Zero scan leaky-wave antenna is crossed based on the LCD electric-controlled of pectinate line waveguide
Technical field
The invention belongs to microwave antenna field of engineering technology.Can be widely applied in modern wireless mobile communications, satellite communication communication in moving and various radar system.
Background technology
Leaky-wave antenna is since eighties of last century is proposed by W.W.Hansen the forties, and the radiation characteristic of its uniqueness and excellent lobe scan characteristic, make leaky-wave antenna be the focus of field of antenna research always.Initial leaky-wave antenna is made up of the rectangular waveguide that cracks, can to the electromagnetic phenomenon of space radiation part when its essence is that the electromagnetic wave that waveguiding structure is propagated is fast wave.Nearest decades, the research of leaky-wave antenna obtains develop rapidly, particularly plane leaky-wave antenna obtains extensive research, because plane leaky-wave antenna can directly be processed on printed circuit board (PCB) (PCB), there is low section, the easily advantage such as processing, structure is simple, feed is easy, high directivity, and beam scanning characteristic.Therefore, the frequency range of leaky-wave antenna more than microwave and microwave is paid close attention to widely, particularly needing the occasion of beam scanning, leaky-wave antenna to have unrivaled advantage, has good development prospect.
Leaky-wave antenna has the change of the wave frequency along with feed-in, the frequency scanning characteristic that antenna main lobe beam direction also can change.The frequency of leaky-wave antenna sweeps characteristic to be had in the past and applies comparatively widely, but this frequency sweeps the continuous print band resource that characteristic often occupies a section wider.Now, along with the explosive growth of radio communication, this seems with regard to limited frequency spectrum resource and day by day blocks up, and the frequency of traditional leaky-wave antenna to sweep the pursuit that characteristic and modern communications improve the availability of frequency spectrum be obviously contradiction, therefore in order to solve this contradiction, the concept of the fixed leaky-wave antenna of scanning frequently starts to be suggested.
Traditional frequency scanning antenna general phase shifter of determining controls antenna element phase places different in aerial array, thus realize the scanning of antenna beam, this fixed scanning antenna is frequently also called phased array antenna, is a kind of scanning antenna the most conventional in modern radar system.But phased array antenna also also exists the problem of oneself, the introducing of phase shifter, the cost of antenna is often made to improve, volume becomes large, and along with the increase of phased array antenna array element, the complexity of phase shifter net control will increase in geometry magnitude, and this also just constrains phased array antenna, i.e. the development of the fixed scanning antenna frequently of tradition.
Because leaky-wave antenna itself has frequently sweep characteristic, then consider the actual requirement determining frequency scanning, the fixed leaky-wave antenna of scanning frequently arises at the historic moment.The fixed leaky-wave antenna of scanning is frequently generally on leaky-wave antenna, load electric-controlled switch or electricity tune medium, the break-make of switch or the electromagnetic property of medium is changed by applied voltage, to change the beam direction of leaky-wave antenna on certain fixing frequency, realize fixed beam scanning frequently.This fixed leaky-wave antenna of scanning is frequently also referred to as automatically controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna, and most typical automatically controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna is based on variable capacitance diode.But due to the impact of variable capacitance diode parasitic parameter and loss, this automatically controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna has the shortcomings such as working frequency range is low, in the Modern wireless communication that frequency range improves constantly, application receives great limitation.The high frequency band that the automatically controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna of frequency can be operated in microwave is determined based on liquid crystal material.Liquid crystal material can under the control of externally-applied magnetic field or electric field, and change the dielectric constant of self, this characteristic is applied in antenna structure, and what just can realize leaky-wave antenna determines frequency scanning.But existing LCD electric-controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna has following shortcoming usually: the first, need to use additional controllable magnetic field to scan to coordinate the directional diagram of antenna, thus cause the controlling organization of antenna complicated; Second, change under the effect of extra electric field in order to the dielectric constant of liquid crystal can be made, need for the extra biasing circuit of Antenna Design, and this biasing circuit can cause low frequency or the electromagnetic coupled between DC circuit and radio circuit, and then be the radiation characteristic deterioration of antenna.3rd, available liquid crystal leaky-wave antenna is realizing in the direction of radiation beam directed in orthogonal in antenna surface (crossing zero scan), more difficult, even if realized reluctantly by methods such as impedance matchings, the bandwidth of operation of antenna also finally can be caused to narrow.
