction to form a second spring structure in a direction away from the substrate 1. One end of the second spring structure is connected to the second ground wire 22, and the other end of the second spring structure is connected to the membrane bridge 5. When the second spring structure is compressed, it can drive the membrane bridge 5 to move in a direction close to the substrate 1. When the second spring structure is reset, it can drive the other end of the membrane bridge 5 to reset. Through the cooperation of the first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62, the membrane bridge 5 can smoothly reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 1. The second spring structure can be equivalent to a conical coil spring that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The difference from the first spring structure may be only that the rotation direction is opposite. For details, please refer to the description of the first spring structure, which will not be repeated here. The specific rotation direction of the first spring structure and the second spring structure can be set as needed, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0084] Figure 6 The first anchor point 61 is equivalent to a cylindrical coil spring. In this structure, the upper and lower cantilever beams 60 overlap each other in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 1 and are stacked together after being compressed. This makes it possible for the membrane bridge 5 to have a gap of at least the thickness of multiple layers of the cantilever beams 60 between the membrane bridge 5 and the first ground line 21 after being pulled down. This results in a small displacement space for the membrane bridge 5, and a large distance between the lowest point of the membrane bridge 5 after being pulled down and the waveguide transmission line 3. On this basis, the inventors of this application proposed the following method: Figure 10The first anchor point 61 of the conical helical spring structure shown in the figure has a radius of spirals of different layers gradually decreasing in the direction away from the substrate 1, and the orthographic projections of the multi-layer cantilever beams 60 on the substrate 1 do not overlap. Figures 7 to 9 , Figure 10 After the first anchor point 61 shown is compressed, the cantilever beams 60 constituting different layers of spirals can be laid flat on the first ground line 21 without overlapping each other. After being pulled down, the distance between the membrane bridge 5 and the first ground line 21 is smaller, which increases the displacement space of the membrane bridge 5 and increases the possibility of phase change.

[0085] In an exemplary embodiment, a first patch (not shown) may be disposed between the first anchor point 61 and the first ground line 21. The orthographic projection of the first anchor point 61 on the substrate 1 may be within the range of the orthographic projection of the first patch on the substrate 1. The first patch and the first anchor point 61 may be integrally formed. The provision of the first patch increases the contact area between the first anchor point 61 and the first ground line 21, thereby helping to more securely secure the first anchor point 61 to the first ground line 21. A second patch may be disposed between the second anchor point 62 and the second ground line 22. The second patch can be described with reference to the first patch and will not be further described here.

[0086] In an exemplary embodiment, the material of the first patch can be the same as that of the first anchor point 61 , so that the first patch can be directly formed when forming the first anchor point 61 , which can better fix the first anchor point and simplify the preparation process.

[0087] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of the first anchor point in another exemplary embodiment. Figure 12 In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 11 The main view of the phase shifter with anchor structure is shown in FIG. Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, the first anchor point 61 can be equivalent to a cylindrical coil spring structure. Figure 11 and Figure 6 The difference between the first anchor points is that the first spring structure contains different numbers of spiral layers. Figure 11 The first anchor point 61 in the spring structure includes only two layers of spirals. The first layer of spirals may include multiple (e.g., four) cantilever beams, and the second layer of spirals may include only a single cantilever beam 60. By reducing the number of spiral layers included in the first spring structure, the thickness of the first anchor point after compression can be reduced, reducing the distance between the membrane bridge 5 and the waveguide transmission line 3 after being pulled down, and increasing the displacement space of the membrane bridge 5. In an exemplary embodiment, the initial height of the membrane bridge 5 can be controlled by setting the thickness of the single cantilever beam 60, which is not limited by the present disclosure. Figure 12The single-layer spiral of the first spring structure is still taken as an example to illustrate. In other embodiments, the single-layer spiral of the first spring structure can be circular, elliptical, triangular, rectangular, polygonal or irregular in shape. The number of cantilever beams included in the single-layer spiral, as well as parameters such as the shape and size of a single cantilever beam can be set as needed, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0088] In an exemplary embodiment, the second anchor point 62 may differ from the first anchor point 61 only in that the rotation directions of the second anchor point 62 and the first anchor point 61 are opposite to each other. Figure 11 and Figure 12 The description of the first anchor point 61 in FIG. 6 is omitted here. The rotation direction of the second anchor point 62 and the first anchor point 61 can be set as needed, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0089] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of the force on the membrane bridge when the rotation directions of the first anchor point and the second anchor point are opposite in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 13 The first and second anchor points are shown in a simplified manner. Figure 13 As shown, since the first anchor point and the second anchor point are set in opposite directions of rotation, the two ends of the membrane bridge 5 are subjected to forces in opposite directions, as shown in FIG. Figure 13 As shown by the arrow in the figure, this structural design can ensure that the membrane bridge 5 will not tilt to one side. However, the inventors of this application found that under this structure, when the forces applied to the membrane bridge 5 by the first anchor point and the second anchor point are uneven, the membrane bridge 5 may be distorted, which is not conducive to the normal operation of the phase shifter. Figure 14 Scheme of the double-anchor structure shown in .

