High Temperature Superconducting Ferrite Phase Shifter with New Latching Structure

摘要

Superconductor ferrite phase shifters are attractivefor phased array radar systems. The huge reduction in size andlosses mean that smaller systems are possible. This paper reportsa new latching structure for a superconducting ferrite phaseshifter which is compact in size and has low losses. The total sizeof the phase shifter is 6.0 cm x 3.0 cm x 2.5 cm includinghousing. It should be pointed out that two phase shifters can beaccommodated in this size. The minimum insertion loss of thedesigned phase shifter was measured at 0.8 dB. The phase shifteris fabricated using a Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide (YBCO)microstrip meander-line on a one centimeter square low losssapphire substrate. We press contacted a magnetized ferritesubstrate, with a silver ground plane, onto the fabricated YBCOmeander-line to obtain non-reciprocal phase shifting. Tomagnetize the ferrite substrate without causing magnetic fieldpenetration into the high temperature superconductor (HTS), wepropose a new latching structure comprising a single ferritelayer with magnetizing coils. This new structure will confine themagnetic field within the ferrite substrate by providing a closedmagnetic path. This is achieved by making a large hole at centerof the ferrite substrate.