Phase shifter and preparation method therefor, electronic device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a phase shifter and a preparation method thereof, and an electronic device, and belongs to the technical field of communication. The phase shifter comprises oppositely arranged first and second substrates, and an adjustable dielectric layer and a plurality of first isolation components arranged between the first and second substrates; the first substrate comprises a first dielectric substrate and a first electrode arranged on a side of the first dielectric substrate close to the adjustable dielectric layer; the second substrate comprises a second dielectric substrate and a second electrode arranged on a side of the second dielectric substrate close to the adjustable dielectric layer; the phase shifter has a phase shifting area and a peripheral area; the phase shifting area comprises a plurality of overlapping areas; the first and second electrodes are both located in the phase shifting area, and the orthographic projections of the first and second electrodes on the first dielectric substrate at least partially overlap in each overlapping area to form a plurality of overlapping capacitors; the orthographic projection of at least one overlapping capacitor on the first dielectric substrate is located in the orthographic projection of one first isolation component on the first dielectric substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure belongs to the field of communication technology, specifically relating to a phase shifter and its preparation method, and electronic equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In modern liquid crystal phase shifter structures, periodic patch capacitors are introduced onto the upper glass substrate after the cell. The variable capacitor is adjusted by changing the voltage difference applied to the two metal plates on opposite sides to drive the liquid crystal molecules to deflect, thereby obtaining different liquid crystal material properties. The capacitance value is variable, thus achieving phase adjustment of the fed microwave signal. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and to provide a phase shifter and its manufacturing method, as well as an electronic device.

[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a phase shifter, which includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, and an adjustable dielectric layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; the first substrate includes a first dielectric substrate and a first electrode disposed on the side of the first dielectric substrate near the adjustable dielectric layer; the second substrate includes a second dielectric substrate and a second electrode disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate near the adjustable dielectric layer.

[0005] The phase shifter has a phase shift region and a peripheral region; the phase shift region includes multiple overlapping regions; the first electrode and the second electrode are both located in the phase shift region, and the orthographic projections of the first electrode and the second electrode on the first dielectric substrate at least partially overlap in each of the overlapping regions to form multiple overlapping capacitors;

[0006] The phase shifter further includes: a plurality of first isolation components disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein two end faces of the first isolation components abut against the first substrate and the second substrate respectively; and at least one of the overlapping capacitors has its orthogonal projection on the first dielectric substrate located within the orthogonal projection of a first isolation component on the first dielectric substrate.

[0007] The first electrode includes a first transmission line and a second transmission line arranged side by side and extending along the transmission direction of the microwave signal; the second electrode includes a plurality of patch structures arranged side by side along the transmission direction of the microwave signal, and the two ends of any patch structure at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the first transmission line and the second transmission line on the first dielectric substrate, forming the overlapping capacitor located in the overlapping region.

[0008] The first electrode includes a first transmission line extending along the transmission direction of the microwave signal, and a plurality of first branches connected to the first transmission line and arranged side by side in the transmission direction of the microwave signal; the second electrode includes a second transmission line extending along the transmission direction of the microwave signal, and a plurality of second branches connected to the two transmission lines and arranged side by side in the transmission direction of the microwave signal; the orthographic projections of the end of one first branch away from the first transmission line and the end of one second branch away from the second transmission line on the first dielectric substrate at least partially overlap, forming an overlapping capacitor located in the overlapping region.

[0009] It also includes a second isolation component and a third isolation component disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and extending along the transmission direction of the microwave signal, wherein the first isolation component is connected to both the second isolation component and the third isolation component;

[0010] The orthographic projection of the first transmission line on the first dielectric substrate lies within the orthographic projection of the second isolation component on the first dielectric substrate; the orthographic projection of the second transmission line on the first dielectric substrate lies within the orthographic projection of the third isolation component on the first dielectric substrate.

[0011] The phase shifter further includes a spacer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; the spacer is located in the peripheral region and the phase shifting region.

[0012] The first isolation component is made of the same material as the spacer.

[0013] The density of the spacers located in the peripheral area is greater than the density of the spacers located in the phase-shifting area.

[0014] The thickness of the first electrode and / or the second electrode is not less than 3 μm.

[0015] The tunable dielectric layer includes a liquid crystal layer.

[0016] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for fabricating a phase shifter, comprising: forming a first substrate and a second substrate; assembling the first substrate and the second substrate together; and filling the space between the two substrates with a tunable dielectric.

