Fully-Integrated Dielectric Image Line Phased Array with Liquid Crystal Phase Shifters at W-Band

This work presents a 1×4 dielectric image line phased array at W-band. It incorporates liquid crystal phase shifters, which are controlled by bias electrodes directly placed on the phase shifters without causing severe radiation loss. Power divider, phase shifters and antenna elements are all built in the dielectric image line topology, enabling a flat integrable component. The demonstrator has a beam scanning range of ±10°, while keeping a high gain of 17 to 18 dBi, and a side-lobe level of −7.5 dB at 95 GHz. A significant reduction of bias voltage and in switch-on response time of the phase shifters by more than 90% compared to state-of-the-art dielectric liquid crystal phase shifters is achieved.