A fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array and control method thereof

Abstract

A fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array and a control method thereof, the liquid crystal phased array comprising an upper substrate, a lower substrate, a liquid crystal medium disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, and an orientation layer disposed above and below the liquid crystal medium, a Z-direction DC bias network and a one-to-many power divider disposed on the upper surface of the lower substrate, a Y-direction DC bias network disposed on the lower surface of the lower substrate, a metal ground disposed on the lower surface of the upper substrate, and a plurality of antenna units coupled to the one-to-many power divider; wherein the Z-direction DC bias network is controlled to apply a longitudinal electric field to the liquid crystal molecules, and the Y-direction DC bias network is controlled to apply a transverse electric field to the liquid crystal molecules. The present invention provides a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array, which can significantly improve the performance indicators of a reconfigurable millimeter-wave phased array system, and is very beneficial to the integration and development of a reconfigurable millimeter-wave system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of wireless communications, and in particular to a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] To meet the needs of mobile terminals operating in the L, C, Ku, Ka or W bands for a variety of services, such as wireless Internet, multimedia, communications and broadcasting services, electronically reconfigurable millimeter wave systems have become a current research hotspot with their advantages of small size, multi-function, high spectrum efficiency and strong flexibility. They are used in military and industrial ground station applications, including mobile terminals such as airborne, shipborne or automobiles. Technical methods commonly used for phased array beam scanning include radio frequency micro-electromechanical systems (RF MEMS), semiconductor solutions and ferroelectrics such as barium strontium titanate (BST). Another method is to use liquid crystal materials with low loss in high frequency bands. Among these methods, liquid crystal is superior to MEMS in terms of life, continuity and packaging; it is superior to BST in terms of frequency range and bias voltage, and is an ideal material for the development of beam scanning phased arrays. Benefiting from the mature manufacturing process of liquid crystal display panels, liquid crystal phased arrays also have unique advantages in manufacturing costs. In the third generation partnership and new radio bands, cost-competitive and high-performance liquid crystal-based phased array modules can support beamforming and beam steering capabilities, which are key technologies for emerging small cell base stations and client devices. Therefore, research on liquid crystal phased arrays suitable for various mobile terminals is of great significance for wireless communication systems.

[0003] Liquid crystal phased arrays are small in size, light in weight, and low in power consumption, meeting the requirements of modern communication equipment for thinness and low power consumption. In addition, due to the electrically adjustable characteristics of liquid crystal, continuous directional pattern scanning can be achieved. However, due to the limitations of the inverted microstrip line structure, the liquid crystal layer of liquid crystal phased arrays used in millimeter wave bands is generally thick, requiring a liquid crystal layer thickness of tens or even hundreds of microns to meet the electromagnetic wave transmission and phase modulation of the inverted microstrip liquid crystal phase shift. However, a thick liquid crystal layer requires high voltage regulation, and will result in a relatively long response time for the phased array, generally in the order of seconds. The high bias voltage and slow response speed greatly limit the application of liquid crystal phased arrays in the field of wireless communications.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above background technology section is only used for understanding the background of the present application, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to ordinary technicians in the field. Summary of the invention

[0005] The main purpose of the present invention is to overcome the defects of the above-mentioned background technology and provide a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array and a control method thereof.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array comprises an upper substrate, a lower substrate, a liquid crystal medium arranged between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, and alignment layers arranged above and below the liquid crystal medium, a Z-direction DC bias network and a one-to-many power distributor arranged on the upper surface of the lower substrate, a Y-direction DC bias network arranged on the lower surface of the lower substrate, a metal ground arranged on the lower surface of the upper substrate, and a plurality of antenna units coupled to the one-to-many power distributor; wherein the Z-direction DC bias network is controlled to apply a longitudinal electric field to the liquid crystal molecules, and the Y-direction DC bias network is controlled to apply a transverse electric field to the liquid crystal molecules.

[0008] Furthermore, the Y-direction DC bias network includes a first side metal and a second side metal respectively arranged on both sides of the lower substrate, the first side metal is connected to a row of positive electrode fingers, the second side metal is connected to a row of negative electrode fingers, and the positive electrode fingers and the negative electrode fingers are alternately arranged in a cross-isolated finger structure.

[0009] Furthermore, the multiple antenna units include a plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna units arranged on the upper surface of the upper substrate, a plurality of coupling slots corresponding to each slot-coupled patch antenna unit are opened on the metal ground, and the one-to-many power divider is coupled to each slot-coupled patch antenna unit through the coupling slots.