Summary of the invention
The present invention seeks to traditional to adjust the automatically controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna of element to be difficult to work in microwave high-frequency wave band and the automatically controlled fixed leaky-wave antenna of scanning frequently of available liquid crystal based on traditional electrical such as variable capacitance diodes to be not easy to realize zero scan and the problem of needs design biasing circuit especially to solve, providing a kind of LCD electric-controlled zero scan leaky-wave antenna based on pectinate line waveguide.
LCD electric-controlled zero scan leaky-wave antenna excessively based on pectinate line waveguide of the present invention, it comprises top medium flaggy, metal level, liquid crystal layer and bottom waveguide groove;
Be provided with metal level between top medium flaggy and bottom waveguide groove, bottom waveguide groove is that the upper surface of rectangular slab has cannelure structure;
Be closely as one by machining mode, electro-plating method, hot-press method or microelectronic technique between top medium flaggy and metal level;
Bottom waveguide groove is that the upper surface of rectangular slab has cannelure structure, fills up liquid crystal material between described cannelure and metal level, thus forms liquid crystal layer;
Metal level is pectinate line structure, and metal level zone line is provided with rectangle pectinate line housing, longitudinally arranges two row comb, the long l of comb in described rectangle pectinate line housing region
cget λ
g/ 4, the wide w of comb
cget much smaller than λ
g, the outer width of frame a of rectangle pectinate line
2get λ
gto 3 λ
g/ 2, wherein λ
gfor transmitting electromagnetic guide wavelength in waveguide under target operating frequency;
Between the structural two row comb of this pectinate line, be provided with N number of periodicity slot element, a conduction band is set between the waveguide port 1 at N number of periodicity slot element and two ends and waveguide port 2 respectively, overall antenna length degree L
m=N*p+2l
cs, wherein l
csfor the length of conduction band, conduction band width a
1get λ
g/ 3 to 2 λ
g/ 3;
N number of periodicity slot element comprises two groups of longitudinal joint row and one group of transverse joint row, and transverse joint arranges between two groups of longitudinal joint row, and two groups of longitudinal joints longitudinally shift to install; Often organize longitudinal joint to be classified as m longitudinal joint and longitudinally evenly to arrange, transverse joint is classified as 2m transverse joint and longitudinally evenly arranges; Each periodicity slot element comprises 2 longitudinal joints and 2 transverse joints, and the spacing p between adjacent two periodicity slot elements gets λ
g/ 4 to λ
g, the length l of longitudinal joint
1get λ
g/ 3 to λ
g, the length l of transverse joint
2get λ
g/ 10 to λ
g/ 4, the horizontal spacing d between transverse and longitudinal seam
sget λ
g/ 10 to λ
g/ 6, the gap width w of longitudinal joint
1with the gap width w of transverse joint
2equal value is much smaller than l
1;
Equivalent series inductance when periodicity transverse joint on metal level will make electromagnetic wave propagate between bottom waveguide groove and metal level increases, and equivalent parallel electric capacity when periodicity longitudinal joint wherein will make electromagnetic wave propagate between bottom waveguide groove and metal level increases.
Advantage of the present invention: the present invention devises a kind of automatically controlled scanning wave guide wave leakage antenna based on liquid crystal, scans compared with leaky-wave antenna with traditional frequency of determining based on variable capacitance diode, has the advantage that can be operated in microwave high-frequency wave band.And surely frequently scanning leaky-wave antenna compared to current existing liquid crystal, the advantage of this antenna is then four aspects: the first, and the mode that this antenna realizes scanning is automatically controlled scanning, has simple, the light and handy advantage of controlling organization compared to existing magnetic control scan mode; The second, the present invention adopts based on waveguiding structure, and this structure conveniently pours into liquid crystal, and stabilized structure, loss is low, power capacity is large; 3rd, when needing to apply the bias voltage of direct current or low frequency to the liquid crystal material in this antenna, without the need to for Antenna Design, process extra biasing circuit, only need the bias device increasing a commercialization at the input port of antenna just passable.This performance for antenna is very favorable, because extra biasing circuit often has a negative impact to antenna performance.4th, this antenna can be easy to realize radiation beam directed in orthogonal in the direction (crossing zero scan) of antenna surface.5th, this antenna does not need to place insulating cement between metal level and bottom waveguide groove, reduces electromagnetic leakage, improves the radiation efficiency of antenna.