[0017] The phase shifter includes a phase shifting region and a peripheral region, and the phase shifting region includes multiple overlapping regions;

[0018] The steps for forming the first substrate include:

[0019] Provide a first dielectric substrate;

[0020] A first electrode is formed on the first dielectric substrate, and the first electrode is located in the phase-shifting region;

[0021] The steps for forming the second substrate include:

[0022] Provide a second dielectric substrate;

[0023] A second electrode is formed on the second dielectric substrate; the orthogonal projections of the first electrode and the second electrode in each of the overlapping regions at least partially overlap, forming a plurality of overlapping capacitors;

[0024] The preparation method further includes:

[0025] Multiple first isolation components are formed on the first substrate or the second substrate. When the first substrate and the second substrate are aligned, the two end faces of the first isolation components abut against the first substrate and the second substrate, respectively. The orthographic projection of one of the overlapping capacitors on the first dielectric substrate is located within the orthographic projection of one of the first isolation components on the first dielectric substrate.

[0026] The step of forming the first electrode on the first dielectric substrate includes:

[0027] A first metal thin film is formed on the first dielectric substrate, and a first metal pattern is formed by a patterning process as a first seed layer.

[0028] The first seed layer is electroplated, and then a pattern including the first electrode is formed by a patterning process.

[0029] The isolation component is formed on the first substrate, and the step of forming the isolation component is located between the formation of the first seed layer and the electroplating of the first seed layer.

[0030] The step of forming the second electrode on the second dielectric substrate includes:

[0031] A second metal thin film is formed on the second dielectric substrate, and a second metal pattern is formed by a patterning process as a second seed layer;

[0032] The second seed layer is electroplated, and then a pattern including the second electrode is formed by a patterning process.

[0033] The isolation component is formed on the second substrate, and the step of forming the isolation component is located between the formation of the second seed layer and the electroplating of the second seed layer.

[0034] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide an electronic device that includes any of the phase shifters described above. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is an example of a phase shifter.

[0036] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of AA'.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 4 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of BB'.

[0039] Figure 5 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of CC'.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the first isolation component, the second isolation component, and the third isolation component in the phase shifter shown.

[0042] Figure 8 for Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of DD'.

[0043] Figure 9 This is a top view of the first and second electrodes of another phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of EE'.

[0045] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the formation of the first substrate in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0046] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating the formation of the second substrate in an embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0048] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms “an,” “a,” or “the,” and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “including,” “comprising,” or “containing,” and similar terms mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed following the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. The terms “connected,” “linked,” or similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” and “right,” etc., are used only to indicate relative positional relationships, and these relative positional relationships may change accordingly when the absolute position of the described objects changes.

[0049] Figure 1 This is an example of a phase shifter; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of AA'; as shown Figure 1 and 2As shown, the phase shifter includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal layer 30 disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate includes a first dielectric substrate 10 and a first electrode 1 disposed on the side of the first dielectric substrate 10 near the liquid crystal layer 30. The first electrode 1 includes a first transmission line 11 extending along the microwave signal transmission direction, and a plurality of first branches 12 connected to the first transmission line 11 and arranged side-by-side along the microwave signal transmission direction. The second electrode 2 includes a second transmission line 21 extending along the microwave signal transmission direction, and a plurality of second branches 22 connected to the second transmission line 21 and arranged side-by-side along the microwave signal transmission direction. The orthographic projections of the end of a first branch 12 away from the first transmission line 11 and the end of a second branch 22 away from the second transmission line 21 on the first dielectric substrate 10 at least partially overlap, forming an overlap capacitance C located in the overlapping region. For example, the first branches 12 and the second branches 22 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, and the orthographic projections of the corresponding first branches 12 and the second branches 22 on the first dielectric substrate 10 at least partially overlap. In this case, a DC bias voltage can be applied to the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21 to control the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer 30, thereby adjusting the total capacitance per unit length and achieving a phase shifting effect on the microwave signals output from the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21. The uniformity of the thicknesses of the first transmission line 11, the second transmission line 21, and the film thickness of the liquid crystal layer 30 has a decisive influence on the performance of the phase shifter. However, because the liquid crystal material of the liquid crystal layer 30 has a certain degree of fluidity, downstream processes such as the cell assembly of the first and second substrates can cause problems such as liquid crystal material flow and leakage, thus affecting key indicators such as the phase shifting degree of the phase shifter.

