Liquid crystal phase shifter and phased array antenna
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202380010345.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-08-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-06
AI Technical Summary
When existing liquid crystal phase shifters achieve a 360° phase difference, they require a larger size phase shifter, resulting in higher losses.
By combining the liquid crystal phase shift unit and the switch phase shift unit, the liquid crystal phase shift unit continuously adjusts the phase within the phase change range determined by the switch phase shift unit to achieve a phase shift range of 360°.
The size of the liquid crystal phase shifting unit is reduced, the loss is reduced, and the high-rate phase shifting needs are met.
Smart Images
Figure CN119948391A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Liquid crystal phase shifter and phased array antenna Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of control technology, and in particular to a liquid crystal phase shifter and a phased array antenna. Background Art
[0002] The phased array antenna is equipped with a phase shifter, which is used to adjust the microwave phase to achieve the effect of controlling the beam pointing.
[0003] In related technologies, phase shifters are implemented using liquid crystal phase shifters. By varying the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal within the phase shifter, the phase of the phase shifter can be continuously adjusted. However, the adjustable range of the dielectric constant of liquid crystal is relatively small, requiring a larger phase shifter to achieve a 360° phase difference, resulting in higher losses in the liquid crystal phase shifter.
[0004] Summary of the Invention
[0005] The present disclosure provides a liquid crystal phase shifter and a phased array antenna to solve the above technical problems.
[0006] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid crystal phase shifter is provided, comprising: a liquid crystal phase shift unit and a switch phase shift unit, wherein a second end of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is electrically connected to a first end of the switch phase shift unit; a target phase difference between a signal transmitted at the second end of the switch phase shift unit and a signal transmitted at the first end of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is within [0, 360°];
[0007] The switch phase shift unit is used to determine the phase change range of the signal transmitted by the liquid crystal phase shifter; the liquid crystal phase shift unit is used to continuously adjust the phase of the signal transmitted by the liquid crystal phase shifter to a target phase difference within the phase change range.
[0008] Optionally, the liquid crystal phase shifter unit includes at least one of the following: a CPW liquid crystal phase shifter, a differential liquid crystal phase shifter, a microstrip line liquid crystal phase shifter, and an inverted microstrip line liquid crystal phase shifter.
[0009] Optionally, the differential liquid crystal phase shifter includes a signal synthesizing device; the signal synthesizing device is used to synthesize the signals transmitted by each signal path of the differential liquid crystal phase shifter to obtain a synthesized signal; the signals transmitted by each signal path have a phase difference.
[0010] Optionally, the signal synthesis device includes a power splitter device or a balun device.
[0011] Optionally, the liquid crystal phase shift unit includes a first substrate, a first metal layer, liquid crystal, a second metal layer and a second substrate arranged in sequence; the first metal layer and the second metal layer are arranged opposite to each other, and are used to continuously adjust the orientation of the liquid crystal to adjust the phase of the signal.
[0012] Optionally, the thickness of the first substrate and / or the second substrate is [100, 10000] microns.
[0013] Optionally, the first substrate and / or the second substrate includes vias; the vias are used to electrically connect the switch chip of the switch phase shift unit with the pattern portion of the switch phase shift unit; the pattern portion of the switch phase shift unit is located in the liquid crystal box inside the liquid crystal phase shift unit.
[0014] Optionally, the ratio of the diameter of the via hole to the thickness of the first substrate or the second substrate is [1:3, 3:1].
[0015] Optionally, the first metal layer of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit includes a first pattern, the first pattern includes a plurality of metal lines arranged in a first direction; the second metal layer of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit includes a second pattern, the second pattern includes a plurality of metal lines arranged in a second direction; the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular; the metal lines of the first pattern are arranged opposite to the metal lines of the second pattern; the pattern portion of the switch phase shifter unit is arranged in the same layer as the second pattern of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit, and is electrically connected through the switch chip in the switch phase shifter unit.
[0016] Optionally, the first metal layer of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit includes a third pattern, and the second metal layer of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit includes a fourth pattern; the teeth of the first comb-shaped portion of the third pattern are arranged opposite to the teeth of the second comb-shaped portion of the fourth pattern;
[0017] The teeth of the first comb-shaped part of the third pattern are arranged opposite to the teeth of the second comb-shaped part of the fourth pattern, and the first handle of the third pattern and the second handle of the fourth pattern form a path with a preset phase difference.
[0018] Optionally, the pattern portion of the switch phase shift unit is provided in the same layer as the fourth pattern of the liquid crystal phase shift unit and is electrically connected via a switch chip in the switch phase shift unit.
[0019] Optionally, the switching phase shift unit includes at least one switching chip, which is fixed to the second substrate; the at least one switching chip of the switching phase shift unit is used to select any path in the pattern part of the switching phase shift unit.
[0020] Optionally, the switch chip of the switch phase shift unit is arranged in a liquid crystal box of the liquid crystal phase shift unit.
[0021] Optionally, the switch chip is fixed on the bottom, top or inner side of the liquid crystal box.
[0022] Optionally, the switch chip is implemented using at least one of the following:
[0023] Single-input single-output switch, single-input double-output switch, single-output double-input switch, single-input three-output switch, single-output three-input switch, single-input four-output switch and single-output four-input switch.
[0024] Optionally, a groove is provided at a position of the first substrate of the liquid crystal phase shift unit corresponding to the switch phase shift unit, and the groove matches the liquid crystal box.
[0025] Optionally, the liquid crystal phase shift unit includes a third substrate, which is arranged between the first substrate and the first metal layer; a through hole is provided at a position of the third substrate corresponding to the switch phase shift unit, and the through hole matches the liquid crystal box.
[0026] Optionally, a through hole is provided at a position of the first substrate of the liquid crystal phase shift unit corresponding to the switch phase shift unit, and the through hole matches the liquid crystal box.
[0027] Optionally, the switch chip in the switch phase shift unit is integrated with the liquid crystal phase shift unit.
[0028] Optionally, the switch chip includes a MEMS switch chip and / or a PIN switch chip, and the MEMS switch chip and / or the PIN switch chip is fixed inside the liquid crystal phase shifter.