As a special case, the automatically controlled scanning antenna of liquid crystal pectinate line substrate integration wave-guide transverse and longitudinal seam leaky wave that one works in 13.3GHz is given in the present invention, antenna utilizes transverse and longitudinal to stitch two leaky wave versions of mixing, increase the control to phase constant β, by optimal design, when can realize antenna beam scanning zero passage, still have good coupling and radiation characteristic.By regulating applied voltage 0V to 20V, antenna pattern main lobe wave beam can be made to realize by-8.0 ° of zero scans excessively to+8.3 ° of continuously smooths, total scanning angle arrives 16.3 °, in whole electric scanning process, antenna match is good, S11 is all lower than-10dB, and the actual gain of antenna is changed to 11.41dB from 10.79dB.Than the automatically controlled scanning antenna of tradition, should cross based on the LCD electric-controlled of pectinate line substrate integration wave-guide the characteristic that zero scan leaky-wave antenna achieved zero scan, gain is large and gain is floated little.
Accompanying drawing explanation
Fig. 1 is that zero scan schematic diagram crossed by leaky-wave antenna;
Fig. 2 is the LCD electric-controlled hierarchy schematic diagram crossing zero scan leaky-wave antenna based on pectinate line waveguide of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is the metal-layer structure schematic diagram of antenna; A place represents that waveguide port 1, B place represents the leaky wave structure of indication cycle of waveguide port 2, C place property transverse and longitudinal seam, and D place represents pectinate texture.Antenna utilizes wave band port to carry out feed at two ends, during waveguide port 1 feed, and the load of waveguide port 2 matching connection, otherwise, during waveguide port 2 feed, the load of waveguide port 1 matching connection; For ensureing that feed-in Electromagnetic Wave Propagation is good, the long conduction band 2-3 of certain distance is all set in waveguide port 1 and waveguide port 2 place.
Fig. 4 is the metal level leaky wave structural representation of antenna;
Fig. 5 is the LCD electric-controlled transverse sectional view of zero scan leaky-wave antenna excessively based on pectinate line waveguide of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is the comb-like waveguide LCD electric-controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna metal level dimensional drawing working in 13.3GHz;
Fig. 7 is the comb-like waveguide LCD electric-controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna sectional dimension figure working in 13.3GHz;
Fig. 8 is that liquid crystal molecule is arranged with change in voltage schematic diagram, and wherein (a) liquid crystal molecule is original arrangement state (orientation state), and (b) liquid crystal molecule is in the attitude identical with direction of an electric field arrangement (bias state);
Fig. 9 is the S11 parameter curve of antenna;
Figure 10 is the S21 parameter curve of antenna;
Figure 11 is that antenna main lobe direction is with frequency variation curve;
Figure 12 is that antenna actual gain is with frequency variation curve;
Figure 13 is the 2D directional diagram of antenna under five kinds of bias voltages on ° face, φ=90.
Embodiment
Embodiment one: present embodiment is described below in conjunction with Fig. 2 to Fig. 5, cross zero scan leaky-wave antenna based on the LCD electric-controlled of pectinate line waveguide described in present embodiment, it comprises top medium flaggy 1, metal level 2, liquid crystal layer 3 and bottom waveguide groove 4;
Be provided with metal level 2 between top medium flaggy 1 and bottom waveguide groove 4, bottom waveguide groove 4 is that the upper surface of rectangular slab has cannelure structure;
Be closely as one by machining mode, electro-plating method, hot-press method or microelectronic technique between top medium flaggy 1 and metal level 2;
Bottom waveguide groove 4 is that the upper surface of rectangular slab has cannelure structure, fills up liquid crystal material between described cannelure and metal level 2, thus forms liquid crystal layer 3;
Metal level 2 is pectinate line structure, and metal level 2 zone line is provided with rectangle pectinate line housing, longitudinally arranges two row comb, the long l of comb in described rectangle pectinate line housing region
