Phase shifter, antenna, and communication device

Abstract

Provided in the present disclosure are a phase shifter, an antenna, and a communication device. The phase shifter comprises: a first substrate; a tunable reactance structure, which is located on one side of the first substrate, wherein the tunable reactance structure comprises: a first grounding layer located on one side of the first substrate, an tunable dielectric layer located on the side of the first grounding layer away from the first substrate, and a load line layer located on the side of the tunable dielectric layer away from the first substrate; a second substrate, which is located on the side of the tunable reactance structure away from the first substrate; a second grounding layer, which is located on the side of the second substrate away from the first substrate; a third substrate, which is located on the side of the second grounding layer away from the first substrate; and a 3 dB coupler, which is located on the side of the third substrate away from the first substrate, wherein the 3 dB coupler comprises an input port, an output port, a first coupling port and a second coupling port, the input port and the output port being located on the same side, the first coupling port and the second coupling port being located on the other opposite side, and the first coupling port and the second coupling port both being electrically connected to the load line layer.

Description

Phase shifter, antenna and communication equipment Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of microwave transmission technology, and in particular to a phase shifter, an antenna, and a communication device. Background Art

[0002] A phase shifter is a device that can adjust the phase of a microwave signal (electromagnetic wave). It is widely used in electronic communication systems and is a core component in phased array radars, synthetic aperture radars, radar electronic countermeasures, satellite communications, and transmitters.

[0003] Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present disclosure provides a phase shifter, an antenna, and a communication device. The specific solutions are as follows:

[0005] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a phase shifter, comprising:

[0006] a first substrate;

[0007] An adjustable reactance structure is located on one side of the first substrate; wherein the adjustable reactance structure includes: a first ground layer located on one side of the first substrate, an adjustable dielectric layer located on a side of the first ground layer facing away from the first substrate, and a load line layer located on a side of the adjustable dielectric layer facing away from the first substrate;

[0008] a second substrate, located on a side of the adjustable reactance structure facing away from the first substrate;

[0009] a second ground layer, located on a side of the second substrate facing away from the first substrate;

[0010] a third substrate, located on a side of the second ground layer facing away from the first substrate;

[0011] A 3dB coupler is located on a side of the third substrate facing away from the first substrate, the 3dB coupler comprising an input port, an output port, a first coupling port, and a second coupling port, wherein the input port and the output port are located on the same side, the first coupling port and the second coupling port are located on the other opposite side, and the first coupling port and the second coupling port are electrically connected to the load line layer, respectively.

[0012] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the 3dB coupler further includes: a first main line connected between the input port and the first coupled port, a second main line connected between the output port and the second coupled port, a first auxiliary line connected between a group of ends of the first main line and the second main line, a second auxiliary line connected between another group of ends of the first main line and the second main line and parallel to the first auxiliary line, and a first branch line connecting the first main line and the second main line and located between the first auxiliary line and the second auxiliary line.

[0013] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, a direction from the input port to the first coupling port is a first direction, and a direction from the input port to the output port is a second direction;

[0014] The input port, the output port, the first coupling port, and the second coupling port have the same length along the first direction, and the input port, the output port, the first coupling port, and the second coupling port have the same width along the second direction;

[0015] The first main line and the second main line have the same length along the first direction, and the first main line and the second main line have the same width along the second direction;

[0016] The first subline and the second subline have the same width along the first direction, and the first subline and the second subline have the same length along the second direction;

[0017] The width of the first main line is greater than the width of the first sub-line, and the width of the first sub-line is greater than the width of the first branch line along the first direction.

[0018] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the input port is electrically connected to a middle region of one end of the first main line, and the first coupling port is electrically connected to a middle region of the other end of the first main line;

[0019] The output port is electrically connected to a middle region of one end of the second main line, and the second coupling port is electrically connected to a middle region of the other end of the second main line;

[0020] One end of the first auxiliary line is electrically connected to the first main line and the input port at the same time, and the other end of the first auxiliary line is electrically connected to the second main line and the output port at the same time;

[0021] One end of the second auxiliary line is electrically connected to the first main line and the first coupling port at the same time, and the other end of the second auxiliary line is electrically connected to the second main line and the second coupling port at the same time.

[0022] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the 3dB coupler further includes at least one pair of rectangular open-ended lines arranged on both sides of the first branch line along the first direction, and each of the rectangular open-ended lines is electrically connected to both sides of the first branch line respectively.

[0023] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, two pairs of rectangular open lines are provided at intervals on both sides of the first branch line along the first direction.

[0024] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the 3dB coupler further includes a second branch line connecting the first main line and the second main line and located between the first auxiliary line and the second auxiliary line, and the first branch line and the second branch line are parallel and spaced apart.

[0025] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the 3dB coupler further includes: at least one pair of rectangular open-ended wires arranged on both sides of the first branch line along the first direction, and at least one pair of rectangular open-ended wires arranged on both sides of the second branch line along the first direction;

[0026] The rectangular open lines on both sides of the first branch line are electrically connected to both sides of the first branch line, and the rectangular open lines on both sides of the second branch line are electrically connected to both sides of the second branch line;

[0027] A pair of rectangular open lines electrically connected to the first branch line and a pair of rectangular open lines electrically connected to the second branch line are spaced apart along the second direction.

[0028] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the 3dB coupler further includes: at least one pair of rectangular open-ended wires arranged on both sides of the first auxiliary line along the first direction, and at least one pair of rectangular open-ended wires arranged on both sides of the second auxiliary line along the first direction;

[0029] The rectangular open lines on both sides of the first auxiliary line are electrically connected to both sides of the first auxiliary line respectively, and the rectangular open lines on both sides of the second auxiliary line are electrically connected to both sides of the second auxiliary line respectively.

[0030] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the lengths of the input port, the output port, the first coupling port, and the second coupling port along the first direction are each 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the widths of the input port, the output port, the first coupling port, and the second coupling port along the second direction are each 1 / 30 to 1 / 15 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0031] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the lengths of the first main line and the second main line along the first direction are both 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the widths of the first main line and the second main line along the second direction are both 1 / 20 to 1 / 10 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0032] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the distance between the input port and the output port, and the distance between the first coupling port and the second coupling port are both 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the distance between the first main line and the second main line are both 1 / 12 to 1 / 8 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0033] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, the width of the first branch line along the first direction is 1 / 50 to 1 / 30 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0034] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the width of the rectangular open line along the second direction is 1 / 30 to 1 / 20 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band;

[0035] The distance between the two outermost pairs of sides of the pair of rectangular open lines along the first direction is 1 / 12 to 1 / 8 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the working frequency band.