[0050] To address at least one of the aforementioned technical problems, the following technical solutions are provided in the embodiments of this disclosure. Before introducing the phase shifter of the embodiments of this disclosure, it should be noted that the following description takes the tunable dielectric layer of the embodiments of this disclosure as a liquid crystal layer 30 as an example.

[0051] Firstly, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of BB'; Figure 5 for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of CC'; as shown Figure 3-5As shown, this disclosure provides a phase shifter, which is at least divided into a phase shifting region Q1 and a peripheral region Q2, with the phase shifting region Q1 including multiple overlapping regions. The phase shifter includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal layer 30 disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate includes a first dielectric substrate 10 and a first electrode 1 disposed on the side of the first dielectric substrate 10 near the liquid crystal layer 30. The second substrate includes a second dielectric substrate 20 and a second electrode 2 disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate 20 near the liquid crystal layer 30. Both the first electrode 1 and the second electrode 2 are disposed in the phase shifting region Q1, and the orthogonal projections of the first electrode 1 and the second electrode 2 onto the first dielectric substrate 10 overlap in each overlapping region, forming multiple overlapping capacitors C. Specifically, this disclosure also includes multiple first isolation components 41 located between the first substrate and the second substrate, with two end faces of each first isolation component 41 abutting against the first substrate and the second substrate respectively. At least one overlapping capacitor C has its orthogonal projection onto the first dielectric substrate 10 located within the orthogonal projection of one of the first isolation components 41 onto the first dielectric substrate 10. For example, the orthographic projection of an overlapping capacitor C on the first dielectric substrate 10 lies within the orthographic projection of a first isolation component 41 on the first dielectric substrate 10.

[0052] In this embodiment, since the overlapping capacitors C are separated by the first isolation component 41 abutting against the first substrate and the second substrate, the liquid crystal material between the two plates of the overlapping capacitor C will be confined within the first isolation component 41. This effectively avoids the flow and leakage of liquid crystal material between adjacent overlapping capacitors C, thus preventing the problem of affecting key indicators such as the phase shift degree of the phase shifter.

[0053] In one example, the first electrode 1 in the phase shifter includes a first transmission line 11 extending along the microwave signal transmission direction, and a plurality of first branches 12 connected to the first transmission line 11 and arranged side-by-side along the microwave signal transmission direction. The second electrode 2 includes a second transmission line 21 extending along the microwave signal transmission direction, and a plurality of second branches 22 connected to the second transmission line 21 and arranged side-by-side along the microwave signal transmission direction. The orthographic projections of the end of one first branch 12 away from the first transmission line 11 and the end of one second branch 22 away from the second transmission line 21 on the first dielectric substrate 10 at least partially overlap, forming a capacitor located in the overlapping region. For example, the first branches 12 and the second branches 22 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, and the orthographic projections of the corresponding first branches 12 and the second branches 22 on the first dielectric substrate 10 at least partially overlap. In this embodiment, the one-to-one correspondence of the first branches 12 and the second branches 22 is used for illustration.

[0054] It should be noted that the phase shifter may include a reference electrode located on the side of the first dielectric substrate 10 or the second dielectric substrate 20 opposite to the liquid crystal layer 30. This reference electrode may be a ground electrode. The first electrode 1 and the second electrode 2 both overlap at least partially with the orthogonal projection of the reference electrode on the first dielectric substrate 10, so that the first electrode 1, the second electrode 2, and the reference electrode can form a current loop. However, it should be understood that the operation of the phase shifter itself does not depend on the reference electrode. When the phase shifter is integrated into an antenna, it is necessary to provide one or more reference electrodes.

[0055] Furthermore, when the phase shifter adopts the above structure, both the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21 can be straight, with their ends aligned and having equal widths. Of course, the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21 can also be meandering lines; the shapes of the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21 are not limited in this embodiment.

[0056] Furthermore, the length and width of each first branch 12 are equal, and the length and width of each second branch 22 are equal. In this case, the overlapping area of ​​the orthographic projections of each first branch 12 and its corresponding second branch 22 on the first dielectric substrate 10 is equal. In some examples, the overlapping area of ​​the orthographic projections of each first branch 12 and its corresponding second branch 22 on the first dielectric substrate 10 is at least partially unequal. For example, along the microwave signal transmission direction, the overlapping area of ​​the orthographic projections of each first branch 12 and its corresponding second branch 22 on the first dielectric substrate monotonically increases or monotonically decreases.

