Integrated press-fit high-fitting-degree liquid crystal antenna

Abstract

The invention discloses an integrated pressing high-fitting-degree liquid crystal antenna which comprises a PCB air gap waveguide structure and a glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure, the PCB air gap waveguide structure is a PCB air gap waveguide structure based on an electromagnetic band gap structure, the central part of a middle dielectric plate of the PCB air gap waveguide structure is hollowed out, and the glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure is arranged on the middle dielectric plate of the PCB air gap waveguide structure. An air gap waveguide is formed, an input end and an output end of the air gap waveguide are respectively converted into a microstrip line form at the head and the tail of the air gap waveguide by using a ridge-like waveguide-to-microstrip technology, and a PCB air gap waveguide structure of an electromagnetic band gap structure is combined with a glass-liquid crystal low-loss phase shifter structure by using microstrip lines. Therefore, the integrated press-fit liquid crystal antenna which is low in cost, small in size, low in loss and high in fitting degree is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of liquid crystal antennas, and in particular to an integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna. Background Art

[0002] Glass substrates have gained increasing importance in microwave and millimeter-wave device applications in recent years due to their exceptional flatness, low loss, and mechanical stability. Their superior physical properties effectively reduce signal loss during high-frequency signal transmission, improving overall device performance. Furthermore, their excellent thermal stability and electromagnetic shielding properties further enhance their potential for application in high-frequency electronic devices. Consequently, glass substrates have gained widespread application and recognition in modern communications, radar, and radio equipment.

[0003] In order to achieve complex network layouts and utilize highly flat glass substrates at the same time, the most common technical method currently is the multi-layer glass punching process. The multi-layer glass punching process applies traditional PCB multi-layer punching technology to the glass substrate structure, allowing the glass substrate to support more precise circuit layouts and meet the requirements of high-performance devices for high flatness and complex connections. However, in the multi-layer glass substrate structure, due to the special hardness and material of the glass substrate, its punching method cannot be directly used using conventional methods like traditional PCBs. Although the laser drilling-electroplating technology based on glass substrates is relatively mature, its cost is still higher than that of traditional PCB punching solutions. In addition, the pressing and high-order drilling processes of multi-layer glass substrates are not yet perfect, especially in the application of large-area glass substrates, which have the dual problems of high cost and low yield.

[0004] In order to reduce the difficulty and cost of the multi-layer glass drilling process, the existing technology combines the glass substrate with a high-flatness metal structure to realize a laminated design of the glass substrate based on the metal structure, such as Figure 1 However, in the case of combining metal components with glass substrates, the pure metal structure makes it impossible to implement special wiring, non-conductive wiring, or through-layer wiring, which greatly limits its application range. Furthermore, the machining accuracy of metal components is far lower than that of PCBs, severely restricting their use in high-frequency applications. Furthermore, metal components typically consist of a conductive metal portion and an air portion. Due to the low dielectric constant of air, miniaturization of metal components is difficult. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To this end, the present application provides an integrated pressed high-fit liquid crystal antenna to solve the problems of high cost, high loss and difficulty in miniaturization of the laminated design of the glass substrate based on the metal structure in the prior art.

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solutions:

[0007] An integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna, comprising a PCB air gap waveguide structure and a glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure, wherein the PCB air gap waveguide structure is a PCB air gap waveguide structure based on an electromagnetic bandgap structure, and the glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure is press-fitted on top of the PCB air gap waveguide structure via screws;

