Liquid crystal phase shifter, liquid crystal antenna and preparation method of liquid crystal phase shifter

Abstract

The invention relates to a liquid crystal phase shifter, a liquid crystal antenna and a preparation method of the liquid crystal phase shifter. The liquid crystal phase shifter comprises a first substrate and a second substrate which are oppositely arranged; the phase shifter wire and the grounding electrode are located between the first substrate and the second substrate, the phase shifter wire and the grounding electrode are located on the first substrate, and the phase shifter wire and the grounding electrode are at least partially overlapped in the direction parallel to the first substrate; and the liquid crystal molecules are filled between the phase shifter wire and the grounding electrode. According to the technical scheme, the using amount of liquid crystal molecules is reduced, the uniformity of the thickness of a film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located is improved, a narrow frame can be achieved easily, and the risk of misconduction is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of liquid crystal antennas, and in particular to a liquid crystal phase shifter, a liquid crystal antenna, and a method for preparing the liquid crystal phase shifter. Background Art

[0002] Liquid crystal antenna is a new type of array antenna made by combining conventional patch antenna with liquid crystal phase shifter, in which the liquid crystal phase shifter controls the deflection of liquid crystal molecules to achieve phase adjustment of radio frequency signals. Liquid crystal antenna has broad application prospects in satellite receiving antenna, vehicle-mounted radar, 5G base station antenna and other fields.

[0003] In the related art, the ground electrode and phase shifter wiring of the liquid crystal antenna are respectively located on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower substrates, and the spacing between the ground electrode and the phase shifter wiring perpendicular to the direction of the upper and lower substrates is the box thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located. In order to maintain the uniformity of the box thickness, a support structure is usually set up, which adds a process and occupies the space of the liquid crystal molecules. When the box thickness is large, the uniformity of the box thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located is poor, and the larger the box thickness, the greater the tolerance. In addition, in order to make the upper and lower substrates conductive, a conductive frame glue is usually set up and doped with metal balls to achieve the conduction of electrical signals, which increases the number of frame glues and the size of the frame, and also causes the risk of misconduction. Summary of the invention

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides a liquid crystal phase shifter, a liquid crystal antenna and a method for preparing the liquid crystal phase shifter, which saves the amount of liquid crystal molecules, improves the uniformity of the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located, is conducive to achieving a narrow frame, and reduces the risk of misconduction.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a liquid crystal phase shifter, comprising:

[0006] A first substrate and a second substrate are arranged opposite to each other; a phase shifter wiring and a ground electrode, the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode are located between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode are both located on the first substrate, and in a direction parallel to the first substrate, the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode at least partially overlap; liquid crystal molecules, the liquid crystal molecules are filled between the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode.

[0007] In a second aspect, the present disclosure further provides a liquid crystal antenna, comprising the liquid crystal antenna described in the first aspect.

[0008] In a third aspect, the present disclosure further provides a method for preparing a liquid crystal phase shifter, which is applicable to the display panel as described in the first aspect, and the preparation method comprises:

[0009] providing a first substrate;

[0010] A phase shifter line and a ground electrode are formed on one side of the first substrate; wherein the phase shifter line and the ground electrode at least partially overlap in a direction parallel to the first substrate;

[0011] A second substrate is attached to the side of the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode away from the first substrate; and liquid crystal molecules are injected between the first substrate and the second substrate so that the liquid crystal molecules fill the space between the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution provided by the present invention has the following advantages:

[0013] The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal phase shifter, a liquid crystal antenna, and a method for preparing a liquid crystal phase shifter, wherein the liquid crystal phase shifter comprises a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to each other; a phase shifter line and a ground electrode, wherein the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are located between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are located on the first substrate, and the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are at least partially overlapped in a direction parallel to the first substrate; and liquid crystal molecules, wherein the liquid crystal molecules are filled between the phase shifter line and the ground electrode. The present disclosure reduces the amount of liquid crystal molecules used by locating the phase shifter line and the ground electrode between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are located on the first substrate, and the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are at least partially overlapped in a direction parallel to the first substrate, thereby facilitating the uniformity of the distance between the phase shifter line and the ground electrode, that is, the uniformity of the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located is high, thereby improving the stability of antenna signal transmission, reducing the risk of poor conduction, and facilitating the ultra-narrow slit splicing of the liquid crystal phase shifter, and further improving the performance of the phase shifter array. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a top view structure of a liquid crystal phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure along the AA' direction;

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Another schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA' direction;

[0019] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Another schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA' direction;

[0020] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an electric field formed by a phase shifter wiring and a ground electrode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 6 for Figure 1 Another schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA' direction;

[0022] Figure 7 for Figure 1 Another schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA' direction;

[0023] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a top view structure of a liquid crystal phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a top view structure of another liquid crystal phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Fig.10 for Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure in the BB' direction;

[0026] Fig.11 For the middle Fig. 9 Another schematic diagram of the cross-section structure in the BB' direction;

[0027] Fig.12 A schematic diagram of a top view structure of another liquid crystal phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Fig.13 for Fig.12 A schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure in the CC' direction;

[0029] Fig.14 for Fig.12 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram in CC' direction;

[0030] Fig.15 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged schematic diagram of the middle M region;

[0031] Fig.16 for Figure 1 Another schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the AA' direction;

