Liquid-Crystal-Based Beam Steerable Planar Antennas for 60 GHz Wireless Networks

适用于 60 GHz 无线网络的液晶波束可控平面天线

• 批准号: EP/I003614/1
• 负责人: Dariush Mirshekar
• 金额: $ 57.73万
• 依托单位: University of Essex
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2011 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI003614%2F1
• 关键词: Liquid; Crystal; Based; Beam; Steerable

The huge bandwidth available in the unlicensed 57-66 GHz spectrum can support multi-gigabit transmission. Depending on the operating environment and application, 60 GHz wireless networks with ranges between 10 m to 100 m are attractive and currently are under research and development. They can have immense applications in consumer and professional electronic markets. Not only do wireless networks eliminate cabling between communicating terminals, but they permit high definition (HD) uncompressed video streaming over air, can support wireless HD video interactive games, allow secure multi-gigabit data link between close city offices, and can provide safe and fast data, audio and video wireless distribution in planes, trains, cars, offices, hospitals and many other places of interests. Restricted to these applications alone, the sale of 60 GHz chipsets is estimated to run into billion of units. In the 60 GHz band the external interference is extremely low as the absorption of electromagnetic signals by oxygen and obstacles are extremely high. Unfortunately, the high attenuation together with the low transmitter power adversely affects the transmission quality. As flagged by the industry, this problem can be overcome by the implementation of directional antennas in 60 GHz transceivers, capable of steering their beams automatically for maximum signal reception. The aim of this work is to develop beam steerable planar antenna arrays for the 60 GHz band using nematic liquid crystals as a means for controlling the phase distribution over the antenna elements and hence, to provide prototype antennas which are compact, low-power and low-cost for multi-gigabit 60 GHz wireless networks. For this purpose, we will investigate, develop and compare two types of phase shifters based on liquid crystals, and design and build beam steering antenna arrays integrating the best alternative. Both the optimisation of the phase shifter performance and the development of the antenna arrays require detailed liquid crystal and electromagnetic modelling for which there is no commercial software available. In this work, our own advanced liquid crystal and electromagnetic modelling methods are extended and software tools capable of dealing with fully inhomogeneous and anisotropic dielectrics (on a point by point basis) will be developed in order to analyse and design accurately and reliably the 2D and 3D liquid-crystal-based devices including phase shifters and antennas.

未经许可的57-66 GHz频谱中可用的巨大带宽可以支持多千兆位传输。根据操作环境和应用，范围在10 m到100 m之间的60 GHz无线网络具有吸引力，目前正在研究和开发中。它们可以在消费者和专业电子市场中有巨大的应用。无线网络不仅消除了通信终端之间的布线，而且允许通过空中传输高清（HD）未压缩视频流，可以支持无线HD视频交互式游戏，允许在近距离城市办公室之间进行安全的多千兆位数据链路，并且可以在飞机、火车、汽车、办公室、医院和许多其他感兴趣的地方提供安全快速的数据、音频和视频无线分发。仅限于这些应用，60 GHz芯片组的销售估计达到数十亿台。在60 GHz频段，外部干扰极低，因为氧气和障碍物对电磁信号的吸收极高。不幸的是，高衰减与低发射机功率一起不利地影响传输质量。正如业界所指出的那样，这个问题可以通过在60 GHz收发器中实施定向天线来克服，该天线能够自动控制其波束以实现最大信号接收。这项工作的目的是开发波束可操纵的平面天线阵列为60 GHz频段使用液晶作为一种手段，用于控制天线元件的相位分布，因此，提供原型天线是紧凑的，低功耗和低成本的多千兆位60 GHz的无线网络。为此，我们将研究、开发和比较两种基于液晶的移相器，并设计和构建集成最佳替代方案的波束控制天线阵列。移相器性能的优化和天线阵列的开发都需要详细的液晶和电磁建模，而这方面没有可用的商业软件。在这项工作中，我们自己的先进的液晶和电磁建模方法的扩展和软件工具，能够处理完全不均匀和各向异性（逐点的基础上）将开发，以准确可靠地分析和设计的二维和三维液晶为基础的设备，包括移相器和天线。

项目成果

Paper

• DOI: 10.1177/003591577707001110
• 发表时间: 1977-11
• 期刊: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
• 影响因子: 17.3
• 作者: Augusto Sousa;›. A. Gomes;Adrián Borrego González;Afonso Gonçalves;›. A. Gero;Il;›. A. Cardoso;›. A. Tepljakov;›. A. Bernardino;›. A. Chirico;›. A. Loja;Ana Lucia De Faria;›. A. Trigo;›. A. Xavier;Andrés F. Fidalgo;›. A. Gaggioli;Antonio Marín Hernandez;António Mendes Lopes;›. A. Pascoal;›. A. Marques;›. A. Peixoto;›. Santos;›. B. Patrão;›. C. González;C. P. Leão;›. C. Teixeira;›. C. Geiger;›. D. Vrancic;›. D. Barros;Doru Ursutiu;D. Šešlija;E. Petlenkov;F. Chouzal;Félix García Loro;F. Almeida;Filomena Soares;›. F. J. Franco;F. Schauer;F. Sandnes;F. Constantin;G. G. Mandayo-G.;G. R. Meza;G. Farias;Gustavo R. Alves;H. Saliah-Hassane;Héctor Vargas;Hélia Guerra;Horácio Fernandes;›. J. Steinbrener;J. Garcia-Zubia;J. Chacón;J. Quintas;›. J. Sousa;›. J. Viegas;J. C. Gámez;J. Henriques;›. J. Latorre;Jorge Lobo;J. Silva;José I. Suárez;J. L. H. Agustín;Es;›. J. M. P. Ortega;›. J. S. Moreno;de;›. J. J. G. Dominguez-›.-J.-J.-G.-Dominguez-2232610978;Br;›. J. Franuszkiewicz;Karla Figueiredo;Karolina Baras;›. K. Zakova;K. Aguir;Lars-Jochen Thoms;Laura-Maria Dogariu;L. Vaira;L. Mendes;Luís Almeida;›. L. C. Schlichting;›. L. D. L. Torre-›.-L.-D.-L.-Torre-2232612098;L. M. Gomes;Manuel Felgueiras;›. M. Castro;›. M. Winzker;›. M. G. Rasteiro;M. I. Pozzo;›. M. Bochicchio;Olga A. Maksimenko

Effective dielectric constant of top grounded coplanar waveguide on liquid crystal superstrate

液晶基板上顶部接地共面波导的有效介电常数

• DOI: 10.1002/mop.27564
• 发表时间: 2013
• 期刊: Microwave and Optical Technology Letters
• 影响因子: 1.5
• 作者: Bulja S

Finite Element Modelling of Liquid Crystal-Based Microwave Devices

基于液晶的微波器件的有限元建模

• 发表时间: 2016
• 作者: Fernandez F A

Beam steering 60 GHz slot antenna array using liquid crystal phase shifter

使用液晶移相器的波束控制 60 GHz 缝隙天线阵列

• DOI: 10.1109/eucap.2014.6901935
• 发表时间: 2014
• 作者: Deo P

Liquid crystal based patch antenna array for 60 GHz applications

适用于 60 GHz 应用的基于液晶的贴片天线阵列

• DOI: 10.1109/rws.2013.6486663
• 发表时间: 2013
• 作者: Deo P