[0008] The PCB air gap waveguide structure includes an upper engraved copper dielectric plate, an intermediate dielectric plate, and a lower engraved copper dielectric plate, which are pressed together from top to bottom. The central portion of the intermediate dielectric plate is hollowed out to form a cavity. An upper metal column is provided between the upper engraved copper dielectric plate and the intermediate dielectric plate, and a lower metal column is provided between the intermediate dielectric plate and the lower engraved copper dielectric plate. The upper metal column and the lower metal column are distributed at both ends of the cavity. An upper metal wire is fixedly provided on the side of the upper engraved copper dielectric plate that contacts the intermediate dielectric plate. One end of the upper metal wire contacts one end of the lower metal pillar, the other end of the upper metal wire extends to one end of the cavity near the upper metal pillar, and the other end of the lower metal pillar is connected to the first microstrip line at the bottom of the lower engraved copper dielectric plate; a lower metal wire is fixedly provided on a side of the lower engraved copper dielectric plate that contacts the intermediate dielectric plate, one end of the lower metal wire contacts one end of the upper metal pillar, the other end of the lower metal wire extends to one end of the cavity near the lower metal pillar, and the other end of the upper metal pillar is connected to the second microstrip line at the top of the upper engraved copper dielectric plate;

[0009] The glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure comprises, from top to bottom, an upper PCB dielectric layer, a lower PCB dielectric layer, and a glass-liquid crystal phase shifter. The lower PCB dielectric layer comprises a first lower PCB dielectric layer and a second lower PCB dielectric layer. A metal floor layer is provided between the first lower PCB dielectric layer and the second lower PCB dielectric layer. A certain gap exists between the upper PCB dielectric layer and the first lower PCB dielectric layer, and the upper PCB dielectric layer and the first lower PCB dielectric layer do not spatially contact each other. A radiating plate is fixedly provided on a surface of the upper PCB dielectric layer proximate to the first lower PCB dielectric layer. A coupling plate is fixedly provided on a surface of the first lower PCB dielectric layer proximate to the upper PCB dielectric layer. The radiating plate and the coupling plate are positioned correspondingly. Conductive holes are provided through the first lower PCB dielectric layer, the metal floor layer, and the second lower PCB dielectric layer. One end of the conductive hole is connected to the coupling plate, and the other end is connected to the PCB coupling structure on the upper surface of the glass-liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0010] The length of the glass liquid crystal phase shifter is smaller than the length of the upper PCB dielectric layer, the lower PCB dielectric layer, and the PCB air gap waveguide structure, and the upper PCB dielectric layer, the lower PCB dielectric layer, the upper engraved copper dielectric plate, the middle dielectric plate, and the two ends of the lower engraved copper dielectric plate are fixedly connected by screws.

[0011] Preferably, a plurality of springs are fixedly arranged between the upper PCB dielectric layer and the first lower PCB dielectric layer, and the plurality of springs are respectively fixedly arranged at both ends of the radiation plate, the fixed ends of the springs are welded to the upper surface of the first lower PCB dielectric layer, and the free ends of the springs are in contact with the lower surface of the upper PCB dielectric layer.

[0012] Preferably, the fixed end of the spring is soldered to the upper surface of the first lower PCB dielectric layer through a solder pad and a solder ball.

[0013] Preferably, two springs are provided, including a first spring and a second spring. The first spring is fixedly provided on the left side of the radiation piece, and the second spring is fixedly provided on the right side of the radiation piece.

[0014] Preferably, it further comprises a plurality of slotted shielding structures, wherein the plurality of slotted shielding structures are fixedly arranged at both ends of the plurality of springs, and the top end of the slotted shielding structure is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the upper PCB dielectric layer.

[0015] Preferably, the slotted shielding structure has a slot at one end close to the first lower PCB dielectric layer, and a conductive sealing glue is placed in the slot.

[0016] Preferably, the conductive sealing glue, the slotted shielding structure and the spring are all made of high conductivity materials.

[0017] Preferably, the glass liquid crystal phase shifter includes an upper glass substrate, a lower glass substrate and a liquid crystal layer, the liquid crystal layer is arranged between the upper glass substrate and the lower glass substrate, a phase shifter is arranged in the liquid crystal layer, the upper surface of the upper glass substrate is fixed to the lower surface of the second lower PCB dielectric layer, and the lower surface of the lower glass substrate is fixed to the upper engraved copper dielectric plate.