[0032] Fig.17A schematic diagram of a process for preparing a liquid crystal antenna provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 18-Figure 26 for Fig.17 The cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of each step in the preparation method of the liquid crystal antenna is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In order to more clearly understand the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of the present disclosure, the scheme of the present disclosure will be further described below. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0035] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; it is obvious that the embodiments in the specification are only part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0036] In the related art, the ground electrode and phase shifter wiring of the liquid crystal antenna are respectively located on the inner surfaces of the upper and lower substrates, and the spacing between the ground electrode and the phase shifter wiring perpendicular to the direction of the upper and lower substrates is the box thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located. In order to maintain the uniformity of the box thickness, a support structure is usually set up, which adds a process and occupies the space of the liquid crystal molecules. When the box thickness is large, the uniformity of the box thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located is poor, and the larger the box thickness, the greater the tolerance. In addition, in order to make the upper and lower substrates conductive, a conductive frame glue is usually set up and doped with metal balls to achieve the conduction of electrical signals, which increases the number of frame glues and the size of the frame, and also causes the risk of misconduction.

[0037] In order to solve the above problems, the embodiment of the present disclosure provides a liquid crystal phase shifter, which includes a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to each other; a phase shifter line and a ground electrode, the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are located between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are located on the first substrate, and the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are at least partially overlapped in a direction parallel to the first substrate; and liquid crystal molecules, the liquid crystal molecules are filled between the phase shifter line and the ground electrode. Therefore, by locating the phase shifter line and the ground electrode between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are located on the first substrate, and the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are at least partially overlapped in a direction parallel to the first substrate, the use amount of liquid crystal molecules is reduced, which is conducive to improving the uniformity of the distance between the phase shifter line and the ground electrode, that is, the uniformity of the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located is high, and the stability of antenna signal transmission is also improved, and the risk of poor conduction is reduced, which is conducive to realizing ultra-narrow slit splicing of liquid crystal phase shifters, and further improving the performance of phase shifter arrays.

[0038] Figure 1A schematic diagram of a top view of a liquid crystal phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure along the AA' direction. Figure 2 It is exemplarily shown that the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 are bonded together by the frame glue 8 to form a box shape, which plays a supporting and protective role. The materials of the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 can be set by those skilled in the art according to actual conditions, and are not limited here. For example, the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 can be rigid substrates, for example, the materials of the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 are glass, etc. The first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 can also be flexible substrates, for example, the materials of the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 can include one or more combinations of polyether sulfone, polyacrylate, polyetherimide, polyethylene naphthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyarylate, polyimide, polycarbonate and cellulose acetate propionate polymer resins.

[0039] Continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are located between the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2, and the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are both located on the first substrate 1, and the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 form an electric field to control the deflection of the liquid crystal molecules 5. The phase shifter wiring 3 is used to transmit radio frequency signals, and is also used to change the electric field according to the change of the bias voltage applied thereto, thereby changing the deflection direction of the liquid crystal molecules 5. The phase shifter wiring 3 transmits radio frequency signals. During the transmission of the radio frequency signals, the phase will change due to the deflection of the liquid crystal molecules 5, thereby realizing the phase shifting function of the radio frequency signals. By controlling the voltage on the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4, the deflection angle of the liquid crystal molecules 5 can be controlled, and then the phase adjusted during the phase shifting process can be controlled. After the phase shifting of the radio frequency signal is completed, the phase-shifted radio frequency signal is transmitted from the liquid crystal phase shifter via the phase shifter wiring 3. Exemplarily, the material of the phase shifter wiring 3 may include copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au) or alloys containing the above materials.

[0040] The ground electrode 4 is used to receive the ground signal. The material of the ground electrode 4 can be set by a person skilled in the art according to the actual situation, and is not limited here. For example, the material of the ground electrode 4 may include copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au) or alloys containing the above materials.

[0041] When the parameters such as the gain and frequency of the liquid crystal antenna are determined, the plane dimensions of the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 are fixed. According to the parameters such as the loss, gain and phase shift of the liquid crystal antenna, the distance between the phase shifter trace and the ground electrode, that is, the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located, will be adjusted to meet the parameter requirements of the liquid crystal antenna. In the related art, the ground electrode and the phase shifter trace are respectively located on the inner surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate, that is, the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located is the distance along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate. The greater the distance between the phase shifter trace and the ground electrode, the thicker the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located. The amount of liquid crystal molecules used is proportional to the volume of the liquid crystal molecules. The volume of the liquid crystal molecules is equal to the product of the plane dimensions of the first substrate and the second substrate and the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate. That is, when the plane dimensions of the first substrate and the second substrate are determined, the greater the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located, the greater the volume of the liquid crystal molecules, and the more liquid crystal molecules are used. By adjusting the distance between the first substrate and the second substrate, the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located meets the requirements.

[0042] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are both located on the first substrate 1. Therefore, when adjusting the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules 5 are located, it is only necessary to adjust the distance h between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 in the direction parallel to the first substrate 1, without increasing the height distance between the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 to meet the demand for the usage of the liquid crystal molecules 5. According to the calculation method of the volume of the liquid crystal molecules 5, when the planar dimensions of the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 are determined, the smaller the distance between the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2, the smaller the volume of the liquid crystal molecules 5, and the smaller the usage of the liquid crystal molecules 5, thereby greatly reducing the usage of the liquid crystal molecules 5.