[0010] Furthermore, the slot-coupled patch antenna unit is rectangular, and its length direction is perpendicular to the extension direction of the one-to-many power divider.

[0011] Furthermore, the multiple slot-coupled patch antenna units are arranged into a rectangular antenna array.

[0012] Furthermore, the one-to-many power distributor is a one-to-four power distributor.

[0013] Furthermore, the upper substrate and the lower substrate are quartz glass substrates.

[0014] Furthermore, the alignment layer is a polyimide film.

[0015] Furthermore, the Z-direction DC bias network and the Y-direction DC bias network are controlled to perform one or more of the following operations: when the liquid crystal phased array is turned on, the Z-direction DC bias network and the Y-direction DC bias network are controlled to simultaneously apply longitudinal and transverse electric fields to improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned on; when the liquid crystal molecules are longitudinally electric-field modulated by the Z-direction DC bias network to achieve anisotropic response, the Y-direction DC bias network continues to apply the transverse electric field to quickly reset the liquid crystal molecules; when the liquid crystal phased array is turned off, the Y-direction DC bias network is separately controlled to apply the transverse electric field to improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned off.

[0016] A control method using the fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array comprises:

[0017] In the start-up phase, the Z-direction DC bias network and the Y-direction DC bias network are controlled to simultaneously apply longitudinal and transverse electric fields to improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned on;

[0018] In the modulation and reset stage, after the liquid crystal molecules are subjected to longitudinal electric field modulation by the Z-direction DC bias network to achieve anisotropic response, the Y-direction DC bias network continues to apply a transverse electric field to quickly reset the liquid crystal molecules;

[0019] In the closing stage, the Y-direction DC bias network is independently controlled to apply a transverse electric field to improve the response speed of closing the liquid crystal phased array.

[0020] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] The present invention proposes a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array, which provides a Y-direction bias electric field for liquid crystal molecules by arranging a Z-direction DC bias network on the upper surface of the lower substrate, and also provides a Y-direction DC bias network on the lower surface of the lower substrate, thereby increasing the control dimension of the liquid crystal molecules. The present invention constructs a design in which the Z-direction DC bias network and the Y-direction DC bias network work in coordination, realizes multi-dimensional control of liquid crystal molecules, can greatly reduce the response time of liquid crystal phased array control, and significantly improves the response speed of phased array control.

[0022] Specifically, by combining the Z-direction DC bias network and the Y-direction DC bias network, both the longitudinal electric field and the transverse electric field can be applied to the liquid crystal. Simultaneously applying transverse and longitudinal electric fields can improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned on; when the liquid crystal molecules are modulated by the longitudinal electric field of the Z-direction DC bias to achieve anisotropic response, the transverse electric field of the Y-direction DC bias can continue to be applied, so that the liquid crystal molecules can be quickly reset, which is much faster than the natural reset speed of the liquid crystal molecules; in addition, applying a transverse electric field alone can significantly improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned off. Therefore, the present invention provides a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array, which can significantly improve the performance indicators of the reconfigurable millimeter-wave phased array system, and is very beneficial to the integration and development of the reconfigurable millimeter-wave system.

[0023] Other beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention will be further described below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the lower and upper surfaces of the lower quartz glass substrate of the fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the lower and upper surfaces of the upper quartz glass substrate of the fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of dual electric control of a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the Y-direction DC bias network of the fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of liquid crystal phased array scanning control according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following is a detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention. It should be emphasized that the following description is only exemplary and is not intended to limit the scope and application of the present invention.

[0031] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element. In addition, connection can be used for fixing as well as for coupling or communication.

[0032] It should be understood that the orientation or position relationship indicated by terms such as "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside" and "outside" are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the referred device or element must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0033] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0034] See also Figures 1 to 6 The embodiment of the present invention provides a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array, comprising an upper substrate (e.g., an upper quartz glass substrate 102), a lower substrate (e.g., a lower quartz glass substrate 108), a liquid crystal medium 105 disposed between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, and alignment layers 104 and 106 disposed above and below the liquid crystal medium 105, a Z-direction DC bias network 110 and a one-to-many power divider 107 disposed on the upper surface of the lower substrate, a Y-direction DC bias network 109 disposed on the lower surface of the lower substrate, a metal ground 103 disposed on the lower surface of the upper substrate, and a plurality of antenna units coupled to the one-to-many power divider 107; wherein the Z-direction DC bias network 110 is controlled to apply a longitudinal electric field to the liquid crystal molecules, and the Y-direction DC bias network 109 is controlled to apply a transverse electric field to the liquid crystal molecules.