[0018] Preferably, the upper surface of the upper glass substrate is fixed to the lower surface of the second lower PCB dielectric layer by a film adhesive.

[0019] Preferably, a plurality of first metal pillars are provided in the upper engraved copper dielectric plate, one end of each of the first metal pillars contacts the upper metal line, and the other end contacts the upper surface of the upper engraved copper dielectric plate; a plurality of second metal pillars are provided in the lower engraved copper dielectric plate, one end of each of the second metal pillars contacts the lower metal line, and the other end contacts the lower surface of the lower engraved copper dielectric plate.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0021] 1. The present application provides an integrated pressed-in high-fit liquid crystal antenna, comprising a PCB air gap waveguide structure and a glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure, wherein the PCB air gap waveguide structure is a PCB air gap waveguide structure based on an electromagnetic band gap structure, and the glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure is pressed on top of the PCB air gap waveguide structure by screws, thereby realizing a low-cost, miniaturized, low-loss, and highly-fit integrated pressed liquid crystal antenna.

[0022] 2. Multiple springs are fixedly arranged between the upper PCB dielectric layer and the first lower PCB dielectric layer. The multiple springs can achieve uniform pressure distribution and better adhesion between the PCB and the glass.

[0023] 3. Multiple slotted shielding structures are fixedly arranged at both ends of multiple springs, which can effectively prevent the springs from moving freely.

[0024] 4. The slotted shielding structure has a slot at one end close to the first lower PCB dielectric layer. Conductive sealing glue is placed in the slot. The conductive sealing glue can prevent PCB damage caused by extreme pressure caused by hard contact between the slotted shielding structure and the PCB. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] To more intuitively illustrate the prior art and the present application, exemplary drawings are provided below. It should be understood that the specific shapes and structures shown in the drawings should not generally be considered as limiting conditions for implementing the present application; for example, based on the technical concepts disclosed in this application and the exemplary drawings, those skilled in the art are capable of easily making routine adjustments or further optimizations to the addition / reduction / attribution division, specific shapes, positional relationships, connection methods, dimensional ratios, etc. of certain units (components).

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of combining an existing glass substrate with a high-flatness metal structural member;

[0027] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the existing PCB gap waveguide structure based on the electromagnetic bandgap structure;

[0028] Figure 3Schematic diagram of the PCB air gap waveguide structure of the electromagnetic bandgap structure provided in this application;

[0029] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the existing glass-liquid crystal low-loss phase shifter structure;

[0030] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the air gap waveguide to microstrip line structure provided by this application;

[0031] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of the electromagnetic bandgap PCB air gap waveguide structure combined with the glass-liquid crystal low-loss phase shifter provided by this application;

[0032] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the structure of an integrated pressed high-fit liquid crystal antenna provided in this application;

[0033] Figure 8 The PCB air gap waveguide structure provided in this application;

[0034] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the structure provided for this application with good edge adhesion but no adhesion in the middle;

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the integrated pressed-together high-fit liquid crystal antenna structure after the distributed spring is introduced in this application.

[0036] Description of reference numerals:

[0037] 1. PCB air gap waveguide structure; 101. Upper copper dielectric plate; 102. Middle dielectric plate; 103. Lower copper dielectric plate; 104. Upper metal pillar; 105. Lower metal pillar; 106. Upper metal line; 107. Lower metal line; 108. First microstrip line; 109. Second microstrip line; 110. First metal pillar; 111. Second metal pillar; 112. Electromagnetic bandgap structure; 2. Glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure; 201. Upper PCB dielectric layer; 202 , first lower PCB dielectric layer; 203, metal floor layer; 204, second lower PCB dielectric layer; 205, radiation plate; 206, coupling plate; 207, conductive hole; 208, PCB coupling structure; 209, upper glass substrate; 210, lower glass substrate; 211, liquid crystal layer; 212, phase shifter; 213, thin film glue; 214, spring; 215, solder pad; 216, solder ball; 217, slotted shielding structure; 218, conductive sealing glue; 3, screws. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The present application will be further described below in detail through specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0039] In the description of this application: unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more. The terms "first", "second", "third", etc. in this application are intended to distinguish the objects referred to and do not have any special meaning in terms of technical connotation (for example, they should not be understood as emphasizing the importance or order, etc.). Expressions such as "including", "comprising", "having", etc. also mean "not limited to" (certain units, components, materials, steps, etc.).

