Integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication

Abstract

The utility model discloses an integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication. Comprising an upper quartz glass substrate, a lower quartz glass substrate, a liquid crystal medium arranged between the upper quartz glass substrate and the lower quartz glass substrate, polyimide films arranged above and below the liquid crystal medium, a coplanar waveguide transmission line and a slow-wave liquid crystal phase shift feed network which are arranged on the upper surface of the lower quartz glass substrate, and a plurality of slot coupling patch antenna units arranged on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate, the metal ground is arranged on the lower surface of the upper substrate; the coplanar waveguide transmission line is connected with the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shift feed network, a plurality of coupling gaps are formed in the metal ground, and slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shift feed network are correspondingly coupled with the gap coupling patch antenna units through the coupling gaps. And each slot coupling patch antenna unit is independently regulated and controlled through a corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter so as to realize dual-beam and two-dimensional scanning. The liquid crystal phased array has the characteristics of double beams, two-dimensional scanning, high gain and easy integration.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of wireless communication, in particular to an integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication. Background Art

[0002] To meet the various services of mobile terminals operating in L, C, Ku, Ka or W bands, such as wireless Internet, multimedia, communication and broadcast services, electronically reconfigurable millimeter-wave systems have become a current research hotspot due to their advantages of small size, multifunction, high spectral efficiency, strong flexibility, etc., and are used in military and industrial ground station applications, including mobile terminals such as airborne, shipborne or automotive. The technical methods commonly used for phased array beam scanning include radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS), semiconductor solutions and ferroelectrics such as strontium barium titanate (BST). Another method is to use liquid crystal materials with low loss in the high-frequency band. Among these methods, liquid crystal is superior to MEMS in terms of lifespan, continuity and packaging; and is superior to BST in terms of frequency range and bias voltage, and is an ideal material for developing beam scanning phased arrays. Benefiting from the mature manufacturing process of liquid crystal display panels, liquid crystal phased arrays also have unique advantages in manufacturing cost. In the 3rd Generation Partnership Project and new radio bands, cost-competitive and high-performance liquid crystal-based phased array modules can support the capabilities of beamforming and beam steering, and are the key technologies for emerging small cell base stations and client devices. Therefore, researching liquid crystal phased arrays applicable to various mobile terminals is of great significance for wireless communication systems.

[0003] Liquid crystal phased arrays are small in volume, light in weight and low in power consumption, meeting the requirements of modern communication devices for being thin, light and low in power consumption. Moreover, due to the electro-tuning characteristics of liquid crystal, continuous pattern scanning can be achieved. However, the gain of ordinary liquid crystal phased arrays is generally very low. Because during pattern scanning, large-angle scanning usually requires very long liquid crystal microstrip lines to provide a large phase difference between antenna radiation units, which will bring huge losses to the phased array. In addition, the introduction of multiple liquid crystal DC bias lines will also cause relatively high losses. Ordinary liquid crystal phased arrays usually also have the disadvantages of high cost, difficult integration and slow response.

[0004] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the above background art section is only used for understanding the background of the present application, and thus may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Summary of the Utility Model

[0005] The main purpose of the present utility model is to overcome the defects of the above background art and provide an integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the present utility model adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] An integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication, comprising an upper quartz glass substrate, a lower quartz glass substrate, a liquid crystal medium disposed between the upper quartz glass substrate and the lower quartz glass substrate, polyimide films disposed above and below the liquid crystal medium, a coplanar waveguide transmission line and a slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network disposed on the upper surface of the lower quartz glass substrate, a plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna elements disposed on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate, and a metal ground disposed on the lower surface of the upper quartz glass substrate; wherein, the coplanar waveguide transmission line is connected to the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network, a plurality of coupling slots are formed on the metal ground, and each slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network is correspondingly coupled to each slot-coupled patch antenna element through the coupling slots, and each slot-coupled patch antenna element is independently regulated through the corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter to achieve dual-beam and two-dimensional scanning.

[0008] Further, the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network includes 16 slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters, configured as a symmetric feeding network with an H-shaped structure, wherein every 4 slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters are grouped and arranged according to the geometric layout of the H shape, and are respectively disposed on the four arms of the H shape. Adjacent two slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters in each group generate feeding signals with opposite directions, so as to generate the required phase difference; correspondingly, 16 slot-coupled patch antenna elements and 16 coupling slots are configured.