[0090] Figure 14 FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional structural diagram of a phase shifter with a double-anchor structure in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 15 for Figure 14 Top view of the mid-phase shifter. Figure 14 The phase shifter in Figure 7 The difference between the phase shifters in the embodiment is only the structure of the first anchor point and the second anchor point. The description of other components can refer to the above embodiment and will not be repeated here.

[0091] like Figures 14 and 15As shown, the first anchor point may include a first sub-anchor point 601 and a second sub-anchor point 602. The first sub-anchor point 601 and the second sub-anchor point 602 may be arranged along the extension direction of the first ground line 21. The first sub-anchor point 601 and the second sub-anchor point 602 are both connected to one end of the membrane bridge 5. The first sub-anchor point 601 and the second sub-anchor point 602 may both be equivalent to conical coil springs. The first sub-anchor point 601 may include a plurality of cantilever beams 60. The plurality of cantilever beams 60 may be connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction to form a first sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate 1. The second sub-anchor point 602 may include a plurality of cantilever beams 60. The plurality of cantilever beams 60 may be connected end to end in a clockwise direction to form a second sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate 1. The rotation directions of the first sub-spring structure and the second sub-spring structure may be opposite, which helps to ensure that one end of the membrane bridge 5 is subjected to uniform force. In other embodiments, the first sub-anchor point 601 and the second sub-anchor point 602 can both be equivalent to cylindrical coil springs, and the number of coil layers of the cylindrical coil spring can be set as needed, which is not limited by the present disclosure. The second anchor point is connected to the other end of the membrane bridge 5. The second anchor point may include a third sub-anchor point 603 and a fourth sub-anchor point 604. The third sub-anchor point 603 and the fourth sub-anchor point 604 may be arranged along the extension direction of the second ground line 22. The third sub-anchor point 603 and the fourth sub-anchor point 604 are both connected to the other end of the membrane bridge 5. The third sub-anchor point 603 and the fourth sub-anchor point 604 can both be equivalent to conical coil springs. The third sub-anchor point 603 may include a plurality of cantilever beams 60. The plurality of cantilever beams 60 may be connected end to end in a clockwise direction to form a third sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate 1. The fourth sub-anchor point 604 may include a plurality of cantilever beams 60. The plurality of cantilever beams 60 may be connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction to form a fourth sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate 1. The rotation directions of the third and fourth sub-spring structures can be opposite, which helps ensure that the other end of the membrane bridge 5 is evenly stressed. In other embodiments, the third sub-anchor point 603 and the fourth sub-anchor point 604 can both be equivalent to cylindrical coil springs, and the number of coil layers of the cylindrical coil spring can be set as needed, which is not limited by the present disclosure.

[0092] In an exemplary embodiment, the first sub-anchor point 601 and the third sub-anchor point 603 can be located on the same side of the membrane bridge 5, and the rotation directions of the first sub-spring structure and the third sub-spring structure can be opposite. The second sub-anchor point 602 and the fourth sub-anchor point 604 can be located on the same side of the membrane bridge 5, and the rotation directions of the second sub-spring structure and the fourth sub-spring structure can be opposite.

