Potential of Liquid-Crystal Materials for Millimeter-Wave Application

Applied Sciences

Michinori Honma¹  Toshiaki Nose¹  Ryota Ito¹ 

[1] Department of Intelligent Mechatronics, Faculty of Systems Science and Technology, Akita Prefectural University, Yurihonjyo, Akita 015-0055, Japan;

关键词: liquid crystal;    millimeter wave;    refractive index;    3D printer;    Fresnel lens;    phase shifter;    phased array;    beam steering;   

DOI  :  10.3390/app8122544

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

In this study, we reviewed three topics regarding the application of liquid-crystal (LC) materials to millimeter-wave (MMW) devices. It is essential to develop useful measurement methods for refractive indices of LC materials in the MMW region. Herein, a novel measurement method using optical short is demonstrated using a Si semiconductor substrate. There are two approaches to develop MMW LC devices. One is the quasi-optical approach, which involves scaling up the optical components, and the other approach involves integrating the LC materials into high-frequency electric circuits. A three-dimensional (3D) printer is used to fabricate the Fresnel lens, which is a typical quasi-optical device useful in the MMW region, where we can develop the tunable lens by introducing LC materials. A planar-type MMW waveguide is advantageous for integrating the LC materials to develop LC MMW devices using the second approach. We investigated a useful microstrip-line-type LC phase shifter by developing a novel conversion circuit to introduce the LC material onto the dielectric substrate surface. A phase shifter is an important MMW component that is used to attain a phased array antenna system, and a minimal twin antenna array is demonstrated using the microstrip-line-type LC phase shifters.

【 授权许可】

Unknown