[0009] Further, the slot-coupled patch antenna element is a long strip rectangle, the length direction of which is perpendicular to the extending direction of the slow-wave transmission line of the corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter, and the 16 slot-coupled patch antenna elements form a 4×4 antenna array.

[0010] Further, the slot-coupled patch antenna elements are arranged in a uniform planar array at an interval of 0.25λ to 1λ.

[0011] Further, the coupling slot is an H-shaped slot or a linear slot, and the length direction of which is perpendicular to the extending direction of the slow-wave transmission line of the corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0012] Further, the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network further includes a bias network, a DC block and a one-to-sixteen power divider. The 16 slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters are respectively located at the output ports of the one-to-sixteen power divider. The bias network is symmetrically distributed on both sides of the one-to-sixteen power divider. The DC block is disposed before each slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter. The bias network includes 16 DC bias lines and is symmetrically distributed.

[0013] Further, the coplanar waveguide transmission line has a coplanar ground, and the coplanar ground is not in the same plane as the metal ground of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network, and is arranged in an interleaved and overlapping manner.

[0014] Further, the coplanar metal ground of the coplanar waveguide transmission line is chamfered.

[0015] In some specific embodiments, a liquid crystal phased array based on liquid crystal with dual beams, two-dimensional scanning, high gain, and easy integration includes a coplanar waveguide transmission line, a slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network, slot-coupled patch antenna elements, and upper and lower quartz glass substrates, and further includes polyimide films disposed above and below the liquid crystal medium as alignment layers for liquid crystal medium molecules.

[0016] In some specific embodiments, the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter feeding network includes: a liquid crystal medium, polyimide films, a bias network, DC pads, a DC block, a one-to-sixteen power divider, and slow-wave transmission lines. The liquid crystal medium is aligned by the polyimide films and fixed between the upper and lower quartz glass substrates.

[0017] In some specific embodiments, the coplanar waveguide transmission line is connected to the front end of a one-to-sixteen power divider. Sixteen slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters are respectively located on the lower glass substrates of sixteen slot-coupled patch antenna elements and are on the same layer as the DC block and the bias network. Sixteen slot-coupled patch antenna elements are uniformly distributed on the upper surface of the upper glass substrate.

[0018] Optionally, the sixteen slot-coupled patch antenna elements are fed in the same direction; preferably, the sixteen slot-coupled patch antenna elements are fed in opposite directions in pairs with an H-shaped feeding network.

[0019] Optionally, the DC block is loaded at the output port of a one-to-four power divider; preferably, the DC block is loaded at the output port of a one-to-sixteen power divider.

[0020] Optionally, the bias network is loaded on the same side of the one-to-sixteen power divider; preferably, the bias network is symmetrically arranged and is respectively located on both sides of the one-to-sixteen power divider.

[0021] Optionally, the slot-coupled patch antenna elements are arranged in a uniform planar array at intervals of 0.25λ to 1λ; preferably, the end-fire antenna elements are uniformly arranged in a planar array at an interval of 0.8λ.

[0022] Optionally, the coplanar waveguide transmission line and the metal ground of the upper quartz glass substrate are symmetrically arranged; preferably, the coplanar waveguide transmission line and the metal ground are overlapped.

[0023] Optionally, the coplanar metal ground of the coplanar waveguide transmission line is not chamfered; preferably, the coplanar metal ground of the coplanar waveguide transmission line is chamfered.

[0024] Compared with the prior art, the utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0025] The liquid crystal phased array of the utility model realizes the characteristics of dual-beam, two-dimensional scanning, high gain and easy integration through innovative design, significantly improving the performance of the wireless communication system. Through the design of the patch antenna unit with slot coupling feeding, the phased array of the utility model can perform dual-beam and two-dimensional scanning based on liquid crystal electrical regulation, achieving a high radiation gain of 7.65 dBi at 30 GHz frequency and a -10 dB impedance bandwidth of 2 GHz, well meeting the regulation requirements of two-dimensional scanning. The utility model can achieve a larger phase modulation range under limited physical dimensions, not only optimizing the pattern scanning ability of the phased array, but also facilitating the miniaturization and integrated processing of the liquid crystal phased array.

