Liquid Crystal Phase Shifter With Variable Capacitor Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current liquid crystal phase shifters face challenges in achieving a phase difference greater than 360° while minimizing transmission loss due to large capacitance changes, which lead to impedance variations and increased transmission loss.
Innovation Solution
The phase shifter design includes a first and second substrate with a liquid crystal layer, where the signal electrode and patch electrodes form variable capacitors with varying overlap areas, allowing for a gradual increase and decrease in capacitance values to maintain stable impedance and reduce transmission loss, while ensuring a phase shift of at least 360°.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If large capacitance changes are used to achieve phase difference greater than 360°, then phase shift range is improved, but transmission loss increases due to impedance variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the phase shifter into multiple regions with different capacitance values. The first region has a first capacitance value, the second region has a second capacitance value, and the third region has a third capacitance value. This local differentiation allows the phase shifter to achieve a phase difference greater than 360° while maintaining stable impedance in each local region, thereby reducing transmission loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase shifter is segmented into multiple distinct regions, each with controlled capacitance characteristics. By segmenting the structure and controlling the overlap areas of electrodes in different regions, the patent achieves cumulative phase shift greater than 360° while each segment maintains impedance stability, preventing excessive transmission loss.
2Stability of the object's composition
If variable capacitors have varying overlap areas to control capacitance, then impedance stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the phase shifter are designed with different capacitance characteristics by controlling the overlap areas of electrodes. The first region has a first overlap area, the second region has a second overlap area, and the third region has a third overlap area. This local quality differentiation achieves impedance stability in each region while maintaining overall phase shift greater than 360°.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design achieves a phase shift of 360° or more with reduced transmission loss, improving the consistency and efficiency of the phase shifter by managing capacitance and impedance variations.
Implementation Method 1
The adjustment of a variable capacitor is to drive the deflection of liquid crystal molecules by adjusting a difference of voltages applied to two metal plates on different planes to obtain different liquid crystal material characteristics corresponding to different capacitance values
Implementation Method 2
obtain different liquid crystal material characteristics corresponding to different capacitance values
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a phase shifter including: a first substrate and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a reference electrode and a signal electrode, and the signal electrode includes a main structure and multiple branch structures. The second substrate includes multiple patch electrodes, and the multiple patch electrodes are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the multiple branch structures to form multiple variable capacitors. The phase shifter has a first region, and a second region and a third region which are respectively provided on two sides of the first region; and for any two of variable capacitors located on a same side of the first region, an overlap area of patch electrode and branch structure of a variable capacitor close to the first region is greater than or equal to that of a variable capacitor away from the first region.