[0040] The terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "middle", etc. cited in this application are usually used to indicate the general relative position relationship for the convenience of intuitive understanding by referring to the drawings, and are not absolute limitations on the position relationship in the actual product.

[0041] The PCB gap waveguide based on the electromagnetic bandgap structure uses the PCB medium as the filling material, which can effectively reduce the size of the electromagnetic bandgap structure. On the other hand, it converts the stripline, microstrip line and coplanar waveguide transmission line of the PCB into a waveguide transmission method, which can reduce the transmission loss. Based on the above two advantages, it is widely used in lightweight and miniaturized transmission networks. Figure 2 As shown, in the existing PCB gap waveguide structure based on the electromagnetic bandgap structure, since the dielectric plate is still filled between the upper and lower gap waveguide metal lines, the dielectric plate loss is still unavoidable.

[0042] See also Figure 3 In order to reduce dielectric plate losses, the present application provides a PCB air gap waveguide structure with an electromagnetic bandgap structure in which an intermediate dielectric plate is hollowed out. In this PCB air gap waveguide structure with an electromagnetic bandgap structure, the intermediate dielectric plate is hollowed out and then pressed against the upper and lower copper-engraved dielectric plates. Signals are transmitted along the X direction at the hollowed-out portion. Without increasing the process difficulty, air is filled between the upper and lower gap waveguide metal wires, further reducing the transmission loss of the PCB gap waveguide structure with an electromagnetic bandgap structure. In theory, its transmission loss is the same as that of a pure metal waveguide. In a relatively limited transmission network, this loss can be almost ignored.

[0043] The PCB air gap waveguide structure with an electromagnetic bandgap structure hollowed out in the middle layer of the dielectric board, on the one hand, realizes the miniaturization of the waveguide transmission structure, and on the other hand, perfectly inherits the low loss of metal waveguide transmission.

[0044] The high flatness and low loss properties of glass substrates have led to their widespread application in microwave and radio frequency applications. In particular, low-loss phase shifter structures based on glass-liquid crystals have been considered a leading technology for next-generation phased array antennas due to their low cost.

[0045] See also Figure 4In a glass-liquid crystal low-loss phase shifter structure, if the underlying feed network uses a microstrip structure for signal transmission, it will undoubtedly introduce significant losses and degrade system performance. If the electromagnetic bandgap PCB air gap waveguide structure can be combined with the glass-liquid crystal low-loss phase shifter structure, it can achieve both low-cost phase shifters and small, low-loss transmission technology, which can bring liquid crystal phase shifter technology to a new level.

[0046] However, to realize the technology of combining the electromagnetic bandgap structure PCB air gap waveguide structure with the glass-liquid crystal low loss phase shifter structure, it is necessary to first realize the connection between the air gap waveguide structure and the microstrip line. Based on this, the present application provides a conversion structure, that is, an air gap waveguide to microstrip line structure, such as Figure 5 shown.

[0047] In the air gap waveguide to microstrip line structure, the signal is transmitted along the hollowed-out X direction, and the loss in this transmission process is almost negligible. At the beginning and end of the air gap waveguide, the ridge-like waveguide to microstrip technology is used (this technology is a conventional technology in the relevant field and will not be described here) to convert the input and output ends of the air gap waveguide into microstrip line form respectively. In this way, when the signal is transmitted for most of the length, the signal is transmitted in the air gap waveguide, and the loss is almost negligible. In the structural part that needs to be coupled with the liquid crystal phase shifter, it is converted into a microstrip line form. In this way, the PCB air gap waveguide structure of the electromagnetic band gap structure and the low-loss phase shifter structure of the glass-liquid crystal can be combined. Figure 6 shown.