[0093] In an exemplary embodiment, along the extension direction of the membrane bridge 5, the connection point between the first sub-anchor point 601 and the membrane bridge 5 and the connection point between the third sub-anchor point 603 and the membrane bridge 5 can be located on the same straight line, which helps to ensure that the forces at both ends of the membrane bridge 5 on one side are balanced. Along the extension direction of the membrane bridge 5, the connection point between the second sub-anchor point 602 and the membrane bridge 5 and the connection point between the fourth sub-anchor point 604 and the membrane bridge 5 can be located on the same straight line, which helps to ensure that the forces at both ends of the membrane bridge 5 on the other side are balanced.

[0094] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 15 As shown, the first sub-anchor point 601 and the third sub-anchor point 603 can be axially symmetrical with respect to a first centerline, which can be the centerline of the membrane bridge 5 perpendicular to its own extension direction. This ensures that the forces exerted on the membrane bridge 5 by the first sub-anchor point 601 and the third sub-anchor point 603 are equal. The second sub-anchor point 602 and the fourth sub-anchor point 604 can also be axially symmetrical with respect to the first centerline, ensuring that the forces exerted on the membrane bridge 5 by the second sub-anchor point 602 and the fourth sub-anchor point 604 are equal. This design helps to ensure force balance at both ends of the membrane bridge 5.

[0095] Figure 16 FIG is a structural diagram of the first anchor point of the dual anchor point structure in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 16 As shown, the dotted line c represents the centerline of the membrane bridge 5 in the extension direction, which can be referred to as the second centerline. The first sub-anchor point 601 and the second sub-anchor point 602 can be arranged symmetrically along the second centerline to ensure balanced forces on both sides of a single end of the membrane bridge 5. In an exemplary embodiment, the third sub-anchor point 603 and the fourth sub-anchor point 604 can be arranged symmetrically along the second centerline to ensure balanced forces on both sides of the other end of the membrane bridge 5, but this disclosure is not limited to this.

[0096] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the force of the membrane bridge with double anchor structure in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 17 The direction of the arrow in the middle indicates the direction of the force acting on the membrane bridge 5. Figure 17 The first and second anchor points are shown in a simplified manner. Figure 17As shown, by providing a dual-anchor structure at both ends of the membrane bridge 5, the first sub-anchor 601 and the second sub-anchor 602 are respectively connected to one end of the membrane bridge 5. The first sub-anchor 601 and the second sub-anchor 602 can provide opposite forces to one end of the membrane bridge 5 from both sides, ensuring the force balance on one end of the membrane bridge 5. The third sub-anchor 603 and the fourth sub-anchor 604 are respectively connected to the other end of the membrane bridge 5. The third sub-anchor 603 and the fourth sub-anchor 604 can provide opposite forces to the other end of the membrane bridge 5 from both sides, ensuring the force balance on the other end of the membrane bridge 5. In the exemplary embodiment, the forces provided to the membrane bridge 5 by the first sub-anchor 601, the second sub-anchor 602, the third sub-anchor 603, and the fourth sub-anchor 604 are equal in magnitude, which helps to ensure the smoothness, stability, and movement of the membrane bridge 5.

[0097] The following preparation Figure 5 Taking the phase shifter shown in FIG. 1 as an example, the preparation process of the phase shifter in the embodiment of the present disclosure is described.

[0098] (1) Forming a waveguide transmission line, a first ground line, and a second ground line on a substrate. In an exemplary embodiment, forming the waveguide transmission line and the ground line on the substrate includes:

[0099] A three-layer stacked structure of MTD / Cu / MTD is sequentially deposited on a substrate 1, and then photoresist is spin-coated on the MTD / Cu / MTD stacked structure and patterned, and a waveguide transmission line 3 and a first ground line 21 and a second ground line 22 located on both sides of the waveguide transmission line 3 are formed by etching.

[0100] Figure 18 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a waveguide transmission line, a first ground line, and a second ground line formed on a substrate in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 18 As shown, the first ground line 21 and the second ground line 22 are respectively located on both sides of the waveguide transmission line 3. The waveguide transmission line 3, the first ground line 21, and the second ground line 22 can extend in substantially parallel directions on the substrate 1. The shape, size, and distance of the first ground line 21, the second ground line 22, and the waveguide transmission line 3 can be set as needed, and this disclosure does not limit this.