[0036] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the load line layer includes a first load line and a second load line spaced apart from each other, the first load line being electrically connected to the first coupling port via a first via hole sequentially penetrating the third substrate, the second ground layer, and the second substrate, and the second load line being electrically connected to the second coupling port via a second via hole sequentially penetrating the third substrate, the second ground layer, and the second substrate.

[0037] The first via hole and the second via hole are both filled with metal connecting columns, and the metal connecting columns are insulated from the second ground layer.

[0038] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure, the 3dB coupler has a center line extending along the first direction, and the first load line and the second load line are symmetrically arranged about the center line.

[0039] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first load line includes: a first sub-line extending along the second direction, a second sub-line extending along the first direction and electrically connected to an end of the first sub-line away from the second load line, and a plurality of pairs of third sub-lines connected to both sides of the second sub-line along the second direction; wherein,

[0040] A length of the second sub-line along the first direction is greater than a length of the first sub-line along the second direction.

[0041] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the width of each of the third sub-lines along the second direction is divided into a third sub-line of a first width and a third sub-line of a second width, and the first width is smaller than the second width;

[0042] Along the first direction, the third sub-lines of the first width and the third sub-lines of the second width are alternately arranged.

[0043] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the widths of the third sub-lines arranged along the first direction along the second direction first increase successively and then decrease successively, and the width of the third sub-line closest to the first sub-line is the smallest.

[0044] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first load line includes: a first sub-line extending along the second direction, a second sub-line extending along the first direction and electrically connected to an end of the first sub-line away from the second load line, and a third sub-line electrically connected to an end of the second sub-line away from the first sub-line; wherein,

[0045] The third sub-line includes a first line segment and a second line segment alternately arranged along the first direction and connected end to end in sequence, the first line segment extends along the second direction, the second line segment extends along the first direction, and the second sub-line is connected to one end of the first line segment, and the other end of the first line segment is located on the side of the second sub-line away from the second load line.

[0046] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the length of the first line segment along the second direction is greater than the length of the second line segment along the first direction, and the length of the first line segment directly electrically connected to the second sub-line is less than the length of the remaining first line segments.

[0047] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second ground layer includes at least one through hole, and the orthographic projections of the first through hole and the second through hole on the first substrate are located outside the orthographic projection of the at least one through hole on the first substrate.

[0048] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of the through holes is 3, and the through holes are arranged sequentially along the first direction in a central area of ​​the second ground layer.

[0049] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of the through holes is 7, one of which is located in the central area of ​​the second ground layer, three through holes arranged in sequence along the second direction are provided on one side of the one through hole along the first direction, and three through holes arranged in sequence along the second direction are provided on the other side of the one through hole along the first direction.

[0050] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of the through holes is 9, and the through holes are distributed in an array in the central area of ​​the second ground layer.

[0051] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the through hole is rectangular in shape.

[0052] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, the length of the through hole along the first direction is 1 / 20 to 1 / 10 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the width of the through hole along the second direction is 1 / 25 to 1 / 15 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0053] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the thickness of the first ground layer, the load line layer, the second ground layer, and the 3dB coupler are all greater than

[0054] Where ω is the angular frequency, μ is the magnetic permeability, and γ is the electrical conductivity.

[0055] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, the material of the adjustable dielectric layer includes a liquid crystal material.

[0056] Accordingly, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an antenna, comprising an antenna unit, a power division network, and any one of the above-mentioned phase shifters provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure; wherein,

[0057] The antenna unit is electrically connected to the input port of the 3dB coupler in the phase shifter, and the power division network is electrically connected to the output port of the 3dB coupler in the phase shifter;

[0058] Alternatively, the power division network is electrically connected to an input port of a 3dB coupler in the phase shifter, and the antenna unit is electrically connected to an output port of the 3dB coupler in the phase shifter.

[0059] Correspondingly, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a communication device, comprising the above-mentioned antenna provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0060] FIG1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0061] FIG2 is a working principle diagram of the phase shifter shown in FIG1 ;

[0062] FIG3 is a plan view of a 3dB coupler provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0063] FIG4 is a plan view of another 3dB coupler provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0064] FIG5 is a plan view of another 3dB coupler provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0065] FIG6 is a plan view of a load line layer provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0066] FIG7 is a plan view of another load line layer provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0067] FIG8 is a plan view of another load line layer provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0068] FIG9 is a plan view of another load line layer provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0069] FIG10 is a plan view of a second ground layer provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0070] FIG11 is a plan view of another second ground layer provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0071] FIG12 is a plan view of another second ground layer provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0072] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of a simulation of a reflection coefficient (S11) between the RF signal input port 61 and the output port 62 of a phase shifter provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure shown in FIG2 ;

[0073] FIG14 is a schematic diagram of a simulation of a transmission coefficient (S21) of a phase shifter provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure between the RF signal input port 61 and the output port 62 shown in FIG2 ;

[0074] FIG15 is a schematic diagram of a simulation of a phase shift (cang_ang(s21)) between the RF signal input port 61 and the output port 62 of a phase shifter provided by an embodiment of the present disclosure shown in FIG2 ;

[0075] FIG16 is a schematic structural diagram of an antenna provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0076] FIG17 is a schematic structural diagram of another antenna provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of the embodiments. And in the absence of conflict, the embodiments in the present disclosure and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. Based on the described embodiments of the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0078] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this disclosure shall have the usual meanings understood by persons of ordinary skill in the field to which this disclosure belongs. The words “include” or “comprise” and the like used in this disclosure mean that the elements or objects preceding the word include the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. The words “connect” or “connected” and the like are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. “Inside”, “outside”, “upper”, “lower”, etc. are only used to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the object being described changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0079] It should be noted that the sizes and shapes of the figures in the accompanying drawings do not reflect the actual scale and are only for the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure. The same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions.

[0080] Phase shifters modulate the phase of RF signals. Phase shifter adjustment is primarily through electrical tuning, typically based on PIN diodes, varactor diodes, MEMS, ferroelectrics, or ferrites. PIN diodes cannot achieve continuous phase adjustment and also suffer from significant losses and parasitics at high frequencies. Phase shifters based on varactor diodes can achieve continuous phase tuning, but also suffer from significant losses and parasitics at high frequencies. MEMS-based phase shifters offer superior performance to PIN and varactor diodes, but are costly and difficult to integrate. Electrical materials can tune the dielectric constant over a wide range, offering good performance at lower frequencies. However, they require a higher bias voltage to tune the material. Furthermore, as the frequency increases, material losses increase, leading to increased losses in the phase shifter. Therefore, ferroelectric materials are not suitable for use in the Ku frequency range and above. Ferrite-based phase shifters use an external magnetic field to influence the material's magnetic permeability, thereby changing the phase velocity of electromagnetic waves. However, these require high drive power, are bulky, and are relatively heavy, hindering the miniaturization of tunable phase shifters. Therefore, it is difficult for phase shifters based on the above materials to simultaneously meet the requirements of compactness, low cost, and continuous tuning.

