QUICK-ACTING, CONTROLLABLE PHASE SHIFTER FOR PHASE ANGLE ADJUSTMENT IN RADIO SIGNALS

Abstract

Subject and Purpose. The phase shifters intended for controlling the phase of radio signals are widely used in ultra-high frequency technology, communication systems, radar, and a variety of measuring and special-purpose radio equipment. Designers of phased array antennas face the need of providing for broad beam scanning angles and high antenna gains, which leads to the necessity of greatly increasing the number of array elements, each of which is to be controlled by a phase shifter. Therefore, the development and creation of quick-acting phase shifters is an urgent task. The purpose of this work is to develop high-speed, controllable phase shifters for performing phase angle adjustments and thus provide, at an acceptable cost, for desirable parameters of phased antenna arrays, frequency stabilizing systems of magnetrons, etc. Methods and Methodology. The functional diagram of the proposed quick-acting, controllable phase shifter has been analyzed mathematically and modelled numerically. Results. The controllable phase shifter can be successfully implemented through the use of two parallel-connected resonators at the input of a specific receiver. Analysis of the signal amplitude and phase at the output of the phase shifter in dependence on the values at the input confirms the possibility of adjusting the phase of the output signal over a wide range of angles. Conclusions. A design concept of quick-acting, controllable phase shifters for producing adjustable phase angles has been developed. The device can be employed in phased antenna arrays or frequency stabilizing systems as a means of improving their operation parameters and reducing their cost at that.