[0029] Optionally, the switch chip in the switch phase shift unit is a MEMS switch; the MEMS switch is implemented using a cantilever beam structure; the first end of the cantilever beam structure is electrically connected to a first control line, and the second end of the cantilever beam structure is electrically connected to a second control line; when there is a voltage difference between the first end and the second end of the cantilever beam structure, the moving contact of the cantilever beam structure contacts the static contact to change the signal transmission path.
[0030] Optionally, the MEMS switch is implemented using a membrane structure; the first end of the membrane structure is electrically connected to a first control line, and the second end of the membrane structure is electrically connected to a second control line; when there is a voltage difference between the first end and the second end of the membrane structure, the membrane structure diaphragm deforms to change the signal transmission path.
[0031] Optionally, the phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is [0, 180°] and the phase shift angle of the switch phase shift unit is {0°, 180°};
[0032] Alternatively, the phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is [0, 90°] and the phase shift angle of the switch phase shift unit is {0°, 90°, 180°, 270°};
[0033] Alternatively, the phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is [0, 270°] and the phase shift angle of the switch phase shift unit is {0°, 90°}.
[0034] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a phased array antenna is provided, comprising radiating elements arranged in an array and a liquid crystal phase shifter according to any one of the first aspects corresponding to each radiating element; the liquid crystal phase shifter is electrically connected to the radiating elements;
[0035] The liquid crystal phase shifter is used to shift the phase of the input signal to obtain a phase-shifted signal;
[0036] The radiation device is used to receive electromagnetic waves in space and convert them into input signals to be phase-shifted and transmit them to the liquid crystal phase shifter; or, convert the phase-shifted signal from the liquid crystal phase shifter into an electromagnetic wave signal and radiate it into space.
[0037] Optionally, it also includes a fourth substrate and a third metal layer; the radiation device is arranged on the first side of the fourth substrate; the third metal layer is formed on the second side of the fourth substrate; and the third metal layer is located between the fourth substrate and the first substrate of the liquid crystal phase shifter; the third metal layer is provided with a radiation hole.
[0038] Optionally, it also includes a feeding network and a fifth substrate; the feeding network is arranged between the fifth substrate and the second substrate of the liquid crystal phase shifter, and is used to radiate the original signal to the liquid crystal phase shifter for phase shifting or receive the phase shift signal output by the liquid crystal phase shifter.
[0039] Optionally, the radiating device includes a feed selection circuit;
[0040] When the feed selection circuit is in a first path, the circular polarization direction of the phased array antenna is one of a left-hand direction and a right-hand direction;
[0041] When the feed selection circuit is in the second path, the circular polarization direction of the phased array antenna is the other of the left-hand direction and the right-hand direction.
[0042] Optionally, the feed selection circuit includes a first feed line, a second feed line, a third feed line, a first feed switch, a second feed switch, and a third feed switch; a first end of the first feed switch is electrically connected to the first feed line, a second end of the first feed switch is electrically connected to the second feed line, and a third end of the first feed switch is electrically connected to the third feed line; a first end of the second feed switch is electrically connected to the first feed line, and a second end of the second feed switch is electrically connected to a radiation patch of the radiating device; a first end of the third feed switch is electrically connected to the second feed line, and a second end of the third feed switch is electrically connected to the radiation patch; and a radiation hole of the third metal layer is directly opposite to the third feed line;
[0043] When the first terminal of the first feed switch is electrically connected to the third terminal and the second feed switch is turned on, the feed selection circuit is in a first path;
[0044] When the second end and the third end of the first feed switch are electrically connected and the third feed switch is turned on, the feed selection circuit is in a second path.
[0045] Optionally, the switch in the liquid crystal phase shifter and the switch in the feed selection circuit are implemented using field effect transistors.
[0046] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a communication device is provided, comprising the phased array antenna as described in any one of the second aspects.
[0047] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure may have the following beneficial effects:
[0048] In the solution of this embodiment, the liquid crystal phase shifter comprises a liquid crystal phase shift unit and a switch phase shift unit. The second end of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is electrically connected to the first end of the switch phase shift unit. The target phase difference between the signal transmitted by the first end of the liquid crystal phase shift unit and the signal transmitted by the second end of the switch phase shift unit is within [0, 360°]. The switch phase shift unit is used to determine the phase variation range of the signal transmitted by the liquid crystal phase shifter. The liquid crystal phase shift unit is used to continuously adjust the phase of the signal transmitted by the liquid crystal phase shifter to the target phase difference within the phase variation range. In this way, the liquid crystal phase shifter of this embodiment can reduce the size of the liquid crystal phase shift unit while meeting the phase shift range and high resolution of [0, 360°] by selecting the phase variation range through the switch phase shift unit and continuously adjusting the phase of the liquid crystal phase shift unit, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing the loss of the liquid crystal phase shifter.
[0049] It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0050] FIG1 is a block diagram of a liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0051] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0052] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0053] FIG4 is a schematic structural diagram of another liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0054] FIG5 is a cross-sectional view of a through hole according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0055] FIG6 is a cross-sectional view of another through hole according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0056] FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of another liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0057] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of another liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0058] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of yet another liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0059] FIG10 is a schematic structural diagram of yet another liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0060] FIG11 is a schematic structural diagram of a switching phase shift unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0061] FIG12 is a schematic structural diagram of a switching phase shift unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0062] FIG13 is a schematic structural diagram of a switching phase shift unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0063] FIG14 is a schematic structural diagram of a switching phase shift unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0064] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram of a phase variation range of a liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0065] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a phase variation range of another liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0066] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of a phase variation range of another liquid crystal phase shifter according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0067] FIG18 is a schematic structural diagram of a phased array antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0068] FIG19 is a schematic structural diagram of a radiation device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0069] FIG20 is a schematic structural diagram of a phased array antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0070] FIG21 is a schematic structural diagram of another phased array antenna according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0071] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when referring to the drawings, identical numerals in different figures represent identical or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to represent all embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of devices consistent with certain aspects of the present disclosure, as detailed in the appended claims.
[0072] In related technologies, phase shifters are implemented using liquid crystal phase shifters. By changing the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal within the phase shifter, the phase of the phase shifter can be continuously adjusted. However, the adjustable range of the dielectric constant of liquid crystal is relatively small, requiring a larger phase shifter to achieve a 360° phase difference, resulting in higher losses in the liquid crystal phase shifter. In one example, the figure of merit (FoM) of the liquid crystal phase shifter is approximately 120° / dB. When the liquid crystal phase shifter has a 360° phase shift, its power loss is approximately 3dB, reducing the efficiency of the entire phased array antenna.
