Liquid-crystal phase shifter and antenna device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025023234-A1
Application number	US-202218274743-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 27, 2022
Priority date	Jul 27, 2022
Publication date	Jan 16, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A frame sealing adhesive of the liquid-crystal phase shifter is disposed between two transparent substrates, the frame sealing adhesive encloses a first cavity, a first part of the metal-trace layer is located inside the first cavity, and a second part of the metal-trace layer is located outside the first cavity. The second part is disposed on first surfaces or second surfaces of the two transparent substrates. If the second part is disposed on the first surfaces of the two transparent substrates, metal cushion layers are provided between the frame sealing adhesive and the first surfaces of the two transparent substrates. If the second part is disposed on the second surfaces of the two transparent substrates, the first part and the second part are electrically connected by metal via holes provided in the transparent substrates, and the frame sealing adhesive contacts the first surfaces of the two transparent substrates.

First claim

1 . A liquid-crystal phase shifter comprising a metal-trace layer, a frame sealing adhesive, and two separately arranged transparent substrates;
the frame sealing adhesive is disposed between the two transparent substrates, the frame sealing adhesive encloses a first cavity, a first part of the metal-trace layer is located inside the first cavity, and a second part of the metal-trace layer is located outside the first cavity; the second part is disposed on first surfaces or second surfaces of the two transparent substrates, wherein the first surfaces refer to surfaces that face each other of the two transparent substrates, and the second surfaces refer to surfaces of the transparent substrates that are opposite to the first surfaces; if the second part is disposed on the first surfaces of the two transparent substrates, metal cushion layers are provided between the frame sealing adhesive and the first surfaces of the two transparent substrates, whereby a spacing between the two transparent substrates tends to be constant; and if the second part is disposed on the second surfaces of the two transparent substrates, the first part and the second part are electrically connected by metal via holes provided in the transparent substrates, and the frame sealing adhesive contacts the first surfaces of the two transparent substrates.

2 . The liquid-crystal phase shifter according to claim 1 , wherein the metal-trace layer comprises at least two metal-trace strips arranged parallelly; and
if the second part is disposed on the first surfaces of the two transparent substrates, each of the metal cushion layers provided on two sides of the metal-trace strips comprises a plurality of metal cushion blocks separately arranged.

3 . The liquid-crystal phase shifter according to claim 1 , wherein a dimension of each of the metal cushion layers in a first direction and a dimension of the metal-trace layer in the first direction are equal, wherein the first direction refers to a direction perpendicular to planes where the transparent substrates are located.

4 . The liquid-crystal phase shifter according to claim 2 , wherein the frame sealing adhesive comprises a plurality of silicon balls; and one instance of the silicon balls is lap-joined to two neighboring instances of the metal cushion blocks, and a spacing d between the two neighboring instances of the metal cushion blocks is equal to 4m(2r-m)1/2, wherein r is a radius of the silicon ball, and m is a distance between a midpoint of a connecting line between contact points of the silicon ball with the two neighboring instances of the metal cushion blocks and a bottom of the silicon ball.

5 . The liquid-crystal phase shifter according to claim 4 , wherein the spacing d between the two neighboring instances of the metal cushion blocks is greater than or equal to 0.5 micrometers, and less than or equal to 1.5 micrometers.

6 . The liquid-crystal phase shifter according to claim 2 , wherein a dimension L of each of the metal cushion blocks in a second direction is equal to 2r-d, wherein r is a radius of the silicon ball, and d is a spacing between two neighboring instances of the metal cushion blocks;
a dimension W of each of the metal cushion blocks in a first direction is greater than or equal to 1 millimeter, and less than or equal to 1.2 millimeters; and a dimension L of each of the metal cushion blocks in the second direction is greater than or equal to 23.5 micrometers, and less than or equal to 26 micrometers, wherein the first direction refers to a direction perpendicular to planes where the transparent substrates are located, and the second direction refers to a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

7 . The liquid-crystal phase shifter according to claim 2 , wherein distances from one instance of the metal cushion blocks that is disposed between the two metal-trace strips arranged parallelly to the metal-trace strips are greater than or equal to 0.9 micrometers, and less than or equal to 1.1 micrometers.

8 . The liquid-crystal phase shifter according to claim 1 , wherein supporting assemblies are provided between the transparent substrates located inside the first cavity, and one instance of the supporting assemblies that is disposed on one of the two transparent substrates is cooperatively connected to one instance of the supporting assemblies that is disposed on the other of the transparent substrates.

9 . The liquid-crystal phase shifter according to claim 8 , wherein the supporting assemblies comprise at least two snap-fitting members and at least two biting members;
one instance of the snap-fitting members that is disposed on one of the two transparent substrates is snap-fitted to one instance of the biting members that is disposed on the other of the transparent substrates; and one instance of the biting members that is disposed on one of the two transparent substrates is snap-fitted to one instance of the snap-fitting members that is disposed on the other of the transparent substrates.

10 . The liquid-crystal phase shifter according to claim 9 , wherein a cross section of each of the snap-fitting members in a second direction is trapezoidal, and a cross section of each of the biting members in the second direction has a trapezoidal slot, wherein the second direction refers to a direction perpendicular to planes where the transparent substrates are located.

11 . The liquid-crystal phase shifter according to claim 10 , wherein the cross section of each of the snap-fitting members in the second direction is an isosceles-trapezoidal cross section;
the cross section of each of the biting members in the second direction has an isosceles-trapezoidal slot; and a dimension of the isosceles-trapezoidal cross section in a first direction is two thirds of a distance between the two transparent substrates.

12 . An antenna device, wherein the antenna device comprises the liquid-crystal phase shifter according claim 1 .

13 . The antenna according to claim 12 , wherein the metal-trace layer comprises at least two metal-trace strips arranged parallelly; and
if the second part is disposed on the first surfaces of the two transparent substrates, each of the metal cushion layers provided on two sides of the metal-trace strips comprises a plurality of metal cushion blocks separately arranged.

14 . The antenna according to claim 12 , wherein a dimension of each of the metal cushion layers in a first direction and a dimension of the metal-trace layer in the first direction are equal, wherein the first direction refers to a direction perpendicular to planes where the transparent substrates are located.

15 . The antenna according to claim 13 , wherein the frame sealing adhesive comprises a plurality of silicon balls; and
one instance of the silicon balls is lap-joined to two neighboring instances of the metal cushion blocks, and a spacing d between the two neighboring instances of the metal cushion blocks is equal to 4m(2r-m)1/2, wherein r is a radius of the silicon ball, and m is a distance between a midpoint of a connecting line between contact points of the silicon ball with the two neighboring instances of the metal cushion blocks and a bottom of the silicon ball.

16 . The antenna according to claim 15 , wherein the spacing d between the two neighboring instances of the metal cushion blocks is greater than or equal to 0.5 micrometers, and less than or equal to 1.5 micrometers.

17 . The antenna according to claim 13 , wherein a dimension L of each of the metal cushion blocks in a second direction is equal to 2r-d, wherein r i

Assignees

• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ma Yong
• Huang Hua
• Gu Xin
• Kang Zhao
• Li Shulei
• Hsieh Changhan
• Zhao Chengtan
• Cui Zhao

Classifications

• H01Q3/36 Primary

  with variable phase-shifters · CPC title

• G02F1/1345

  Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals · CPC title

• G02F1/1339

  Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells · CPC title