[0057] In one example, the lengths of the first branches 12 are equal but the widths are unequal, and the lengths of the second branches 22 are equal but the widths are unequal, thereby achieving unequal overlap areas between at least a portion of the first branches 12 and their corresponding orthographic projections on the first dielectric substrate 10. Alternatively, the widths of the first branches 12 are equal but the lengths are unequal, and the widths of the second branches 22 are equal but the lengths are unequal, thereby achieving unequal overlap areas between at least a portion of the first branches 12 and their corresponding orthographic projections on the first dielectric substrate 10. The above are merely examples of several possible implementations, but do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0058] Furthermore, the spacing between adjacent first branches 12 is equal, and the spacing between adjacent second branches 22 is equal. When the first branches 12 and the second branches 22 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, the spacing between the first branches 12 and the spacing between the second branches 22 can be equal.

[0059] In some examples, refer to Figure 3Within a closed space defined by a first isolation component 41, a first substrate, and a second substrate, a first branch 12 and a second branch 22 are disposed within the first isolation component 41, whose orthogonal projections on the first dielectric substrate 10 overlap. That is, the first isolation component 41 is disposed in a one-to-one correspondence with the overlapping capacitor C. In this case, the first isolation components 41 are arranged side-by-side along the microwave signal transmission direction, effectively separating the liquid crystal materials corresponding to each overlapping capacitor C.

[0060] In some examples, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of another phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 7 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the first isolation component 41, the second isolation component 42, and the third isolation component 43 in the phase shifter shown; Figure 8 for Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of DD'; as shown Figure 6-8 As shown, the phase shifter includes not only the first isolation component 41 described above, but also a second isolation component 42 and a third isolation component 43 disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and extending along the microwave signal transmission direction. The first isolation component 41 is connected to both the second isolation component 42 and the third isolation component 43. The orthographic projection of the first transmission line 11 on the first dielectric substrate 10 lies within the orthographic projection of the second isolation component 42 on the first dielectric substrate 10. Similarly, the orthographic projection of the second transmission line 21 on the first dielectric substrate 10 lies within the orthographic projection of the third isolation component 43 on the first dielectric substrate 10. The reason for this arrangement is that, since the first electrode 1 (first transmission line 11 + first branch 12) and the second electrode 2 (second transmission line 21 + second branch 22) both have a certain thickness, the second isolation component 42 and the third isolation component 43 are connected to the first isolation component 41 to form an integrated isolation component. The first transmission line 11, the first branch 12, the second transmission line 21 and the second branch 22 are located inside the isolation component. When the two end faces of the isolation component abut against the first substrate and the second substrate respectively, they avoid the positions of the first transmission line 11, the first branch 12, the second transmission line 21 and the second branch 22. Therefore, the two end faces of the isolation component can make complete contact with the first substrate and the second substrate respectively, thereby effectively separating the liquid crystal material corresponding to the overlapping capacitor C.

[0061] First dielectric substrate 10, first branch 12, second branch 22, first branch 12, first transmission line 11, second branch 22, second transmission line 21

[0062] In another example, Figure 9 This is a top view of the first electrode 1 and the second electrode 2 of another phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 10 for Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of EE'; as shown Figure 9 and 10 As shown, the first electrode 1 in the phase shifter may include a first transmission line 11 and a second transmission line 21 extending along the microwave signal transmission direction and arranged side by side; correspondingly, the second electrode 2 may include a plurality of patch structures 23 arranged side by side along the microwave signal transmission direction. The two ends of the patch structure 23 respectively at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21 on the first dielectric substrate 10, that is, forming a plurality of overlapping capacitors C located in the overlapping region. In this case, by applying a bias DC voltage to the first transmission line 11, the second transmission line 21 and the patch structure 23, an electric field is formed at least at the overlapping position of the patch structure 23 and the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21 to drive the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer 30 to deflect, change the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer 30, and thereby realize the phase shifting of the microwave signal transmitted by the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21.

[0063] In this case, a first isolation component 41 contains two overlapping capacitors C. These two overlapping capacitors C are formed by the orthographic projection of a patch structure 23 onto the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21. Of course, in this example, the phase shifter may also include a second isolation component 42 and a third isolation component 43. Similarly, the second isolation component 42 and the third isolation component 43 can have the same structure as the second isolation component 42 and the third isolation component 43 in the phase shifter described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0064] Furthermore, when the phase shifter adopts the above structure, both the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21 can be straight, with their ends aligned and having equal widths. Of course, the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21 can also be meandering lines; the shapes of the first transmission line 11 and the second transmission line 21 are not limited in this embodiment.