[0026] The H-shaped feeding network of the embodiment of the utility model utilizes the reverse feeding characteristic of the current to realize the dual-beam forming of the optimized 4×4 planar array, enhancing the flexibility and application range of the phased array. At the same time, the utility model solves the problems of low gain and large loss of the traditional liquid crystal phased array, achieving a broadband width of 2 GHz and high gain at 30 GHz frequency, while reducing the insertion loss of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0027] The cooperation between the H-shaped feeding network and the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter realizes a low-profile dual-beam and two-dimensional scanning phased array, which is beneficial to improving the flexibility of the liquid crystal phased array, and can achieve continuous beam scanning within the 30 GHz frequency range, with a scanning angle reaching ±30°, and the gain within the scanning range reaching between 12.1 dBi and 15.3 dBi.

[0028] In summary, the liquid crystal phased array of the utility model provides strong technical support for the reconfigurable millimeter-wave system with its high gain, flexible dual-beam scanning ability, and easy integration characteristics, and has broad application prospects in the field of wireless communication.

[0029] Other beneficial effects in the embodiments of the utility model will be further described below. Description of the Drawings

[0030] Figure 1 is the three-dimensional view of the integrated liquid crystal phased array of the embodiment of the utility model;

[0031] Figure 2 is the top view of the lower quartz glass substrate of the integrated liquid crystal phased array of the embodiment of the utility model;

[0032] Figure 3 is the bottom view (left) and top view (right) of the upper quartz glass substrate of the integrated liquid crystal phased array of the embodiment of the utility model;

[0033] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of current flow of the integrated liquid crystal phased array feed network according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 S parameters of the slot-coupled patch antenna element of the integrated liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 6 Gain pattern of the slot-coupled patch antenna element of the integrated liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 7 S parameters of the one-to-sixteen power divider of the integrated liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 8 S parameters of the integrated liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 9 Gain pattern of the integrated liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 10 Theta = 50 plane, dual-beam scanning gain pattern of the integrated liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 11 Phi = 90-degree plane, dual-beam scanning gain pattern of the integrated liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of dual-beam scanning of the liquid crystal phased array according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed implementation manners

[0042] The following makes a detailed description of the implementation manners of the present invention. It should be emphasized that the following description is merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope of the present invention and its applications.

[0043] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element. In addition, the connection can be for a fixing function or for a coupling or communicating function.

[0044] It should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by terms such as "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, it should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0045] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, "a plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0046] Referring to Figures 1 to 4 , an integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication provided by an embodiment of the present invention includes an upper quartz glass substrate 102, a lower quartz glass substrate 109, a liquid crystal medium 105 disposed between the upper quartz glass substrate and the lower quartz glass substrate, and polyimide films 104 and 106 disposed above and below the liquid crystal medium 105, a coplanar waveguide transmission line 108 and a slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network 110 arranged on the upper surface of the lower quartz glass substrate, a plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna units 101 arranged on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate, and a metal ground 103 arranged on the lower surface of the upper quartz glass substrate; wherein, the coplanar waveguide transmission line 108 is connected to the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network 110, the metal ground 103 has a plurality of coupling slots 115, and each slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter 113 of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network 110 is correspondingly coupled to each slot-coupled patch antenna unit 101 through the coupling slots 115, and each slot-coupled patch antenna unit 101 is independently regulated through the corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter 113 to achieve dual-beam and two-dimensional scanning.

[0047] As Figure 2 and Figure 4 shown, in a preferred embodiment, the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network 110 includes 16 slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters 113, configured as a symmetric feeding network in an H-shaped structure, wherein every 4 slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters 113 are in a group and arranged in a geometric layout of an H shape, respectively arranged on the four arms of the H shape, and the adjacent two slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters 113 in each group form feeding current signals with opposite directions (see Figure 4 ), thereby generating the required phase difference; correspondingly, as Figure 1 and Figure 3As shown, 16 slot-coupled patch antenna elements 101 and 16 coupling slots 115 are configured corresponding to 16 slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters 113.

[0048] As Figure 1 and Figure 3 shown, the slot-coupled patch antenna element 101 is preferably a long strip rectangle, the length direction of which is perpendicular to the extension direction of the slow-wave transmission line of the corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter 113. The 16 slot-coupled patch antenna elements 101 form a 4×4 antenna array. Preferably, the slot-coupled patch antenna elements 101 are arranged in a uniform planar array at an interval of 0.25λ to 1λ. Preferably, the coupling slot 115 is an H-shaped slot or a linear slot, and the length direction of which is perpendicular to the extension direction of the slow-wave transmission line of the corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter 113. The slow-wave transmission line can adopt (but is not limited to) the slow-wave transmission line structure disclosed in the patent with the publication number of CN116960585B by the applicant.

