Accurate modeling of liquid crystal-tuned meander-line phase-shifter

Preliminary modeling results and the description of the modeling technique for analysis and design of a tunable meander-line microstrip phase-shifter for a novel liquid crystal-based beam steerable planar antenna operating at 60 GHz are presented. In this phase-shifter, the substrate is a nematic liquid crystal. Two three-dimensional finite-element modeling programs are implemented in order to determine first the director distribution within the liquid crystal substrate for different bias voltages and then to obtain the wave-propagation along the meander-line, leading to the characterization of the phase shifter. In an example, the results from the presented anisotropic solution is compared with those generated by a commercial software considering a dielectric channel in place of the liquid crystal below the microstrip line, with an isotropic dielectric constant representing once the switched and once the un-switched state of the liquid crystal.