CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national phase entry under 35 USC 371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2019/081575 filed on Apr. 4, 2019, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201810333111.2, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on Apr. 13, 2018, titled “LIQUID CRYSTAL PHASE SHIFTER AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE”, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to the field of signal transmission, and in particular, to a liquid crystal phase shifter and an electronic device.

BACKGROUND

A phase shifter is a device that can adjust a phase of a signal wave. The phase shifter has a wide range of applications in the fields of radar, missile attitude control, accelerators, communication and instruments. By adjusting circuit parameters, the phase shifter may continuously or discontinuously change the phase of the signal wave without changing the amplitude of the signal wave. That is, the signal wave may pass through the phase shifter without distortion, but the phase of the signal wave is changed. Currently, commonly used phase shifters mainly include varactor diode phase shifters, ferrite phase shifters, PIN diode phase shifters, Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) phase shifters, and liquid crystal phase shifters, and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a liquid crystal phase shifter. The liquid crystal phase shifter includes a liquid crystal cell, a partition plate, a first microstrip line, a second microstrip line and liquid crystal molecules. The liquid crystal cell includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other; the partition plate is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; the first microstrip line is disposed on a surface of the partition plate away from the second substrate; the second microstrip line is disposed on a surface of the partition plate away from the first substrate; and the liquid crystal molecules are provided between the first substrate and the partition plate, and between the second substrate and the partition plate.

In some embodiments, the partition plate is provided with at least one first through hole, and the first microstrip line is electrically connected to the second microstrip line through the at least one first through hole.

In some embodiments, a hole diameter of the at least one first through hole is less than or equal to a width of the first microstrip line. Alternatively, a hole diameter of the at least one first through hole is less than or equal to a width of the second microstrip line. The width of the first microstrip line is a width of an orthogonal projection of the first microstrip line on the partition plate, and the width the second microstrip line is a width of an orthogonal projection of the second microstrip line on the partition plate.

In some embodiments, a wiring path of the first microstrip line is the same as a wiring path of the second microstrip line.

In some embodiments, a width of the first microstrip line is the same as a width of the second microstrip line. The width of the first microstrip line is a width of an orthogonal projection of the first microstrip line on the partition plate, and the width the second microstrip line is a width of an orthogonal projection of the second microstrip line on the partition plate.

In some embodiments, an orthogonal projection of the first microstrip line on the partition plate overlaps or partially overlaps with an orthogonal projection of the second microstrip line on the partition plate.

In some embodiments, an input terminal of the first microstrip line is electrically connected to an input terminal of the second microstrip line, and/or an output terminal of the first microstrip line is electrically connected to an output terminal of the second microstrip line.

In some embodiments, the partition plate is provided with at least one second through hole, and a first liquid crystal cavity between the partition plate and the first substrate is communicated with a second liquid crystal cavity between the partition plate and the second substrate through the at least one second through hole.

In some embodiments, a thickness of the partition plate is less than a thickness of the first substrate, or a thickness of the partition plate is less than a thickness of the second substrate.

In some embodiments, the liquid crystal cell further includes ground electrodes respectively disposed on a surface of the first substrate facing to the partition plate and a surface of the second substrate facing to the partition plate.

In some embodiments, the liquid crystal phase shifter further includes a first alignment layer and a second alignment layer. The first alignment layer is disposed on a surface of the first microstrip line away from the partition plate, and the second alignment layer is disposed on a surface of the second microstrip line away from the partition plate.

In another aspect, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electronic device including any of the liquid crystal phase shifters described above.

In some embodiments, a distance between the partition plate and the first substrate is the same as a distance between the partition plate and the second substrate.

In some embodiments, the first microstrip line or the second microstrip line is provided on the partition plate along a curved line.

In some embodiments, the liquid crystal phase shifter further includes a first alignment layer and a second alignment layer. The first alignment layer is disposed on a surface of the ground electrode on the first substrate away from the first substrate, and the second alignment layer is disposed on a surface of the ground electrode on the second substrate away from the second substrate.