[0081] In view of this, in order to solve the problem that phase shifters in related technologies are difficult to simultaneously meet the requirements of compactness, low cost, and continuous tuning, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a phase shifter, as shown in FIG1 , comprising:

[0082] a first substrate 1;

[0083] An adjustable reactance structure 2 is located on one side of the first substrate 1. The adjustable reactance structure 2 includes a first ground layer 21 located on one side of the first substrate 1, an adjustable dielectric layer 22 located on a side of the first ground layer 21 facing away from the first substrate 1, and a load line layer 23 located on a side of the adjustable dielectric layer 22 facing away from the first substrate 1.

[0084] a second substrate 3 located on a side of the adjustable reactance structure 2 facing away from the first substrate 1;

[0085] A second grounding layer 4 is located on a side of the second substrate 3 facing away from the first substrate 1;

[0086] a third substrate 5, located on a side of the second ground layer 4 facing away from the first substrate 1;

[0087] The 3dB coupler 6 is located on the side of the third substrate 5 facing away from the first substrate 1. The 3dB coupler 6 includes an input port 61, an output port 62, a first coupling port 63, and a second coupling port 64. The input port 61 and the output port 62 are located on the same side, and the first coupling port 63 and the second coupling port 64 are located on the other opposite side. The first coupling port 63 and the second coupling port 64 are respectively electrically connected to the load line layer 23.

[0088] The phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure is composed of a 3dB coupler and an adjustable reactance structure. The manufacturing process is relatively simple and can achieve low-cost requirements. As shown in Figure 2, Figure 2 is a working principle diagram of the phase shifter. The RF signal is input from the input port 61 of the 3dB coupler, and the first coupling port 63 and the second coupling port 64 reflect the RF signal to the output port 62. By adjusting the dielectric constant of the adjustable dielectric layer in the adjustable reactance structure 2, the reactance value of the load line layer 23 is changed, thereby changing the impedance of the first coupling port 63 and the second coupling port 64, thereby changing the phase of the RF signal output from the output port 62 of the 3dB coupler, achieving the purpose of phase adjustment. The present disclosure can achieve the requirement of continuous phase tuning. In addition, the present disclosure can make the phase shifter more miniaturized by stacking the 3dB coupler and the adjustable reactance structure. Therefore, the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can simultaneously meet the requirements of compactness, low cost, and continuous tuning.

[0089] As shown in Figure 1, the dielectric constant of the tunable dielectric layer 22 can change based on the electric field between the first ground layer 21 and the load line layer 23. Specifically, the material of the tunable dielectric layer 22 may include a liquid crystal material, that is, the tunable dielectric layer 22 may be a liquid crystal layer 22. Liquid crystal has attracted the attention of researchers for many years due to its wide application in optical and non-optical fields. Because liquid crystal molecules are sensitive to electromagnetic fields, they have relatively low dielectric loss, and the manufacturing cost of related devices is low, making them of great research value in microwave and millimeter wave circuits. Liquid crystal is an anisotropic material with different dielectric constants along its major and minor axes. Therefore, liquid crystal has strong electrical tunability. Its properties can be controlled through surface anchoring and external electric or magnetic fields. Liquid crystal exhibits different dielectric constants at different voltages. Therefore, compared with other tunable dielectrics, liquid crystals are increasingly widely used in various microwave devices. Of course, the tunable dielectric layer 22 in the present disclosure can also be other materials similar to liquid crystals that can change their dielectric constant based on changes in electric fields, such as graphene and polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC). To improve the response time of the phase shifter, PDLC can be used. This disclosure uses the liquid crystal layer 22 as an example for explanation. Different types of liquid crystals have different adjustable dielectric constants, and it is necessary to use a suitable liquid crystal based on the required dielectric constant. For example, this disclosure uses LC446 liquid crystal.

[0090] In one possible implementation, as shown in FIG1 , the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 22 has a certain influence on the electromagnetic wave coupling strength. The thickness of the liquid crystal layer 22 should not be too large. The thickness of the liquid crystal layer 22 can be set within a range of 4 μm to 100 μm according to design requirements and process conditions. Preferably, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer 22 is 8.6 μm.

[0091] Specifically, as shown in FIG1 , after voltage is applied to the first ground layer 21 and the load line layer 23 , an electric field is formed between the two, causing the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 22 to deflect, thereby changing the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal layer 22 , thereby changing the reactance value of the load line layer 23 , thereby changing the phase of the RF signal output from the output port of the 3dB coupler, thereby achieving the purpose of phase shifting.

[0092] Optionally, the first substrate, the second substrate and the third substrate can be commonly used PCB insulating materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene glass fiber laminate, phenolic paper laminate, phenolic glass cloth laminate, etc., or can be hard materials with low microwave signal loss such as quartz and glass, or can be flexible materials such as polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc.

[0093] Optionally, when the materials of the first substrate, the second substrate and the third substrate are all flexible materials, the liquid crystal phase shifter provided by the embodiment of the present disclosure is easy to conform to other structures, which is conducive to improving the application scenarios of the liquid crystal phase shifter.

[0094] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, Figure 3 is a plan schematic diagram of a 3dB coupler provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 4 is a plan schematic diagram of another 3dB coupler provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 5 is a plan schematic diagram of another 3dB coupler provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The 3dB coupler further includes: a first main line 65 connected between the input port 61 and the first coupling port 63, a second main line 66 connected between the output port 62 and the second coupling port 64, a first auxiliary line 67 connected between one set of ends of the first main line 65 and the second main line 66, a second auxiliary line 68 connected between the other set of ends of the first main line 65 and the second main line 66 and parallel to the first auxiliary line 67, and a first branch line 69 connecting the first main line 65 and the second main line 66 and located between the first auxiliary line 67 and the second auxiliary line 68. The structure of the 3dB coupler provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can achieve impedance matching of the 3dB coupler, so that the RF signal is input from the input port 61 and output from the output port 62 after being reflected by the first coupling port 63 and the second coupling port 64 .

[0095] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG3 to FIG5 , the direction from the input port 61 to the first coupling port 63 is a first direction X, and the direction from the input port 61 to the output port 62 is a second direction Y;

[0096] The input port 61, the output port 62, the first coupling port 63, and the second coupling port 64 have the same length along the first direction X (all L1), and the input port 61, the output port 62, the first coupling port 63, and the second coupling port 64 have the same width along the second direction Y (all W1). Of course, in a specific implementation, the widths of the input port 61, the output port 62, the first coupling port 63, and the second coupling port 64 along the second direction Y may also be different.