[0073] To solve the above technical problems, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a liquid crystal phase shifter and a phased array antenna.
[0074] Referring to Figure 1, a liquid crystal phase shifter includes a liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10 and a switch phase shifter unit 20. The second end of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10 is electrically connected to the first end of the switch phase shifter unit 20. The target phase difference between the signal transmitted by the second end of the switch phase shifter unit 20 and the signal transmitted by the first end of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10 is within [0, 360°]. The switch phase shifter unit 20 is used to determine the phase variation range of the signal transmitted by the liquid crystal phase shifter. The liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10 is used to continuously adjust the phase of the signal transmitted by the liquid crystal phase shifter to the target phase difference within the phase variation range. The target phase difference can be determined based on the beam direction of the subsequent phased array antenna, which will not be explained here.
[0075] In one embodiment, referring to FIG2 , the liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10 includes a first substrate 21, a first metal layer 22, liquid crystal 23, a second metal layer 24, and a second substrate 25. The first metal layer 22 and the second metal layer 24 are arranged in a facing relationship. It is understood that when the first metal layer 22 and the second metal layer 24 are facing each other, a coupling capacitor can be formed between the two metal layers, and an electric field can be formed between the two plates of the coupling capacitor, which changes the orientation of the liquid crystal. When the orientation of the liquid crystal changes, the dielectric constant of the coupling capacitor also changes accordingly. As a result, the corresponding phase of the transmission of the second metal layer 24 will change. The switching phase shifter unit 20 includes a switch chip 26, which can switch to different transmission paths in the second metal layer 24. The phase change range of the signal in different transmission paths varies, which will be described later and is not explained here.
[0076] In one embodiment, the liquid crystal phase shifter 10 may include at least one of the following: a CPW liquid crystal phase shifter, a differential liquid crystal phase shifter, a microstrip liquid crystal phase shifter, or an inverted microstrip liquid crystal phase shifter. Those skilled in the art may select a corresponding liquid crystal phase shifter based on the specific scenario. If continuous phase shifting can be achieved, the corresponding solution falls within the scope of protection of this disclosure.
[0077] In one example, the liquid crystal phase shifter 10 can be implemented using a CPW liquid crystal phase shifter. The first metal layer of the CPW liquid crystal phase shifter includes a first pattern, the first pattern comprising multiple metal lines arranged in a first direction, wherein the number of metal lines in the first pattern can be set according to a specific scenario. The second metal layer of the liquid crystal phase shifter includes a second pattern, the second pattern comprising multiple metal lines arranged in a second direction, wherein the number of metal lines in the second pattern can be set according to a specific scenario. The first direction and the second direction are perpendicular, and the metal lines of the first pattern are arranged opposite the metal lines of the second pattern.
[0078] Referring to Figure 3 , the first metal layer 22 of the CPW liquid crystal phase shifter includes metal lines arranged vertically, i.e., multiple metal lines are arranged in the column direction. Figure 3 illustrates five metal lines, and the first direction is the vertical direction (or vertical direction) illustrated in Figure 3 . The second metal layer 24 includes first metal lines 241 and second metal lines 242. The width of the first metal lines 241 is smaller than the width of the second metal lines 242. The width of the second metal lines 242 is greater than or equal to a first predetermined width, which can increase the area of the second metal lines 242 facing the metal lines in the first metal layer 22, thereby increasing the capacitance of the coupling capacitor, or in other words, increasing the area of the electromagnetic field applied to the liquid crystal, which is beneficial for increasing the phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shifter. The first metal lines 241 can be arranged on both sides of the second metal lines 242 (the upper and lower sides in Figure 3 ), thereby forming an electromagnetic field between the second metal lines 242 and the first metal lines 241. In one example, the width of the first metal line 241 can be reduced while the width of the second metal line 242 can be increased, further increasing the width difference between the second metal line 242 and the first metal line 241, thereby increasing the area of the electromagnetic field. When the voltage difference between the first metal layer 22 and the second metal layer 24 changes, the orientation of the liquid crystal also changes, causing the dielectric constant of the coupling capacitor to change. When the dielectric constant of the coupling capacitor changes, the phase of the signal transmitted by the first metal line 241 changes.
[0079] In one example, the liquid crystal phase shifter 10 can be implemented using a differential liquid crystal phase shifter. The first metal layer of the liquid crystal phase shifter includes a third pattern, and the second metal layer includes a fourth pattern. The teeth of the first comb-shaped portion of the third pattern are arranged opposite the teeth of the second comb-shaped portion of the fourth pattern, and the teeth of the first comb-shaped portion of the third pattern are arranged opposite the teeth of the second comb-shaped portion of the fourth pattern. The first handle of the third pattern and the second handle of the fourth pattern form a phase difference path. For example, this phase difference can be 180°, which can be set according to specific scenarios. Referring to Figure 4, the first metal layer 22 of the differential liquid crystal phase shifter includes the third pattern, and the second metal layer 24 includes the fourth pattern. The teeth of the first comb-shaped portion 221 of the third pattern are arranged opposite the teeth of the second comb-shaped portion 251 of the fourth pattern. The first handle 222 of the third pattern and the second handle 252 of the fourth pattern form a signal transmission path with a phase difference of 180°. In other words, when the teeth of the first comb-shaped portion 221 of the third pattern are positioned opposite the teeth of the second comb-shaped portion 251 of the fourth pattern, a coupling capacitor is formed. The larger the area of facing each other, the greater the capacitance. When a voltage difference is applied across the two electrodes of the coupling capacitor, the orientation of the liquid crystal within the coupling capacitor is adjusted, thereby adjusting the dielectric constant of the coupling capacitor. When the dielectric constant of the coupling capacitor changes, the phase of the signal transmitted by the first metal layer 22 can be changed.
[0080] In this example, the differential liquid crystal phase shifter includes a signal synthesizer (not shown in the figure). The signal synthesizer is used to synthesize the signals transmitted by each signal path of the differential liquid crystal phase shifter to obtain a synthesized signal; there is a phase difference between the signals transmitted by each signal path. Continuing to refer to Figure 4, considering that the phase difference between the two signal transmission paths of the same signal through the differential liquid crystal phase shifter is 180°, the signal can be fused into a synthesized signal through the above-mentioned signal synthesizer. In some possible examples, the signal synthesizer may include a power divider or a balun device, and the signal synthesizer can be set at the position of the dotted box in Figure 4.
