A Stretchable Liquid Metal Coaxial Phase Shifter

IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation

David M. Hensley¹  Christos G. Christodoulou²  Nathan Jackson³ 

[1] Air Force Institute of Technology-Civilian Institute, United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USA;Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA;Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA;

关键词: Coaxial;    Ecoflex™;    GalinstanR;    liquid metal;    microfluidic;    phase shifter;   

DOI  :  10.1109/OJAP.2021.3063289

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Presented is a stretchable liquid metal coaxial phase shifter constructed of a liquid metal center conductor, a liquid metal shield in the shape of a hollow cylinder, and a stretchable rubber-based polymer (Ecoflex™00-30) which encases and insulates the liquid metal. The design builds on and enhances previous research consisting of the same liquid metal phase shifter but with the shield consisting of five hand-woven liquid metal strands. By modifying the design of the shield to consist of a hollow cylinder rather than woven strands, TEM breakdown at high frequencies is decreased, and the phase shifter improves its transmission and reflection coefficients at higher frequencies. Prototype results show a transmission coefficient (S21) better than -1.8 dB and a reflection coefficient (S11) better than -10 dB with a 40 mm stretch (62%) and a frequency band of 1 GHz to 4 GHz.

【 授权许可】

Unknown