[0043] In addition, the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are both set on the first substrate 1, and the ground signal bound on the first substrate 1 can be directly transmitted to the ground electrode 4, without setting a conductive frame glue to conduct the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2, so that the ground electrode 4 is connected to the ground signal bound on the first substrate 1, and the risk of poor conduction is reduced. Saving the setting of the conductive frame glue is also conducive to realizing the ultra-narrow slit splicing of the liquid crystal phase shifter. And because the distance between the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 is small, the frame glue 8 can play a good supporting role without widening, which is also conducive to realizing the ultra-narrow slit splicing of the liquid crystal phase shifter, and further improving the performance of the phase shifter array.

[0044] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram along the AA' direction, Figure 3It is exemplarily shown that one end of the phase shifter trace 3 is in contact with the first substrate 1, and a partial gap is left between the other end of the phase shifter trace 3 and the second substrate 2, and one end of the ground electrode 4 is in contact with the first substrate 1, and a partial gap is left between the other end of the ground electrode 4 and the second substrate 2.

[0045] You can also Figure 2 As shown, one end of the phase shifter trace 3 abuts against the first substrate 1 , the other end of the phase shifter trace 3 abuts against the second substrate 2 , one end of the ground electrode 4 abuts against the first substrate 1 , the other end of the ground electrode 4 abuts against the second substrate 2 .

[0046] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode are located between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode are located on the first substrate. In the direction parallel to the first substrate, the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode at least partially overlap, thereby reducing the usage of the liquid crystal molecules 5, which is beneficial to improving the uniformity of the distance between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4, that is, the thickness uniformity of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules 5 are located is relatively high, and the stability of the antenna signal transmission is also improved, and the risk of poor conduction is reduced, which is beneficial to realizing ultra-narrow slit splicing of the liquid crystal phase shifter, and further improving the performance of the phase shifter array.

[0047] Alternatively, if Figure 2 As shown, the thickness h1 of the phase shifter trace 3 along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 is greater than the width h2 of the phase shifter trace 3 along the direction from the phase shifter trace 3 to the ground electrode 4, and / or the thickness h3 of the ground electrode 4 along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 is greater than the width h4 of the ground electrode 4 along the direction from the phase shifter trace 3 to the ground electrode 4.

[0048] Specifically, Figure 2 As shown, the thickness h1 of the phase shifter wiring 3 along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 can be set to be greater than the width h2 of the phase shifter wiring 3 along the direction from the phase shifter wiring 3 to the ground electrode 4, and the thickness h3 of the ground electrode 4 along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 can be set to be greater than the width h4 of the ground electrode 4 along the direction from the phase shifter wiring 3 to the ground electrode 4, thereby improving the supporting strength of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0049] It should be noted that, only the thickness h1 of the phase shifter wiring 3 along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 may be set to be greater than the width h2 of the phase shifter wiring 3 along the direction from the phase shifter wiring 3 to the ground electrode 4, or only the thickness h3 of the ground electrode 4 along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 may be set to be greater than the width h4 of the ground electrode 4 along the direction from the phase shifter wiring 3 to the ground electrode 4, or the thickness h1 of the phase shifter wiring 3 along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 may be set to be greater than the width h2 of the phase shifter wiring 3 along the direction from the phase shifter wiring 3 to the ground electrode 4, and the thickness h3 of the ground electrode 4 along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 may be greater than the width h4 of the ground electrode 4 along the direction from the phase shifter wiring 3 to the ground electrode 4, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to this.

[0050] Figure 4 for Figure 1 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram along the AA' direction. Figure 4 As shown, along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2 , the phase shifter trace 3 and the ground electrode 4 have different heights.

[0051] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an electric field formed by a phase shifter wiring and a ground electrode provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. For clarity, Figure 5 The first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 are not specifically shown. Figure 5 The black solid line in is the intermediate electric field formed by the phase shifter trace 3 and the ground electrode 4. Figure 5 The black dotted line in the figure is the fringe electric field formed by the phase shifter trace 3 and the ground electrode 4. Both the intermediate electric field and the fringe electric field can transmit RF signals. Figure 5 It is shown in the figure that along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2, the heights of the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are different, so that the fringe electric field formed by the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 can be used to transmit the radio frequency signal, avoiding the problem of the fringe electric field formed being unable to be utilized and the loss of the transmitted radio frequency signal when the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are at the same height, thereby greatly reducing the loss of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0052] Alternatively, if Figure 4 As shown, along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2 , the height of the phase shifter trace 3 is less than the height of the ground electrode 4 .

[0053] Figure 4 exemplarily shows that along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2, the height of the phase shifter trace 3 is less than the height of the ground electrode 4, Figure 5 The fringe electric field formed by the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 shown in the figure can be utilized, and the fringe electric field can normally transmit the radio frequency signal, which greatly reduces the loss of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0054] Figure 6 for Figure 1 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram along the AA' direction, Figure 7 for Figure 1 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram along the AA' direction. Optionally, in combination Figure 6 and Figure 7 A first insulating layer 11 is provided between the phase shifter trace 3 and the first substrate 1 , and the phase shifter trace 3 abuts against the second substrate 2 ; or a first insulating layer 11 is provided between the phase shifter trace 3 and the second substrate 2 , and the phase shifter trace 3 abuts against the first substrate 1 .