[0081] In one embodiment, the first metal layer 22 and the second metal layer 24 can be made of low-resistance and low-loss metal materials such as copper, gold, silver, and aluminum, and can be prepared by at least one method such as magnetron sputtering, thermal evaporation, and electroplating, and can be set according to specific scenarios.
[0082] In one embodiment, the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 25 can be made of PCB insulating materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene glass fiber laminate, phenolic paper laminate, or phenolic glass cloth laminate. Alternatively, they can be made of low-loss materials such as quartz or glass. The thickness of the first substrate 21 and / or the second substrate 25 is [100, 10,000] microns, which can be adjusted based on the specific application.
[0083] In some possible examples, the first substrate 21 and / or the second substrate 25 include vias; the vias may be metallized vias or metal-filled. The ratio of the diameter of the via to the thickness of the first substrate 21 or the second substrate 25 is [1:3, 3:1]. In one example, the ratio of the diameter of the via to the thickness of the first substrate 21 or the second substrate 25 is 1:1. In some examples, as shown in FIG5 , the cross-section of the via is circular, i.e., the via is a hollow cylinder; or, as shown in FIG6 , the cross-section at the opening of the via is larger than the cross-section at the waist, i.e., the via is a hollow hourglass. The liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10 and the switch phase shifter unit 20 are electrically connected via vias. As shown in FIG2 , FIG3 , and FIG4 , taking the example of a via on the second substrate 25, a plurality of pads are provided on the second side of the second substrate 25 (the lower side as shown in FIG2 ). The number of pads can be set according to the number of pins of the switch chip in the switch phase shifter unit, with each pin corresponding to a pad. The second metal layer 24 can be electrically connected to the pad through the metal passing through it. Specifically, the pattern portion located in the second metal layer 24 in the switch phase shift unit includes at least two paths with different phases, and the above paths can be switched by the switch chip. Continuing with Figure 3, the switch chip on the left includes three pins, which respectively connect the first metal wire 241, the first path (between the two switch chips), and the second path (U-shaped). When the switch chip switches to the first path, the first metal wire 241 is electrically connected to the first path. When the switch chip switches to the second path, the first metal wire 241 is electrically connected to the second path. The switch chip on the right includes three pins, which respectively connect the extension line of the first metal wire 241, the first path (between the two switch chips), and the second path (U-shaped). When the switch chip switches to the first path, the extension line of the first metal wire 241 is electrically connected to the first path. When the switch chip switches to the second path, the extension line of the first metal wire 241 is electrically connected to the second path. When both switch chips are connected to the first path, the switch phase shifter can shift the phase by 0°. When both switch chips are connected to the second path, the switch phase shifter can shift the phase by 90° or 180°, depending on the specific scenario. In other words, this embodiment ensures reliable electrical connection between the liquid crystal phase shifter 10 and the switch phase shifter 20 by adjusting the via diameter and shape.
[0084] In one embodiment, the switching phase shift unit 20 includes a switch chip. The switch chip is fixed to a pad on the second substrate 25 using surface mount technology (SMT). The pad is electrically connected to the second metal layer through a via hole on the second substrate 25 of the liquid crystal phase shifter. That is, the switch chip is electrically connected to the pattern portion in the switching phase shift unit 20.
[0085] In one example, the switch chip may include a MEMS switch chip and / or a PIN-type switch chip, and the switch chip may be implemented using at least one of the following: a single-input, single-output switch, a single-input, dual-output switch, a single-output, dual-input switch, a single-input, three-output switch, a single-output, three-input switch, a single-input, four-output switch, and a single-output, four-input switch. For ease of description, in subsequent embodiments, the switch chip is implemented as a single-input, dual-output or single-input, multiple-output switch, i.e., a switch with lower microwave loss is selected to improve the quality factor of the phase shifter. In this embodiment, the switch chip can be secured to the liquid crystal phase shifter using surface mount technology. Thus, in this example, surface mount technology is used to electrically connect the switch phase shifter element 20 to the liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10, resulting in a simple and easy-to-implement solution.
[0086] In another embodiment, referring to FIG7 , the switch chip of the switch phase shift unit is disposed within the liquid crystal cell of the liquid crystal phase shift unit, eliminating the need for vias and improving the reliability of the electrical connection between the switch phase shift element 20 and the liquid crystal phase shift unit 10. The switch chip can be fixed to at least one of the bottom, top, and inside of the liquid crystal cell. The location of the switch chip can be determined based on the specific scenario, and such solutions fall within the scope of protection of this disclosure.
[0087] In one embodiment, referring to FIG7 , a groove 72 is provided at a position corresponding to the switch phase shift unit on the first substrate 21 of the liquid crystal phase shift unit. The groove 72 matches the liquid crystal box (not shown in the figure). That is, after the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 25 are fastened together, the liquid crystal box can be embedded in the groove 72, so that the portion of the switch chip that is higher than the thickness of the liquid crystal box can be embedded in the groove 72, thereby meeting the scenario where the height of the switch chip exceeds the thickness of the liquid crystal box.
[0088] In one embodiment, referring to FIG8 , the liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10 further includes a third substrate 81 disposed between the first substrate 21 and the first metal layer 22. A through hole 71 is provided at a position on the third substrate 81 corresponding to the switch phase shifter unit, and the shape of the through hole 71 matches the liquid crystal cell. In other words, the first substrate 21, the third substrate 81, and the second metal layer 24 together form a space for accommodating the liquid crystal cell, thereby ensuring that the switch chip of the switch phase shifter unit is located within the liquid crystal cell. Thus, in this embodiment, the third substrate 81 can be etched separately to form a through hole similar in shape to the via hole shown in FIG5 , minimizing the area of the through hole. This also ensures the support strength of the first substrate 21, thereby improving the yield rate of the manufacturing process.