[0049] The liquid crystal phased array of the embodiment of the present invention realizes the characteristics of dual-beam, two-dimensional scanning, high gain, and easy integration through innovative design. Through the design of the patch antenna element with slot-coupled feeding, the phased array of the present invention can perform dual-beam and two-dimensional scanning based on liquid crystal electrical regulation, achieving a high radiation gain of 7.65 dBi at 30 GHz and a -10 dB impedance bandwidth of 2 GHz, which well meets the regulation requirements of two-dimensional scanning. Compared with the prior art, the present invention can achieve a larger phase modulation range under limited physical dimensions, not only optimizing the pattern scanning ability of the phased array, but also being beneficial to the miniaturization and integrated processing of the liquid crystal phased array. The H-shaped feeding network of the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes the reverse feeding characteristic of the current to realize the dual-beam shaping of the optimized 4×4 planar array, enhancing the flexibility and application range of the phased array. The cooperation of the H-shaped feeding network and the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter realizes a low-profile dual-beam and two-dimensional scanning phased array, which is beneficial to improving the flexibility of the liquid crystal phased array, and can achieve continuous beam scanning within the 30 GHz frequency range, with a scanning angle reaching ±30°, and the gain within the scanning range reaching between 12.1 dBi and 15.3 dBi. The present invention realizes a wide bandwidth of 2 GHz and high gain at 30 GHz, while reducing the insertion loss of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0050] The specific embodiments of the present invention are further described below.

[0051] As Figures 1 - 3As shown in the figure, the integrated liquid crystal phased array of the embodiment of the present utility model includes a coplanar waveguide transmission line 108, a slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network 110, a slot-coupled patch antenna unit 101, a metal ground 103, a coupling slot 115, and upper and lower quartz glass substrates 102, 109. It further includes polyimide films 104, 106 disposed above and below the liquid crystal medium 105, which serve as the alignment layers for the molecules of the liquid crystal medium 105. In one embodiment, there are sixteen slot-coupled patch antenna units 101, which are evenly distributed on the quartz glass substrate 102.

[0052] The slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network 110 includes: a liquid crystal medium 105, polyimide films 104, 106, a bias network 107, a DC pad 111, a DC block 114, a one-to-sixteen power divider 112, and a slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter 113. The liquid crystal is aligned by the polyimide films 104, 106 and sealed between the quartz glass substrates 102, 109, and is evenly distributed above the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter 113.

[0053] The coplanar waveguide transmission line 108 is connected to the front end of the one-to-sixteen power divider 112. Sixteen slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters 113 are respectively located at the sixteen power distribution ports of the one-to-sixteen power divider 112. Sixteen slot-coupled patch antenna units 101 are respectively located above the sixteen power distribution ports of the one-to-sixteen power divider 112. The bias network 107 and the DC pad 111 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the one-to-sixteen power divider 112. The DC block 114 is arranged in front of each slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter. The sixteen DC blocks isolate each liquid crystal phase shifter from each other, so as to individually control each slot-coupled patch antenna unit. By optimizing the layout of the bias network and the settings of the DC pad and the DC block, the insertion loss of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter can be reduced.

[0054] The coplanar waveguide transmission line 108, the one-to-sixteen power divider 112, the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter 113, the bias network 107, and the DC pad 111 are all located on the upper surface of the lower quartz glass substrate 109. The metal ground 103 and the coupling slot 115 are located on the lower surface of the upper quartz glass substrate 102. The slot-coupled patch antenna unit 101 is located on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate 102.

[0055] The gain of the above slot-coupled patch antenna unit will be further improved as the patch size increases. Depending on the required radiation pattern, the coupling slot can be loaded directly below or laterally below the slot-coupled patch antenna unit. In one embodiment, the coupling slot is designed as an H-shaped slot. In another embodiment, a straight slot can also be used. By optimizing the geometric shape of the slot, better coupling efficiency can be obtained.

[0056] The bias network can be loaded on the same side of the one-to-sixteen power divider or on both sides of the one-to-sixteen power divider. Although the bias network arranged on the same side is convenient for processing, when the bias network is loaded on the same side of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter, the distance between the bias network lines is reduced, resulting in an increase in unnecessary coupling loss. Therefore, a symmetrically arranged bias network is preferably used to optimize the loss of the system.