[0097] The first main line 65 and the second main line 66 have the same length along the first direction X (both are L2), and the first main line 65 and the second main line 66 have the same width along the second direction Y (both are W2). Of course, in a specific implementation, the lengths of the first main line 65 and the second main line 66 along the first direction X may be different, and the widths of the first main line 65 and the second main line 66 along the second direction Y may be different.

[0098] The first subline 67 and the second subline 68 have the same width along the first direction X (e.g., W1), and the first subline 67 and the second subline 68 have the same length along the second direction Y (both L3). Of course, in a specific implementation, the first subline 67 and the second subline 68 may have different widths along the first direction X, and the first subline 67 and the second subline 68 may have different lengths along the second direction Y.

[0099] The width W2 of the first main line 65 is greater than the width W1 of the first auxiliary line 67 , and the width W1 of the first auxiliary line 67 is greater than the width W3 of the first branch line 69 along the first direction X. The dimension design of each position in the 3dB coupler provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure can make the impedance of the 3dB coupler more matched.

[0100] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG3 to FIG5 , the input port 61 is electrically connected to the middle region of one end of the first main line 65 , and the first coupling port 63 is electrically connected to the middle region of the other end of the first main line 65 ;

[0101] The output port 62 is electrically connected to the middle region of one end of the second main line 66 , and the second coupling port 64 is electrically connected to the middle region of the other end of the second main line 66 ;

[0102] One end of the first auxiliary line 67 is electrically connected to the first main line 65 and the input port 61 at the same time, and the other end of the first auxiliary line 67 is electrically connected to the second main line 66 and the output port 62 at the same time;

[0103] One end of the second auxiliary line 68 is electrically connected to both the first main line 65 and the first coupling port 63, and the other end of the second auxiliary line 68 is electrically connected to both the second main line 66 and the second coupling port 64. This can further achieve impedance matching of the 3dB coupler.

[0104] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG3 , the 3dB coupler 6 further includes at least one pair of rectangular open-ended lines 610 disposed on either side of the first branch line 69 along the first direction X. Each rectangular open-ended line 610 is electrically connected to two sides of the first branch line 69. The design of the rectangular open-ended lines 610 can further adjust the impedance of the 3dB coupler 6, thereby achieving a more closely matched impedance.

[0105] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 3 , the two rectangular open lines 610 in each pair of rectangular open lines 610 may be symmetrically arranged with respect to the first branch line 69 ; of course, they may also be asymmetrically arranged.

[0106] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG3 , two pairs of rectangular open-circuit lines 610 are provided spaced apart on both sides of the first branch line 69 along the first direction X. The 3dB coupler 6 shown in FIG3 provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure not only satisfies impedance matching requirements but also has relatively simple structural design and manufacturing.

[0107] Optionally, as shown in FIG3 , the first branch line 69 is not limited to having two pairs of rectangular open lines 610 on both sides along the first direction X, and may be provided with three or even more pairs, which may be specifically designed according to the impedance matching of the 3dB coupler 6 .

[0108] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 , the 3dB coupler 6 further includes a second branch line 611 connecting the first main line 65 and the second main line 66 and located between the first auxiliary line 67 and the second auxiliary line 68. The first branch line 69 and the second branch line 611 are arranged parallel to and spaced apart from each other. The design of the second branch line 611 can further adjust the impedance of the 3dB coupler 6, thereby achieving a more closely matched impedance.

[0109] In one possible implementation, to ensure impedance matching of the 3dB coupler, in the phase shifter provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG4 and FIG5 , the width of the second branch line 611 along the first direction X is the same as the width of the first branch line 69 along the first direction X (both are W3). Of course, in a specific implementation, the width of the second branch line 611 along the first direction X and the width of the first branch line 69 along the first direction X may also be different.

[0110] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG4 , the 3dB coupler 6 further includes: at least one pair of rectangular open-ended lines 610 provided on both sides of the first branch line 69 along the first direction X, and at least one pair of rectangular open-ended lines 610 provided on both sides of the second branch line 611 along the first direction X;

[0111] The rectangular open lines 610 on both sides of the first branch line 69 are electrically connected to both sides of the first branch line 69, and the rectangular open lines 610 on both sides of the second branch line 611 are electrically connected to both sides of the second branch line 611.

[0112] The pair of rectangular open-ended lines 610 electrically connected to the first branch line 69 and the pair of rectangular open-ended lines 610 electrically connected to the second branch line 611 are spaced apart along the second direction Y. The design of the rectangular open-ended lines 610 on the first branch line 69 and the second branch line 611 can further adjust the impedance of the 3dB coupler 6, thereby achieving a more precise impedance match for the 3dB coupler 6. Furthermore, the 3dB coupler 6 shown in FIG. 4 , provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, not only satisfies impedance matching requirements but also has a relatively simple structural design and manufacturing process.

[0113] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 4 , the two rectangular open lines 610 in each pair of rectangular open lines 610 electrically connected to the first branch line 69 may be symmetrically arranged with respect to the first branch line 69 ; of course, they may also be asymmetrically arranged.

[0114] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 4 , the two rectangular open lines 610 in each pair of rectangular open lines 610 electrically connected to the second branch line 611 may be symmetrically arranged with respect to the second branch line 611 ; of course, they may also be asymmetrically arranged.

[0115] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG5 , the 3dB coupler 6 further includes: at least one pair of rectangular open-ended lines 610 arranged on both sides of the first auxiliary line 67 along the first direction X, and at least one pair of rectangular open-ended lines 610 arranged on both sides of the second auxiliary line 68 along the first direction X;

[0116] The rectangular open-ended lines 610 on both sides of the first auxiliary line 67 are electrically connected to both sides of the first auxiliary line 67, and the rectangular open-ended lines 610 on both sides of the second auxiliary line 68 are electrically connected to both sides of the second auxiliary line 68. The design of the rectangular open-ended lines 610 on the first and second auxiliary lines 67, 68 can further adjust the impedance of the 3dB coupler 6, thereby achieving a better impedance match of the 3dB coupler 6.

[0117] Optionally, as shown in FIG5 , the two rectangular open lines 610 in each pair of rectangular open lines 610 electrically connected to the first auxiliary line 67 may be symmetrically arranged with respect to the first auxiliary line 67 ; of course, they may also be asymmetrically arranged.

[0118] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 5 , the two rectangular open lines 610 in each pair of rectangular open lines 610 electrically connected to the second auxiliary line 68 may be symmetrically arranged with respect to the second auxiliary line 68 ; of course, they may also be asymmetrically arranged.