[0089] In one embodiment, referring to FIG9 , through holes are provided at positions corresponding to the switch phase shifter unit 20 on the first substrate 21 of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10, and the through holes match the liquid crystal box. That is, when viewing the liquid crystal phase shifter unit from above, the switch chip of the switch phase shifter unit 20 can be directly seen, as shown in FIG10 . In this embodiment, the first substrate 21 can be etched to form a through hole 71, which can then be fastened to the second substrate 25, so that the pads for securing the switch chip can be seen from above. The switch chip can then be soldered to the pads. In some possible examples, after soldering the switch chip to the pads, a flat layer can be formed. This flat layer is made of an insulating material to fill the through hole 71. Reusing this flat layer can also provide waterproofing, anti-static properties, and other functions, thereby ensuring the stability of the switch chip.
[0090] In this embodiment, when the switch chip of the switch phase shift unit is disposed within the liquid crystal box, it can be integrated with the liquid crystal phase shift unit 10, thereby improving the yield of the liquid crystal phase shifter. For example, the switch chip is made of a field effect transistor, which includes a gate layer (GE), a source layer (SD1), and a drain layer (SD2); the first metal layer and the second metal layer in the liquid crystal phase shift unit can be designed as the same layer as the source layer (SD1) and the drain layer (SD2), respectively, and its gate layer can be disposed at the through hole 71 of the first substrate, thereby achieving the effect of utilizing existing production processes to prepare the liquid crystal phase shift unit and the switch phase shift unit. For another example, the switch chip can be implemented using the MEMS switch of the subsequent embodiment. In this case, the process step of generating the MEMS switch is added during the preparation of the liquid crystal phase shift unit, thereby achieving the effect of integrated preparation of the liquid crystal phase shift unit and the switch phase shift unit.
[0091] In one example, the switching phase shift unit 20 may include a MEMS switch or a PIN switch, or may be implemented using a MEMS switch device with a glass substrate. The selection may be made according to the specific scenario. If different phase difference paths can be selected, the corresponding solution falls within the protection scope of this disclosure.
[0092] For the convenience of describing the solution, in this example, the switch phase shift unit 20 is taken as a MEMS switch as an example. The MEMS switch can be implemented with a cantilever beam structure or a membrane structure.
[0093] Taking a MEMS switch implemented using a cantilever beam structure as an example, see FIG11 . A first end of cantilever beam structure 111 is electrically connected to a first control line (not shown), and a second end of cantilever beam structure 111 is electrically connected to a second control line (not shown). When a voltage difference exists between the first and second ends of cantilever beam structure 111, movable contact 112 of cantilever beam structure 111 contacts stationary contact 113, and the MEMS switch is turned on, changing the signal transmission path. When movable contact 112 of cantilever beam structure 111 is no longer in contact with stationary contact 113, the MEMS switch is turned off. Referring to FIG12 , the MEMS switch may include four switches: switch 121, switch 122, switch 124, and switch 125. Switches 121 and 122 form signal transmission path 123, and switches 124 and 125 form signal transmission path 126.
[0094] It should be noted that FIG11 illustrates the case where switches 121, 122, 123, and 124 are single-input, single-output switches. In some possible examples, the switch chip can also be implemented as a single-input, dual-output, or single-output, dual-input switch. Continuing with FIG11 as an example, switches 121 and 124 can be implemented as a single-input, dual-output switch, and switches 124 and 125 can be implemented as a single-output, dual-input switch; or switches 121 and 124 can be implemented as a single-output, dual-input switch, and switches 124 and 125 can be implemented as a single-input, dual-output switch.
[0095] It should also be noted that, in conjunction with the two paths with different phase differences shown in FIG11, the solution that can be implemented using four single-input, single-output switches or one single-input, dual-output and one single-output, dual-input switch can be deduced as follows: for a switch phase shift unit with three paths with different phase differences, it can be implemented using six single-input, single-output switches or one single-input, three-output and one single-output, three-input switch; for a switch phase shift unit with four paths with different phase differences, it can be implemented using eight single-input, single-output switches or one single-input, four-output and one single-output, four-input switch. Theoretically, a switch phase shift unit can include more than four paths with different phase differences. Assuming the phase variation range of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is [0, 90°], the switch phase shift unit can be provided with four paths with different phase differences, for example, {0°, 90°, 180°, 270°}. Of course, in actual applications, combined with the phase change range of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit, the switch phase shifter unit can set a corresponding number of paths. For example, when the phase change range of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit is [0, 60°], the switch phase shifter unit can set 6 paths with different phase differences, such as {0°, 60°, 120°, 180°, 240°300°}, which can also achieve the phase shift effect of [0, 360°]. The corresponding scheme falls within the protection scope of this disclosure.
[0096] Taking a MEMS switch implemented using a membrane structure as an example, see FIG13 . The first end 131 of the membrane structure is electrically connected to a first control line (not shown), and the second end 132 of the membrane structure is electrically connected to a second control line (not shown). When a voltage difference exists between the first end 131 and the second end 132 of the membrane structure, the membrane 133 of the membrane structure deforms to change the signal transmission path. When the membrane 133 of the membrane structure remains in its original shape, it is in a conductive state, at which point the signal can pass through the signal transmission line 134. When the membrane 133 of the membrane structure deforms, it is in a disconnected state, at which point the signal cannot pass through the signal transmission line 134. In one example, see FIG14 , the MEMS switch may include four switches: switch 141, switch 142, switch 144, and switch 145. Switches 141 and 142 may form a signal transmission path 143, and switches 144 and 145 may form a signal transmission path 146.
[0097] It is understandable that Figure 14 illustrates a solution with two paths with different phase differences. The above-mentioned switches 141, 142, 144 and 145 can be replaced by single-input multiple-output or single-output multiple-input switches according to the specific scenario. For details, please refer to the content of the solution shown in Figure 11, which will not be repeated here.
[0098] Based on the above structure, the phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shifter provided in this embodiment is [0, 360°], and the division method may include:
[0099] In one example, the phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shifter is [0, 180°] and the phase shift angle of the switch phase shifter is {0°, 180°}. A block diagram of the liquid crystal phase shifter is shown in FIG15 , and the functions of the liquid crystal shifter are shown in Table 1. As shown in Table 1, the loss of the liquid crystal phase shifter is 2.33 dB, which reduces the loss of the liquid crystal phase shifter.