[0048] However, during the production of the electromagnetic bandgap PCB air gap waveguide structure, due to multiple pressings and the warping of the PCB itself, the unevenness of the PCB air gap waveguide structure is much greater than that of the glass substrate, making it impossible for the two to fit perfectly together. The inventors used strong glue to bond the two together. However, on the one hand, if the strength of the adhesive is too weak, the two cannot be bonded together, and if the strength is too strong, it can easily tear the glass substrate. On the other hand, the introduction of the adhesive will inevitably introduce unnecessary losses. To this end, the inventors provide a screw pressing method to achieve the two fittings.

[0049] See also Figure 7 Based on the above analysis, the present application provides an integrated pressed high-fit liquid crystal antenna, including a PCB air gap waveguide structure 1 and a glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure 2, wherein the PCB air gap waveguide structure 1 is a PCB air gap waveguide structure based on an electromagnetic band gap structure, and the glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure 2 is pressed on the top of the PCB air gap waveguide structure 1 by screws 3.

[0050] It should be noted that, in order to more clearly introduce the glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure 2, Figure 7 The PCB air gap waveguide structure 1 is simplified in the figure. The specific schematic diagram of the PCB air gap waveguide structure 1 can be found in the above figure. Figure 5 Or the following Figure 8 , Figure 8 and Figure 5 The structure is the same.

[0051] See also Figure 8 The PCB air gap waveguide structure 1 includes an upper engraved copper dielectric plate 101, an intermediate dielectric plate 102, and a lower engraved copper dielectric plate 103, which are pressed together from top to bottom. The central portion of the intermediate dielectric plate 102 is hollowed out to form a cavity (i.e., an air gap waveguide is formed); an upper metal column 104 is provided between the upper engraved copper dielectric plate 101 and the intermediate dielectric plate 102, and a lower metal column 105 is provided between the intermediate dielectric plate 102 and the lower engraved copper dielectric plate 103. The upper metal column 104 and the lower metal column 105 are distributed at both ends of the cavity; an upper metal wire 104 is fixedly provided on the side of the upper engraved copper dielectric plate 101 that contacts the intermediate dielectric plate 102. 6. One end of the upper metal wire 106 contacts one end of the lower metal pillar 105, and the other end of the upper metal wire 106 extends to the end of the cavity near the upper metal pillar 104. The other end of the lower metal pillar 105 is connected to the first microstrip line 108 at the bottom of the lower engraved copper dielectric plate 103. A lower metal wire 107 is fixedly provided on the side of the lower engraved copper dielectric plate 103 that contacts the intermediate dielectric plate 102. One end of the lower metal wire 107 contacts one end of the upper metal pillar 104, and the other end of the lower metal wire 107 extends to the end of the cavity near the lower metal pillar 105. The other end of the upper metal pillar 104 is connected to the second microstrip line 109 at the top of the upper engraved copper dielectric plate 101.

[0052] Continue reading Figure 7 The glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure 2 includes an upper PCB dielectric layer 201, a lower PCB dielectric layer, and a glass liquid crystal phase shifter from top to bottom. The lower PCB dielectric layer includes a first lower PCB dielectric layer 202 and a second lower PCB dielectric layer 204. A metal floor layer 203 is provided between the first lower PCB dielectric layer 202 and the second lower PCB dielectric layer 204. There is a certain gap between the upper PCB dielectric layer 201 and the first lower PCB dielectric layer 202, and they are not in contact in space. The upper PCB dielectric layer 201 is located near the first lower PCB dielectric layer 202. A radiation plate 205 is fixedly provided on one side of the lower PCB dielectric layer 202. A coupling plate 206 is fixedly provided on a side of the first lower PCB dielectric layer 202 adjacent to the upper PCB dielectric layer 201. The radiation plate 205 and the coupling plate 206 are positioned correspondingly. Conductive vias 207 are provided through the first lower PCB dielectric layer 202, the metal floor layer 203, and the second lower PCB dielectric layer 204. One end of the conductive via 207 is connected to the coupling plate 206, and the other end is connected to the PCB coupling structure 208 on the upper surface of the glass liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0053] Among them, the length of the glass liquid crystal phase shifter is smaller than the length of the upper PCB dielectric layer 201, the lower PCB dielectric layer and the PCB air gap waveguide structure 1, and the upper PCB dielectric layer 201, the lower PCB dielectric layer, the upper engraved copper dielectric plate 101, the middle dielectric plate 102 and the lower engraved copper dielectric plate 103 are fixedly connected at both ends by screws 3.

