Coupled microstrip line microwave phase shifter using ferroelectric thin film varactors

This article presents a coupled microstrip line microwave phase shifter using ferroelectric thin film varactors with parallel plate electrodes integrated on high-resistivity silicon substrate. This design is proposed as a component in low-cost beam scanning phased array antennas. The phase shifter structure consists of coupled microstrip line periodically loaded with eight BaxSr1-xTiO3 (BST) varactors and two planar Marchand baluns. The planar Marchand baluns work as the transformers of odd mode excitation and a transmission stop circuit for even mode excitation as well as the impedance matching networks. A differential phase shift of 45 degrees was obtained with a low dc bias of 20 V at frequency of 9 GHz, which corresponds to a figure of merit of similar to 23 degrees/dB. These results represent significant progress toward compact size, low loss, and ferroelectric thin film-based phase shifters at room temperature. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3686615]