[0119] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG5 , three pairs of rectangular open-ended lines 610 spaced apart from each other are provided on both sides of the first auxiliary line 67 along the first direction X, and three pairs of rectangular open-ended lines 610 spaced apart from each other are provided on both sides of the second auxiliary line 68 along the first direction X. While the structural design and manufacturing of the 3dB coupler 6 shown in FIG5 in an embodiment of the present disclosure are relatively complex compared to those shown in FIG3 and FIG4 , the structure shown in FIG5 can increase the operating bandwidth of the phase shifter.

[0120] Optionally, as shown in FIG5 , the first auxiliary line 67 and the second auxiliary line 68 are not limited to having three pairs of rectangular open lines 610 on both sides along the first direction X. One pair, two pairs or even more pairs may be provided, and the design may be based on the impedance matching of the 3dB coupler 6 .

[0121] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG3 and FIG5 , the 3dB coupler 6 may be a centrosymmetric structure.

[0122] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, the length and width of each part of the 3dB coupler 6 are related to the operating frequency, wherein the length L1 of the input port 61, the output port 62, the first coupling port 63, and the second coupling port 64 along the first direction X can all be 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the width W1 of the input port 62, the first coupling port 63, and the second coupling port 64 along the second direction Y can all be 1 / 30 to 1 / 15 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0123] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, the length and width of each part in the 3dB coupler 6 are related to the operating frequency, wherein the length L2 of the first main line 65 and the second main line 66 along the first direction X are both 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the width W2 of the first main line 65 and the second main line 66 along the second direction Y are both 1 / 20 to 1 / 10 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0124] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, the length and width of each part in the 3dB coupler 6 are related to the operating frequency, wherein the distance L3 between the input port 61 and the output port 62 and the distance L3 between the first coupling port 63 and the second coupling port 64 can both be 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the distance L4 between the first main line 65 and the second main line 66 can both be 1 / 12 to 1 / 8 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0125] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, the length and width of each part in the 3dB coupler 6 are related to the operating frequency, wherein the width W3 of the first branch line 69 along the first direction X is 1 / 50 to 1 / 30 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0126] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG3 to FIG5 , the length and width of each portion of the 3dB coupler 6 are related to the operating frequency, wherein the width W4 of the rectangular open line 610 along the second direction Y may be 1 / 30 to 1 / 20 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band;

[0127] The distance L4 between the two outermost pairs of sides of a pair of rectangular open lines 610 along the first direction X may be 1 / 12 to 1 / 8 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0128] Optionally, the embodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples of the specific structures of several 3dB couplers 6 shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 5 , and are certainly not limited thereto.

[0129] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 to 9, Figure 6 is a plan schematic diagram of a load line layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 7 is a plan schematic diagram of another load line layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 8 is a plan schematic diagram of another load line layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 9 is a plan schematic diagram of another load line layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The load line layer 23 includes a first load line 231 and a second load line 232 arranged at intervals. The first load line 231 is electrically connected to the first coupling port 63 through a first via V1 that sequentially passes through the third substrate 5, the second ground layer 4, and the second substrate 3. The second load line 232 is electrically connected to the second coupling port 64 through a second via V2 that sequentially passes through the third substrate 5, the second ground layer 4, and the second substrate 3. The first via V1 and the second via V2 are both filled with metal connecting pillars 7, and the metal connecting pillars 7 are insulated from the second ground layer 4. In this way, the RF signal is input from the input port 61 of the 3dB coupler, and the first coupling port 62 and the second coupling port 63 reflect the RF signal to the output port 64. By adjusting the dielectric constant of the adjustable dielectric layer 22 in the adjustable reactance structure 2, the reactance value of the load line layer 23 is changed, thereby changing the impedance of the first coupling port 63 and the second coupling port 64, so that the phase of the RF signal output from the output port 62 of the 3dB coupler is changed, achieving the purpose of phase modulation. The present disclosure can achieve the requirement of continuous phase tuning.

[0130] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 3 to 9, the 3dB coupler 6 has a center line extending along the first direction X, and the first load line 231 and the second load line 232 can be symmetrically arranged about the center line.

[0131] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG6 to FIG8 , the first load line 231 includes: a first sub-line 2311 extending along the second direction Y, a second sub-line 2312 extending along the first direction X and electrically connected to an end of the first sub-line 2311 away from the second load line 232, and a plurality of pairs of third sub-lines 2313 connected to both sides of the second sub-line 2312 along the second direction Y; wherein,

[0132] The length of the second sub-line 2312 along the first direction X is greater than the length of the first sub-line 2311 along the second direction Y. By designing the first load line 231 to be composed of the first sub-line 2311, the second sub-line 2312, and the third sub-line 2313, the impedance tuning performance of the load line layer 23 can be improved, thereby improving the phase tuning performance of the RF signal.

[0133] Optionally, as shown in FIG6 to FIG8 , the two third sub-lines 2313 in each pair of third sub-lines 2313 may be symmetrically arranged with respect to the second sub-line 2312 ; of course, they may also be asymmetrically arranged.

[0134] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG6 to FIG8 , multiple pairs of third sub-lines 2313 may be arranged at equal intervals along the first direction X. This may further improve the impedance tuning performance of the load line layer 23 .

[0135] Of course, in a specific implementation, the multiple pairs of third sub-lines 2313 in FIG. 6 to FIG. 8 may also be arranged at non-equidistant intervals along the first direction X.

[0136] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG6 , the widths of the third sub-lines 2313 along the second direction Y may be the same, that is, the load line layer 23 adopts a first load line 231 and a second load line 232 in a double-line periodic form. In this way, while satisfying the impedance tuning performance, the structural design and processing and manufacturing of the first load line 231 and the second load line 232 are relatively simple.

[0137] Of course, in a specific implementation, the widths of the third sub-lines 2313 in FIG. 6 along the second direction Y may also be different.

[0138] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG7 , the width of each third sub-line 2313 along the second direction Y is divided into a third sub-line 2313 having a first width d1 and a third sub-line 2313 having a second width d2, where the first width d1 is smaller than the second width d2;

[0139] Along the first direction X, the third sub-lines 2313 of the first width d1 and the third sub-lines 2313 of the second width d2 are alternately arranged. The structural design of the first load line 231 and the second load line 232 shown in FIG. 7 of the present disclosure uses the first load line 231 and the second load line 232 in a double-line periodic form, which can improve the tuning performance of the impedance of the load line layer 23.