[0101] In an exemplary embodiment, the material of substrate 1 may be glass. In other embodiments, the material of substrate 1 may be silicon or aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The material of ground line 2 and waveguide transmission line 3 may be a single layer of copper, or a double-layer structure of MTD / Cu, or other materials, which are not limited in this disclosure.

[0102] (2) Forming an insulating layer on the surface of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate. In an exemplary embodiment, forming an insulating layer on the surface of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate includes:

[0103] A layer of silicon nitride film is deposited on the surface of the waveguide transmission line 3, the first ground line 21 and the second ground line 22 away from the substrate. The silicon nitride film covers the entire surface of the substrate 1. Then, photoresist is spin-coated and patterned, leaving the photoresist on the upper side of the waveguide transmission line 3. Figure 19 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment after silicon nitride is deposited and photoresist is patterned. Subsequently, the exposed silicon nitride is etched away and excess photoresist is removed to form an insulating layer 4 covering the waveguide transmission line 3. Figure 20 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view after an insulating layer is formed on a side of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate in an exemplary embodiment.

[0104] In an exemplary embodiment, silicon nitride may be etched by using deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) or inductively coupled plasma (ICP), and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0105] In exemplary embodiments, the insulating layer may be made of other suitable materials, which is not limited in the present disclosure.

[0106] (3) forming a first anchor point on a side of the first ground line away from the substrate, and forming a second anchor point on a side of the second ground line away from the substrate. In an exemplary embodiment, forming the first anchor point on a side of the first ground line away from the substrate, and forming the second anchor point on a side of the second ground line away from the substrate, includes:

[0107] A polysilicon film is deposited on the surface of the insulating layer 4 on the side away from the substrate 1, and the polysilicon film covers the entire surface of the substrate 1; the polysilicon film is then patterned, leaving only the polysilicon film located on the surface of the first ground line 21 and the second ground line 22; photoresist is then spin-coated and patterned, and the photoresist located on the surface of the first ground line 21 and the second ground line 22 is removed; the polysilicon film on the surface of the first ground line 21 and the second ground line 22 is then photoetched to form a single cantilever beam 60 on the surface of the first ground line 21 and the second ground line 22. Figure 21 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view after a single cantilever beam is formed in an exemplary embodiment. The photoresist fills between the first ground line 21 and the second ground line 22 and covers the substrate 1 and the insulating layer 4 .

[0108] Subsequently, the above steps are repeated to form a plurality of cantilever beams 60 connected end to end on the surfaces of the first ground line 21 and the second ground line 22 to form a first anchor point 61 and a second anchor point 62 .

[0109] Figure 22 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view after forming the first anchor point and the second anchor point in an exemplary embodiment. Figure 22As shown, after the first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62 are formed, the substrate 1 between the first ground line 21 and the second ground line 22 is still filled with photoresist.

[0110] In an exemplary embodiment, the first anchor point 61 may include multiple cantilever beams 60, which may be connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction to form a first spring structure in a direction away from the substrate 1. One end of the first spring structure is connected to the first ground line 21, and the other end of the first spring structure is connected to the subsequently formed membrane bridge 5. When the first spring structure is compressed, it can drive the membrane bridge 5 toward the substrate 1. When the first spring structure is reset, it can also drive one end of the membrane bridge 5 to reset. The orthographic projection of the first anchor point 61 on the substrate 1 can be square. In other embodiments, the orthographic projection of the first anchor point 61 on the substrate 1 can be circular, elliptical, triangular, rectangular, or other polygonal or irregular shapes, etc., and this disclosure is not limited thereto. The cantilever beam 60 can be rectangular, and the lengths of the multiple cantilever beams 60 can be equal. The first spring structure can be equivalent to a cylindrical coil spring, which can include multiple layers of coils, each layer of coils including multiple cantilever beams 60. The radius of each coil layer (i.e., the distance between the geometric center of the orthographic projection of the multiple cantilever beams 60 included in each coil layer and the first anchor point 61 on the substrate 1) can be equal. In a direction perpendicular to the substrate 1, the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams 60 in different layers of coils can overlap. In other embodiments, the cantilever beam 60 can be curved, wavy, or other shapes. The shape and size of the cantilever beam 60 can be set as needed, and the present disclosure is not limited in this regard. The thickness of the cantilever beam 60 can be the distance between the surface of the cantilever beam 60 on the side close to the substrate 1 and the surface on the side away from the substrate 1. The thickness of the cantilever beam 60 can be set as needed, and the thickness of the multiple cantilever beams 60 can be set to be equal or unequal, and the present disclosure is not limited in this regard. When the distance between the membrane bridge and the ground line is constant, the greater the thickness of the single cantilever beam 60 is, the fewer the number of spiral layers included in the first spring structure.