[0055] Figure 6 It is exemplarily shown that a first insulating layer 11 is arranged between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the first substrate 1, the phase shifter wiring 3 abuts against the second substrate 2, one end of the grounding electrode 4 abuts against the first substrate 1, and the other end of the grounding electrode 4 abuts against the second substrate 2, and the fringe electric field formed by the phase shifter wiring 3 and the grounding electrode 4 close to the first substrate 1 can be utilized.

[0056] Figure 7 It is exemplarily shown that a first insulating layer 11 is arranged between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the second substrate 2, the phase shifter wiring 3 abuts against the first substrate 1, one end of the grounding electrode 4 abuts against the first substrate 1, and the other end of the grounding electrode 4 abuts against the second substrate 2, and the fringe electric field formed by the phase shifter wiring 3 and the grounding electrode 4 close to the second substrate 2 can be utilized.

[0057] In addition, the phase shifter wiring 3, the first insulating layer 11 and the ground electrode 4 can also support the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2. There is no need to set up a separate supporting structure to support the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2, which saves processes and reduces the cost of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0058] It should be noted that the first insulating layer 11 may be made of materials such as silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxide (SiOx), thick polyimide (PI), etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0059] Alternatively, if Figure 4 As shown, a second insulating layer 12 is disposed between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the first substrate 1 , and a third insulating layer 13 is disposed between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the second substrate 2 .

[0060] Figure 4It is exemplarily shown that a second insulating layer 12 is arranged between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the first substrate 1, and a third insulating layer 13 is arranged between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the second substrate 2. The fringe electric field formed by the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 close to the first substrate 1, and the fringe electric field formed by the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 close to the second substrate 2 can both be utilized, which greatly reduces the loss of the liquid crystal phase shifter transmission signal.

[0061] It should be noted that the second insulating layer 12 and the third insulating layer 13 may be made of materials such as silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxide (SiOx), thick polyimide (PI), etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0062] In addition, the phase shifter wiring 3, the ground electrode 4, the second insulating layer 12 and the third insulating layer 13 can also support the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2. There is no need to set up a separate supporting structure to support the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2, which saves processes and reduces the cost of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0063] Alternatively, if Figure 2 As shown, along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2 , the phase shifter trace 3 and the ground electrode 4 have the same height.

[0064] Figure 2 It is exemplarily shown that one end of the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are both in contact with the first substrate 1, and the other ends of the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are both in contact with the second substrate 2, and h1=h3. The phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 have the same height, and there is no need to set up an insulating layer separately, which reduces the materials and processes required to form the insulating layer and reduces the preparation cost of the liquid crystal phase shifter. In addition, the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 can play a role in supporting the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2, and there is no need to set up a separate supporting structure to support the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2, which saves processes and reduces the cost of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0065] Optionally, the phase shifter trace 3 and the ground electrode 4 are formed by using the same conductive layer.

[0066] Specifically, the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 can be formed using the same conductive layer by, for example, a photolithography process. The process precision of the photolithography process is high, and the distance between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 is controlled by the photolithography process. Therefore, the uniformity of the distance between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 at various locations within the plane of the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 is greatly improved, thereby also improving the uniformity of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules 5 located between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are located, and also improving the stability of the signal transmitted through the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules 5 are located. In addition, forming the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 from the same conductive layer can also reduce the preparation process and reduce the preparation cost.

[0067] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a top view of a liquid crystal phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 and Figure 8 , along a plane parallel to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2 , the phase shifter trace 3 is arranged around the ground electrode 4 , or the ground electrode 4 is arranged around the phase shifter trace 3 .

[0068] Figure 1 exemplarily shows that in a plane parallel to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2, the phase shifter trace 3 is arranged around the ground electrode 4, Figure 8 exemplarily shows that the ground electrode 4 is arranged around the phase shifter wiring 3 in a plane parallel to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2. Thus, the space occupied by the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 arranged on the first substrate 1 can be reduced, thereby further reducing the size of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0069] Figure 1 It is only exemplarily shown that the phase shifter wiring 3 is arranged in a "mouth" shape to surround the ground electrode 4 or the ground electrode 4 surrounds the phase shifter wiring 3. The surrounding method of the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 can be arranged according to the actual wiring space requirements of the liquid crystal phase shifter, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to this.

[0070] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a top view of another liquid crystal phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, Fig.10 for Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure in the BB' direction. Fig.11 For the middle Fig. 9 Another cross-sectional structure diagram in the BB' direction, Fig.12 A schematic diagram of a top view of another liquid crystal phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, Fig.13 for Fig.12 A schematic diagram of a cross-sectional structure in the CC' direction. Fig.14 for Fig.12 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of the CC' direction. Figures 9 to 14 , along a plane parallel to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2, the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are nested with each other.

[0071] Fig. 9 FIG. 4 exemplarily shows that the phase shifter wiring 3 is arranged around two circles and the ground electrode 4 is arranged around one circle. Fig.10 It is shown in the figure that along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2, the phase shifter trace 3 and the ground electrode 4 have the same height. Fig.11 It shows that along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2, the heights of the phase shifter trace 3 and the ground electrode 4 are different, and Fig.10and Fig.11 It is shown in FIG. 1 that an electric field can be formed between the ground electrode 4 and the phase shifter wirings 3 on both sides thereof to control the deflection of the liquid crystal molecules 5 .

