Our
group has recently developed a technique to overcome
this difficulty by implementing
a novel technique whereby multilayer dielectric materials
including a middle layer of highly tunable Ferroelectric
material was used in the design [2]. Simulations
results show that with the appropriate selection
of the materials
properties and the dimensions of the multilayer dielectric
system, insertion losses may be reduced by a factor
as much as 100, while maintaining a significant fraction
of the achievable tenability (85%). This procedure
also resulted in improved impedance matching characteristics.
Fig. 3 shows some of the obtained simulation results
as a function of the height of the parallel plate
transmission line and the thickness of a Teflon layer
on top and
bottom of the Ferroelectric materials. Prototypes
of phase shifters and Ferroelectric loaded CTS antenna
arrays with and without the proposed multi-dielectric
arrangements are being designed and will be experimentally
tested to verify the simulation results.