[0100] Table 1 Phase shifter performance of 180° liquid crystal phase shifter and single-input double-output switching circuit
[0101] It should be noted that [0, 180°] means that the phase change varies between 0 and 180° (including the endpoints), which is a continuous change range; {0°, 180°} means that the phase change is 0° or 180°, which is a discrete phase change range. When the phase change is 0°, the phase change range is 0 to 180°; or when the phase change is 180°, the phase change range is 180° to 360°.
[0102] In another example, the phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shifter is [0, 90°] and the phase shift angle of the switch phase shifter is {0°, 90°, 180°, 270°}. The block diagram of the liquid crystal phase shifter is shown in FIG16 , and the functions of the liquid crystal shifter are shown in Table 2. Referring to Table 2, the maximum loss of the liquid crystal phase shifter in this example is 1.595 dB, which reduces the loss of the liquid crystal phase shifter.
[0103] Table 2 Phase shifter performance using a 90° liquid crystal phase shifter and a single-input four-output switching circuit
[0104] In another example, the phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is [0, 270°] and the phase shift angle of the switch phase shift unit is {0°, 90°}. The block diagram of the liquid crystal phase shifter is shown in FIG17 .
[0105] It should be noted that the various embodiments of the liquid crystal phase shifter shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 17 can be combined with each other without conflicting with each other, and the resulting solutions fall within the protection scope of the present disclosure.
[0106] In this way, the liquid crystal phase shifter of this embodiment selects the phase change range by switching the phase shift unit and the liquid crystal phase shift unit continuously adjusts the phase, thereby meeting the phase shift range of [0, 360°] and high resolution while reducing the size of the liquid crystal phase shift unit, thereby achieving the purpose of reducing the loss of the liquid crystal phase shifter.
[0107] Based on the above-mentioned liquid crystal phase shifter, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a phased array antenna, as shown in FIG18 , comprising radiating elements 181 arranged in an array and the liquid crystal phase shifters described in FIG1 to FIG17 corresponding to each radiating element (not shown in FIG18 ); the liquid crystal phase shifters are electrically connected to the radiating elements 181;
[0108] The liquid crystal phase shifter is used to shift the phase of the input signal to obtain a phase-shifted signal;
[0109] The radiation device 181 is used to receive electromagnetic waves in space and convert them into input signals to be phase-shifted and transmit them to the liquid crystal phase shifter; or, convert the phase-shifted signal from the liquid crystal phase shifter into an electromagnetic wave signal and radiate it into space.
[0110] In one embodiment, the radiating element 181 includes a feed selection circuit. When the feed selection circuit is in a first path, the circular polarization direction of the phased array antenna is either left-handed or right-handed; when the feed selection circuit is in a second path, the circular polarization direction of the phased array antenna is either left-handed or right-handed. 19 , the feed selection circuit includes a first feed line 191, a second feed line 192, a third feed line 193, a first feed switch 194, a second feed switch 195, and a third feed switch 196. A first end of the first feed switch 194 is electrically connected to the first feed line 191, a second end of the first feed switch 194 is electrically connected to the second feed line 192, and a third end of the first feed switch 194 is electrically connected to the third feed line 193. A first end of the second feed switch 195 is electrically connected to the first feed line 191, and a second end of the second feed switch 195 is electrically connected to the radiation patch 197 of the radiation device 181. A first end of the third feed switch 196 is electrically connected to the second feed line 192, and a second end of the third feed switch 196 is electrically connected to the radiation patch 197.
[0111] When the first end of the first feed switch 194 is electrically connected to the third end and the second feed switch 195 is turned on, the feed selection circuit is in the first path, that is, the signal transmission path of the first path is (taking the radiation signal as an example): the third feed line 193, the first feed switch 194, the first feed line 191, the second feed switch 195 and the radiation patch 197;
[0112] When the second end of the first feed switch 194 is electrically connected to the third end and the third feed switch 196 is turned on, the feed selection circuit is in the second path, that is, the signal transmission path of the second path is (taking the radiation signal as an example): the third feed line 193, the first feed switch 194, the second feed line 192, the third feed switch 196 and the radiation patch 197.
[0113] It should be noted that the feed selection circuit and the switch phase shift unit in the liquid crystal phase shifter are fabricated in an integrated manner. For example, the feed switches (194, 195, and 196) in the feed selection circuit and the individual switches of the switch chip in the switch phase shift unit can be formed on the same substrate, with the gates, sources, and drains of at least some of the switches located on the same layer, thereby reducing the number of mask processes. The feed switches of the feed selection circuit and the circuit boards of the switch phase shift unit can then be cut to form independent circuit units. Subsequently, the circuit units corresponding to the feed selection circuit are fabricated into radiating devices, and the circuit units of the switch phase shift unit are fabricated into a liquid crystal phase shifter. Finally, the radiating devices can be superimposed on the liquid crystal phase shifter to obtain a phased array antenna as shown in FIG. 20 or FIG. 21.
[0114] In one embodiment, referring to FIG20 , the phased array antenna includes, in addition to the liquid crystal phase shifter, a fourth substrate 211 and a third metal layer 210; the radiating device is arranged on the first side of the fourth substrate 211 (the upper side as shown in FIG20 ); the third metal layer 210 is formed on the second side of the fourth substrate 211 (the lower side as shown in FIG20 ); and the third metal layer 210 is located between the fourth substrate 211 and the first substrate 21 of the liquid crystal phase shifter; a radiation hole 212 is provided on the third metal layer 210 at a position directly opposite to the third feed line 193, so that the phase shift signal output by the liquid crystal phase shifter is radiated to the third feed line 193, or the input signal of the third feed line 193 is radiated to the liquid crystal phase shifter.
[0115] Continuing with Figure 20 , the device also includes a feed network 220 and a fifth substrate 230. The feed network 220 is disposed between the fifth substrate 230 and the second substrate 25 of the liquid crystal phase shifter and is used to radiate the original signal to the liquid crystal phase shifter for phase shifting or to receive the phase-shifted signal output by the liquid crystal phase shifter. It is understood that the switches within the feed network 220, like those within the liquid crystal phase shifter, can be implemented using field-effect transistors. Alternatively, the feed network can be integrated with the liquid crystal phase shifter to improve yield.
