Polarisation Independent Liquid Crystal 360° Phase Shifter for Optically Generated RF-Signals

In this paper a phase shifter for optically generated RF signals at 5 GHz including a liquid crystal (LC) amplitude modulator is presented. A fibre coupled polymer dispersed liquid crystal cell is used to achieve a polarisation independent setup. The phase shifter covers the full 360° range and offers the possibility to adjust phase and amplitude of the RF signal independently. The phase shifter is a key component for optically fed phased array antennas in radar applications and for smart antennas in base stations for wireless telecommunication.