[0065] In some examples, each patch structure 23 can adopt the same structure, in which case the orthographic projection area of ​​each patch structure 23 on the first dielectric substrate 10 is equal to that of the first transmission line 11, and the orthographic projection area of ​​each patch structure 23 on the second dielectric substrate 20 is equal to that of the second transmission line 21. Further, for a patch structure 23, it includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other. The overlapping position of the first end and the orthographic projection of the first transmission line 11 on the first dielectric substrate 10 is a first region, and the overlapping position of the second end and the orthographic projection of the second transmission line 21 on the first dielectric substrate 10 is a second region. The areas of the first region and the second region are equal.

[0066] In some examples, such as Figure 9As shown, each patch structure 23 can also adopt different structures. In this case, at least a portion of the area of ​​each patch structure 23 and the first transmission line 11 in the orthographic projection on the first dielectric substrate 10 is not equal, and at least a portion of the area of ​​each patch structure 23 and the second transmission line 21 in the orthographic projection on the second dielectric substrate 20 is not equal. For example, for a patch structure 23, it includes a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other. The overlapping position of the first end and the orthographic projection of the first transmission line 11 on the first dielectric substrate 10 is a first region, and the overlapping position of the second end and the orthographic projection of the second transmission line 21 on the first dielectric substrate 10 is a second region. The areas of the first region and the second region are equal. Along the microwave signal transmission direction, the area of ​​each first region monotonically increases or decreases, and the area of ​​each second region monotonically increases or decreases. For example, each patch structure 23 has the same width but different lengths, and the length of the first region in the microwave signal transmission direction monotonically increases or decreases; or, for another example, each patch structure 23 has the same length but different widths, and the width of the first region in the microwave signal transmission direction monotonically increases or decreases. The above only provides a few positional relationships between the first transmission line 11, the second transmission line 21, and the patch structure 23. However, these do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the embodiments of this disclosure. In some examples, a patch structure 23 may include a first end and a second end disposed opposite to each other. The overlapping position of the orthographic projection of the first end and the first transmission line 11 on the first dielectric substrate 10 is the first region, and the overlapping position of the orthographic projection of the second end and the second transmission line 21 on the first dielectric substrate 10 is the second region. The areas of the first region and the second region are not equal. Not every case will be listed here.

[0067] In some examples, the spacing between all patch structures 23 is equal. In other examples, the spacing between at least some patch structures 23 is unequal. For example, along the microwave signal transmission direction, the spacing between patch structures 23 at both ends is greater than the spacing between patch structures 23 in the middle. Another example is that the spacing between patch structures 23 monotonically increases or monotonically decreases along the microwave signal transmission direction.

[0068] It should be noted that the above only gives the structures of the first electrode 1 and the second electrode 2 in several phase shifters, but these are just examples of implementation methods and do not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the embodiments of this disclosure. All implementation structures that can achieve phase shifting of microwave signals are within the protection scope of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0069] In one example, regardless of the architecture of the phase shifter described above, the phase shifter may further include spacers 50 disposed between the first dielectric substrate 10 and the second dielectric substrate 20. Spacers 50 are disposed in both the peripheral region Q2 and the phase shifting region Q1 of the phase shifter to maintain the cell thickness (accommodating space of the liquid crystal layer 30). Since the first isolation component 41, the second isolation component 42, and the third isolation component 43 are disposed in the phase shifting region Q1, and these components abut against the first and second substrates, they also serve to maintain the cell thickness. In this case, the number of spacers 50 in the phase shifter can be reduced. For example, the arrangement density of the spacers 50 in the phase shifting region Q1 can be designed to be less than the arrangement density of the spacers 50 in the peripheral region Q2. The arrangement density of the spacers 50 refers to the number of spacers 50 disposed per unit area.

[0070] Furthermore, when the spacers 50 located in the phase-shifting region Q1 and the peripheral region Q2 are arranged in an array, the spacing between adjacent spacers 50 is approximately 500-600 μm. The radius of the orthographic projection of the spacer 50 on the first dielectric substrate 10 is approximately 20-30 μm.

[0071] In one example, regardless of the phase shifter architecture described above, the thickness of the first electrode 1 and the second electrode 2 can be greater than 3 μm. By designing thicker first electrodes 1 and second electrodes 2, the resistance of the first electrodes 1 and second electrodes 2 can be reduced, thereby reducing the transmission loss of the microwave signal and improving the intensity of the microwave signal. Of course, for any of the phase shifters described above, the phase shifter may include not only the above-described structures, but also a first bias voltage line providing a DC bias voltage to the first electrode 1, a second bias voltage line providing a DC bias voltage to the second electrode 2, a first alignment layer disposed on the side of the first electrode 1 facing away from the first dielectric substrate 10, and a second alignment layer disposed on the side of the second electrode 2 facing away from the second dielectric substrate 20, etc., which will not be listed here one by one.