[0116] Continuing with FIG20 , the operating principles of each unit in the phased array antenna are as follows:
[0117] During the transmission phase, the feed network 220 outputs the original signal, which is coupled to the second metal layer 24 of the liquid crystal phase shifter. After phase shifting by the liquid crystal phase shifter switch phase shifter unit 20 and the liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10, the original signal is converted into a phase-shifted signal (or output signal). After passing through the radiation aperture 212, the signal is coupled to the feed path and radiated into space through the radiation patch 197 as an electromagnetic wave signal. It should be noted that the transmission phase of each unit's radiation patch needs to be determined according to the beam direction of the phased array antenna's transmitted wave.
[0118] During the receiving stage, the radiation patch 197 receives the electromagnetic wave signal in space and obtains the original signal (or input signal) through the feeding path. The original signal is coupled to the liquid crystal phase shift unit 10 and the switch phase shift unit 20 of the liquid crystal phase shifter through the radiation hole 212 to obtain a phase-shifted signal; the phase-shifted signal is then coupled to the feeding network 220 to complete the signal reception.
[0119] In another embodiment, referring to FIG21 , the phased array antenna includes, in addition to the liquid crystal phase shifter, a fourth substrate 211 and a third metal layer 210; the radiation device 181 is arranged on the first side of the fourth substrate 211 (the upper side shown in FIG21 ); the third metal layer 210 is formed on the second side of the fourth substrate 211 (the lower side shown in FIG21 ); and the third metal layer 210 is located between the fourth substrate 211 and the first substrate 21 of the liquid crystal phase shifter; a radiation hole 212 is provided on the third metal layer 210 at a position facing the third feed line 193, so that the phase shift signal output by the liquid crystal phase shifter is radiated to the third feed line 193, or the input signal of the third feed line 193 is radiated to the liquid crystal phase shifter.
[0120] Continuing with Figure 21 , the device also includes a feed network 220 and a fifth substrate 230. The feed network 220 is disposed between the fifth substrate 230 and the second substrate 25 of the liquid crystal phase shifter and is used to radiate the original signal to the liquid crystal phase shifter for phase shifting or to receive the phase-shifted signal output by the liquid crystal phase shifter. It is understood that the switches within the feed network 220, like those within the liquid crystal phase shifter, can be implemented using field-effect transistors. Alternatively, the feed network can be integrated with the liquid crystal phase shifter to improve yield.
[0121] 21 , the switch chip of the switch phase shift unit of the liquid crystal phase shifter is disposed between the fifth substrate 230 and the second substrate 25 , which is different from the switch chip in FIG. 2 being disposed in the liquid crystal cell of the liquid crystal phase shift unit.
[0122] Continuing with FIG21 , the operating principles of each unit in the phased array antenna are as follows:
[0123] During the transmission phase, the feed network 220 outputs the original signal, which is coupled to the second metal layer 24 of the liquid crystal phase shifter. After phase shifting by the liquid crystal phase shifter switch phase shifter unit 20 and the liquid crystal phase shifter unit 10, the original signal is converted into a phase-shifted signal (or output signal). After passing through the radiation aperture 212, the signal is coupled to the feed path and radiated into space through the radiation patch 197 as an electromagnetic wave signal. It should be noted that the transmission phase of each unit's radiation patch needs to be determined according to the beam direction of the phased array antenna's transmitted wave.
[0124] During the receiving stage, the radiation patch 197 receives the electromagnetic wave signal in space and obtains the original signal (or input signal) through the feeding path. The original signal is coupled to the liquid crystal phase shift unit 10 and the switch phase shift unit 20 of the liquid crystal phase shifter through the radiation hole 212 to obtain a phase-shifted signal; the phase-shifted signal is then coupled to the feeding network 220 to complete the signal reception.
[0125] Other embodiments of the present disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and practicing the disclosure herein. This disclosure is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The description and examples are to be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the present disclosure being indicated by the following claims.
[0126] It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the exact structures that have been described above and shown in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A liquid crystal phase shifter, characterized in that: include: A liquid crystal phase shift unit and a switch phase shift unit, wherein the second end of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is electrically connected to the first end of the switch phase shift unit; The target phase difference between the signal transmitted at the second end of the switch phase shift unit and the signal transmitted at the first end of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is within [0, 360°]; The switch phase shift unit is used to determine the phase change range of the signal transmitted by the liquid crystal phase shifter; the liquid crystal phase shift unit is used to continuously adjust the phase of the signal transmitted by the liquid crystal phase shifter to a target phase difference within the phase change range.
2. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid crystal phase shift unit includes at least one of the following: a CPW liquid crystal phase shifter, a differential liquid crystal phase shifter, a microstrip line liquid crystal phase shifter, and an inverted microstrip line liquid crystal phase shifter.
3. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 2, characterized in that: The differential liquid crystal phase shifter includes a signal synthesis device; the signal synthesis device is used to synthesize the signals transmitted by each signal path of the differential liquid crystal phase shifter to obtain a synthesized signal; the signals transmitted by each signal path have a phase difference.
4. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 3, characterized in that: The signal synthesis device includes a power divider device or a balun device.
5. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid crystal phase shift unit comprises a first substrate, a first metal layer, liquid crystal, a second metal layer and a second substrate arranged in sequence; the first metal layer and the second metal layer are arranged opposite to each other for continuously adjusting the orientation of the liquid crystal to adjust the phase of the signal.
6. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 5, characterized in that: The thickness of the first substrate and / or the second substrate is [100, 10000] micrometers.
7. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first substrate and / or the second substrate comprises via holes; the via holes are used to realize electrical connection between the switch chip of the switch phase shift unit and the pattern part of the switch phase shift unit; the pattern part of the switch phase shift unit is located in the liquid crystal box of the liquid crystal phase shift unit.
8. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 7, characterized in that: A ratio of a diameter of the via hole to a thickness of the first substrate or the second substrate is [1:3, 3:1].
9. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first metal layer of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit includes a first pattern, the first pattern includes a plurality of metal lines arranged in a first direction; the second metal layer of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit includes a second pattern, the second pattern includes a plurality of metal lines arranged in a second direction; the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; the metal lines of the first pattern are arranged opposite to the metal lines of the second pattern; the pattern part of the switch phase shifter unit is arranged in the same layer as the second pattern of the liquid crystal phase shifter unit, and is electrically connected through a switch chip in the switch phase shifter unit.
10. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first metal layer of the liquid crystal phase shift unit includes a third pattern, and the second metal layer of the liquid crystal phase shift unit includes a fourth pattern; the teeth of the first comb-shaped part of the third pattern are arranged opposite to the teeth of the second comb-shaped part of the fourth pattern; The teeth of the first comb-shaped part of the third pattern are arranged opposite to the teeth of the second comb-shaped part of the fourth pattern, and the first handle of the third pattern and the second handle of the fourth pattern form a path with a preset phase difference.
11. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 10, characterized in that: The pattern part of the switch phase shift unit is arranged in the same layer as the fourth pattern of the liquid crystal phase shift unit and is electrically connected through the switch chip in the switch phase shift unit.
12. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The switch phase shift unit includes at least one switch chip, and the switch chip is fixed on the second substrate; the at least one switch chip of the switch phase shift unit is used to select any path in the pattern part of the switch phase shift unit.
13. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and 9 to 12, characterized in that: The switch chip of the switch phase shift unit is arranged in the liquid crystal box of the liquid crystal phase shift unit.
14. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 13, characterized in that: The switch chip is fixed on the bottom, top or inner side of the liquid crystal box.
15. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 14, characterized in that: The switch chip is implemented by at least one of the following: Single-input single-output switch, single-input double-output switch, single-output double-input switch, single-input three-output switch, single-output three-input switch, single-input four-output switch and single-output four-input switch.
16. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 13, characterized in that: A groove is arranged at a position of the first substrate of the liquid crystal phase shift unit corresponding to the switch phase shift unit, and the groove matches the liquid crystal box.
17. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 13, characterized in that: The liquid crystal phase shift unit comprises a third substrate, and the third substrate is arranged between the first substrate and the first metal layer; a through hole is arranged at a position of the third substrate corresponding to the switch phase shift unit, and the through hole matches the liquid crystal box.
18. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 13, characterized in that: A through hole is provided at a position of the first substrate of the liquid crystal phase shift unit corresponding to the switch phase shift unit, and the through hole matches the liquid crystal box.
19. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 13, characterized in that: The switch chip in the switch phase shift unit is integrated with the liquid crystal phase shift unit.
20. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 13, characterized in that: The switch chip includes a MEMS switch chip and / or a PIN switch chip, and the MEMS switch chip and / or the PIN switch chip is fixed inside the liquid crystal phase shifter.
21. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 20, characterized in that: The switch chip in the switch phase shift unit is a MEMS switch; the MEMS switch is implemented using a cantilever beam structure; the first end of the cantilever beam structure is electrically connected to a first control line, and the second end of the cantilever beam structure is electrically connected to a second control line; when there is a voltage difference between the first end and the second end of the cantilever beam structure, the moving contact of the cantilever beam structure contacts with the static contact to change the signal transmission path.
22. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 20, characterized in that: The MEMS switch is implemented using a membrane structure; the first end of the membrane structure is electrically connected to a first control line, and the second end of the membrane structure is electrically connected to a second control line; when there is a voltage difference between the first end and the second end of the membrane structure, the membrane of the membrane structure deforms to change the signal transmission path.
23. The liquid crystal phase shifter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is [0, 180°] and the phase shift angle of the switch phase shift unit is {0°, 180°}; Alternatively, the phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is [0, 90°] and the phase shift angle of the switch phase shift unit is {0°, 90°, 180°, 270°}; Alternatively, the phase shift range of the liquid crystal phase shift unit is [0, 270°] and the phase shift angle of the switch phase shift unit is {0°, 90°}.
24. A phased array antenna, characterized in that: comprising radiation devices arranged in an array and a liquid crystal phase shifter as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23 corresponding to each radiation device; The liquid crystal phase shifter is electrically connected to the radiation device; The liquid crystal phase shifter is used to phase shift the input signal to obtain a phase-shifted signal; The radiation device is used to receive electromagnetic waves in space and convert them into input signals to be phase-shifted and transmit them to the liquid crystal phase shifter; Alternatively, the phase shift signal from the liquid crystal phase shifter is converted into an electromagnetic wave signal and radiated into space.
25. The phased array antenna according to claim 24, characterized in that: It also includes a fourth substrate and a third metal layer; the radiation device is arranged on the first side of the fourth substrate; the third metal layer is formed on the second side of the fourth substrate; and the third metal layer is located between the fourth substrate and the first substrate of the liquid crystal phase shifter; the third metal layer is provided with a radiation hole.
26. The phased array antenna according to claim 24, characterized in that: It also includes a feeding network and a fifth substrate; the feeding network is arranged between the fifth substrate and the second substrate of the liquid crystal phase shifter, and is used to radiate the original signal to the liquid crystal phase shifter for phase shifting or receive the phase shift signal output by the liquid crystal phase shifter.
27. The phased array antenna according to any one of claims 24 to 26, characterized in that: The radiating device includes a feed selection circuit; When the feed selection circuit is in the first path, the circular polarization direction of the phased array antenna is one of a left-hand direction or a right-hand direction; When the feed selection circuit is in the second path, the circular polarization direction of the phased array antenna is the other of the left-hand direction or the right-hand direction.
28. The phased array antenna according to claim 27, characterized in that: The feed selection circuit includes a first feed line, a second feed line, a third feed line, a first feed switch, a second feed switch and a third feed switch; a first end of the first feed switch is electrically connected to the first feed line, a second end of the first feed switch is electrically connected to the second feed line, and a third end of the first feed switch is electrically connected to the third feed line; a first end of the second feed switch is electrically connected to the first feed line, and a second end of the second feed switch is electrically connected to a radiation patch of the radiation device; a first end of the third feed switch is electrically connected to the second feed line, and a second end of the third feed switch is electrically connected to the radiation patch; a radiation hole of the third metal layer is directly opposite to the third feed line; When the first end of the first feed switch is electrically connected to the third end and the second feed switch is turned on, the feed selection circuit is in a first path; When the second end of the first feed switch is electrically connected to the third end and the third feed switch is turned on, the feed selection circuit is in a second path.
29. The phased array antenna according to claim 27, characterized in that: The switch in the liquid crystal phase shifter and the switch in the feed selection circuit are implemented by field effect transistors.
30. A communication device, characterized in that: Comprising the phased array antenna as described in any one of claims 24 to 29.