[0035] By utilizing the coordination of the Z-direction DC bias network 110 and the Y-direction DC bias network 109 respectively arranged on the upper and lower surfaces of the lower substrate, the embodiment of the present invention realizes multi-dimensional electric field control of the liquid crystal molecules, effectively solving the problems of high voltage requirements and slow response time caused by the thick liquid crystal layer of the traditional liquid crystal phased array. By applying a longitudinal electric field through the Z-direction DC bias network and a transverse electric field through the Y-direction DC bias network, the present invention can not only improve the response speed of the phased array opening, but also use the transverse electric field of the Y-direction DC bias network to realize the rapid reset of the liquid crystal molecules in a manner far exceeding the natural reset speed. In addition, applying a transverse electric field alone can also significantly improve the response speed of the phased array closing. As a result, the present invention realizes a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array, which can significantly improve the performance indicators of the reconfigurable millimeter-wave phased array system.

[0036] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the Y-direction DC bias network 109 includes a first side metal and a second side metal respectively disposed on both sides of the lower substrate, the first side metal is connected to a row of positive electrode fingers, the second side metal is connected to a row of negative electrode fingers, and the positive electrode fingers and the negative electrode fingers are alternately arranged in a cross-isolated finger structure. A preferred embodiment designs a cross-isolated Y-direction DC bias network to provide a Y-direction bias electric field for the liquid crystal molecules, thereby increasing the control dimension of the liquid crystal molecules, and the cross-isolated Y-direction DC bias network design is conducive to accurately controlling the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules and improving the overall performance of the liquid crystal phased array.

[0037] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the multiple antenna units include multiple slot-coupled patch antenna units 101 arranged on the upper surface of the upper substrate, the metal ground 103 is provided with multiple coupling slots corresponding to each slot-coupled patch antenna unit 101, and the one-to-many power divider 107 is coupled with each slot-coupled patch antenna unit 101 through the coupling slots. Figure 6 In the preferred embodiment, the patch antenna unit is designed with slot coupling feeding, and the phased array can realize efficient feeding. This slot coupling can provide good electromagnetic field distribution, which helps to improve the radiation efficiency and bandwidth of the antenna unit. It can perform two-dimensional scanning based on liquid crystal electrical control and achieve high radiation gain and wide impedance bandwidth, which can well meet the control requirements of two-dimensional scanning of liquid crystal phased array.

[0038] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the slot-coupled patch antenna unit 101 is rectangular, and its length direction is perpendicular to the extension direction of the one-to-many power divider 107.

[0039] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna units 101 are arranged into a rectangular antenna array.

[0040] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the one-to-many power distributor 107 is a one-to-four power distributor.

[0041] See also Figure 6 In a preferred embodiment, the Z-direction DC bias network 110 and the Y-direction DC bias network 109 are controlled to perform one or more of the following operations: when the liquid crystal phased array is turned on, the Z-direction DC bias network 110 and the Y-direction DC bias network 109 are controlled to simultaneously apply longitudinal and transverse electric fields to improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned on; when the liquid crystal molecules are longitudinally electric-field modulated by the Z-direction DC bias network 110 to achieve anisotropic response, the Y-direction DC bias network 109 continues to apply the transverse electric field to quickly reset the liquid crystal molecules; when the liquid crystal phased array is turned off, the Y-direction DC bias network 109 is separately controlled to apply the transverse electric field to improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned off.

[0042] The embodiment of the present invention further provides a control method using the fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array, comprising:

[0043] In the start-up phase, the Z-direction DC bias network 110 and the Y-direction DC bias network 109 are controlled to simultaneously apply longitudinal and transverse electric fields to increase the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned on;

[0044] In the modulation and reset stage, when the liquid crystal molecules are subjected to longitudinal electric field modulation by the Z-direction DC bias network 110 to achieve anisotropic response, the Y-direction DC bias network 109 continues to apply a transverse electric field to quickly reset the liquid crystal molecules;

[0045] In the closing stage, the Y-direction DC bias network 109 is independently controlled to apply a transverse electric field to improve the response speed of closing the liquid crystal phased array.