[0111] In an exemplary embodiment, the second anchor point 62 may include a plurality of cantilever beams 60, which may be connected end to end in a clockwise direction to form a second spring structure in a direction away from the substrate 1. One end of the second spring structure is connected to the second ground wire 22, and the other end of the second spring structure is connected to the subsequently formed membrane bridge 5. When the second spring structure is compressed, it can drive the membrane bridge 5 to move in a direction close to the substrate 1. When the second spring structure is reset, it can drive the other end of the membrane bridge 5 to reset. Through the cooperation of the first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62, the membrane bridge 5 can smoothly reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 1. The rotation direction of the second spring structure can be opposite to that of the first spring structure. Other parameters can refer to the description of the first spring structure and will not be repeated here. In other embodiments, the plurality of cantilever beams of the first spring structure can be connected end to end in a clockwise direction, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the second spring structure can be connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction. Alternatively, the rotation direction of the first spring structure and the rotation direction of the second spring structure can be set as needed, and the present disclosure does not limit this.

[0112] In an exemplary embodiment, a first patch can be positioned between the first anchor point 61 and the first ground line 21. The orthographic projection of the first anchor point 61 on the substrate 1 can be within the range of the orthographic projection of the first patch on the substrate 1. The first patch and the first anchor point 61 can be an integral structure. During fabrication, a layer of polysilicon can be deposited on the first ground line 21 to form the first patch, and then the cantilever beam can be formed on this layer of polysilicon. A second patch can be positioned between the second anchor point 62 and the second ground line 22. The fabrication process for the second patch can be the same as that for the first patch and will not be further described here.

[0113] In an exemplary embodiment, polysilicon may be deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and the polysilicon film may be patterned using chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), which is not limited in the present disclosure.

[0114] In an exemplary embodiment, the materials of the first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62 may be other semiconductor materials or insulating materials. A material with a higher elastic coefficient may be selected as needed to enhance the elasticity of the anchor points, which is not limited in the present disclosure.

[0115] (4) Forming a membrane bridge on the side of the first anchor point and the second anchor point away from the substrate. In an exemplary embodiment, forming a membrane bridge on the side of the first anchor point and the second anchor point away from the substrate includes:

[0116] Photoresist is spin-coated on the surface of the first and second anchor points 61 and 62 facing away from the substrate 1 to level the surface. The photoresist is then patterned to expose the topmost spirals of the first and second anchor points. A metal Mo film is then deposited and patterned to form the membrane bridge 5. The photoresist between the membrane bridge 5 and the substrate 1 becomes a sacrificial layer.

[0117] Figure 23 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment after a membrane bridge is formed on the first anchor point and the second anchor point. Figure 23 As shown, one end of the membrane bridge 5 is connected to the first ground line 21 through a first anchor point 61, and the other end of the membrane bridge 5 is connected to the second ground line 22 through a second anchor point 62. The first anchor point 61 and the second anchor point 62 are configured to be able to be compressed and reset in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 1 to drive the membrane bridge 5 to move in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 1.

