All-optically controlled microwave analog phase shifter with insertion losses balancing
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Li, Jinfeng
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
An all-optically driven microwave phase shifter is designed and experimentally demonstrated for 1–10 GHz. The proposed optical addressing is realised in nematic liquid crystals (NLC) mixed with novel mesogenic azobenzene (azo) dyes, allowing a dielectric constant variation from a surface anchoring nematic state to a photo-induced isotropic state when exposed to a laser beam with a wavelength of 465 nm. The phase shifter device is implemented in a compact meandered inverted microstrip with impedance matched by a novel light-intensity-dependent method for insertion loss balancing between tuning states. Prototyped by photolithography, the device is assembled with an azo NLC mixture of GT3-24002 and CPND-7 (10wt%). Measurements report a continuously tunable differential phase shift of 0–184 ̊ at 10 GHz with a maximum insertion loss of –3.53 dB and negligible insertion loss variations (up to 9%) between phase-shifting states, which eliminates complex phase-biasing networks and amplitude- compensating circuits for the standalone high-resolution phased array beamforming application with reduced distortions.
Date Issued
2020-09-01
Date Acceptance
2020-07-06
Citation
Engineering Letters, 2020, 28 (3), pp.663-667
ISSN
1816-093X
Publisher
International Association of Engineers
Start Page
663
End Page
667
Journal / Book Title
Engineering Letters
Volume
28
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© 2020 International Association of Engineers. Available by permission of International Association of Engineers.
Identifier
http://www.engineeringletters.com/issues_v28/issue_3/EL_28_3_03.pdf
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
3
Date Publish Online
2020-08-15