[0046] See also Figures 1 to 6In some embodiments, a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array includes a one-to-four power divider, a Y-direction DC bias network, a Z-direction DC bias network, a slot-coupled patch antenna unit, a coupling slot, a metal ground, a liquid crystal medium, and upper and lower quartz glass substrates, and also includes a polyimide film disposed above and below the liquid crystal medium as an orientation layer for liquid crystal medium molecules. The Y-direction DC bias network is located on the lower surface of the lower quartz glass substrate, and the Z-direction DC bias network and the one-to-four power divider are located on the upper surface of the lower quartz glass substrate. The coupling slot and the metal ground are located on the lower surface of the upper quartz glass substrate, and the slot-coupled patch antenna array is located on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate. The Z-direction and Y-direction DC bias networks can apply both longitudinal and transverse electric fields to the liquid crystal; applying transverse and longitudinal electric fields at the same time significantly improves the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned on; applying the transverse electric field alone significantly improves the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned off; when the liquid crystal molecules are modulated by the longitudinal electric field of the Z-direction DC bias to achieve anisotropic response, the transverse electric field of the Y-direction DC bias can continue to be applied, so that the liquid crystal molecules can be quickly reset at a speed much faster than the natural reset of the liquid crystal molecules.

[0047] The specific embodiments of the present invention are further described below.

[0048] like Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array includes a one-to-many power divider 107, a Y-direction DC bias network 109, a Z-direction DC bias network 110, a slot-coupled patch antenna unit 101, a coupling slot 111, a metal ground 103, a liquid crystal medium 105, and upper and lower quartz glass substrates 102 and 108, and also includes a polyimide film arranged above and below the liquid crystal medium 105 as an orientation layer 104 and 106 of the liquid crystal medium molecules.

[0049] The Y-direction DC bias network 109 is located on the lower surface of the lower quartz glass substrate 108, and the Z-direction DC bias network 110 and the one-to-many power divider 107 are located on the upper surface of the lower quartz glass substrate 108. The coupling slot 111 and the metal ground 103 are located on the lower surface of the upper quartz glass substrate 102, and the slot-coupled patch antenna unit 101 is located on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate 102.

[0050] The liquid crystal medium 105 is oriented by the orientation layers 104 and 106 , fixed between the upper quartz glass substrate 102 and the lower quartz glass substrate 108 , and evenly distributed on the one-to-many power distributor 107 .

[0051] The gain of the slot-coupled patch antenna unit 101 will be further improved as the patch size increases. Depending on the desired radiation pattern, the coupling slot can be loaded directly below or below the side of the slot-coupled patch antenna unit. In one embodiment, the coupling slot is designed as an H-shaped slot. In another embodiment, a linear slot can also be used. A better coupling efficiency can be obtained by optimizing the geometry of the slot.

[0052] like Figure 4 The figure shows a schematic diagram of liquid crystal control of a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein conventional liquid crystal electric control (left) can only control the direction of liquid crystal molecules by applying a longitudinal electric field, while the bidirectional switch structure (right) proposed in the present invention can control the direction of liquid crystal molecules by applying a longitudinal electric field or by applying a transverse electric field. In particular, applying transverse and longitudinal electric fields simultaneously can improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned on; applying a transverse electric field alone can improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned off.

[0053] like Figure 5 As shown, the Y-direction DC bias network structure of a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention. The positive and negative electrodes of the DC voltage are alternately arranged in a cross-isolated finger structure, and the positive electrode fingers are all connected to the first side metal, and the negative electrode fingers are all connected to the second side metal. The fingers from left to right in the figure are positive electrode fingers and negative electrode fingers that alternate in sequence. By applying a DC voltage to the positive and negative metal ends of the cross-isolated Y-direction DC bias network, a lateral electric field can be obtained, thereby controlling the lateral steering of the liquid crystal molecules.

[0054] In summary, the present invention provides a fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array, which can apply both a longitudinal electric field and a transverse electric field to the liquid crystal by combining a Z-direction DC bias network and a Y-direction DC bias network. Simultaneous application of transverse and longitudinal electric fields can improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned on; when the liquid crystal molecules are modulated by the longitudinal electric field of the Z-direction DC bias to achieve anisotropic response, the transverse electric field of the Y-direction DC bias can continue to be applied, so that the liquid crystal molecules can be quickly reset, which is much faster than the natural reset speed of the liquid crystal molecules; in addition, applying a transverse electric field alone can significantly improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned off. These three control modes correspond to different operating states of the liquid crystal phased array, including fast opening, fast resetting and fast closing, to meet the requirements for response speed in different application scenarios. The solution of the present invention overcomes the defects of high voltage requirements and slow response time of traditional liquid crystal phased arrays due to thick liquid crystal layers, and can significantly improve the performance indicators of reconfigurable millimeter-wave phased array systems, which is very beneficial to the integration and development of reconfigurable millimeter-wave systems.