[0054] This application provides an integrated, high-fitting, press-fit liquid crystal antenna that uses screws to press-fit a multi-layer PCB to a glass liquid crystal phase shifter, eliminating the need for adhesives and effectively achieving a sandwich structure. The radiating antenna utilizes a radiating plate 205, a coupling plate 206, and an air gap to effectively improve the antenna's operating bandwidth and radiation efficiency.

[0055] However, when the PCB substrate and the glass substrate are too large, only adding 3 fixing screws on the periphery to press the multi-layer PCB and the glass liquid crystal phase shifter may result in a situation where the edges fit well but the middle cannot fit well, such as Figure 9 shown.

[0056] In order to solve the problem that the edges fit well but the middle cannot fit, the integrated pressed high-fit liquid crystal antenna provided by this application introduces an internal distributed spring structure, such as Figure 10 Specifically, multiple springs 214 are fixedly disposed between the upper PCB dielectric layer 201 and the first lower PCB dielectric layer 202. The multiple springs 214 are respectively fixedly disposed at both ends of the radiating plate 205. The fixed ends of the springs 214 are soldered to the upper surface of the first lower PCB dielectric layer 202, while the free ends of the springs 214 contact the lower surface of the upper PCB dielectric layer 201. More specifically, the fixed ends of the springs 214 are soldered to the upper surface of the first lower PCB dielectric layer 202 via solder pads 215 and solder balls 216.

[0057] In an integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna provided in the present application, two springs 214 are provided, including a first spring and a second spring. The first spring is fixedly arranged on the left side of the radiation plate 205, and the second spring is fixedly arranged on the right side of the radiation plate 205.

[0058] In this application, springs 214 with appropriate elasticity are distributed around the radiation plate 205. Through their elastic force, secondary pressure is applied to the internal area where the pressure effect of the screw 3 is limited, and finally a perfect fit between the PCB and the glass can be achieved.

[0059] In the integrated, press-fit, high-fit liquid crystal antenna provided herein, a slotted shielding structure 217 is disposed around the spring 214 to prevent it from wandering. Multiple slotted shielding structures 217 are fixedly disposed at each end of the springs 214, with the tops of the slotted shielding structures 217 fixedly connected to the lower surface of the upper PCB dielectric layer 201. Specifically, the tops of the slotted shielding structures 217 are welded to the lower surface of the upper PCB dielectric layer 201. By disposing the slotted shielding structures 217 around the springs 214, the present invention effectively prevents the springs 214 from wandering.

[0060] In an integrated pressed-on high-fit liquid crystal antenna provided in the present application, a slotted shielding structure 217 is provided with a slot at one end close to the first lower PCB dielectric layer 202 , and a conductive sealing glue 218 is placed in the slot to avoid hard contact between the slotted shielding structure 217 and the first lower PCB dielectric layer 202 .

[0061] In the integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna provided in this application, the conductive sealant 218, the slotted shielding structure 217, and the spring 214 are all made of highly conductive materials. The structure of the slotted shielding structure 217 + the pressure spring 214 + the conductive sealant 214 employed in this application has the following advantages:

[0062] (1) The spring 214 can achieve uniform distribution of pressure, so that the PCB and the glass are better fitted.