[0140] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG8 , the widths of the third sub-lines 2313 arranged along the first direction X first increase and then decrease in sequence along the second direction Y, with the third sub-line 2313 closest to the first sub-line 2311 having the smallest width. The structural design of the first load line 231 and the second load line 232 shown in FIG8 of the present disclosure, i.e., the symmetrically tapered first load line 231 and second load line 232 in the load line layer 23, can improve the impedance tuning performance of the load line layer 23.

[0141] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG8 , the number of third sub-lines 2313 with the largest width may be two, i.e., two third sub-lines 2313 with the largest width are located in the middle region of the second sub-line 2312. Of course, the number of third sub-lines 2313 with the largest width may be one, three, or even more, depending on actual needs.

[0142] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG9 , the first load line 231 includes: a first sub-line 2311 extending along the second direction Y, a second sub-line 2312 extending along the first direction X and electrically connected to an end of the first sub-line 2311 away from the second load line 232, and a third sub-line 2313 electrically connected to an end of the second sub-line 2312 away from the first sub-line 2311; wherein,

[0143] The third sub-line 2313 includes a first line segment 001 and a second line segment 002 alternately arranged along the first direction X and connected end to end in sequence. The first line segment 001 extends along the second direction Y, and the second line segment 002 extends along the first direction X. The second sub-line 2312 is connected to one end of the first line segment 001, and the other end of the first line segment 001 is located on the side of the second sub-line 2312 away from the second load line 232.

[0144] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG9 , the length of the first line segment 001 along the second direction Y is greater than the length of the second line segment 002 along the first direction X, and the length of the first line segment 001 directly electrically connected to the second sub-line 2312 is less than the length of the remaining first line segments 001. The structural design of the first load line 231 and the second load line 232 shown in FIG9 of the present disclosure, namely, the use of the first load line 231 and the second load line 232 in the form of a meander line in the load line layer 23, can improve the impedance tuning performance of the load line layer 23, and can shorten the overall length of the first load line 231 and the second load line 232 along the first direction X.

[0145] Optionally, the embodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples of the specific structures of several load line layers 23 shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 9 , and are certainly not limited thereto.

[0146] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1, 10, and 12, Figure 10 is a plan view schematic diagram of a second ground layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 11 is a plan view schematic diagram of another second ground layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 12 is a plan view schematic diagram of another second ground layer provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The second ground layer 4 includes at least one through-hole H, and the orthographic projections of the first and second through-holes V1 and V2 (connecting the 3dB coupler 6 and the load line layer 23 via these two through-holes) on the first substrate 1 are located outside the orthographic projection of the at least one through-hole H on the first substrate 1. By forming at least one through-hole H in the second ground layer 4, the present disclosure can make the second ground layer 4 a defective ground. The structural design of the defective ground can extend the current path, making the branches of the 3dB coupler 6 more miniaturized, thereby further miniaturizing the phase shifter. In addition, the second ground layer 4 can serve as a shielding layer to prevent the load line layer from interfering with the radiated signal.

[0147] In a possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG10 , the number of through holes H may be three, and the through holes H are sequentially arranged along the first direction X in the central area of ​​the second ground layer 4 .

[0148] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG11 , the number of through holes H may be seven, one of which is located in the center region of the second ground layer 4. Three through holes H arranged sequentially along the second direction Y are provided on one side of the through hole H along the first direction X, and three through holes H arranged sequentially along the second direction Y are provided on the other side of the through hole H along the first direction X. Thus, compared to the through hole H design of the first ground layer 4 shown in FIG10 , the through hole H design of the first ground layer 4 shown in FIG11 of the present disclosure can further increase the current path, further miniaturize the branches of the 3dB coupler 6, and thus further miniaturize the phase shifter design.

[0149] In one possible implementation, in the phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG12 , the number of through holes H can be nine, with each through hole H distributed in an array in the central region of the second ground layer 4. Compared to the through hole H design of the first ground layer 4 shown in FIG11 , the through hole H design of the first ground layer 4 shown in FIG12 of the present disclosure can further increase the current path, further miniaturize the branch lines of the 3dB coupler 6, and thus further miniaturize the phase shifter design.

[0150] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. 12 , the shape of the through hole H is rectangular, but of course it is not limited thereto.

[0151] It should be noted that the position of the through hole H of the first ground layer 4 needs to be designed according to the current distribution and flow direction of the 3dB coupler 6. For example, the through hole H can be designed at a location with less current density distribution and uneven flow direction to achieve a defective ground structure.

[0152] In one possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 10 to 12, the length L5 of the through hole H along the first direction X can be 1 / 20 to 1 / 10 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the width W5 of the through hole H along the second direction Y can be 1 / 25 to 1 / 15 of the wavelength (λ) of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

[0153] Optionally, the embodiments of the present disclosure are merely examples of the specific structures of several second grounding layers 4 shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. 12 , and are certainly not limited thereto.

[0154] In a possible implementation, in the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1, 3-12, the materials of the first ground layer 21, the load line layer 23, the second ground layer 4 and the 3dB coupler 6 can be low-resistance, low-loss metals such as copper, gold, and silver. The first ground layer 21, the load line layer 23, the second ground layer 4 and the 3dB coupler 6 can all be prepared by magnetron sputtering, thermal evaporation, electroplating, etc.; according to the thickness of the first ground layer 21, the load line layer 23, the second ground layer 4 and the 3dB coupler 6, different methods can be selected to prepare the first ground layer 21, the load line layer 23, the second ground layer 4 and the 3dB coupler 6. In order to improve the performance of the phase shifter, preferably, the thickness of the first ground layer 21, the load line layer 23, the second ground layer 4 and the 3dB coupler 6 are all greater than

[0155] Where ω is the angular frequency, μ is the magnetic permeability, and γ is the electrical conductivity.

[0156] In specific implementation, the phase shifter provided in the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include other functional film layers well known to those skilled in the art, which are not listed here one by one.

[0157] As shown in Figures 13 to 15, Figures 13 to 15 are simulation schematic diagrams of the reflection coefficient (S11), transmission coefficient (S21), and phase shift (cang_ang(s21)) of the phase shifter shown in Figure 1 between the RF signal input port 61 and the output port 62 shown in Figure 2 based on Figures 5, 7, and 12, respectively. Curves A and B correspond to liquid crystal layers 22 with different dielectric constants (i.e., different driving voltages loaded on the load line layer). For example, curve A corresponds to a dielectric constant of 1, and curve B corresponds to a dielectric constant of 2. It can be seen that the reflection coefficients under different dielectric constants corresponding to Figure 13 are all less than -10 dB, the transmission coefficients under different dielectric constants corresponding to Figure 14 are all greater than -10 dB, and the phase shifts under different dielectric constants corresponding to Figure 15 exceed 360 degrees. Therefore, the improved phase shifter composed of a stacked 3dB coupler and an adjustable reactance structure disclosed in the present disclosure can simultaneously meet the requirements of compactness, low cost, and continuous tuning.

