Microfluidically Reconfigurable mm-Wave Slow Wave Phase Shifter With Integrated Actuation

A microfluidically reconfigurable slow wave phase shifter (MRPS) with integrated actuation is introduced. MRPS is based on a selectively metalized plate (SMP) repositionable within a microfluidic channel placed in close proximity to a microstrip line. SMP repositioning creates a variable capacitive loading to alter the speed of the propagating wave. The device exhibits <2 dB insertion loss (IL) and a reconfiguration time of 50 ms. The vertical bar S-21 vertical bar, vertical bar S-11 vertical bar, and phase performances are characterized to be stable with respect to gravity by no more than 0.16 dB, 3.02 dB, and 7.73 degrees variations, respectively. Vibration test shows 0.08 dB in IL, 1.72 dB in return loss (RL), and 4.23 degrees in phase variations. The device is expected to handle 5.2 W of continuous RF power.