[0072] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for fabricating a phase shifter, which can fabricate any of the phase shifters described above. The method includes: forming a first substrate and a second substrate, and assembling the first substrate and the second substrate together, and filling the space between them with an adjustable dielectric; wherein the phase shifter includes a phase-shifting region Q1 and a peripheral region Q2, and the phase-shifting region Q1 includes a plurality of overlapping regions.

[0073] The step of forming the first substrate includes: providing a first dielectric substrate 10, forming a first electrode 1 on the first dielectric substrate 10, wherein the first electrode 1 is located in the phase shifting region Q1.

[0074] The step of forming the second substrate includes: providing a second dielectric substrate 20; forming a second electrode 2 on the second dielectric substrate 20; and having the orthogonal projections of the first electrode 1 and the second electrode 2 in each overlapping region at least partially overlap to form a plurality of overlapping capacitors C.

[0075] In particular, the preparation method of this disclosure embodiment further includes: forming a plurality of first isolation components 41 on a first substrate or a second substrate, wherein when the first substrate and the second substrate are aligned, the two end faces of the first isolation components 41 abut against the first substrate and the second substrate respectively; and the orthographic projection of an overlapping capacitor C on the first dielectric substrate 10 is located within the orthographic projection of a first isolation component 41 on the first dielectric substrate 10.

[0076] To better illustrate the fabrication method of the phase shifter in the embodiments of this disclosure, the following uses the phase shifter as an example. Figure 6 Taking the phase shifter shown, which includes a first isolation component 41, a second isolation component 42, and a third isolation component 43 as an example, the method for preparing the phase shifter according to the present disclosure will be described.

[0077] S1, Forming the first substrate.

[0078] Specifically, Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the formation of the first substrate in an embodiment of this disclosure; as follows: Figure 11 As shown, the steps for forming the first substrate include:

[0079] S11. Provide a first dielectric substrate 10.

[0080] The first dielectric substrate 10 includes, but is not limited to, a glass substrate.

[0081] S12. A pattern including a first bias signal line is formed on the first dielectric substrate 10 by a patterning process.

[0082] The material of the first bias signal line includes, but is not limited to, indium tin oxide (ITO), with a thickness of approximately 400 Å to 700 Å.

[0083] S13. On the first dielectric substrate 10 after completing the above steps, a first metal thin film is formed, and a first metal pattern is formed by a patterning process; the first metal pattern is the same as the pattern of the first electrode 1 to be formed; and the first metal pattern is used as the first seed layer 120.

[0084] The material of the first metal thin film includes, but is not limited to, copper.

[0085] It should be noted that a first auxiliary metal layer may be formed before the first metal film is formed to enhance the adhesion of the first metal film. The material of the first auxiliary metal layer includes, but is not limited to, molybdenum.

[0086] S14. On the first dielectric substrate 10 after the above steps are completed, a first resin layer is formed, and a pattern including a first isolation component 41, a second isolation component 42, a third isolation component 43, and a spacer 50 is formed by a patterning process. The spacer 50 is cylindrical.

[0087] S15. Electroplating is performed on the first seed layer 120 after the above steps to form the first transmission line 11 and the first branch 12 of the first electrode 1.

[0088] S16. On the first dielectric substrate 10 after completing the above steps, a first alignment layer is formed by the Inkiet process, and the first alignment layer is photo-aligned by an OA device, which can ensure the uniformity of the formation of the first alignment layer.

[0089] This completes the fabrication of the first substrate.

[0090] The steps for forming the second substrate include:

[0091] S21. Provide a second dielectric substrate 20.

[0092] The second dielectric substrate 20 includes, but is not limited to, a glass substrate.

[0093] S22. On the second dielectric substrate 20, a pattern including the second bias signal line is formed by a patterning process.

[0094] The material of the second bias signal line includes, but is not limited to, indium tin oxide (ITO), with a thickness of approximately 400 Å to 700 Å.

[0095] S23. On the second dielectric substrate 20 after completing the above steps, a second metal thin film is formed, and a second metal pattern is formed by a patterning process; the second metal pattern is the same as the pattern of the second electrode 2 to be formed; and the first metal pattern is used as the second seed layer 220.