[0118] In this exemplary embodiment, since the membrane bridge 5 does not need to deform, the material of the membrane bridge 5 can be a metal material with a high hardness coefficient, such as molybdenum (Mo) or platinum (Pt), although this disclosure does not impose any restrictions on this. In actual production, the metal material with a high hardness coefficient also facilitates the release of the sacrificial layer, preventing the membrane bridge 5 from deforming and curling, ensuring a smooth surface of the membrane bridge 5 and contributing to the high yield rate during phase shifter production.

[0119] (5) Release the sacrificial layer to form a suspended membrane bridge structure.

[0120] So far, if Figure 5 The phase shifter with the structure shown is completed. After releasing the sacrificial layer, the phase shifter can be Figure 5 shown.

[0121] In an exemplary embodiment, in the preparation of Figure 10 The first anchor point 61 of the conical coil spring structure shown can be prepared by the method in the above-mentioned preparation step (3) in addition to being prepared by the method of gradient exposure photoresist, that is, first spin-coating photoresist on the surface of the side of the insulating layer 4 away from the substrate 1, and patterning the photoresist to form step surfaces at different positions on the photoresist, and then depositing polysilicon and patterning it. The polysilicon at different steps forms multiple cantilever beams 60, thereby directly forming the first anchor point 61, without the need for multiple deposition and patterning steps, and simplifying the preparation process. The present disclosure does not limit the preparation steps of the first anchor point 61. The second anchor point 62 can be prepared using the same preparation steps as the first anchor point 61, which will not be repeated here.

[0122] An embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a method for preparing a phase shifter, the method comprising: forming a first ground wire, a second ground wire, and a waveguide transmission line on a substrate, the first ground wire and the second ground wire being located on both sides of the waveguide transmission line respectively; forming an insulating layer on the surface of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate; forming a first anchor point on the side of the first ground wire away from the substrate, and forming a second anchor point on the side of the second ground wire away from the substrate; forming a membrane bridge on the side of the first anchor point and the second anchor point away from the substrate; one end of the membrane bridge is connected to the first ground wire through the first anchor point, and the other end of the membrane bridge is connected to the second ground wire through the second anchor point; forming a cavity between the membrane bridge and the waveguide transmission line; wherein the first anchor point and the second anchor point are configured to be able to be compressed and reset in a direction perpendicular to the substrate to drive the membrane bridge to move.

[0123] Although the embodiments disclosed herein are as described above, the contents described herein are merely embodiments for facilitating understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art may make any modifications and variations in the form and details of the embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. However, the scope of patent protection of the present invention shall remain subject to the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A phase shifter, characterized in that: include: substrate; A first ground line, a second ground line, and a waveguide transmission line are provided on the substrate, wherein the first ground line and the second ground line are respectively located on both sides of the waveguide transmission line; an insulating layer, located on a surface of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate; a membrane bridge, located on a side of the insulating layer away from the substrate, with a cavity between the membrane bridge and the waveguide transmission line; one end of the membrane bridge is connected to the first ground line through a first anchor point, and the other end of the membrane bridge is connected to the second ground line through a second anchor point; The first anchor point and the second anchor point are configured to be compressible and repositionable in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, so as to utilize the electrostatic field between the waveguide transmission line and the membrane bridge to drive the membrane bridge to move, without the membrane bridge itself deforming; the first anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the first anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a first spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; The second anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the plurality of cantilever beams of the second anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a second spring structure in a direction away from the substrate.

2. The phase shifter according to claim 1, wherein: The first spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate overlap with each other; The second spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate overlap with each other.

3. The phase shifter according to claim 2, wherein: The first spring structure includes a first layer of spirals and a second layer of spirals in a direction away from the substrate, the first layer of spirals includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the second layer of spirals includes a single cantilever beam; The second spring structure includes a first layer of spirals and a second layer of spirals extending away from the substrate. The first layer of spirals includes a plurality of cantilever beams, and the second layer of spirals includes a single cantilever beam.

4. The phase shifter according to claim 1, wherein: The first spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of spirals includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate do not overlap; The second spring structure includes multiple layers of spirals, each layer of the spiral includes multiple cantilever beams, and the orthographic projections of the multiple cantilever beams of different layers of spirals on the substrate do not overlap.

5. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The rotation direction of the first spring structure is opposite to the rotation direction of the second spring structure.

