Digital - Analog Phase Shifters with Ferroelectric Varactors for 2D Phased Array Antenna

The advantages of the new digital-analog principle of operation for phase shifters using ferroelectric (FE) film varactors are considered. The results of the theoretical investigation are confirmed by testing of a 1.8GHz device with a figure of merit F=120 deg/dB and a phase error < plusmn2deg in bandwidth Deltaf/f~ 5%. The response time of the phase shifter to control pulse corresponds to units of nanoseconds. On the base of analysis of properties of ferroelectric varactors the theoretical estimation of nonlinear behavior of digital-analog phase-shifter in two-tone input signal regime is executed. Expected parameters of a multilayer microstrip phased array antenna based on phase shifters with ferroelectric varactors are presented.