[0096] The material of the second metal film includes, but is not limited to, copper.

[0097] It should be noted that a second auxiliary metal layer may be formed before the second metal film is formed to enhance the adhesion of the second metal film. The material of the second auxiliary metal layer includes, but is not limited to, molybdenum.

[0098] S24. On the second dielectric substrate 20 after completing the above steps, a second organic resin layer is formed, and a pattern including a barrier 60 is formed by a patterning process. The pattern of the barrier 60 can be the same as the shape formed by the first isolation component 41, the second isolation component 42 and the third isolation component 43, so as to ensure the morphology of the second electrode 2 formed by electroplating the second seed layer.

[0099] S25. Electroplating is performed on the second seed layer 220 after the above steps to form the second transmission line 21 and the second branch 22 of the second electrode 2, and the barrier 60 is removed.

[0100] S26. On the second dielectric substrate 20 after completing the above steps, a second alignment layer is formed by the Inkiet process, and the second alignment layer is photo-aligned by an OA device, which can ensure the uniformity of the formation of the second alignment layer.

[0101] The second substrate is now complete.

[0102] After forming the first substrate and the second substrate, crystal filling is performed on the first substrate, and then the first substrate and the second substrate are assembled to form a phase shifter.

[0103] It should be noted that the first isolation component 41, the second isolation component 42, the third isolation component 43 and the spacer 50 can also be formed on the second substrate, and the process used is the same as that used to form them on the first substrate, so it will not be repeated here.

[0104] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure also provide an electronic device that may include an antenna, which may include the phase shifter described above.

[0105] The antenna provided in this embodiment further includes a transceiver unit, a radio frequency transceiver, a signal amplifier, a power amplifier, and a filtering unit. This antenna can function as either a transmitting antenna or a receiving antenna. The transceiver unit may include a baseband and a receiving end. The baseband provides signals in at least one frequency band, such as 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G signals, and transmits these signals to the radio frequency transceiver. After receiving the signal, the antenna in the transceiver can process it through the filtering unit, power amplifier, signal amplifier, and radio frequency transceiver before transmitting it to the receiving end in the transmitting unit. The receiving end may be, for example, a smart gateway.

[0106] Furthermore, the RF transceiver is connected to the transceiver unit and is used to modulate the signals transmitted by the transceiver unit, or to demodulate the signals received by the antenna before transmitting them to the transceiver unit. Specifically, the RF transceiver may include a transmitting circuit, a receiving circuit, a modulation circuit, and a demodulation circuit. After the transmitting circuit receives various types of signals provided by the baseband, the modulation circuit can modulate the various types of signals provided by the baseband and then send them to the antenna. The antenna receives the signals and transmits them to the receiving circuit of the RF transceiver. The receiving circuit then transmits the signals to the demodulation circuit, which demodulates the signals and transmits them to the receiving end.

[0107] Furthermore, the RF transceiver is connected to a signal amplifier and a power amplifier, which are then connected to a filtering unit. The filtering unit is connected to at least one antenna. During signal transmission, the signal amplifier improves the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the RF transceiver's output signal before transmitting it to the filtering unit; the power amplifier amplifies the power of the RF transceiver's output signal before transmitting it to the filtering unit. The filtering unit may specifically include a duplexer and a filtering circuit. The filtering unit combines the signals output from the signal amplifier and power amplifier, filters out noise, and then transmits them to the antenna, which radiates the signal. During signal reception, the antenna receives the signal and transmits it to the filtering unit. The filtering unit filters out noise from the received signal before transmitting it to the signal amplifier and power amplifier. The signal amplifier increases the gain of the received signal, improving the SNR; the power amplifier amplifies the power of the received signal. The received signal is then processed by the power amplifier and signal amplifier before being transmitted to the RF transceiver, which in turn transmits it to the transceiver unit.

[0108] In some examples, the signal amplifier may include various types of signal amplifiers, such as low-noise amplifiers, without limitation.

[0109] In some examples, the antenna provided in this disclosure also includes a power management unit connected to a power amplifier to provide voltage to the power amplifier for amplifying signals.