6. The phase shifter according to claim 1, wherein: The first anchor point includes a first sub-anchor point and a second sub-anchor point, the first sub-anchor point and the second sub-anchor point being arranged along an extension direction of the first ground line; the first sub-anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, the plurality of cantilever beams of the first sub-anchor point being connected end to end in a counterclockwise or clockwise direction to form a first sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the second sub-anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, the plurality of cantilever beams of the second sub-anchor point being connected end to end in a counterclockwise or clockwise direction to form a second sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; The second anchor point includes a third sub-anchor point and a fourth sub-anchor point, and the third sub-anchor point and the fourth sub-anchor point are arranged along the extension direction of the second ground line; the third sub-anchor point includes multiple cantilever beams, and the multiple cantilever beams of the third sub-anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a third sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the fourth sub-anchor point includes multiple cantilever beams, and the multiple cantilever beams of the fourth sub-anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction to form a fourth sub-spring structure in a direction away from the substrate.

7. The phase shifter according to claim 6, wherein: The first sub-anchor point and the third sub-anchor point are located on the same side of the membrane bridge, and the rotation direction of the first sub-spring structure is opposite to the rotation direction of the third sub-spring structure; The second sub-anchor point and the fourth sub-anchor point are located on the same side of the membrane bridge, and a rotation direction of the second sub-spring structure is opposite to a rotation direction of the fourth sub-spring structure.

8. The phase shifter according to claim 7, wherein: The first sub-spring structure and the third sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along a first center line, and the second sub-spring structure and the fourth sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along the first center line; the first center line is the center line of the membrane bridge perpendicular to its own extension direction.

9. The phase shifter according to claim 6, wherein: The rotation direction of the first sub-spring structure is opposite to the rotation direction of the second sub-spring structure; the rotation direction of the third sub-spring structure is opposite to the rotation direction of the fourth sub-spring structure.

10. The phase shifter according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The first sub-spring structure and the second sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along a second center line, and the third sub-spring structure and the fourth sub-spring structure are axially symmetrical along the second center line; the second center line is the center line of the membrane bridge in its own extension direction.

11. The phase shifter according to claim 1, wherein: The phase shifter further includes a first patch and a second patch; The first patch is located between the first anchor point and the first ground line, the orthographic projection of the first anchor point on the substrate is located within the range of the orthographic projection of the first patch on the substrate, and the first patch and the first anchor point are an integrated structure; The second patch is located between the second anchor point and the second ground line. The orthographic projection of the second anchor point on the substrate is within the range of the orthographic projection of the second patch on the substrate. The second patch and the second anchor point are an integral structure.

12. The phase shifter according to claim 11, wherein: The material of the first patch is the same as that of the first anchor point; the material of the second patch is the same as that of the second anchor point.

13. The phase shifter according to claim 1, wherein: The material of the first anchor point and the material of the second anchor point are semiconductor materials or insulating materials.

14. A method for preparing a phase shifter, characterized in that: The method comprises: forming a first ground line, a second ground line, and a waveguide transmission line on a substrate, wherein the first ground line and the second ground line are respectively located on both sides of the waveguide transmission line; forming an insulating layer on a surface of the waveguide transmission line away from the substrate; A first anchor point is formed on a side of the first ground line away from the substrate, and a second anchor point is formed on a side of the second ground line away from the substrate; the first anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, the plurality of cantilever beams of the first anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise or clockwise direction to form a first spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; the second anchor point includes a plurality of cantilever beams, the plurality of cantilever beams of the second anchor point are connected end to end in a counterclockwise or clockwise direction to form a second spring structure in a direction away from the substrate; A membrane bridge is formed on a side of the first anchor point and the second anchor point away from the substrate; one end of the membrane bridge is connected to the first ground line through the first anchor point, and the other end of the membrane bridge is connected to the second ground line through the second anchor point; forming a cavity between the membrane bridge and the waveguide transmission line; The first anchor point and the second anchor point are configured to be able to be compressed and reset in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, so as to utilize the electrostatic field between the waveguide transmission line and the membrane bridge to drive the membrane bridge to move, and the membrane bridge itself does not deform.

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