[0158] In summary, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a miniaturized liquid crystal phase shifter based on a 3dB coupler, which is composed of a 3dB coupler and an adjustable reactance structure, wherein the 3dB coupler is a 4-port network, specifically including an input port, an output port, a first coupling port, and a second coupling port, wherein the first coupling port and the second coupling port are respectively connected to the adjustable reactance structure. The adjustable reactance structure is composed of a load line layer, a liquid crystal layer, and a first ground layer. The liquid crystal serves as the dielectric layer of the adjustable reactance structure. By adjusting the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal, the reactance of the load line layer is changed, thereby changing the impedance of the first coupling port and the second coupling port. In this way, the radio frequency signal is input from the input port of the 3dB coupler, and by adjusting the change in the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal, the reactance value of the adjustable reactance structure is changed, thereby changing the phase of the output port of the 3dB coupler. The phase shifter provided by the present disclosure can simultaneously achieve the requirements of miniaturization, low cost, and continuous tuning.

[0159] Based on the same inventive concept, an embodiment of the present disclosure further provides an antenna, as shown in FIG16 and FIG17 , comprising an antenna unit 100, a power division network 200, and the above-mentioned phase shifter provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure; wherein,

[0160] As shown in FIG16 , the antenna unit 100 may be electrically connected to the input port 61 of the 3dB coupler 6 in the phase shifter, and the power division network 200 may be electrically connected to the output port 62 of the 3dB coupler 6 in the phase shifter;

[0161] As shown in FIG17 , the power division network 200 may be electrically connected to the input port 61 of the 3dB coupler 6 in the phase shifter, and the antenna unit 100 may be electrically connected to the output port 62 of the 3dB coupler 6 in the phase shifter.

[0162] Based on the same inventive concept, the present disclosure also provides a communication device including the antenna provided in the present disclosure. The implementation of the communication device can refer to the above-mentioned embodiment of the phase shifter, and the repeated parts will not be repeated.

[0163] The communication device provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure can be, for example, any product or component with communication functionality, such as a mobile phone. Other essential components of the communication device are readily understood by those skilled in the art and are not detailed here, nor should they be construed as limitations of the present disclosure. The implementation of the communication device can be referenced to the aforementioned embodiment of the phase shifter, and any repetitive details will be omitted.

[0164] The present disclosure provides a phase shifter, antenna, and communication device. The phase shifter is composed of a 3dB coupler and an adjustable reactance structure. The manufacturing process is relatively simple and can achieve low-cost requirements. The RF signal is input from the input port of the 3dB coupler, and the first coupling port and the second coupling port reflect the RF signal to the output port. By adjusting the dielectric constant of the adjustable dielectric layer in the adjustable reactance structure, the reactance value of the load line layer is changed, thereby changing the impedance of the first coupling port and the second coupling port, thereby changing the phase of the RF signal output from the output port of the 3dB coupler, achieving the purpose of phase adjustment. The present disclosure can achieve the requirement of continuous phase tuning. In addition, the present disclosure can make the phase shifter more miniaturized by stacking the 3dB coupler and the adjustable reactance structure. Therefore, the phase shifter provided by the present disclosure can simultaneously meet the requirements of compactness, low cost, and continuous tuning.

[0165] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, those skilled in the art may make additional changes and modifications to these embodiments once they have learned the basic creative concepts. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments and all changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0166] Obviously, those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, if such changes and modifications of the embodiments of the present disclosure fall within the scope of the claims of the present disclosure and their equivalents, the present disclosure is intended to include such changes and modifications.

Claims

1. A phase shifter, wherein, Comprising: A first substrate; An adjustable reactance structure located on one side of the first substrate; wherein, the adjustable reactance structure includes: a first ground layer located on one side of the first substrate, an adjustable dielectric layer located on the side of the first ground layer facing away from the first substrate, and a load line layer located on the side of the adjustable dielectric layer facing away from the first substrate; A second substrate located on the side of the adjustable reactance structure facing away from the first substrate; A second ground layer located on the side of the second substrate facing away from the first substrate; A third substrate located on the side of the second ground layer facing away from the first substrate; A 3dB coupler located on the side of the third substrate facing away from the first substrate, the 3dB coupler includes an input port, an output port, a first coupling port and a second coupling port, the input port and the output port are located on the same side, the first coupling port and the second coupling port are located on the opposite side, and the first coupling port and the second coupling port are electrically connected to the load line layer respectively.

2. The phase shifter according to claim 1, wherein, The 3dB coupler further includes: a first main line connected between the input port and the first coupling port, a second main line connected between the output port and the second coupling port, a first auxiliary line connected between a set of ends of the first main line and the second main line, a second auxiliary line connected between the other set of ends of the first main line and the second main line and parallel to the first auxiliary line, and a first branch line connected between the first main line and the second main line and located between the first auxiliary line and the second auxiliary line.

3. The phase shifter according to claim 2, wherein, The direction from the input port to the first coupling port is the first direction, and the direction from the input port to the output port is the second direction; The lengths of the input port, the output port, the first coupling port and the second coupling port along the first direction are the same, and the input port, the output port, the first coupling The widths of the port and the second coupling port along the second direction are the same; The lengths of the first main line and the second main line along the first direction are the same, and the widths of the first main line and the second main line along the second direction are the same; The widths of the first auxiliary line and the second auxiliary line along the first direction are the same, and the lengths of the first auxiliary line and the second auxiliary line along the second direction are the same; The width of the first main line is greater than the width of the first auxiliary line, and the width of the first auxiliary line is greater than the width of the first branch line along the first direction.

4. The phase shifter according to claim 3, wherein, The input port is electrically connected to the middle area of one end of the first main line, and the first coupling port is electrically connected to the middle area of the other end of the first main line; The output port is electrically connected to the middle area of one end of the second main line, and the second coupling port is electrically connected to the middle area of the other end of the second main line; One end of the first auxiliary line is electrically connected to the first main line and the input port at the same time, and the other end of the first auxiliary line is electrically connected to the second main line and the output port at the same time; One end of the second auxiliary line is electrically connected to the first main line and the first coupling port simultaneously, and the other end of the second auxiliary line is electrically connected to the second main line and the second coupling port simultaneously.

5. The phase shifter according to claim 4, wherein, The 3dB coupler further includes at least a pair of rectangular open lines disposed on both sides of the first branch line along the first direction, and each of the rectangular open lines is electrically connected to both sides of the first branch line respectively.

6. The phase shifter according to claim 5, wherein, Two pairs of rectangular open lines are spaced apart on both sides of the first branch line along the first direction.