[0110] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A phase shifter comprising a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other, and an adjustable dielectric layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; the first substrate comprising a first dielectric substrate and a first electrode disposed on the side of the first dielectric substrate near the adjustable dielectric layer; the second substrate comprising a second dielectric substrate and a second electrode disposed on the side of the second dielectric substrate near the adjustable dielectric layer. The phase shifter has a phase shift region and a peripheral region; the phase shift region includes multiple overlapping regions; the first electrode and the second electrode are both located in the phase shift region, and the orthographic projections of the first electrode and the second electrode on the first dielectric substrate at least partially overlap in each of the overlapping regions to form multiple overlapping capacitors; The phase shifter further includes: A plurality of first isolation components are disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the two end faces of the first isolation components are respectively in contact with the first substrate and the second substrate; At least one of the overlapping capacitors has its orthographic projection on the first dielectric substrate located within the orthographic projection of the first isolation component on the first dielectric substrate; The first electrode includes a first transmission line and a second transmission line arranged side by side and continuously extending along the transmission direction of the microwave signal; the second electrode includes a plurality of patch structures arranged side by side along the transmission direction of the microwave signal, and the two ends of any patch structure at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the first transmission line and the second transmission line on the first dielectric substrate, forming the overlapping capacitor located in the overlapping region.

2. The phase shifter according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes a second isolation component and a third isolation component disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and extending along the transmission direction of the microwave signal, wherein the first isolation component is in communication with both the second isolation component and the third isolation component; The orthographic projection of the first transmission line on the first dielectric substrate lies within the orthographic projection of the second isolation component on the first dielectric substrate; The orthographic projection of the second transmission line on the first dielectric substrate lies within the orthographic projection of the third isolation component on the first dielectric substrate.

3. The phase shifter according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes a spacer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; the spacer is located in the peripheral region and the phase-shifting region.

4. The phase shifter according to claim 3, wherein, The first isolation component is made of the same material as the spacer.

5. The phase shifter according to claim 3, wherein, The density of the spacers located in the peripheral region is greater than the density of the spacers located in the phase-shifting region.

6. The phase shifter according to claim 1, wherein, The thickness of the first electrode and / or the second electrode is not less than 3 μm.

7. The phase shifter according to claim 1, wherein, The adjustable dielectric layer includes a liquid crystal layer.

8. A method for fabricating a phase shifter, comprising: The steps include forming a first substrate and a second substrate, assembling the first substrate and the second substrate together, and filling the space between them with a tunable dielectric; wherein, The phase shifter includes a phase shifting region and a peripheral region, and the phase shifting region includes multiple overlapping regions; The steps for forming the first substrate include: Provide a first dielectric substrate; A first electrode is formed on the first dielectric substrate, and the first electrode is located in the phase-shifting region; the first electrode includes a first transmission line and a second transmission line arranged side by side and continuously extending along the transmission direction of the microwave signal; The steps for forming the second substrate include: Provide a second dielectric substrate; A second electrode is formed on the second dielectric substrate; the orthographic projections of the first electrode and the second electrode in each of the overlapping regions at least partially overlap to form a plurality of overlapping capacitors; the second electrode includes a plurality of patch structures arranged side by side along the microwave signal transmission direction, and the two ends of any patch structure at least partially overlap with the orthographic projections of the first transmission line and the second transmission line on the first dielectric substrate to form overlapping capacitors located in the overlapping regions. The preparation method further includes: Multiple first isolation components are formed on the first substrate or the second substrate. When the first substrate and the second substrate are aligned, the two end faces of the first isolation components abut against the first substrate and the second substrate, respectively. The orthographic projection of one of the overlapping capacitors on the first dielectric substrate is located within the orthographic projection of one of the first isolation components on the first dielectric substrate.

9. The preparation method according to claim 8, wherein, The step of forming the first electrode on the first dielectric substrate includes: A first metal thin film is formed on the first dielectric substrate, and a first metal pattern is formed by a patterning process as a first seed layer. The first seed layer is electroplated, and then a pattern including the first electrode is formed by a patterning process.

10. The preparation method according to claim 9, wherein, The isolation component is formed on the first substrate, and the step of forming the isolation component is located between forming the first seed layer and electroplating the first seed layer.

11. The preparation method according to claim 8, wherein, The step of forming the second electrode on the second dielectric substrate includes: A second metal thin film is formed on the second dielectric substrate, and a second metal pattern is formed by a patterning process as a second seed layer; The second seed layer is electroplated, and then a pattern including the second electrode is formed by a patterning process.

12. The preparation method according to claim 11, wherein, The isolation component is formed on the second substrate, and the step of forming the isolation component is located between the formation of the second seed layer and the electroplating of the second seed layer.

13. An electronic device comprising the phase shifter according to any one of claims 1-7.

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