IMF2017

Voltage controlled analog phase shifters are optimized and implemented as part of a phased array antenna. The phase shifters designed are based on a parallel-plate varactor design with Barium Strontium Titanite (BST) thin- film used as the electrically tunable dielectric. Through the simulation of varactor device variations including parallel-plate area and dielectric thickness, potential phase shifter designs are studied. Optimization parameters for phase shifter selection include insertion loss, device size, and figure of merit in degrees of phase shift per dB loss. A 6 by 6 micron varactor based phase shifter with a dielectric thickness of 200 nm is determined to be optimal. MMIC and hybridized circuits are designed to test phase shifter performance in a phased array beam-steering circuit.