7. The phase shifter according to claim 4, wherein, The 3dB coupler further includes a second branch line connecting the first main line and the second main line and located between the first auxiliary line and the second auxiliary line, and the first branch line and the second branch line are parallel and spaced apart.

8. The phase shifter according to claim 7, wherein, The 3dB coupler further includes: at least a pair of rectangular open lines disposed on both sides of the first branch line along the first direction, and at least a pair of rectangular open lines disposed on both sides of the second branch line along the first direction; The rectangular open lines on both sides of the first branch line are electrically connected to both sides of the first branch line respectively, and the rectangular open lines on both sides of the second branch line are electrically connected to both sides of the second branch line respectively; A pair of rectangular open lines electrically connected to the first branch line and a pair of rectangular open lines electrically connected to the second branch line are spaced apart along the second direction.

9. The phase shifter according to claim 7, wherein, The 3dB coupler further includes: at least a pair of rectangular open lines disposed on both sides of the first auxiliary line along the first direction, and at least a pair of rectangular open lines disposed on both sides of the second auxiliary line along the first direction; The rectangular open lines on both sides of the first auxiliary line are electrically connected to both sides of the first auxiliary line respectively, and the rectangular open lines on both sides of the second auxiliary line are electrically connected to both sides of the second auxiliary line respectively.

10. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 3-9, wherein, The lengths of the input port, the output port, the first coupling port and the second coupling port along the first direction are all 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the widths of the input port, the output port, the first coupling port and the second coupling port along the second direction are all 1 / 30 to 1 / 15 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

11. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 3-10, wherein, The lengths of the first main line and the second main line along the first direction are both 1 / 3 to 2 / 3 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the widths of the first main line and the second main line along the second direction are both 1 / 20 to 1 / 10 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

12. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 3-11, wherein, The distances between the input port and the output port, and between the first coupling port and the second coupling port are all 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band, and the distance between the first main line and the second main line is 1 / 12 to 1 / 8 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

13. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 3-12, wherein, The width of the first branch line along the first direction is 1 / 50 to 1 / 30 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

14. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 5, 6, 8, and 9, wherein The width of the rectangular open line along the second direction is 1 / 30 to 1 / 20 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band; The distance between the outermost two pairs of sides of the pair of rectangular open-circuit lines in the first direction is 1 / 12 to 1 / 8 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the operating frequency band.

15. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 3-14, wherein, The load line layer includes a first load line and a second load line arranged at intervals. The first load line is electrically connected to the first coupling port through a first via hole that sequentially penetrates the third substrate, the second ground layer, and the second substrate. The second load line is electrically connected to the second coupling port through a second via hole that sequentially penetrates the third substrate, the second ground layer, and the second substrate. Both the first via hole and the second via hole are filled with metal connection posts, and the metal connection posts are spaced apart and insulated from the second ground layer.

16. The phase shifter according to claim 15, wherein, The 3dB coupler has a center line extending in the first direction, and the first load line and the second load line are symmetrically arranged with respect to the center line.

17. The phase shifter according to claim 16, wherein, The first load line includes: a first sub-line extending in the second direction, a second sub-line extending in the first direction and electrically connected to one end of the first sub-line away from the second load line, and a plurality of pairs of third sub-lines connected to both sides of the second sub-line in the second direction; wherein, The length of the second sub-line in the first direction is greater than the length of the first sub-line in the second direction.

18. The phase shifter according to claim 17, wherein, The widths of the third sub-lines in the second direction are divided into third sub-lines with a first width and third sub-lines with a second width, and the first width is less than the second width. In the first direction, the third sub-lines with the first width and the third sub-lines with the second width are alternately arranged.

19. The phase shifter according to claim 17, wherein, The widths of the third sub-lines arranged in the first direction in the second direction first increase in sequence and then decrease in sequence, and the width of the third sub-line closest to the first sub-line is the smallest.

20. The phase shifter according to claim 16, wherein, The first load line includes: a first sub-line extending in the second direction, a second sub-line extending in the first direction and electrically connected to one end of the first sub-line away from the second load line, and a third sub-line electrically connected to one end of the second sub-line away from the first sub-line; wherein, The third sub-line includes a first line segment and a second line segment that are alternately arranged and connected end to end in the first direction. The first line segment extends in the second direction, the second line segment extends in the first direction, one end of the second sub-line is connected to the first line segment, and the other end of the first line segment is located on the side of the second sub-line away from the second load line.

21. The phase shifter according to claim 20, wherein, The length of the first line segment in the second direction is greater than the length of the second line segment in the first direction, and the length of the first line segment directly connected to the second sub-line is less than the lengths of the other first line segments.

22. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 15-21, wherein, The second ground layer includes at least one through hole, and the orthographic projections of the first via hole and the second via hole on the first substrate are located outside the orthographic projection of the at least one through hole on the first substrate.

23. The phase shifter according to claim 22, wherein, The number of the through holes is 3, and the through holes are sequentially arranged in the center region of the second ground layer in the first direction.

24. The phase shifter according to claim 22, wherein, The number of the through holes is seven, one of the through holes is located in the central area of the second grounding layer, three through holes arranged in sequence along the second direction are arranged on one side of the one through hole along the first direction, and three through holes arranged in sequence along the second direction are arranged on the other side of the one through hole along the first direction.

25. The phase shifter according to claim 22, wherein, The number of the through holes is nine, and the through holes are distributed in an array in the central area of the second grounding layer.

26. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 22-25, wherein, The shape of the through hole is rectangular.

27. The phase shifter according to claim 26, wherein, The length of the through hole along the first direction is 1 / 20 to 1 / 10 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the working frequency band, and the width of the through hole along the second direction is 1 / 25 to 1 / 15 of the wavelength of the center frequency of the working frequency band.

28. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 1-27, wherein, The thicknesses of the first ground layer, the load line layer, the second ground layer, and the 3dB coupler are all greater than Wherein, ω is the angular frequency, μ is the magnetic permeability, and γ is the conductivity.

29. The phase shifter according to any one of claims 1-28, wherein, The material of the adjustable dielectric layer includes liquid crystal material.

30. An antenna, wherein, Comprising an antenna unit, a power distribution network, and a phase shifter according to any one of claims 1 to 29; wherein, The antenna unit is electrically connected to the input port of the 3dB coupler in the phase shifter, and the power distribution network is electrically connected to the output port of the 3dB coupler in the phase shifter; Or, the power distribution network is electrically connected to the input port of the 3dB coupler in the phase shifter, and the antenna unit is electrically connected to the output port of the 3dB coupler in the phase shifter.

31. A communication device, wherein, Comprising the antenna according to claim 30.

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