cget λ
g/ 4, the wide w of comb
cget much smaller than λ
g, the outer width of frame a of rectangle pectinate line
2get λ
gto 3 λ
g/ 2, wherein λ
gfor transmitting electromagnetic guide wavelength in waveguide under target operating frequency;
Between the structural two row comb of this pectinate line, be provided with N number of periodicity slot element, a conduction band 2-3 is set between the waveguide port 1 at N number of periodicity slot element and two ends and waveguide port 2 respectively, overall antenna length degree L
m=N*p+2l
cs, wherein l
csfor the length of conduction band 2-3, conduction band width a
1get λ
g/ 3 to 2 λ
g/ 3;
N number of periodicity slot element comprises two groups of longitudinal joint row and one group of transverse joint row, and transverse joint arranges between two groups of longitudinal joint row, and two groups of longitudinal joints longitudinally shift to install; Often organize longitudinal joint to be classified as m longitudinal joint 2-1 and longitudinally evenly to arrange, transverse joint is classified as 2m transverse joint 2-2 and longitudinally evenly arranges; Each periodicity slot element comprises 2 longitudinal joint 2-1 and 2 transverse joint 2-2, and the spacing p between adjacent two periodicity slot elements gets λ
g/ 4 to λ
g, the length l of longitudinal joint 2-1
1get λ
g/ 3 to λ
g, the length l of transverse joint 2-2
2get λ
g/ 10 to λ
g/ 4, the horizontal spacing d between transverse and longitudinal seam
sget λ
g/ 10 to λ
g/ 6, the gap width w of longitudinal joint 2-1
1with the gap width w of transverse joint 2-2
2equal value is much smaller than l
1;
Equivalent series inductance when periodicity transverse joint on metal level 2 will make electromagnetic wave propagate between bottom waveguide groove 4 and metal level 2 increases, and equivalent parallel electric capacity when periodicity longitudinal joint wherein will make electromagnetic wave propagate between bottom waveguide groove 4 and metal level 2 increases.
By Fig. 2, antenna body structure can be divided into 4 layer materials---top medium flaggy 1, metal level 2, the bottom metal bottom waveguide groove 4 made by machining or plating or microelectronic technique means, be filled in liquid crystal (liquid crystal layer 3) between waveguide slot and metal level.
By Fig. 3, first metal level under the single face medium plate of aerial head makes pectinate line structure, the leaky wave structure of periodically transverse and longitudinal seam mixing is formed again in this structure, antenna utilizes waveguide port to carry out feed at two ends, during waveguide port 1 feed, the load of waveguide port 2 matching connection, otherwise, during waveguide port 2 feed, the load of waveguide port 1 matching connection.For ensureing that feed-in Electromagnetic Wave Propagation is good, the long conduction band 2-3 of certain distance is all set in waveguide port 1 and waveguide port 2 place.
By Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the antenna provided in present embodiment is made up of N number of periodicity slot element, and top medium flaggy 1 is microwave board, relative dielectric constant ε
rbetween 2 to 10, losstangenttanδ <0.01, thickness d
2<5mm, metal layer thickness is less than 1mm.The dimensional parameters of antenna is relevant with the electromagnetic wavelength under target operating frequency, and hypothetical target operating frequency is f, and electromagnetic wavelength is now λ, and transmitting electromagnetic guide wavelength in waveguide is λ
g, then this liquid crystal leaky wave scanning antenna design parameter can be as follows by these Parametric Representations: unit interval p gets λ
g/ 4 to λ
g, the wide a of conduction band
1get λ
g/ 3 to 2 λ
g/ 3, now overall antenna length degree is L
m=N*p+2l
cs.Longitudinal joint length l
1get λ
g/ 3 to λ
g, transverse joint length l
2get λ
g/ 10 to λ
g/ 4, transverse and longitudinal kerf spacing d
sget λ
g/ 10 to λ
g/ 6.The long l of comb in pectinate line structure
capproximate λ
g/ 4, the wide w of comb
cget much smaller than λ
g, the outer width of frame a of pectinate line
2get λ
gto 3 λ
g/ 2, pectinate line developed width a
cbe slightly less than outer width of frame.
