微波液晶相控阵波束扫描控制器研究

Research on Beam Scanning Controller of Microwave Liquid Crystal Phased Array

液晶相控阵是一种新型相控阵,其核心器件是360°移相角电控液晶移相器,而控制液晶移相器的关键部件是偏压波控驱动器。目前,液晶相控阵波束扫描控制方案主要集中在光学、太赫兹和毫米波等领域,鲜有在微波段的研究。针对液晶相控阵需求,提出了一种微波段液晶移相量与偏置电压关系的计算模型,设计了相应的波束扫描控制系统,并进行了静态指标测试与系统联试。静态测试结果表明,研制的液晶相控阵波束扫描偏压驱动器电压调控范围为0~30 V,电压步进粒度为7.3 mV,输出频率误差小于1 Hz,驱动数据刷新频率大于100 Hz,达到了预期目标,为液晶相控阵实现提供了技术支撑。在系统联试中,液晶相控阵在波控器的控制下波束扫描范围可达±45°。在典型频率下,天线阵波束偏转角度精确,进一步验证了波束控制系统的正确性。

Liquid crystal phased array is a new type of phased array.Its core device is a 360°phase shift angle electronically controlled liquid crystal phase shifter,and the key component to control the liquid crystal phase shifter is a bias wave control driver.At present,liquid crystal phased array beam scanning control schemes are mainly concentrated in the fields of optics,terahertz,and millimeter waves,while there are few studies in the microwave segment.Therefore,according to the requirements of liquid crystal phased array,a calculation model is proposed for the relationship between liquid crystal phase shift and bias voltage based on microwave segment,the corresponding beam scanning control scheme is designed,and static index test and system joint test are conducted.The static test results show that the voltage control range of the liquid crystal phased array beam scanning bias driver is 0~30 V,the voltage step granularity is 7.3 mV,the output frequency error is less than 1 Hz,and the driving data refresh frequency is greater than 100 Hz,which has achieved the expected goal and provided a technical support for the realization of the liquid crystal phased array.In the joint test,the beam scanning range of the liquid crystal phased array can reach±45°under the control of the wave controller.At typical frequencies,the beam deflection angle of the antenna array is accurate,which further verifies the correctness of the beam control system.