[0072] Fig.12 exemplarily shows that the ground electrode 4 is surrounded twice, and the phase shifter trace 3 is surrounded once. Fig.13 It is shown in the figure that along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2, the phase shifter trace 3 and the ground electrode 4 have the same height. Fig.14 It shows that along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2, the height of the phase shifter trace 3 is different from that of the ground electrode 4, and the height of the phase shifter trace 3 is less than that of the ground electrode 4, and Fig.13 and Fig.14 It is shown in FIG. 1 that an electric field can be formed between the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrodes 4 on both sides thereof to control the deflection of the liquid crystal molecules 5 .

[0073] Therefore, in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are nested with each other. Once the lengths of the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 are determined, the space occupied by the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 on the first substrate 1 can be reduced, thereby further reducing the size of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0074] It should be noted that the specific number of turns and the manner of the ground electrode 4 and the phase shifter wiring 3 can be set according to the actual wiring space requirement of the liquid crystal phase shifter, which is not limited in the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0075] Optionally, combined Figure 1 , Figure 8 , Fig. 9 and Fig.12 The liquid crystal phase shifter includes a plurality of phase shift units 30 and a plurality of bias signal lines 6. The phase shifter lines 3 of the phase shift units 30 are electrically connected to the bias signal lines 6 in a one-to-one correspondence; the phase shifter lines 3 and the bias signal lines 6 are located on the same substrate.

[0076] Figure 1 , Figure 8 , Fig. 9 and Fig.12It is exemplarily shown that the liquid crystal phase shifter includes four phase shift units 30 and four bias signal lines 6. The phase shifter lines 3 of the phase shift unit 30 are electrically connected to the bias signal lines 6 in a one-to-one correspondence. The bias signal lines 6 are used to provide bias signals to the phase shifter lines 3 electrically connected thereto. Exemplarily, different bias signal lines 6 can provide different bias signals, for example, so that the phase shift unit 30 forms different electric fields, and the deflection directions of the liquid crystal molecules 5 in each phase shift unit 30 are different, and the phase changes of the received radio frequency signal are different. As a result, each phase shift unit 30 can send and receive radio frequency signals in different directions, and realize the effect of, for example, directional pattern scanning.

[0077] In some embodiments, multiple phase shifting units may be electrically connected to one bias signal line, and ground electrodes in multiple phase shifting units may be electrically connected to one grounding line to simplify the port setting of the liquid crystal antenna.

[0078] Optionally, combined Figure 1 , Figure 8 , Fig. 9 and Fig.12 The liquid crystal phase shifter further includes a plurality of grounding traces 7, and the grounding electrodes 4 of the phase shift unit 30 are electrically connected to the grounding traces 7 in a one-to-one correspondence; the grounding traces 7 and the grounding electrodes 4 are located on the same substrate.

[0079] Considering that the number of phase shift units 30 in the liquid crystal phase shifter may be large, and the bias signal line 6 electrically connected to the phase shifter line 3 and the ground line 7 electrically connected to the ground electrode 4 cannot be cross-set, Figure 1 , Figure 8 , Fig. 9 and Fig.12 Four grounding traces 7 are exemplarily shown in the figure, and the grounding electrodes 4 are electrically connected to the grounding traces 7 in a one-to-one correspondence, which can avoid the problem of the bias signal line 6 and the grounding electrode 4 crossing, and reduce the wiring difficulty of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0080] Optionally, combined Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Fig.10 , Fig.11 , Fig.13 , Fig.14 The liquid crystal phase shifter also includes: a first alignment layer 21, the first alignment layer 21 is located on the side of the first substrate 1 facing the second substrate 2; a second alignment layer 22, the second alignment layer 22 is located on the side of the second substrate 2 facing the first substrate 1; the alignment directions of the first alignment layer 21 and the second alignment layer 22 are parallel to the extension direction of the ground electrode 4 or the phase shifter wiring 3 at the corresponding position.

[0081] Specifically, in order to achieve the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules 5, a first alignment layer 21 is provided on the side of the first substrate 1 facing the second substrate 2, and a second alignment layer 22 is provided on the side of the second substrate 2 facing the first substrate 1. When the liquid crystal phase shifter is not working and no bias voltage is applied to the phase shifter wiring 3, the liquid crystal molecules 5 are arranged along a preset direction under the action of the first alignment layer 21 and the second alignment layer 22, so that the liquid crystal molecules 5 can perform signal processing at a predetermined angle. The alignment mode of the first alignment layer 21 and the second alignment layer 22 for the liquid crystal molecules 5 is, for example, a friction alignment or a light alignment, which can be selected according to the actual preparation process of the liquid crystal antenna, and the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to this.

[0082] Exemplarily, the preset direction may be, for example, a direction parallel to the extension of the ground electrode 4 or the phase shifter trace 3 . Fig.15 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged schematic diagram of the middle M area, such as Fig.15 As shown, since the phase shifter wiring 3 is arranged around the ground electrode 4, Fig.15 The alignment direction X of the first alignment layer 21 and the second alignment layer 22 in the N region is parallel to the extension direction of the ground electrode 4 or the phase shifter wiring 3 in the N region, the alignment direction of the first alignment layer 21 and the second alignment layer 22 in the O region is parallel to the extension direction of the ground electrode 4 or the phase shifter wiring 3 in the O region, the extension directions of the phase shifter wiring 3 or the ground electrode 4 wiring in the N region and the O region are perpendicular to each other, and the alignment direction X of the first alignment layer 21 and the second alignment layer 22 in the N region is perpendicular to the alignment direction Y of the first alignment layer 21 and the second alignment layer 22 in the O region. In this way, the liquid crystal molecules 5 located at different positions in the first substrate 1 and the second substrate 2 are aligned in different directions, ensuring that the initial states of the liquid crystal molecules 5 at each position are the same.