[0057] In the embodiment of the present invention, the reverse characteristic of the current of the H-shaped slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network is utilized, as Figure 4 shown, to achieve dual-beam forming. At the same time, a slow-wave structure is introduced into the liquid crystal phase shifter, so that a large range of phase modulation can be achieved under a limited physical size. Each slot-coupled patch antenna unit can be individually regulated in phase by the slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter to achieve two-dimensional scanning of the dual beams.

[0058] Further details are as Figures 1 - 3 shown. The integrated liquid crystal phased array includes a coplanar waveguide transmission line 108, a slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network 110, slot-coupled patch antenna units 101, a metal ground 103, coupling slots 115, and upper and lower quartz glass substrates 102, 109. It also includes polyimide films 104, 106 arranged above and below the liquid crystal medium 105 as the alignment layers of the liquid crystal medium 105 molecules. Among them, there are sixteen slot-coupled patch antenna units 101, which are evenly distributed on the quartz glass substrate 102.

[0059] As Figure 1 shown, the liquid crystal phased array consists of a lower quartz glass substrate, an upper quartz glass substrate, a liquid crystal medium and copper metal lines to form a sandwich structure. The overall size of the liquid crystal phased array is 50×50×1.056 mm 3 . Among them, the upper quartz glass substrate is 40×35×0.5 mm 3 ; the lower quartz glass substrate is 50×50×0.5 mm 3 ; the size of the metal ground is 40×35×0.5 mm 3 ; the thickness of the liquid crystal medium is 0.05 mm, and the thickness of all copper metal lines is 0.003 mm. The overall size of the coplanar ground of the coplanar waveguide transmission line is 14×10 mm 2 , and the width of the coplanar waveguide transmission line is 0.4 mm; the gap between the coplanar waveguide transmission line and the coplanar ground is 0.1 mm. Moreover, at the position where the coplanar ground of the coplanar waveguide transmission line and the metal ground of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network are staggered, a fillet with a radius of 5 mm is formed to facilitate the smoother transition of the alternating current between the metal grounds not in the same plane.

[0060] As Figure 2As shown, the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network, bias network, DC block, coplanar waveguide transmission line, and 1-to-16 power divider are all located on the upper surface of the lower quartz glass substrate. The bias network is symmetrically distributed on both sides of the 1-to-16 power divider; the DC block is arranged before each slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0061] As Figure 3 shown, the metal ground and coupling slots are located on the lower surface of the upper quartz glass substrate, and the slot-coupled patch antenna elements are evenly distributed on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate.

[0062] As Figure 4 shown, the H-shaped feeding current flows of the 1-to-16 power divider are opposite to each other in pairs, that is, the phase of one antenna element is 0 degrees and the other is 180 degrees. Specifically, in one direction, the radiation fields of two antenna elements may add up, while in the other direction, their radiation fields may cancel each other out. In one direction, due to the phase difference of 180 degrees, the addition of their radiation fields will result in enhancement (constructive interference), and the radiation intensity will increase in these directions. In the other direction, due to the phase difference of 0 degrees or 360 degrees, their radiation fields will cancel each other out (destructive interference), and the radiation intensity will decrease or even completely disappear in these directions. Therefore, this feeding structure can form dual beams.

[0063] It can be Figures 5 - 6 seen that the -10dB bandwidth of the slot-coupled patch antenna element at the center frequency of 30GHz is 2GHz, covering the frequency band range of 28.5GHz - 30.5GHz, and having a gain of 7.65dBi.

[0064] It can be Figure 7 seen that the -10dB bandwidth of the 1-to-16 power divider is 14GHz, covering the frequency band range of 23.5GHz - 37.5GHz, and the loss of each port is about 14dB.

[0065] It can be Figures 8 - 9 seen that the integrated liquid crystal phased array has a dual-beam radiation pattern at a frequency of 30GHz and a gain of 15.3dBi.

[0066] It can be Figure 10 seen that by adjusting the feeding phase of each slot-coupled patch antenna element of the integrated liquid crystal phased array, dual-beam scanning can be performed in the Theta plane, and the scanning angle range is: ±35°.

[0067] It can be Figure 11 seen that by adjusting the feeding phase of each slot-coupled patch antenna element of the integrated liquid crystal phased array, dual-beam scanning can be performed in the Phi plane, and the scanning angle range is: ±30°.