[0063] (2) The use of the conductive sealant 218 can avoid PCB damage caused by the extreme pressure caused by the hard contact between the slotted shielding structure 217 and the lower PCB dielectric layer.

[0064] (3) The spring 214, the slotted shielding structure 217, and the conductive sealant 218 are all made of high-conductivity materials, which can effectively prevent antenna energy leakage and improve the isolation and radiation performance between antenna units.

[0065] Continue reading Figure 7 In an integrated pressed-on high-fit liquid crystal antenna provided in the present application, the glass liquid crystal phase shifter includes an upper glass substrate 209, a lower glass substrate 210, and a liquid crystal layer 211. The liquid crystal layer 211 is arranged between the upper glass substrate 209 and the lower glass substrate 210. A phase shifter 212 is arranged in the liquid crystal layer 211. The upper surface of the upper glass substrate 209 is fixed to the lower surface of the second lower PCB dielectric layer 204, and the lower surface of the lower glass substrate 210 is fixed to the upper engraved copper dielectric plate 101.

[0066] In the integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna provided in the present application, the upper surface of the upper glass substrate 209 is fixed to the lower surface of the second lower PCB dielectric layer 204 via a film adhesive 213 .

[0067] Continue reading Figure 8 In an integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna provided in the present application, a plurality of first metal pillars 110 are provided in an upper copper dielectric plate 101, one end of each of the plurality of first metal pillars 110 contacts an upper metal line 106, and the other end contacts the upper surface of the upper copper dielectric plate 101; a plurality of second metal pillars 111 are provided in a lower copper dielectric plate 103, one end of each of the plurality of second metal pillars 111 contacts a lower metal line 107, and the other end contacts the lower surface of the lower copper dielectric plate 103; and a plurality of electromagnetic band gap structures 112 are also provided in the upper copper dielectric plate 101 and the lower copper dielectric plate 103.

[0068] The integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna provided in this application has the following advantages:

[0069] (1) Avoid the use of multi-layer glass substrates, reducing process complexity;

[0070] (2) Avoiding drilling holes in the glass substrate, reducing costs;

[0071] (3) Use a more precise PCB solution to replace metal structural parts, reducing losses;

[0072] (4) The introduction of PCB dielectrics with a relatively high relative dielectric constant enables the miniaturization of the system structure.

[0073] (5) An integrated press-fit high-frequency antenna with high fit is realized.

[0074] In summary, the present application provides an integrated, press-fit, high-fit liquid crystal antenna that is compact, low-loss, and highly conformable. By expanding the PCB air-gap waveguide structure into a PCB air-gap waveguide feed network, an integrated press-fit liquid crystal phased array antenna can be realized.