[0083] It should be noted that the alignment directions of the first alignment layer 21 and the second alignment layer 22 are not limited to being completely parallel to the extension directions of the ground electrode 4 or the phase shifter wiring 3 at the corresponding positions. The alignment directions of the first alignment layer 21 and the second alignment layer 22 may also have a certain angle with the extension directions of the ground electrode 4 or the phase shifter wiring 3 at the corresponding positions, which is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0084] Alternatively, if Figure 2 As shown, along the direction parallel to the plane of the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2, and parallel to the direction of the phase shifter line 3 pointing to the ground electrode 4, the width h2 of the phase shifter line 3 and / or the width h4 of the ground electrode 4 is 3-5 times the skin depth of the RF signal.

[0085] Specifically, since high-frequency signals have a skin effect, that is, when there is alternating current or an alternating electromagnetic field in a conductor, the current is concentrated in a thin layer on the surface of the conductor. When the RF signal is transmitted between the ground electrode 4 and the phase shifter trace 3, the ground electrode 4 and the phase shifter trace 3 can be regarded as the skin part of the conductor. Since the skin effect will penetrate into the width h2 of the phase shifter trace 3 and / or the width h4 of the ground electrode 4 is 3-5 times the skin depth of the RF signal, the embodiment of the present disclosure sets the width of the ground electrode 4 and / or the phase shifter trace 3 to be 3-5 times the skin depth of the RF signal.

[0086] Thus, it is possible to avoid the width h2 of the phase shifter trace 3 and / or the width h4 of the ground electrode 4 being too thin, which may fail to completely cover the transmission range of the RF signal, causing the RF signal to leak out and cause loss. It is also possible to avoid the width h2 of the phase shifter trace 3 and / or the width h4 of the ground electrode 4 being too thick, which may cause a larger occupied plane area parallel to the direction of the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2, resulting in an increase in the size of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0087] Alternatively, if Figure 2 As shown, along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1 or the second substrate 2 , the thickness h1 of the phase shifter trace 3 and / or the thickness h3 of the ground electrode 4 is greater than or equal to 4 μm and less than or equal to 50 μm.

[0088] Specifically, the greater the thickness of the metal film layer, the higher the requirements for the preparation process, and the conventional PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) process cannot meet the corresponding thickness requirements. Moreover, the greater the thickness of the metal film layer, the higher the requirements for the substrate, and the thicker the required substrate. A thicker metal film layer will cause the first substrate 1 to be more easily warped and have poor flatness. Therefore, in order to meet the requirements of the preparation process, the embodiment of the present disclosure sets the thickness h1 of the phase shifter trace 3 and / or the thickness h3 of the ground electrode 4 to be less than or equal to 50 μm, thereby reducing the process difficulty and preparation cost.

[0089] In addition, in order to leave space for wiring and accommodation of liquid crystal molecules 5, the embodiment of the present disclosure also arranges that the thickness h1 of the phase shifter wiring 3 and / or the thickness h2 of the ground electrode 4 is greater than or equal to 4 μm along the direction perpendicular to the first substrate 1, thereby reducing the design difficulty.

[0090] Fig.16 for Figure 1 Another cross-sectional structure schematic diagram along the AA' direction. Fig.16 As shown, the liquid crystal phase shifter further includes: a fourth insulating layer 14 , and the fourth insulating layer 14 covers the side walls of the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 .

[0091] Specifically, Fig.16As shown, the liquid crystal phase shifter also includes a fourth insulating layer 14, which covers the side walls of the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4. The fourth insulating layer 14 can be prepared by a CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) process, and the thickness of the fourth insulating layer 14 can be adjusted by adjusting process parameters such as deposition time. The fourth insulating layer 14 can prevent the phase shifter wiring 3 and the ground electrode 4 from being oxidized, thereby improving the reliability of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0092] It should be noted that the fourth insulating layer 14 may be made of materials such as silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxide (SiOx), thick polyimide (PI), etc., which is not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0093] In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode are located between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode are located on the first substrate. In the direction parallel to the first substrate, the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode at least partially overlap, thereby reducing the amount of liquid crystal molecules used, which is beneficial to improving the uniformity of the distance between the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode, that is, the thickness of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located is more uniform, which also improves the stability of antenna signal transmission and reduces the risk of poor conduction, which is beneficial to achieving ultra-narrow slit splicing of liquid crystal phase shifters, and further improving the performance of the phase shifter array.

[0094] Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a liquid crystal antenna, including a liquid crystal phase shifter as in any one of the above-mentioned liquid crystal phase shifter embodiments. Therefore, the liquid crystal antenna has the technical features of the liquid crystal phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, and can achieve the beneficial effects of the liquid crystal phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure. The similarities can be referred to the above description of the liquid crystal phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, and will not be repeated here.

[0095] Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiment of the present disclosure also provides a method for preparing a liquid crystal antenna, which is used to prepare any of the liquid crystal antennas provided in the above embodiments and can achieve corresponding beneficial effects. The similarities can be understood by referring to the explanation of the liquid crystal antenna in the above text and will not be repeated here.

[0096] Fig.17 A schematic diagram of a process for preparing a liquid crystal antenna provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in FIG. Fig.17 As shown, the preparation method of the liquid crystal antenna includes:

[0097] S101, providing a first substrate.