[0055] The above content is a further detailed description of the present invention in combination with specific / preferred embodiments, and it cannot be determined that the specific implementation of the present invention is limited to these descriptions. For ordinary technicians in the technical field to which the present invention belongs, without departing from the concept of the present invention, it can also make several substitutions or modifications to these described embodiments, and these substitutions or modifications should be regarded as belonging to the protection scope of the present invention. In the description of this specification, the description of the reference terms "an embodiment", "some embodiments", "preferred embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in combination with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily target the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. In the absence of mutual contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples. Although the embodiments of the present invention and their advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of protection of the patent application.

Claims

1. A fast-response bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array, characterized in that: The invention comprises an upper substrate, a lower substrate, a liquid crystal medium arranged between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, an alignment layer arranged above and below the liquid crystal medium, a Z-direction DC bias network and a one-to-many power distributor arranged on the upper surface of the lower substrate, a Y-direction DC bias network arranged on the lower surface of the lower substrate, a metal ground arranged on the lower surface of the upper substrate, and a plurality of antenna units coupled to the one-to-many power distributor; wherein the Z-direction DC bias network is controlled to apply a longitudinal electric field to the liquid crystal molecules, and the Y-direction DC bias network is controlled to apply a longitudinal electric field to the liquid crystal molecules. A transverse electric field is applied to the liquid crystal molecules; when the liquid crystal phased array is turned on, the Z-direction DC bias network and the Y-direction DC bias network are controlled to simultaneously apply longitudinal and transverse electric fields to improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned on; in the modulation and reset stage, when the liquid crystal molecules are longitudinally electric-field modulated by the Z-direction DC bias network to achieve anisotropic response, the Y-direction DC bias network continues to apply a transverse electric field to quickly reset the liquid crystal molecules; in the closing stage, the Y-direction DC bias network is separately controlled to apply a transverse electric field to improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned off.

2. The bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to claim 1, characterized in that: The Y-direction DC bias network includes a first side metal and a second side metal respectively arranged on both sides of the lower substrate, the first side metal is connected to a row of positive electrode fingers, the second side metal is connected to a row of negative electrode fingers, and the positive electrode fingers and the negative electrode fingers are alternately arranged in a cross-isolated finger structure.

3. The bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The multiple antenna units include multiple slot-coupled patch antenna units arranged on the upper surface of the upper substrate, the metal ground is provided with multiple coupling slots corresponding to each slot-coupled patch antenna unit, and the one-to-many power divider is coupled with each slot-coupled patch antenna unit through the coupling slots.

4. The bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to claim 3, characterized in that: The slot-coupled patch antenna unit is rectangular, and its length direction is perpendicular to the extension direction of the one-to-many power divider.

5. The bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to claim 3, characterized in that: The plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna units are arranged into a rectangular antenna array.

6. The bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The one-to-many power distributor is a one-to-four power distributor.

7. The bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The upper substrate and the lower substrate are quartz glass substrates.

8. The bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The alignment layer is a polyimide film.

9. The bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The Z-direction DC bias network and the Y-direction DC bias network are also controlled to perform one or more of the following operations: when the liquid crystal molecules are subjected to longitudinal electric field modulation by the Z-direction DC bias network to achieve anisotropic response, the Y-direction DC bias network continues to apply a transverse electric field to quickly reset the liquid crystal molecules; when the liquid crystal phased array is closed, the Y-direction DC bias network is individually controlled to apply a transverse electric field to improve the response speed of closing the liquid crystal phased array.

10. A control method using the bidirectional switch liquid crystal phased array according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: include: In the start-up phase, the Z-direction DC bias network and the Y-direction DC bias network are controlled to simultaneously apply longitudinal and transverse electric fields to increase the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array when it is turned on. In the modulation and reset stage, when the liquid crystal molecules are subjected to longitudinal electric field modulation by the Z-direction DC bias network to achieve anisotropic response, the Y-direction DC bias network continues to apply a transverse electric field to quickly reset the liquid crystal molecules; in the closing stage, the Y-direction DC bias network is independently controlled to apply a transverse electric field to improve the response speed of the liquid crystal phased array closing.

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