A phase shift module is a microwave network module which provides a controllable phase shift of the RF signal. Phase shifters are used in phased arrays.

Classification

Active versus passive

Active phase shifters provide gain, while passive phase shifters are lossy. * Active: ** Applications: active electronically scanned array (AESA), passive electronically scanned array (PESA) ** Gain: The phase shifter amplifies while phase shifting ** Noise figure (NF) ** Reciprocity: not reciprocal * Passive: ** Applications: active electronically scanned array (AESA), passive electronically scanned array (PESA) ** Loss: the phase shifter attenuates while phase shifting ** NF: NF = loss ** Reciprocity: reciprocal

Analog versus digital

* Analog phase shifters provide a continuously variable phase shift or time delay.Microwave Phase Shifter
information from Herley General Microwave * Digital phase shifters provide a discrete set of phase shifts or time delays. Discretization leads to quantization errors. Digital phase shifters require parallel bus control. * Differential, single-ended or waveguide: ** Differential

transmission line In electrical engineering, a transmission line is a specialized cable or other structure designed to conduct electromagnetic waves in a contained manner. The term applies when the conductors are long enough that the wave nature of the transmi ...

: A differential transmission line is a balanced two-conductor transmission line in which the phase difference between currents is 180 degrees. The differential mode is less susceptible to common mode noise and cross talk. **

Antenna Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to: Science and engineering * Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves * Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...

selection: dipole, tapered slot antenna (TSA) ** Examples: coplanar strip, slotline * Single-ended transmission line: A single-ended transmission line is a two-conductor transmission line in which one conductor is referenced to a common ground, the second conductor. The single-ended mode is more susceptible to common-mode noise and cross talk. ** Antenna selection: double folded slot (DFS), microstrip, monopole ** Examples: CPW, microstrip, stripline * Waveguide ** Antenna selection: waveguide, horn

Frequency band

One-conductor or dielectric transmission line versus two-conductor transmission line

* One-conductor or dielectric transmission line ( optical fibre, finline, waveguide): ** Modal ** No TEM or quasi-TEM mode, not TTD or quasi-TTD ** Higher-order TE, TM, HE or HM modes are distorted * Two-conductor transmission line ( CPW, microstrip, slotline,

stripline Stripline is a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) transmission line medium invented by Robert M. Barrett of the Air Force Cambridge Research Centre in the 1950s. Stripline is the earliest form of planar transmission line. Description A stri ...

): ** Differential or single-ended ** TEM or quasi-TEM mode is TTD or quasi-TTD * Phase shifters versus TTD phase shifter ** A phase shifter provides an invariable phase shift with frequency, and is used for fixed-beam frequency-invariant pattern synthesis. ** A TTD phase shifter provides an invariable time delay with frequency, and is used for squint-free and ultra wideband (UWB) beam steering.

Reciprocal versus non-reciprocal

** Reciprocal: T/R ** Non-reciprocal: T or R

Technology

* Non semi-conducting (ferrite, ferro-electric, RF MEMS, liquid crystal): ** Passive * Semi-conducting (RF CMOS,

GaAs Gallium arsenide (GaAs) is a III-V direct band gap semiconductor with a zinc blende crystal structure. Gallium arsenide is used in the manufacture of devices such as microwave frequency integrated circuits, monolithic microwave integrat ...

. SiGe, InP, GaN or Sb): ** Active: BJT or FET transistor based

MMIC Monolithic microwave integrated circuit, or MMIC (sometimes pronounced "mimic"), is a type of integrated circuit (IC) device that operates at microwave frequencies (300 MHz to 300 GHz). These devices typically perform functions such as ...

s, RFICs or optical ICs ** Passive: PIN diode based hybrids

Design

* Loaded-line: ** Distortion: *** Distorted if lumped *** Undistorted and TTD if distributed * Reflect-type: ** Applications: reflect arrays (S₁₁ phase shifters) ** Distortion: *** Distorted if S₂₁ phase shifter, because of 3 dB coupler *** Undistorted and TTD if S₁₁ phase shifter * Switched-network ** Network: *** High-pass or low-pass ***

\pi

or T ** Distortion: *** Undistorted if the left-handed high-pass sections cancel out the distortion of the right-handed low-pass sections * Switched-line ** Applications: UWB beam steering ** Distortion: undistorted and TTD * Vector summing

Figures of merit

* Number of effective bits, if digital it* Biasing: current-driven, high-voltage electrostatic A, V* DC power consumption W* Distortion:

group velocity dispersion In optics, group velocity dispersion (GVD) is a characteristic of a dispersive medium, used most often to determine how the medium will affect the duration of an optical pulse traveling through it. Formally, GVD is defined as the derivative of the ...

(GVD) s²/nm* Gain Bif active, loss Bif passive * Linearity: IP3, P1dB Bm* Phase shift / noise figure �/dB(phase shifter) or time delay / noise figure s/dB(TTD phase shifter) * Power handling W, dBm* Reliability ycles, MTBF* Size m²* Switching time s

References

External links

"Phase Shifters"
Micorwaves101.com
Microwave Phase Shifter
information from Herley General Microwave

A low cost electro-mechanical phase shifter design, including a brief summary of solid state methods @ www.activefrance.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Phase Shift Module Radar Microwave technology