[0098] For example, in combination Fig.18 and Fig.19A polyimide material, for example, is coated on one side of the first substrate 1 to form a first alignment layer 21, and a polyimide material, for example, is also coated on one side of the second substrate 2 to form a second alignment layer 22, and partitioned photo alignment or partitioned friction alignment is performed. The partitioning method can be understood by referring to the above embodiment and will not be described in detail here.

[0099] S102, forming a phase shifter wiring and a ground electrode on one side of the first substrate; wherein the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode at least partially overlap in a direction parallel to the first substrate.

[0100] The following takes the case where a second insulating layer is disposed between the phase shifter wiring and the first substrate, and a third insulating layer is disposed between the phase shifter wiring and the second substrate as an example to illustrate the preparation process of the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode.

[0101] like Fig. 20 As shown, a non-metallic film layer 110 is deposited or coated on the first substrate by CVD, and a photoresist layer 40 is formed on the side of the non-metallic film layer away from the first substrate. The photoresist layer 40 is, for example, a positive photoresist, and a mask 50 with a certain shape is used to pattern the photoresist layer 40. Fig. 20 The portion filled with the pattern is the opaque area of ​​the mask 50, and the other area is the transparent area. The solid arrow represents light. After exposure and development, the photoresist layer 40 corresponding to the opaque area is not exposed to light and will not be dissolved by the developer. The pattern obtained by the photoresist layer 40 is the same as the pattern of the mask 50. The non-metallic film layer 110 is etched by the etching solution. The non-metallic film layer 110 located between the retained photoresist layer 40 and the first substrate 1 is retained, and the non-metallic film layer 110 at other locations is etched, thereby forming a pattern as shown in FIG. Fig.21 The patterned non-metal film layer shown is used as the second insulating layer 12 .

[0102] like Fig. 22As shown, a metal film layer 120 is formed on the first substrate 1. The preparation process may be, for example, electroplating, chemical plating, or PVD, etc., which can deposit a thicker metal layer. The embodiment of the present disclosure is not limited to this. A photoresist layer 40 is formed on the side of the metal film layer 120 away from the first substrate 1. The photoresist layer 40, for example, uses a positive photoresist. The metal film layer 120 is exposed and developed using a half-tone mask 60 with a certain shape. The half-tone mask 60 may include a plurality of regions with different transmittances, for example, a first non-transparent region 61 and a second semi-transparent region 62, and the transmittance of the second semi-transparent region 62 is greater than the transmittance of the first non-transparent region 61. After the light passes through the halftone mask 60, the photoresist layer 40 forms a pattern with uneven thickness. After the area with high transmittance is exposed and developed, the photoresist thickness retained in the corresponding area of ​​the photoresist layer 40 is smaller than the photoresist thickness retained in the corresponding area of ​​the photoresist layer 40 after the area with low transmittance is exposed and developed. As a result, the photoresist layer 40 forms a pattern with uneven thickness. Afterwards, the metal film layer 120 can be etched to remove the photoresist layer 40 and part of the metal film layer 120. The total thickness of the etched photoresist layer 40 and the metal film layer 120 at different positions on the first substrate 1 is the same. Since the thickness of the photoresist layer 40 is uneven after exposure and development, a pattern like Fig.23 The metal film layer 120 shown has uneven thickness, the higher metal film layer 120 is used as the ground electrode 4, and the lower metal film layer 120 is used as the phase shifter wiring 3, for the sake of clarity. Fig.23 Different filling patterns are used to distinguish the phase shifter trace 3 and the ground electrode 4.

[0103] A non-metallic film layer is prepared on the side wall of the metal layer where the ground electrode 4 is located, the side wall of the metal layer where the phase shifter wiring 3 is located, and the side wall of the second insulating layer 12 on the first substrate 1 by a CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) process or a coating process. The thickness of the non-metallic film layer is adjusted by a deposition time and other process parameters to form a Fig.24 A fourth insulating layer 14 is shown.

[0104] like Fig.25 As shown, a non-metallic film layer 110 is deposited or coated on the first substrate 1 by CVD, and a photoresist layer 40 is formed on the side of the non-metallic film layer 110 away from the first substrate 1. The photoresist layer 40 is, for example, a positive photoresist. The photoresist layer 40 is patterned by using a mask 50 with a certain shape. The selected mask 50 can be Fig. 22 The mask plate 50 with the same pattern as in the above is formed by exposure, development and etching. Fig.26 The patterned non-metallic film layer shown is used as the third insulating layer 13. For clarity, Fig.25 and Fig.26The structure of the fourth insulating layer is not specifically shown.

[0105] S103, attaching a second substrate to a side of the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode away from the first substrate; and injecting liquid crystal molecules between the first substrate and the second substrate so that the liquid crystal molecules are filled between the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode.

[0106] In some embodiments, a sealant may be provided on either the first substrate or the second substrate, and liquid crystal molecules may be dropped between the first substrate and the second substrate to disperse the liquid crystal molecules between the ground electrode and the phase shifter wiring. The first substrate and the second substrate may be bonded together by the sealant and the sealant may be cured to form a Figure 1 The liquid crystal phase shifter shown in the figure is more convenient for large-scale operation when the substrate size is large, and the amount of liquid crystal molecules is more controllable by first dropping liquid crystal molecules and then attaching the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0107] In other embodiments, a sealant may be provided on either the first substrate or the second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded together by the sealant, and the sealant is cured, and liquid crystal molecules are injected into the first substrate and the second substrate to disperse between the ground electrode and the phase shifter wiring to form a phase shifter. Figure 1 When the production demand is small, the amount of liquid crystal molecules can be saved by first bonding the first substrate and the second substrate and then injecting the liquid crystal molecules.