[0075] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily (as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features). In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described; these embodiments that are not explicitly written should also be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. An integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna, characterized in that: It includes a PCB air gap waveguide structure and a glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure, wherein the PCB air gap waveguide structure is a PCB air gap waveguide structure based on an electromagnetic band gap structure, and the glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure is pressed on top of the PCB air gap waveguide structure by screws; The PCB air gap waveguide structure includes an upper engraved copper dielectric plate, an intermediate dielectric plate, and a lower engraved copper dielectric plate, which are pressed together from top to bottom. The central portion of the intermediate dielectric plate is hollowed out to form a cavity. An upper metal column is provided between the upper engraved copper dielectric plate and the intermediate dielectric plate, and a lower metal column is provided between the intermediate dielectric plate and the lower engraved copper dielectric plate. The upper metal column and the lower metal column are distributed at both ends of the cavity. An upper metal wire is fixedly provided on the side of the upper engraved copper dielectric plate that contacts the intermediate dielectric plate. One end of the upper metal wire contacts one end of the lower metal pillar, the other end of the upper metal wire extends to one end of the cavity near the upper metal pillar, and the other end of the lower metal pillar is connected to the first microstrip line at the bottom of the lower engraved copper dielectric plate; a lower metal wire is fixedly provided on a side of the lower engraved copper dielectric plate that contacts the intermediate dielectric plate, one end of the lower metal wire contacts one end of the upper metal pillar, the other end of the lower metal wire extends to one end of the cavity near the lower metal pillar, and the other end of the upper metal pillar is connected to the second microstrip line at the top of the upper engraved copper dielectric plate; The glass-liquid crystal phase shifter structure comprises, from top to bottom, an upper PCB dielectric layer, a lower PCB dielectric layer, and a glass-liquid crystal phase shifter. The lower PCB dielectric layer comprises a first lower PCB dielectric layer and a second lower PCB dielectric layer. A metal floor layer is provided between the first lower PCB dielectric layer and the second lower PCB dielectric layer. A certain gap exists between the upper PCB dielectric layer and the first lower PCB dielectric layer, and the upper PCB dielectric layer and the first lower PCB dielectric layer do not spatially contact each other. A radiating plate is fixedly provided on a surface of the upper PCB dielectric layer proximate to the first lower PCB dielectric layer. A coupling plate is fixedly provided on a surface of the first lower PCB dielectric layer proximate to the upper PCB dielectric layer. The radiating plate and the coupling plate are positioned correspondingly. Conductive holes are provided through the first lower PCB dielectric layer, the metal floor layer, and the second lower PCB dielectric layer. One end of the conductive hole is connected to the coupling plate, and the other end is connected to the PCB coupling structure on the upper surface of the glass-liquid crystal phase shifter. The length of the glass liquid crystal phase shifter is smaller than the length of the upper PCB dielectric layer, the lower PCB dielectric layer, and the PCB air gap waveguide structure, and the upper PCB dielectric layer, the lower PCB dielectric layer, the upper engraved copper dielectric plate, the middle dielectric plate, and the two ends of the lower engraved copper dielectric plate are fixedly connected by screws.

2. The integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of springs are fixedly arranged between the upper PCB dielectric layer and the first lower PCB dielectric layer. The plurality of springs are respectively fixedly arranged at both ends of the radiation plate. The fixed ends of the springs are welded to the upper surface of the first lower PCB dielectric layer, and the free ends of the springs are in contact with the lower surface of the upper PCB dielectric layer.

3. The integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: The fixed end of the spring is soldered to the upper surface of the first lower PCB dielectric layer through a solder pad and a solder ball.

4. The integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: There are two springs, including a first spring and a second spring. The first spring is fixedly arranged on the left side of the radiation piece, and the second spring is fixedly arranged on the right side of the radiation piece.

5. The integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a plurality of slotted shielding structures, which are respectively fixedly arranged at both ends of the plurality of springs, and the top of the slotted shielding structure is fixedly connected to the lower surface of the upper PCB dielectric layer.

6. The integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna according to claim 5, characterized in that: The slotted shielding structure has a slot at one end close to the first lower PCB dielectric layer, and conductive sealing glue is placed in the slot.

7. The integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna according to claim 6, characterized in that: The conductive sealing glue, the slotted shielding structure and the spring are all made of high-conductivity materials.

8. The integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The glass liquid crystal phase shifter includes an upper glass substrate, a lower glass substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is arranged between the upper glass substrate and the lower glass substrate. The phase shifter is arranged in the liquid crystal layer. The upper surface of the upper glass substrate is fixed to the lower surface of the second lower PCB dielectric layer, and the lower surface of the lower glass substrate is fixed to the upper engraved copper dielectric plate.

9. The integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that: The upper surface of the upper glass substrate is fixed to the lower surface of the second lower PCB dielectric layer through a film adhesive.

10. The integrated press-fit high-fit liquid crystal antenna according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper copper dielectric plate is provided with a plurality of first metal pillars, one end of each of the first metal pillars contacts the upper metal line, and the other end contacts the upper surface of the upper copper dielectric plate; the lower copper dielectric plate is provided with a plurality of second metal pillars, one end of each of the second metal pillars contacts the lower metal line, and the other end contacts the lower surface of the lower copper dielectric plate.

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