[0068] The integrated liquid crystal phased array provided by the present utility model improves the phase modulation range under limited physical dimensions, thereby enhancing the flexibility of the liquid crystal phased array. By utilizing the reverse characteristic of the feeding current of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shifting feeding network with the H-type configuration in the embodiment of the present utility model, an integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication is realized. The liquid crystal phased array can achieve two-dimensional continuous beam scanning within a 30 GHz frequency range, with a scanning angle up to ±30°, and the gain within the scanning range reaches 12.1 dBi to 15.3 dBi. Thus, the present utility model realizes an integrated liquid crystal phased array, which is expected to be widely applied in the future wireless communication field.

[0069] The above content is a further detailed description of the present utility model in combination with specific / preferred embodiments, and it cannot be determined that the specific implementation of the present utility model is only limited to these descriptions. For those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present utility model belongs, without departing from the concept of the present utility model, several alternatives or modifications can be made to these described embodiments, and these alternative or modified forms should all be regarded as belonging to the protection scope of the present utility model. In the description of this specification, the description with reference to terms such as "an embodiment", "some embodiments", "preferred embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present utility model. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. Without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in this specification and the features of different embodiments or examples. Although the embodiments of the present utility model and their advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made herein without departing from the scope of protection of the patent application.

Claims

1. An integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communications, characterized in that: The invention comprises an upper quartz glass substrate, a lower quartz glass substrate, a liquid crystal medium arranged between the upper quartz glass substrate and the lower quartz glass substrate, a polyimide film arranged above and below the liquid crystal medium, a coplanar waveguide transmission line and a slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shift feeding network arranged on the upper surface of the lower quartz glass substrate, a plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna units arranged on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate, and a metal ground arranged on the lower surface of the upper quartz glass substrate; wherein the coplanar waveguide transmission line is connected to the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shift feeding network, a plurality of coupling slots are provided on the metal ground, each slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shift feeding network is coupled with each slot-coupled patch antenna unit through a coupling slot, each slot-coupled patch antenna unit is independently regulated by a corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter to realize dual-beam and two-dimensional scanning, wherein the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shift feeding network comprises a plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna units arranged on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate, and a plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna units arranged on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate; wherein the coplanar waveguide transmission line is connected to the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shift feeding network, a plurality of coupling slots are provided on the metal ground, each slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shift feeding network is coupled with each slot-coupled patch antenna unit through a coupling slot, and each slot-coupled patch antenna unit is independently regulated by a corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter to realize dual-beam and two-dimensional scanning, wherein the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shift feeding network comprises a plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna units arranged on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate, and a plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna units arranged on the lower surface of the upper quartz glass substrate; wherein the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shift feeding network comprises a plurality of slot-coupled patch antenna units arranged on the upper surface of the upper quartz glass substrate, The invention relates to a symmetrical feeding network of an H-shaped structure, wherein each group of 4 slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters is arranged according to the geometric layout of the H-shape and are respectively arranged on the four arms of the H-shape. The extension direction of the slow-wave transmission line of each slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter determines the extension direction of one arm of the H-shape respectively. Two adjacent slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters in each group form feeding signals in opposite directions, thereby generating the required phase difference. Accordingly, 16 slot-coupled patch antenna units and 16 coupling slots are configured. The slow-wave liquid crystal phase shift feeding network also includes a bias network, a DC block and a one-to-sixteen power divider. The 16 slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifters are respectively located at the output ports of the one-to-sixteen power divider. The bias network is symmetrically distributed on both sides of the one-to-sixteen power divider. The DC block is arranged before each slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter. The bias network includes 16 DC bias lines, which are symmetrically distributed.

2. The integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slot-coupled patch antenna unit is a long rectangular strip, and its length direction is perpendicular to the extension direction of the slow-wave transmission line of the corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter. The 16 slot-coupled patch antenna units form a 4×4 antenna array.

3. The integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slot-coupled patch antenna units are arranged into a uniform array at intervals of 0.25λ to 1λ.

4. The integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication according to claim 2, characterized in that: The coupling gap is an H-shaped gap or a linear gap, and its length direction is perpendicular to the extension direction of the slow-wave transmission line of the corresponding slow-wave liquid crystal phase shifter.

5. The integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The coplanar waveguide transmission line has a coplanar ground, which is not in the same plane as the metal ground of the slow-wave liquid crystal phase-shift feeding network and is arranged in a staggered and overlapping manner.

6. The integrated liquid crystal phased array for satellite ground communication according to claim 5, characterized in that: The coplanar metal ground of the coplanar waveguide transmission line is rounded.

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