[0108] It should be noted that the embodiment of the present disclosure does not limit the order of laminating the first substrate and the second substrate and dripping the liquid crystal molecules, and the order can be selected according to the actual preparation process of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0109] Optionally, forming the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode on one side of the first substrate includes: forming the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode on one side of the first substrate in the same process by using a photolithography process.

[0110] Specifically, the process precision of the photolithography process is relatively high, and the distance between the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode is controlled by the photolithography process, thereby greatly improving the uniformity of the distance between the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode, thereby also improving the uniformity of the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located, and also improving the stability of the signal transmitted through the film layer where the liquid crystal molecules are located. In addition, forming the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode from the same conductive layer can also reduce the preparation process and reduce the preparation cost.

[0111] It should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, the elements defined by the sentence "comprise a ..." do not exclude the existence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the elements.

[0112] The above are only specific embodiments of the present disclosure, so that those skilled in the art can understand or implement the present disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure will not be limited to these embodiments herein, but will conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A liquid crystal phase shifter, characterized in that: include: A first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to each other; a phase shifter line and a ground electrode, wherein the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are located between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the phase shifter line and the ground electrode are both located on the first substrate, and in a direction parallel to the first substrate, the phase shifter line and the ground electrode at least partially overlap; Liquid crystal molecules are filled between the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode.

2. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thickness of the phase shifter line along a direction perpendicular to the first substrate is greater than the width of the phase shifter line along a direction from the phase shifter line to the ground electrode, and / or the thickness of the ground electrode along a direction perpendicular to the first substrate is greater than the width of the ground electrode along a direction from the phase shifter line to the ground electrode.

3. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along a direction perpendicular to the first substrate or the second substrate, the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode have different heights.

4. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 3, characterized in that: Along a direction perpendicular to the first substrate or the second substrate, a height of the phase shifter wiring is smaller than a height of the ground electrode.

5. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 4, characterized in that: A first insulating layer is provided between the phase shifter wiring and the first substrate, and the phase shifter wiring abuts against the second substrate; Alternatively, a first insulating layer is provided between the phase shifter wiring and the second substrate, and the phase shifter wiring abuts against the first substrate.

6. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 4, characterized in that: A second insulating layer is disposed between the phase shifter wiring and the first substrate, and a third insulating layer is disposed between the phase shifter wiring and the second substrate.

7. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along a direction perpendicular to the first substrate or the second substrate, the phase shifter wiring is at the same height as the ground electrode.

8. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode are formed by using the same conductive layer.

9. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: In a plane parallel to the first substrate or the second substrate, the phase shifter wiring is arranged around the ground electrode, or the ground electrode is arranged around the phase shifter wiring.

10. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode are nested with each other in a plane parallel to the first substrate or the second substrate.

11. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: It comprises a plurality of phase shifting units and a plurality of bias signal lines. The phase shifter lines of the phase shifting units are electrically connected to the bias signal lines in a one-to-one correspondence. The phase shifter lines and the bias signal lines are located on the same substrate.

12. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 11, characterized in that: It also includes a plurality of grounding wires, and the grounding electrodes of the phase shifting units are electrically connected to the grounding wires in a one-to-one correspondence; the grounding wires and the grounding electrodes are located on the same substrate.

13. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A first alignment layer, wherein the first alignment layer is located on a side of the first substrate facing the second substrate; a second alignment layer, wherein the second alignment layer is located on a side of the second substrate facing the first substrate; The alignment directions of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer are parallel to the extending directions of the ground electrodes or the phase shifter wirings at corresponding positions.

14. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along a direction parallel to the plane of the first substrate or the second substrate and parallel to the direction of the phase shifter line pointing to the ground electrode, the width of the phase shifter line and / or the width of the ground electrode is 3-5 times the skin depth of the RF signal.

15. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along a direction perpendicular to the first substrate or the second substrate, the thickness of the ground electrode and / or the thickness of the phase shifter wiring is greater than or equal to 4 μm and less than or equal to 50 μm.

16. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: Also includes: A fourth insulating layer, wherein the fourth insulating layer covers the phase shifter wiring and the side wall of the ground electrode.

17. A liquid crystal antenna, characterized in that: Comprising a liquid crystal phase shifter as described in any one of claims 1-16.

18. A method for preparing a liquid crystal phase shifter, characterized in that: A liquid crystal phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 16, comprising: providing a first substrate; A phase shifter line and a ground electrode are formed on one side of the first substrate; wherein the phase shifter line and the ground electrode at least partially overlap in a direction parallel to the first substrate; A second substrate is attached to the side of the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode away from the first substrate; and liquid crystal molecules are injected between the first substrate and the second substrate so that the liquid crystal molecules fill the space between the phase shifter wiring and the ground electrode.

19. The method for preparing a liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 18, characterized in that: The forming of a phase shifter wiring and a ground electrode on one side of the first substrate comprises: A phase shifter wiring and a ground electrode are formed on one side of the first substrate in the same process by using a photolithography process.

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