The overall dimension of bottom waveguide groove 4 does not limit, and the cannelure on bottom waveguide groove 4 is the L utilizing machining process, microelectronic technique or electroplating technology to make
m× a
lC× d
lCcell body, gets groove width a
lC> λ/2, λ is operation wavelength, groove depth d
lC<0.4 millimeter.The overall dimension of bottom waveguide groove 4 does not limit.Liquid crystal fills the whole spaces between bottom waveguide groove 4 and metal level 2, thus forms liquid crystal layer 3.The top of liquid crystal layer 3 is metal level 2 and medium flaggy 1 successively.Orientation process will be carried out in the surface contacted with liquid crystal layer 3 at bottom waveguide groove 4 and metal level 2, ensures that the major axis of liquid crystal material molecules can when not executing voltage perpendicular to the z direction in Fig. 3.Be metal level above liquid crystal, because the width of pectinate line structure is less than waveguide slot width, so be electrical isolation between metal level and waveguide slot, therefore metal level is connected with waveguide does not need insulating cement directly connect and seal.
Embodiment two: present embodiment is described below in conjunction with Fig. 6 to Figure 13, present embodiment is described further the antenna structure of execution mode one in conjunction with specific embodiments.
As a special case, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 gives the specific design parameter that works in the automatically controlled scanning antenna of liquid crystal waveguide transverse and longitudinal seam leaky wave of 13.3GHz.By Fig. 6, microwave base plate selected by antenna top layer dielectric-slab, relative dielectric constant ε
r=4, losstangenttanδ=0.004, thickness is d
2=1mm, metal layer thickness is 0.017mm.Antenna is made up of N=14 periodicity slot element, unit interval p=7mm, conduction band length l
c=10.5mm.Longitudinal joint radiating element length is l
1=10mm, plays the transverse joint length l of matching effect
2=1mm, transverse and longitudinal kerf spacing d
s=2mm, gap width is w
1=w
2=1mm.The long l of comb in pectinate line structure
c=4mm, the wide w of comb
c=2mm, the outer width of frame a of pectinate line
2=15mm, pectinate line developed width a
c=16.0mm.By Fig. 7 antenna profile schematic diagram, bottom liquid crystal cell body aluminium material, bottom liquid crystal cell body is by the cell body milling out a 15.9mm × 118mm × 0.254mm in the middle of one piece of aluminium cuboid block.
On-load voltage between the upper bottom crown of liquid crystal, by regulating this voltage, can change the arrangement of liquid crystal molecule, as shown in Figure 8.And then, the relative dielectric constant ε in liquid crystal all directions can be realized
rLCchange.
The liquid crystal selected in present embodiment is when applied voltage V=0V, and on action direction, relative dielectric constant is ε
r=2.5; Time applied voltage V=20V (bias state), on action direction, relative dielectric constant is ε
r=3.3.Namely liquid crystal is when applied voltage changes at 0V to 20V, relative dielectric constant can regulate continuously between 2.5 to 3.3, thus leaky-wave antenna pattern beam can continuous sweep within the scope of certain angle, what finally achieve leaky-wave antenna pattern beam is automatically controlled.In addition, this kind of liquid crystal is stablized in microwave band loss angle tangent, is tan δ=0.006.
During work, electromagnetic wave via a bias device from waveguide port 1 feed-in, waveguide port 2 connects matched load, owing to insulating between metal level 2 and bottom waveguide groove 4, so do not need for this Antenna Design, process extra biasing circuit, only need the bias device connected by port one place just low frequency bias voltage can be applied on liquid crystal layer 4, thus change the effective dielectric constant of liquid crystal.From waveguide port 1 feed-in electromagnetic wave, waveguide port 2 connects matched load, and the antenna S parameter obtained is as shown in Fig. 9, Figure 10.The Antenna Far Field major lobe of directional diagram direction obtained with frequency change as shown in figure 11, the far-field pattern main lobe gain of antenna with frequency change as shown in figure 12.No matter V=0V (orientation state) or V=20V (bias state) can be seen, in the 2GHz bandwidth range near 13.3GHz by Fig. 9, Figure 10.Antenna S11 is all always lower than-10dB, and S21 is between-4.85 to-5.47dB, and in order to reduce antenna size, special case given here only has 14 unit, according to theory above, can S21 be made easily to reduce further by increasing element number N.By Figure 11, at 13.3GHz place, change to the process of 20V at applied voltage from 0, antenna main lobe direction is scanned up to+8.3 ° from-8.0 °, and total scanning angle arrives 16.3 °.By Figure 12, at 13.3GHz place, the electric scanning process of antenna, the actual gain of antenna is changed to 11.41dB from 10.79dB, and gain is greater than 10dB always.Than the automatically controlled scanning leaky-wave antenna of tradition, this antenna achieved zero scan, the large and gain stabilization of gain.